By Steve Rhodes
In which I talk back to the transcript. Edited for clarity and sanity.
ABC News Illinois Senate Debate/October 19, 2010
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Joining me in the questions tonight, ABC 7’s Charles Thomas, political writer Carrie Lester of the Daily Herald and Andy Shaw, executive director of The Better Government Association, long-time reporter for WLS, as well. Each candidate will have an opening statement of one minute each. They had a draw. Alexi Giannoulias, you go first.
ALEXI GIANNOULIAS: Thank you. This has been a tough and at times very negative campaign. But there is a lot at stake. Because of this devastating recession people across the state have lost their jobs, have lost their homes and are struggling just to make ends meet. Tragically, the decisions in Washington, D.C. over the last decade have made things worse. Exploding budget deficits. Shipping jobs overseas. A failure to address our environmental challenges. Why in the world would we send the same people who created this mess back to Washington, D.C.?
RHODES: Therefore, I am announcing today that I will not support Barack Obama for re-election in 2010. And don’t even get me started on Dick Durbin.
GIANNOULIAS: You may not always agree with me, but you will always know where I stand.
RHODES: For example, you may not agree with it, but you will always know when I am dodging questions about Broadway Bank.
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ANDY SHAW: Congressman Kirk, this campaign has featured an abundance of attack ads, character assaults, mudslinging and a notable lack of high-level discourse on the important issues facing the next Illinois Senator.
RHODES: And that was just the primaries!
SHAW: To what extent should you be held accountable by the voters of Illinois for the negative tone of the campaign, which has been disappointing to virtually everyone?
MARK KIRK: I think this campaign certainly has been about the resume and background, but at heart, when we vote on November 2nd, it will be about economic philosophy. If you’re happy with the direction of the government right now, of trillions in debt, of increasingly accelerating the spending of the Congress, and the growing of the government into our national life, then my opponent is your candidate.
But there is a growing voice in Illinois that wants a check and balance. That does not think that we should raise taxes in Springfield, like my opponent would like, or in Washington, D.C. And we need a new small business bill of rights. Ten new policies to help out the real number one employers, small business. Half of all the jobs. Eighty percent of the job losses. We know how Congress has hurt them. We don’t know very much how the current Congress has helped them at all.
RHODES: Terrific. Now how about a citizens’ bill of rights wherein you are required to answer the question.
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Posted on October 31, 2010
