Senator Charles E. Schumer, left, responding to a question during the second debate, with Dr. Marilyn O'Grady,
the Conservative candidate, and Assemblyman Howard D. Mills, the Republican candidate.
Posted on 10/20/2004 6:13:39 AM PDT by OESY
In the second and final debate in the race for the United States Senate seat in New York, Senator Charles E. Schumer found himself under sharp attack from his Republican and Conservative opponents last night over his record on everything from homeland security and the appointment of federal judges to the availability of flu vaccines.
But for most of the hourlong debate in Ithaca, N.Y., Mr. Schumer pointedly ignored the jabs and instead sought to portray himself as an effective senator with a long record of accomplishment that includes helping secure billions of dollars in aid for New York in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Both the Republican candidate, Assemblyman Howard D. Mills, and the Conservative Party candidate, Dr. Marilyn O'Grady, took aim at Mr. Schumer for failing to get New York its fair share of federal money, particularly for homeland security, with Mr. Mills noting that Wyoming received more money per capita than New York.
"We need an effective United States senator," Mr. Mills said, adding, "Senator Schumer needs to answer that question tonight: Why do we rank below Wyoming?"
But Mr. Schumer appeared to be at ease as he talked about issues that his aides have long argued worked to his advantage. "My record of accomplishment is something I am completely proud of," he said, staring intently into the camera and away from his two opponents.
This second and final debate, at Cornell University, appeared to lack any dramatic moments that would fundamentally alter the direction of a race that polls show has Mr. Schumer, a first-term incumbent, with a double-digit lead.
Mr. Mills went into the debate eager to get his campaign into the public consciousness, and he used the evening to highlight his charge that Mr. Schumer was far more adept at self-promotion than actually getting anything done for his constituents.
Mockingly, he noted that only 12 of the 163 bills that Mr. Schumer proposed in the Senate became law.
"What did the 12 bills he passed into law do?" he asked. "Eight of the 12 changed the name of a post office somewhere in New York State. One changed the name of a courthouse. One changed the name of a cemetery. Two authorized studies, one for a park, one for a heritage trail."
Both Mr. Mills and Dr. O'Grady attacked Mr. Schumer for blocking several of President Bush's choices for federal judgeships from coming to the Senate floor for a vote. Mr. Mills, for his part, accused the senator of not giving the president's nominees the "fairness of a straight yes-or-no vote."
But Mr. Schumer, a member of the influential Judiciary Committee, defended himself, noting that he had voted to approve most nominees, except those that he thinks are too ideologically extreme and would "turn the clock back to the 1890's."
"I will stand in the way of those extremists, and I am proud that I have done so," he said.
But for the most part, Mr. Schumer listed his accomplishments, from bringing low-cost airlines to upstate New York to getting money for New York dairy farmers.
At another point, Mr. Mills accused Mr. Schumer of voting against legislation that would protect manufacturers of flu vaccines against lawsuits and thus allow them to produce the vaccine in the United States.
But as he did through much of the debate, Mr. Schumer did not respond to Mr. Mills's accusations, prompting Mr. Mills to accuse the senator of sidestepping the issues.
Dr. O'Grady, a Long Island ophthalmologist who is a political newcomer, hammered away at both men, portraying them as social and fiscal liberals.
"I'm running because both of my opponents have what I consider tax-and-spend records while in office," she said. "They both have liberal social values that I disagree with. They both stand for gay civil unions. I am the distinct choice in this race."
Mr. Schumer is expected to have little trouble being re-elected, while Mr. Mills and Dr. O'Grady are battling for second.
Mr. Schumer enjoys more than just a commanding lead in the polls. He has $16,818,317 on hand for his campaign, compared to the $106,918 that Mr. Mills has and $31,516 for Dr. O'Grady, according to the latest campaign finance statement.
With the presidential election expected to generate high voter turnout next month, people close to Mr. Schumer say that he is hoping to solidify his future political standing with a commanding victory next month that rivals the 65 percent of the total vote that Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan garnered in 1988.
For Mr. Mills, whose cash-poor campaign has yet to generate any significant public notice, the debate yesterday was his final opportunity to reach a large audience and introduce himself to New Yorkers.
But the opportunity could not have come on a worse night: The debate took place as many New Yorkers were tuning into the sixth game of the American League Championship.
Senator Charles E. Schumer, left, responding to a question during the second debate, with Dr. Marilyn O'Grady,
the Conservative candidate, and Assemblyman Howard D. Mills, the Republican candidate.
'bout what I expected......chuckie will win
Schumer is such a looser.
Gosh!! They're all wearing the same suit!!
O'Grady looks like HRH!
Schumer could come out and say he's the anti christ and he'd still win. Sad but true. Another trueisum is the most dangerous place in the world is being between Schumer and a news camera.
I'm so sorry.
His middle name is Putzhead, or Putz for short, as I recall.
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