Brogan and Rossin debate education

The Miami Herald ^ | Friday October 11, 2002 | PETER WALLSTEN AND LESLEY CLARK

[NautiNurse]

Brogan and Rossin debate education

BY PETER WALLSTEN AND LESLEY CLARK

pwallsten@herald.com

FACING OFF: Sen. Tom Rossin, left, and Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan greet each other before their televised debate in Tallahassee on Thursday. PHIL COALE/AP

TALLAHASSEE - The understudies of the Florida governor's race sniped at each other on statewide television Thursday night over the best way to judge the state's schools.

In a feisty jabfest, the candidates for lieutenant governor offered a stark contrast to an event that was expected to attract scant viewership on public television.

Democrat Tom Rossin called the administration of Gov. Jeb Bush a ''failure'' and accused the Republicans of imposing ''fear and intimidation'' on those who disagreed with their policies. Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan took the hits with a smile and politely asked Rossin to look at the camera and explain how he and gubernatorial candidate Bill McBride would pay for a proposed constitutional amendment to cap class sizes.

''What taxes will you raise?'' Brogan asked. ``What programs will you cut?''

The debate marked the first opportunity for many Florida voters to see Rossin, a relatively obscure state senator and retired banker from Palm Beach County.

The debate, which competed against highly rated TV shows such as Friends and the Major League Baseball playoffs, carried none of the anticipation of a showdown between Bush and McBride. But in a race that appears to be tightening with less than four weeks before the Nov. 5 election, neither could afford a misstep.

Rossin had been the subject of criticism from some black Democrats, who had hoped McBride would have chosen a black person or a woman to be his running mate, given that most black voters backed Janet Reno in the Democratic primary.

Brogan has been a fixture on the statewide political scene since 1994, when he ousted then-Education Commissioner Doug Jamerson.

A former schoolteacher, principal and Martin County school superintendent, Brogan was actually Bush's second choice as a running mate. He joined the ticket in 1998 after then-Secretary of State Sandra Mortham dropped out amid ethical questions.

On Thursday night, Rossin showed a far greater understanding of the details of state government than McBride did in his first outing last month against Bush, rattling off figures and tossing out facts about land preservation and the state budget.

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

Rossin, the former Democratic leader of the state Senate, accused Bush and Brogan of a smoke-and-mirrors approach to government, imposing 'high-falutin' '' programs without concern for their real impact.

''They don't really care what happens,'' he said. ``What they really care about is how they spin it.''

Rossin attacked the use of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test to grade schools -- a key element of Bush's A+ Plan for Education that uses letter grades to rate schools.

He accused Brogan of offering ''slick'' answers, and said the lieutenant governor should be ''ashamed'' of supporting Bush's program after a career in education. He accused Bush and Brogan of using the FCAT as a ``rod to beat [students] on the head.''

''The fact is, student achievement is slipping ever since the governor came into office,'' Rossin said. ``Everyone in the education system except for the governor and the lieutenant governor understand this.''

Brogan chided Rossin for failing to see the benefit of holding schools accountable.

''I appreciate what you're saying, but I just disagree with it,'' Brogan said. 'It's all code for `Let's go back to the old system where we raise taxes and avoid accountability.' ''

Brogan noted that McBride had taken advantage of the grading system to select a failing elementary school as a backdrop for a campaign event.

Without the system, Brogan said, ``We wouldn't know it was a low-performing school to help it, let alone find it and use it for politics.''

Despite playing second fiddle to the men at the top of their respective tickets, the running mates provided a far more entertaining exchange on the issues.

VISUAL AIDS

The Republicans brought some human props into the studio audience, allowing Brogan to refer occasionally to examples of people who he said have benefited from the administration. Rossin, armed with facts that eluded McBride in his encounter with Bush, accused the administration of squandering a $3 billion surplus through tax cuts to the wealthy. The result, he said, is the potential for a deficit as high as $4 billion leading into next year's legislative session.

Brogan hit back repeatedly, accusing Rossin and McBride of promising too many programs but failing to deliver details on how they would pay for them.

The Republicans also accused Rossin of violating debate rules and using a ''cheat sheet'' at his podium. An aide removed the notes during an off-camera moment.

''There's got to come a point in time when these people fess up and tell people what they expect to do,'' state GOP Chairman Al Cárdenas said.

ONE FLORIDA

Brogan, meanwhile, offered a new take on Bush's One Florida Initiative, an often-criticized program that rolled back affirmative action in college admissions and state contracting.

He called it the ''new affirmative action,'' and said it was responsible for a higher number of minority students attending Florida universities and better opportunities for minority firms. Rossin accused Bush and Brogan of failing to talk to the people affected before creating the program, and later, of using ``fear and intimidation to mute any criticism.''

He said minority attendance at state colleges and universities has dropped.

The debate was hardly expected to be a pivotal moment in the campaign.

Brogan, in his closing, thanked the viewers who had turned the dial from Survivor.

Even Bush cracked up earlier this week when asked if he was planning to watch it.

''I'll tape it. I'll tape it,'' Bush said.

[NautiNurse]

The Miami Herald's view of the Lt. Governor candidate debate.

[windchime]

Thanks for posting NN!