Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Gubernatorial candidates stick to scripts in final debate
In a debate that covered roads and taxes and veered into health care, Bob McDonnell and Creigh Deeds followed their talking points.
Associated Press
Republican Bob McDonnell (right lectern) and Democrat Creigh Deeds (left lectern), take part in the final gubernatorial debate Tuesday. The gubernatorial election is two weeks away.
Photos by Associated Press
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell is congratulated by his wife, Maureen, after the debate in Roanoke College's Olin Theater.
Associated Press
Democrat Creigh Deeds laughs with his daughters, Amanda (left) and Becca, after the final gubernatorial debate at Roanoke College on Tuesday night.
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roanoke.com/politics
Editor's note: A Creigh Deeds quote about increasing health care competition and Bob Denton's title have been corrected in the online version of this story.
Neither a technology hiccup nor the best efforts of moderators could budge Virginia's candidates for governor too far from their well-honed talking points Tuesday night in the final debate of the campaign at Roanoke College.
Except for a brief exchange over health care reform, few revealing moments emerged from the hour-long televised clash between Republican Bob McDonnell and Democrat Creigh Deeds in Olin Theater. The debate, produced by WSLS television, was staged two weeks before the elections.
McDonnell, holding solid leads in public opinion polls, refused to be baited into extended discussions about social issues and said his agenda would be dominated by issues such as jobs, the economy and education.
Deeds, a state senator from Bath County, said he would govern in the mold of recent Democratic governors and attack the state's transportation funding crisis, but shed no new light on how he would generate revenue for the state's cash-strapped road system.
The candidates plowed some new ground when they were asked about emerging proposals in Congress to overhaul the health care system. McDonnell said he would seize an opportunity to opt Virginia out of a so-called "public option" requirement if Congress gives the states such flexibility. Deeds said he would consider seeking an exemption, even though many Democrats are demanding a public option.
"A public option isn't required in my view," Deeds said. "I think we have to do two things with health care. We have to reduce costs, so more people can afford insurance. We have to increase coverage. I share those broad goals. I don't think the public option is necessary in any plan and I would certainly consider opting out if that were available to Virginia. We have to find ways to increase competition in order to reduce costs."
Deeds, who will campaign with President Obama next week, said after the debate that he wasn't necessarily opposed to a public option.
"I'm not convinced that the public option is the only way we can reduce costs," he said. "It may be one way, but it may not be the best way."
McDonnell, the former attorney general, voiced doubts about the direction of the health care debate, saying, "I believe that there are legitimate concerns about access to health care and cost of health care that is stimulating this national and statewide discussion.
"I believe we've got the best doctors, the best hospitals, the best research and development for pharmaceuticals in all the world and the last thing we want to do is turn that over to the federal government."
The debate got off to a clumsy start when a technical malfunction disrupted audio feed from WSLS. For several minutes, Deeds and McDonnell could be heard only by the 400 spectators in the auditorium while reporters, campaign staffers and the television audience were left to guess what the candidates were saying.
Once the sound was restored, the candidates launched into a familiar fight over transportation funding. McDonnell dismissed suggestions by Deeds and WSLS anchor Jay Warren that his funding plan relied too heavily on unreliable revenue sources and money that now goes to essential state services such as education, health care and public safety.
"I know that it's going to take a bipartisan solution," McDonnell said.
McDonnell repeatedly criticized Deeds for being open to tax increases for transportation. But Deeds would not pinpoint specific taxes that could be increased, even when Warren ticked off a list, saying "anything that has a nexus to transportation is on the table."
McDonnell also dinged Gov. Tim Kaine when the candidates were asked why Virginia ranks last in how quickly states have spent federal stimulus money earmarked for road projects.
"I think we really could use a full-time governor," said McDonnell, a sarcastic reference to Kaine's role as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
McDonnell also took on questions about the 1989 graduate thesis he wrote while pursuing master's and law degrees at Regent University. Deeds has said the conservative treatise raises questions about McDonnell's attitudes about working women, gay rights and other issues.
Deeds defended his decision to relentlessly attack McDonnell on the issue, saying, "It explains why he has singularly focused on a social agenda during his years in office." McDonnell said Deeds' attacks were symptomatic of a "backwards looking" campaign that is short on policy solutions.
McDonnell defended his support for abortion restrictions, including a ban on late-term procedures commonly called "partial birth" abortions. When asked when abortion should be legal, McDonnell said, "I'm going to follow the law. ... The law is very clear on when it should be allowed."
Virginia Tech communications professor Bob Denton, who also put questions to the candidates, tried twice to pin them down on how they would pay for new spending proposals at a time when the state government is reeling from billions in budget cuts.
Both candidates said they would set priorities and push for efficiency audits to save money. McDonnell said the state could find savings in the department that oversees the Medicaid program. Deeds said the attorney general's office could be run more efficiently. But, despite pushing from Denton and Warren, neither cited a program they would cut.
"They are so trained," Denton said. "They had their talking points."
