Posted on 10/22/2004 11:37:58 AM PDT by Theodore R.
Senate forum turns testy
Vitter, John rap each other's voting records, political stands
By MARSHA SHULER mshuler@theadvocate.com Capitol news bureau
LAFAYETTE -- A U. S. Senate forum got testy Thursday with words like "lying" being thrown around as four major candidates tried to differentiate themselves from one another on a range of issues.
Republican U.S. Rep. David Vitter and Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris John slammed each other for misrepresenting the other's voting records on welfare reform and importing drugs.
Democratic state Treasurer John Kennedy criticized both Vitter and John for participating in the budget raid on the Social Security trust fund.
And state Rep. Arthur Morrell, another Democrat, hit Vitter for voting against Head Start and increases in federal college aid and for failing to support a government health insurance program for Louisiana children.
The hourlong forum was on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Louisiana Public Broadcasting and the Council for a Better Louisiana sponsored the statewide televised event to help voters decide who they will support in the Nov. 2 election.
Sen. John Breaux, D-La. is not seeking re-election.
One of the sharpest exchanges came when John alleged that Vitter yielded to Republican congressional pressure and voted against federal help for Louisiana's coastal erosion efforts.
"On Jan. 25 you voted against money for coastal erosion. You voted with the party bosses, not Louisiana, and the list goes on and on," John said, noting Vitter voted nearly 100 percent of the time with the GOP leadership.
"I'm sure your list can go on and on because you are lying about votes," Vitter replied.
"You are constantly trying to make this a partisan issue. ... We need to come together around that (coastal erosion) and quit bickering."
After the forum, Vitter said there was no vote on coastal erosion the day John cited.
The John campaign reported after the debate that Vitter's anti-conservation vote was actually June 25, not Jan. 25.
Vitter said John has a record of voting against reimporting cheaper prescription drugs from other countries while taking campaign contributions from pharmaceutical interests.
"Mr. Vitter, get the facts straight. You have voted four times not to allow reimportation," said John, who said he has opposed reimportation legislation because it didn't have safeguards.
John blamed Republicans for not allowing his reimportation legislation to get to the House floor for a vote.
John's legislation would allow the import of safe U.S.-made drugs back from Canada.
Kennedy jumped into the fray, alleging Vitter voted against reimportation twice and John three times.
All four candidates said they support reimporting U.S.-made drugs as a way of getting cheaper drugs to the elderly and others who need help.
They differed on letting the government negotiate prices under the Medicare program; Vitter opposing the idea and the others supporting it.
John also said he favors quickening the pace for brand-name drugs to become classified as generic.
Vitter and John also bickered over welfare law changes, with Vitter saying he supports legislation requiring more work out of those receiving benefit checks while John opposed the effort and wanted to expand benefits to noncitizens.
"I think you have your facts a little backward," John replied. "I voted against it because two important components were missing:" child care assistance and education training. If you require mothers to work more, then child care must follow.
"You are defending the welfare system we have in this country today," Vitter said.
In between the harsh words, there was some agreement.
Asked how they would spend a hypothetical $50 million gift from a benefactor interested in education, John, Kennedy and Vitter said they would put top priority on early childhood education.
Morrell said he would put the money into new school buildings and teacher resources to provide a better environment for children to learn.
John, Kennedy and Morrell said they support increasing the $5.15-an-hour minimum wage, John by $1, Kennedy by $1.50 and Morrell by $1 now and another $1 in three years.
Vitter opposes a higher minimum wage, saying it would stall the economy.
On solving the federal government's $400 billion-plus annual budget deficit, the candidates had differing views.
Morrell said he could not identify any one program to cut. He said stopping $1.3 trillion in tax cuts from becoming permanent would make a big dent.
John advocated closing loopholes that allow American companies to dodge $50 billion in taxes and adopting a pay-as-you-go method of budgeting.
Vitter and Kennedy said much of the problem is too much government spending.
Kennedy attacked pork barrel congressional spending, such as $50 million for an indoor educational rain forest in Iowa.
He proposed a bipartisan commission to make recommendations to end pork barrel projects. He also pushed for a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
About 125 people attended the forum.
Vitter Close to Majority(To avoid a runoff, a candidate must receive 50%+1 in the Nov vote.)
An independent tracking poll weeks show Republican Congressman David Vitter within striking distance of a primary victory and, if there is to be a runoff, a tightening race for second between two Democrats, Congressman Chris John and Treasurer John Kennedy.
The Verne Kennedy tracking poll, Oct. 18-20, shows: Vitter, 47 percent; John, 18; Kennedy, 16; Arthur Morrell, 2; Undecided, 17.
I would say that if David Vitter wins this election outright on Nov. 2, it would be the biggest political upset in many, many years -- probably equal to the dismay felt by the old-guard establishment when Huey P. Long, Jr., was elected governor in 1928. LA rarely has really close Senate elections: 1948 (Robert Kennon v. Russell Long, Democrat primary) and 1996 (Jenkins v. Landrieu) the exceptions.
It may be that Chris John lacks name ID in north LA, and that is why he is having a difficult time grabbing the second general election position. But Democrats, 65-66 percent of registered LA voters, feel confident that John will ultimately win in a one-on-one clash with Vitter.
Is Vitter going to 'go for broke' and spend his wad before November 2nd? I've read that certain R leaders are urging him to, I think it is wise. It's his best chance at winning, the runoff will be very tough. Besides, if he does go to a runoff, the R's will make sure he gets the money he needs.
I agree that the climate is better for Vitter on Nov. 2. Apparently, a lot of Republican hunters do not vote on Saturdays in December when LA has its unique "general elections." Saturday elections work to the advantage of Chris John, whom I still think will make the second race with Vitter. I know that Vitter must be torn at trying to put together a majority on Nov. 2 and then not having resources for Dec. 4. I bet John Breaux has a plan to bail out Chris John one way or another.
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