Pennsylvania’s two Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate dueled over character issues, crime, the war on terror and their devotion to Democratic principles today in a live debate.
The hour-long event between fifth-term incumbent Arlen Specter and challenger Joe Sestak at times became uncomfortable as the two attacked each other relentlessly — Specter on Sestak’s Navy record and Sestak on Specter’s Senate votes that defied Democratic Party efforts.
Specter even opened the debate demanding an apology for a Sestak ad in which a veteran asks Specter not to “lie” about Sestak’s Navy record, and he repeatedly asked Sestak to release his service records to explain a 2005 reassignment by the Navy.
Sestak ignored the requests, called his service honorable and aggressively worked to tie Specter to the policies of former President George W. Bush and even Wall Street practices that led to the evaporation of nest eggs and jobs.
“There is no record except the Republican record for Arlen Specter,” Sestak said.
Specter countered that he had stood with Democrats on their top priorities, even during his 28 years as a Republican. He noted his support for abortion rights and endorsements by the state AFL-CIO, as well as his opposition to the Bush administration’s warrantless wiretapping.
“I have stood with Democrats and Democratic values on the big issues,” Specter said.
Specter, first elected in 1980, is seeking a sixth six-year term in the Senate. He switched parties last year after falling out of favor with the GOP over his vote for President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus bill. The 80-year-old Philadelphian is endorsed by Obama.
Sestak, a second-term congressman and former Navy vice admiral from suburban Philadelphia, trails in the polls and fundraising. He was elected to Congress in 2007, the highest-ranking former military officer ever to join the institution.
He has said he was reassigned in 2005 because the newly appointed chief naval officer wanted his own team in charge. Specter has cited a report in the Navy Times that said Sestak was reassigned from his job as deputy chief of naval operations for creating a poor command climate — a term for morale.
Each candidate answered eight questions from a moderator, and then had a chance to rebut their opponent’s answer.
They clashed over Obama’s decision last year to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan — Specter said it is unwise to ally with an untrustworthy Afghan President Hamid Karzai while Sestak said is important to put pressure on al-Qaida safe havens in neighboring Pakistan.
On crime, Specter pointed to his support for bills to toughen sentences for career criminals, while Sestak said he would support an extension of the ban on assault weapons, which Specter opposed. The debate at a Philadelphia TV station is likely to be their last appearance together before the May 18 primary.
FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES
P.S.
THE DEBATE AIRED LIVE ON CBS 3 SATURDAY NIGHT!
IF YOU WANT TO SEE IT AGAIN MAKE SURE YOU TURN TO CWPHILLY CW57 ON SUNDAY MORNING AT 11:00AM FOR A REBROADCAST!
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