LAWNDALE - Congressman Patrick McHenry met with Burns High School students Tuesday in a town hall-style forum.
McHenry, who is seeking a seventh term representing Cleveland and Gaston counties in the 10th U.S. House District, spent more than an hour taking questions from a group of 50 students about his job in Congress, the election, police and race relations, terrorism and his everyday life, from a group of about 50 students. McHenry faces a challenge from Democrat Andy Millard, a Polk County resident and former Gaston County educator.
Principal Chris Blanton said it's important for students to have the opportunity to meet and interact with the politicians who represent them.
"They need to be informed," he said. "I thought he did a really good job of being non partisan. It's just really important for these kids to understand politics."
The hour was causal and open, and McHenry took the opportunity to joke with students on several occasions.
In response to the question, "What's your greatest weakness?" he joked about his lack of height, then shared an anecdote about meeting President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, saying that he and his wife were so short that they looked Photoshopped into a picture snapped of them between the POTUS and FLOTUS.
"They're both very tall," he said.
McHenry closed the session by telling the group of students they don't have to be defined by those who came before them, and they should do their best to forge their own paths.
"Who your parents are, who the people who take care of you are, doesn't define who you are," he said. "They've made you and helped you on your way, but you make for yourself what you want your life to be."
Q&A with Congressman Patrick McHenry:
Student: Do you have any opinions on (Donald) Trump and (Hillary) Clinton?
McHenry: "A lot of opinions. Right now, we've got the second most disliked presidential nominee of any politician in history, up against the most disliked. If you don't feel good about the choices in front of you, you're not alone. We're rarely left with a choice like this."
Student: Why did you get involved in politics?
McHenry: "To make a difference and help people. We all have laws that affect us.
Student: What can you do to help defeat ISIS?
McHenry: "As a member of Congress, I can influence funding. We need a push to create safe havens in Syria for people who are becoming refugees and running to Asia and Europe. In Iraq, we're only in the first stages of pushing back. We need stronger air cover and greater training for our boots on the ground ... We need a more sound strategy."
Student: What is your job like?
McHenry: "I spend a lot of time visiting community groups, hospitals, schools, businesses and doing things like we're doing today. When I'm in session, I'm going to committee hearings, doing votes on the House floor and playing a role in the House leadership. A day in Washington is much different than a day in North Carolina."
Student: Do you ever feel pressured to change your vote?
McHenry: "I do. But how I'm going to vote has a lot to do with what I do or don't think is right or not conforming to what I know my constituents don't want. It's of greater value to keep your word than to (be swayed.)"
Student: What does it mean to you to be American?
McHenry: "It means we get to make decisions for ourselves. We get to be free and have the capacity to think a certain way and educate ourselves. We can protect ourselves as a society. Being an American is much more than the value of me; it's the value of us. We're largely moral and just people who seek to do the right thing.
Student: Do you ever intend to run for a higher office?
McHenry: "No. I think where I can do the greatest good, is here in the House of Representatives."
Student: How did you feel about the Charlotte unrest?
McHenry: "It was awful. We don't see that in North Carolina, and I was as shaken by it as everyone else here. What we're going through now is a lot about economics, about treating people right and with respect. That's what rose up out of that, people's frustrations."
Student: How do you want to improve Cleveland County?
McHenry: "We need a second lake, so we have water supply. Second, the big issue is jobs, so our educational system has to help you all to get the capabilities you need to get the jobs you want. Third, we need continued economic growth."
Student: What's your advice to someone who's interested in politics?
McHenry: "Pay attention. Read the news. Look for facts and not opinions. Know what's going on. You have to have the capacity to make a decision for yourself. And work - you cannot be lazy and successful, at least not for a sustainable period of time. Working hard makes a huge difference."