Tester Crushes Burns in first Debate: Montana Political News Roundup, Volume2
U.S. Senator Conrad Burns and State Senator Jon Tester faced off this morning for one hour in their first one on one debate of the 2006 campaign season, and wow did the sparks fly! For those that missed this early morning political event, C-SPAN is rebroadcasting the debate at 8 PM MDT, according to Left in West.
I took scribbled notes for the entire hour, so any errors in quotes for either candidate are all mine. There was one moderator asking questions to both Burns and Tester, with no follow-ups, and there was no interaction from the live audience. Candidates were allowed to respond to questions aimed at the other candidate, and ask a limited number of questions directly to each other.
Join me below the fold for more news on this hot senate race.
It's remarkable that I am even in town and not on a river on such a beautiful summer weekend here in the Northern Rockies, not speak of watching TV. I was in my garage beating away on a stubborn oarlock on my raft while trying to get ready for the big 4th of July weekend out on the water, when I realized it was time for the debate, By the time I found a local channel carrying the feed I has just missed the opening statements from both Burns and Tester. My
rendition of the blow by blow picks up at this point.
The War on Terror
Burns says that "appeasement" led to 9/11 and that we have to hunt down these "super-crooks and drug dealers" that run Al Qaida.
Tester says that Burns and the U.S. Senate allowed President Bush to invade Iraq under false pretenses.
Burns responds that weapons of mass destruction, such as mustard gas in artillery shells have been found in Iraq (this week's sound bite direct from Rick Santorum!) and that Saddam Hussein was a bad man that used poison gas on his own people.
Tester quickly hits back with "Senator you know that a few 15 year old shells of mustard gas weren't the reason we were told to invade Iraq. The imminent threat of Saddam's nuclear weapons program was the reason we went into Iraq. No sign of nuclear weapons have been found."
Freedom and Security
The moderator quotes Benjamin Franklin; "Those that give up freedom for security have neither freedom nor security. Have we given up our freedom for security?"
Burns: This is a war that takes down all our freedoms. After 9/11, Americans were afraid to leave their homes and even go to the mall. We need to use all weapons at our disposal to hunt down these super-crooks and drug dealers.
Testor: The first thing after 9/11, President Bush told Americans to keep shopping. Then the U.S. Senate passed the Patriot Act and gave away many of our freedoms under the Constitution.
Burns responds: The Patriot Act gave away none of our freedoms. Testor's failure to support the Patriot Act shows that he isn't serious about our country's security.
Testor: Burns and the U.S. Senate have had five years to secure our nation's borders and ports. If they were serious about security they would have done these things rather than wasting time on the Patriot Act.
Katrina and FEMA
Moderator: Recent stories have shown that lots of money was given away and wasted on the FEMA response to Hurricane Katrina, including monies spent on vacations and parties. What can be done to improve FEMA and stop this waste.
Burns: There's always some waste in responding to any natural disaster. I have talked to both the mayor of New Orleans and the Governor of Louisiana and they never officially asked for FEMA help. A fifteen-year-old kid could have hot-wired those school buses and evacuated everybody to Houston before they were flooded went under water. The federal government was overwhelmed by three hurricanes and not just Katrina.
Tester; The Army Corps of Engineers never brought the dikes (he means levees) up to the standard they were supposed to be built to, and they had years to prepare. The National Weather Service predicted that Katrina would hit New Orleans days ahead of time and FEMA did nothing.
Immigration
Moderator: What should be done about illegal immigration?
Tester: First of all no amnesty for illegal immigrants, which Burns has supported. They need to get in line with everyone else in the world wanting to come to this country. We need to increase our border security (but not build bigger walls and fences) and secure our ports. We also need to negotiate and enforce fair trade agreements so that other people don't want to flee their country. Lastly, we need to crack down on businesses in this country that knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
Burns: Illegal immigrants don't enter through our ports. Aside from that, I'm glad to see that Jon Tester has adopted my position on immigration.
Tester: I have always had my own views on immigration. I have not just now adopted your position.
Burns: How would you have voted on the Immigration bill that was before the Senate this Spring?
Tester: It's a big, complex piece of legislation and I haven't read the whole thing. Have you read it?
Burns: That's not my question. You have adopted most of my position on immigration.
Tester: Even republicans can't be wrong all the time.
Energy
Burns: Montana needs to develop more of it's coal resources. Without my help the wind farm at Judith Gap (in central Montana) would have never been built. Democrats have always blocked good energy legislation in congress.
Tester: Your party controls all three branches of government, the executive, the legislative and the judiciary. And you are blaming democrats for stopping progress on energy?
Burns: Republicans don't control the judiciary.
Tester: Republican appointees control the Supreme Court.
Burns: So you wouldn't have voted for Alito?
Tester: That wasn't the question.
(I missed the rest of this response).
Burns: So you support ANWARRR?
(Burns means supporting drilling the Arctic Refuge).
Tester: The problem with drilling ANWR is that it's so short term. It would only supply oil for our country for a few months. And much of that oil could be exported to the Far East.
Burns: If we don't drill ANWAARRR, we won't have the chemical feedstocks to produce fertilizer to run our farms.
Tester: I know how to farm and we don't need expensive fertilizers to farm successfully. We need to support family farms and not big corporate agriculture.
Fiscal Responsibility
Burns: Jon Tester is against the Bush-Baucus-republican tax cuts (he actually said Baucus). Jon Teser would vote to increase your taxes.
Tester: In the past five years, Bush and the U.S. Congress has been fiscally irresponsible, running up enormous deficits. I am not into tax and spend, but you, Conrad, are into borrow and spend, and passing on huge debts to our children. Not too long ago our country had a balanced budget and was paying down the national debt.
Burns: Clinton and the democratic congress, before 1994 spent too much. The republican congress balanced the budget under Clinton and is now decreasing the annual deficit.
(There was a lot more back and forth here that I'm missing).
Closing Statements
Tester: this election is not about republican versus democrat. It's about the failed policies of Washington versus a new vision for our country from Montana.. I will bring a new vision and new leadership to Washington.
Burns: In 1989, when I took office, Montana's economy was stagnant. And it is growing today. I've brought a lot of money and jobs to the state, including light manufacturing in Gallatin County and a new agricultural sciences building at Montana State University. I have also preserved our land with working with the Blackfoot Challenge and other private groups to obtain conservation easements.
End of blow by blow
Some quick observations
Burns: Repeated a lot of standard repub talking points. Now in his late 70s, he is a lot slower on his feet than even in 2000 when he barely beat back Brian Schweitzer to retain his senate seat. Burn's folksy charm (what little there is) is really wearing thin with many voters. His closing statement was the strongest part of the debate for him, when he focuses on the pork barrel projects he has brought to Montana.
Tester: Jon Tester is very quick on his feet and almost never let a charge from Burns go un-answered. In my view he comes across as very smart and likable to the general Montana public. Tester won this debate hands down on the likability factor alone.
It was surprising that there were no questions about ethics or Jack Abramoff. More when I get a chance to think about this great debate!
UPDATE: Monday Morning, June 26th, 2006
Here's the best write-up in the printed press so far, in the Missoulian:
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/06/26/news/top/news01.txt.
Reporter Michael Jamison captured a good overall view of the debate:
If Sunday's debate proved anything, it might be that Burns represents a status quo, with a focus on immediate fixes to immediate problems. Tester, on the other hand, emerged as a source of newly creative energy, focusing on long-term solutions consistent with a big-picture vision.
The race has been billed as “one of the most pivotal in the country,” with the political balance of a sharply divided Senate at stake.
Some would argue that Burns and the republicans don't have an immediate fix for anything that works.