Santorum / Casey Debate

Senatorial Debate

This debate was between incumbent Republican Sen. Rick Santorum (RS) and Democratic challenger Bob Casey, Jr (BC). It was sponsored by KDKA and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Ken Rice moderated. I missed the first 5 minutes or so of the PCN rebroadcast. Casey was answering a question when I tuned in. As always, my apologies for any errors or misinterpretations. The candidates talked over each other quite a bit so in places it was impossible to tell who was talking and what they were saying.

BC: This is as much about hypocrisy as it is about residence. Sen. Arlen Specter says the senate doesn’t meet often and he wants to extend workweek.

RS: We spend 35 to 40 weeks at work. How often were you at work last week. Look in the camera and tell the people how often you are at work. I have a 98% voting record and BC only spends 50% of his time at work.

BC: Don’t be a desperate campaigner. I get results.

RS: He won’t answer questions.

BC: I hope Rick answers the question you posed. You ripped the taxpayers off. Pay the money back.

[They were talking over each other and it was impossible to catch what they were saying. The moderator tries to bring order and wishes the next questioner good luck]

Q2: Nuclear scientists from Iran and North Korea are working together. What should we do?

BC: We must do everything possible to prevent Iran and North Korea from developing a nuclear weapon or a nuclear bomb. Pres. Bush pointed out 3 axes of evil, but we started with weakest of the 3. We must put all options on the table. Don’t take military option off the table. RS just talks and talks and talks about sanctions and then allows loophole for Halliburton to do business in Iran.

RS: My opponent does not provide any answer to the question. I’ve tried to deliver on a policy that will change security of this country. I disagree with Pres. Bush on having former pres of Iran to come and visit [taunts BC over whether he knows Khatami’s name]. We must contain Iran, don’t let them get nuclear weapon.

BC: He didn’t answer the question. Are you going to do everything possible [follow up what should we do] We should use allies but the terrorism threat is greater now because of our policy we have alienated allies. RS should fill in gap in loophole.

RS: Didn’t fill loophole because we didn’t want to offend our allies. BC doesn’t understand the issue. Islamic fascism is the greatest threat to this country.

Q3: The war in Iraq is one front in a war on terrorism and Islamic facism. Is Iran stronger because of the war in Iraq?

RS: That analysis is compared to what? Classic Monday morning quarterbacking. What would have happened if we hadn’t gone into Iraq? After 9/11 we went after Al Qaeda in Afghanistan; it was a success. Baathists leaders in Iraq were state sponsors of terrorism. We could no longer allow radical regimes to let weapons of mass destruction be used. A third threat developed – Iran. We haven’t been attacked in 5 years. This is not a mistake but because of US policy. We have refashioned homeland security

BC: National Intelligence Estimate (??) The war on Iraq made it difficult to fight war on terrorism. RS is satisfied with where we are on war on Iraq. What we should have in Iraq is a series of focused ideas, clear and measurable benchmarks.

RS: BC has not offered anything. We have clear benchmarks and have set them out. On “Meet the Press” he said [something about special forces] [They argue about how many special forces are in Iraq and what they are called and how long it takes to train them, etc.]

[moderator tries to move on, they keep arguing. The moderator says they are “killing our time keeper and trashing your own rules]

Q4: work ethic. RS says BC lazy, resting on laurels of his father, hand picked by National Dems to run, isn’t campaigning or showing up for work

BC: If this case comes down to who’s working harder, I’ll win that battle. I’ve gotten results as state treasurer, developed new program for hospitals to borrow money at a lower rate. RS doesn’t use his power to do things like that. I used state treasurer’s office to get good investments for the state. RS thinks we should stay where are. Specter says they don’t work hard. The Senate has more recesses than any school in America.

RS: I asked BC and he refuses to answer how often he is in his office. BC gets a $135K paycheck. BC has done two public events a week to run for senate. I didn’t coast into this job because of my last name. I’ve worked hard for people of PA. BC doesn’t show up for work or campaign. I don’t think BC has done a good job as state treasurer.

BC: You’re listening now to someone who is a desperate candidate. Wild desperate candidate. He doesn’t want to talk about his own record, a record of rubber stamping a failed policy. We haven’t heard a single new idea about what RS would do if relected. BC set forth 10 very specific plans.

RS: Delivered section 508? to 14? Hospitals in PA. He mentions a hospital that gave him an award. He has real deliverables to health care for this state. Again, calls for BC to look in the camera and tell how often you are at work.

[In the next section of the debate, they play campaign commercials, and the candidates can rebut and defend. RS commercial on Casey contributors being crooks]

BC: That ad was not only unfair but full of non-truths, that’s what Post-Gazette said. One of those people is dead. It is bad enough to talk about the dead, but RS sought the support of two of the people in the ad for his campaign. They are not related to the issues of the campaign, such as BC’s record. If the race comes down to who you hang around with in your job or campaign RS spends a lot of time on K Street.

Rs: This is really sad. He doesn’t answer the question. We put up this factual ad and he doesn’t respond. The guy who is dead gave BC office space in his gubernatorial race. BC gave money at someone’s behest to politicians in NJ.

[show casey ad saying RS voted against minimum wage but raised his own pay, also mentions RS’s kids cyberschool]

RS: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette paper is very liberal and left-wing and has never said a good thing about me in 16 years. RS voted against min wage 10 times and for it 10 times. The min wage he voted against didn’t have a provision for small businesses. It isn’t for or against minimum wag but for or against small business. BC could have stopped state legislative payriase. In 16 years RS has voted for a 6% payraise in senate when cost of living has gone up 44%. Says BC signed state legislative paychecks without checking on the legalities of it.

BC: RS is hyperventilating about the state payraise because people in PA know he took 3 payraises but denied payraise to the hardworking people of Pennsylvania 13 times. If it comes down to who has benefited from payraises, RS told district constituents [missed the rest of his answer].

Q5: social security and medicare as time bombs, little appetite for privatizing , how to keep solvent?

RS: I am Chairman of the social security subcommittee [missed the rest of this], and asked all sides to come together. People who are retired have guaranteed benefits. The problem is long term, we must guarantee current benefits, let younger works take some social security money and invest. That is the long term way to bridge solvency gap. People are living longer and having fewer kids. BC says grow economy by increasing taxes.

BC: Rick gave part of my answer and I appreciate that. We need a strong economy. Debt number has gone up several trillion dollars since RS in office. The crisis in social security right now is privatization. Taking away part of a guaranteed benefit and replacing it [something about how this is a guarantee only for Wall Street].

RS: Again he doesn’t answer the question. Why is it ok to let the rich invest in stocks but those with a lower income he doesn’t want to let invest.

BC: That’s a reaffirmation of his position, to privatize social security. To do that alone in short run would drain trust fund. What we have to do is stop thievery from social security trust fund.

Q6: immigration. BC is against amnesty but does supports a bill that allows illegal aliens to get on path to citizenship

BC: I don’t think what the senate bill sets forth is amnesty. RS didn’t take tough stand on stronger border control, voted against border control and holding employers accountable. 16 weeks before the election he discovers an issue that he thinks will get some traction. The number of illegal immigrants is up, but cases against employers are down. BC would support this bill over doing nothing.

RS: BC is saying illegal immigrants can stay. In 96 I did try to toughen up immigration bill but it didn’t work. Bipartisan bill. It didn’t work effectively and as a result increased immigration. BC says I want to raid social security. But BC wants to give illegal immigrants social security benefits.

[follow up : against local law enforcement deporting illegal aliens]

RS: I want a bill that enforces employer verification, I don’t want to give tuition benefits, social security benefits to illegal aliens.

BC: Doesn’t want illegal immigrants to get social security benefits. Sen. Specter and McCain agree that the bill does give amnesty.

RS: Border guards go up 40%, voted for increased funding.

Q7: Are you a uniter or a divider? PA traditionally favored moderates

RS: I can and will provide a list of bipartisan issues that I have worked on. Mentions combating autism, puppy mills, lyme disease, open space, Syrian accountability, Iran freedom and support act, welfare reform (refers to Clinton / Santorum Welfare reform bill). I thing people perceive me this way because I look people in the eye and tell them what I think.

BC: No one would begrudge Santorum being an effective Republican in the senate. He has spent far too much time in dc on Republican ideology than interests in Pennsylvania. Why did he give away taxpayer dollars to oil companies instead of redirecting money to alternative energy. Votes 98% of the time with GB.

RS: The last compromise on the welfare reform bill put more money in for childcare and reverse commute funds. Mentions dairy farmers. No one has worked harder for coal industry and cleaning up coal mines

BC: RS is #2 in congress in big oil money, #1 in insurance money and pharmaceutical money.

Q8: BC do you want to be senator more than you wanted to be gov., are you just a guy who wants to be something?

BC: I ran for gov in 2002 and lost. It was a humbling experience and I benefited from that. I ran for state treasurer and won with a record # of votes. I was asked to consider running for senate. It was a hard decision for my family and for someone new in office as treasurer. What’s at stake is more important than the ambitions of any public official or candidate. We cannot stay on road of deficit and debt. RS is satisfied with where we are. RS is not showing independence. BC represents a change. [follow up do you still want to be gov?] Running for senate precludes running for any other high office like gov.

RS: How can you say so many words and say nothing? Talking point after talking point. He’s run for 4 statewide offices in 6 years. I’ve run for one office 3 times. I want to spend time working hard as the senator from Western PA. I’m not running for any other office over the next 6 years.

BC: RS leaves out of his little speech there, I pledged that I won’t run for any other office if elected. I supports pre-k education, ethics reform.

RS: When BC announced in March that he would run for office he had his campaign web site up before the state treasure’s web site was up.

BC to RS: On Sept. 3 on Meet The Press, you said Rumsfeld was doing a fine job. Why?

RS: I’m the only candidate to have sued Rumsfeld, and Rendell over [missed this]. Rumsfeld transformed the military into something that can respond to new threats. I used the term asymmetrical threat for terrorism before most people. I have been on the watch and put forth ideas that congress has passed.

BC: You didn’t use the word Iraq. Principle concern of the Am people have with Rumsfeld is Iraq. RS is not critical of policy in Iraq

RS to BC: How much $ is in public school retirement system? Do you invest in outsourcers of American jobs?

BC: That retirement system has over 75 billion dollars and gets great returns. [RS: don’t you know ?] I don’t know how much is invested in outsourcers. RS is having trouble living up to his record.

RS: The answer is 25% of funds invested in outsourcing.

Closing Statements:

RS: Thank yous. We’ve worked to represent the people of our community. VA hospitals are not closing in Western PA. I’ve worked hard to keep 2 sports teams here, keeping Sony and 2800 jobs here. I’m a passionate guy, tough, a fighter. I’m an Italian kid from a steel town. My father is an immigrant. I get to every single county every year. I’ve been elected to serve in leadership and can help do more to help the community.

BC: Thank yous. KDKA. Ken Rice. The choice is clear. You can stay on road we’ve been on, deficit and debt, don’t put people of Pennsylvania first. More high health care costs. 180K manufacturing jobs in PA lost. We need change. Roll up our sleeves in a bipartisan way. Fight terrorism, trade deals protect our workers. I’ve spent the last decade as a public official fighting fraud.