thedrifter
10-10-06, 07:46 AM
Charges, rebuttals abound in debate
Sen. George Allen and challenger James Webb argued over the war in Iraq and tax policies.
By Michael Sluss
(804) 697-1585
RICHMOND -- Spirited exchanges over the war in Iraq and taxes highlighted Monday night's final debate of the heated election battle between U.S. Sen. George Allen and Democratic challenger James Webb, with both candidates displaying combativeness emblematic of their hard-edged campaigns.
Allen, the Republican incumbent, sought to associate Webb with some of the Senate's most recognized liberals and accused him of advocating the repeal of popular Republican-initiated tax cuts. Webb, a former Reagan administration official, called Allen one of President Bush's "blindest supporters" on the war in Iraq and other major policy issues.
The two candidates often talked over each other in their zeal to trade charges and rebuttals during the hour-long debate, which was sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Virginia.
Allen and Webb began the debate by resuming their long-running clash over the war in Iraq. Allen, as he has throughout the campaign, called Iraq "a very important front and battlefield" in the war on international terrorism.
"We cannot be a country that just loses faith in our ability to protect itself," Allen said.
Webb, whose son is serving with the Marines in Iraq, used personal terms when criticizing the Bush administration and its political allies for their handling of the war.
"The leaders of this administration and their followers claim that we are in a life-and-death struggle against international terrorism and that Iraq is a central front in this war on terrorism," said Webb, a decorated Vietnam veteran. "And yet very few of these leaders are willing to invest their own loved ones in this effort."
The debate over Iraq gained a new wrinkle last week when Virginia Sen. John Warner, the Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee, delivered a gloomy assessment of the new Iraqi government's progress. Warner, who had just returned from a trip to Iraq, said that the United States may need to reconsider its strategy if conditions do not improve in the next two to three months.
Allen dismissed suggestions that he and Warner were at odds over Iraq, saying they share the goal of enabling a stable government that can quell sectarian violence. Webb cited Warner's critique as evidence of a shift in the Republican Party "from the theorists who brought us this blunder to the realists."
Allen and Webb heatedly talked over each other while debating tax policy, as Webb disputed assertions in an Allen television ad that he would roll back tax breaks that benefit average families. Webb said he supports closing corporate tax loopholes to generate revenue and reduce the deficit. When asked by Allen if he knew how many Virginians benefited from Republican tax cuts, Webb ignored the question and asked Allen about ending federal tuition tax credits for students.
"If you're going to make proposals, you ought to know how many Virginians are affected," Allen said.
"I never said I would agree with the tax increases you used in your ad," Webb said at one point.
Both candidates again found themselves responding to questions about race and gender issues -- Allen about his alleged use of racial slurs; Webb about a 27-year-old magazine article in which he argued that women were unfit for combat and should not have been integrated into U.S. military academies.
Allen decried "baseless allegations" made against him in recent weeks about his attitudes on race, and said his public record reflects a commitment to diversity and tolerance. Webb also said his record reflects an evolved attitude about women in the military, noting that he increased the number of operational assignments for women as secretary of the Navy in the Reagan administration.
The two candidates also sparred over illegal immigration and Virginia's proposed constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriages and civil unions. Allen said he opposes granting amnesty for illegal aliens already in the country; Webb bashed the Bush administration for doing little to address the issue in six years. Allen voiced support for the marriage amendment, saying it is needed to protect the state's existing marriage law from court challenges. Webb said the amendment is too broadly worded and could affect existing contracts between unmarried adults.
Webb caught Allen off-guard during the debate by asking him to expound on the importance of the Senkaku Islands in Asia. The question was an obvious retort to a question Allen asked of Webb in a July debate, when Webb was forced to admit he knew nothing about the Craney Island Dredged Material Management Area in Hampton Roads.
"I'll have to study the issue more fully to give you a complete answer," Allen said.
Ellie
Sen. George Allen and challenger James Webb argued over the war in Iraq and tax policies.
By Michael Sluss
(804) 697-1585
RICHMOND -- Spirited exchanges over the war in Iraq and taxes highlighted Monday night's final debate of the heated election battle between U.S. Sen. George Allen and Democratic challenger James Webb, with both candidates displaying combativeness emblematic of their hard-edged campaigns.
Allen, the Republican incumbent, sought to associate Webb with some of the Senate's most recognized liberals and accused him of advocating the repeal of popular Republican-initiated tax cuts. Webb, a former Reagan administration official, called Allen one of President Bush's "blindest supporters" on the war in Iraq and other major policy issues.
The two candidates often talked over each other in their zeal to trade charges and rebuttals during the hour-long debate, which was sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Virginia.
Allen and Webb began the debate by resuming their long-running clash over the war in Iraq. Allen, as he has throughout the campaign, called Iraq "a very important front and battlefield" in the war on international terrorism.
"We cannot be a country that just loses faith in our ability to protect itself," Allen said.
Webb, whose son is serving with the Marines in Iraq, used personal terms when criticizing the Bush administration and its political allies for their handling of the war.
"The leaders of this administration and their followers claim that we are in a life-and-death struggle against international terrorism and that Iraq is a central front in this war on terrorism," said Webb, a decorated Vietnam veteran. "And yet very few of these leaders are willing to invest their own loved ones in this effort."
The debate over Iraq gained a new wrinkle last week when Virginia Sen. John Warner, the Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee, delivered a gloomy assessment of the new Iraqi government's progress. Warner, who had just returned from a trip to Iraq, said that the United States may need to reconsider its strategy if conditions do not improve in the next two to three months.
Allen dismissed suggestions that he and Warner were at odds over Iraq, saying they share the goal of enabling a stable government that can quell sectarian violence. Webb cited Warner's critique as evidence of a shift in the Republican Party "from the theorists who brought us this blunder to the realists."
Allen and Webb heatedly talked over each other while debating tax policy, as Webb disputed assertions in an Allen television ad that he would roll back tax breaks that benefit average families. Webb said he supports closing corporate tax loopholes to generate revenue and reduce the deficit. When asked by Allen if he knew how many Virginians benefited from Republican tax cuts, Webb ignored the question and asked Allen about ending federal tuition tax credits for students.
"If you're going to make proposals, you ought to know how many Virginians are affected," Allen said.
"I never said I would agree with the tax increases you used in your ad," Webb said at one point.
Both candidates again found themselves responding to questions about race and gender issues -- Allen about his alleged use of racial slurs; Webb about a 27-year-old magazine article in which he argued that women were unfit for combat and should not have been integrated into U.S. military academies.
Allen decried "baseless allegations" made against him in recent weeks about his attitudes on race, and said his public record reflects a commitment to diversity and tolerance. Webb also said his record reflects an evolved attitude about women in the military, noting that he increased the number of operational assignments for women as secretary of the Navy in the Reagan administration.
The two candidates also sparred over illegal immigration and Virginia's proposed constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriages and civil unions. Allen said he opposes granting amnesty for illegal aliens already in the country; Webb bashed the Bush administration for doing little to address the issue in six years. Allen voiced support for the marriage amendment, saying it is needed to protect the state's existing marriage law from court challenges. Webb said the amendment is too broadly worded and could affect existing contracts between unmarried adults.
Webb caught Allen off-guard during the debate by asking him to expound on the importance of the Senkaku Islands in Asia. The question was an obvious retort to a question Allen asked of Webb in a July debate, when Webb was forced to admit he knew nothing about the Craney Island Dredged Material Management Area in Hampton Roads.
"I'll have to study the issue more fully to give you a complete answer," Allen said.
Ellie