As the close contest to be Floridas next governor enters its final week, Democratic candidate Alex Sink and Republican candidate Rick Scott crossed lances in their last debate of a contentious election fight -- this time involving national rather than state issues, and this time showing the country a verbal bare-knuckle brawl, Florida-style.
The debate, moderated by CNN's John King and broadcast nationally by CNN, was staged at the University of South Florida in Tampa. King was joined by Adam Smith of the St. Petersburg Times.
Despite the close race and the states continuing economic problems, the moderators' questions revolved around national issues and allowed the candidates to trade attacks on their records in the private sector.
King opened the debate by asking businessman Scott about President Barack Obama. Scott praised Obama for continuing the war in Afghanistan. The stimulus is a disaster, said Scott, who insisted new federal health-care laws backed by the White House were job killers.
State CFO Sink disagreed with Scotts view that she was an Obama liberal. You just dont know what youre talking about, she told her opponent. I have always been a fiscal conservative." She did praise the Obama administration for education reform. But she criticized it for not extending tax cuts backed by President George W. Bush in 2001 and 2003.
Smith asked Scott about his taxes, noting that he was doing better under Obama than Bush. Scott brushed off the question and continued to link Obama and Sink, insisting Sink will raise taxes.
Theres nothing in my plan that calls for raising taxes, said Sink before hammering Scott for Medicare fraud that occurred during his tenure as a health-care executive at Columbia/HCA. Hes someone we just cant trust to follow the rules.
Theres nothing you want to cut, said Scott.
You are reinventing history, said Sink, continuing to pound Scott on ethical issues. I think you have spent a lifetime reinventing the truth, Rick.
You want to talk about fraud, lets talk about your record at NationsBank, replied Scott.
The two candidates continued to squabble on ethics issues while Scott insisted he is proud of his record in the private sector.
King jumped in and asked Scott about his immigration plans, noting the Republican wants Florida to adopt the immigration law that Arizona enacted earlier in the year. Scott praised legal immigration, noting Rep. Jennifer Carroll of Jacksonville, his running mate, is a legal immigrant. We should have a working visa process, insisted Scott. He said he is not backing amnesty.
Florida is not Arizona, said Sink, who called for increasing fines to businesses that hire illegal immigrants. Sink added that she is talking to law enforcement officials about the matter, reminding voters of her backing from police groups.
After a break, the debate returned to ethical issues. King brought up Scotts record at Columbia/HCA.He asked if Scott intends to run the state as he had his businesses. Replied Scott, What you do as CEO is surround yourself with the smartest people you can and you trust them." King continued to ask Scott about the case. Smith then jumped in asking Scott about sealing a deposition concerning matters at Solantic, a company he invested in.
It has nothing to do with running for governor, said Scott. This race is about jobs. Scott then tried to fire away at Sink, insisting she never built a private-sector job.
Asked about her record as state CFO, Sink fired back at Scott insisting she did build jobs. She again hammered her opponent on ethics issues, saying he was a corporate raider who left as a disgraced chief executive officer.
Scott responded by attacking Sink. Youre a failed fiscal watchdog, he insisted, moving to her record at NationsBank.
King then followed up on Sinks record at NationsBank. Sink said she was not involved with the problems Scott was mentioning.
With the event more than half over, the debate finally turned to Florida issues. King asked both candidates about the states continuing economic woes, including a near 12 percent unemployment rate. Scott lashed out at Gov. Charlie Crist and Sink, noting the states unemployment rose during the last four years.
Let me clarify whos been in charge in Tallahassee, said Sink. Its been one party -- Rick Scotts party. Sink noted Crist and the leadership in the Legislature were all Republicans.
Smith asked about Sinks plans to give raises to state employees and education. Sink said her plan will reduce taxes on businesses and target fraud and waste in the budget. Sink said again she will not increase taxes.
Asked about the U.S. Department of Transportation sending $800 million to Florida for high-speed rail, Scott said he will need to look at the costs and repeated his charge that Sink will raise taxes to pay for projects.
The debate then turned to the oil spill in the Gulf. Sink criticized the Obama administrations response to the spill and called drilling in Florida waters a horrible idea. We saw how dependent we were on our tourist economy, she said, arguing that small businesses have been impacted by the spill.
Scott compared the spill to the hospitals impacted by Hurricane Andrew back in 1992. I reopened two hospitals and I stayed down there until it was solved, said Scott -- before blasting Sink and Crist for not promoting that beaches remain open.
Sink then predicted Scott, if elected, will hand Florida over to the developers."
After a commercial break, King brought up abortion, pointing to a new law in Nebraska that does not permit abortions to be performed after 20 weeks. Scott went back to environmental issues. DCA has killed jobs across the state, he said, noting that Ave Maria University took years to build due to needing 78 permits.
I am pro-life, said Scott, who added he is pro-choice in cases of rape, incest and danger to the mothers life. He said he will back bringing the Nebraska law to Florida. Sink said she opposes it and will follow current laws in the Sunshine State.
Sink noted she has received endorsements from 16 newspapers across the state. She then attacked the Legislature for undermining campaign finance, not pushing ethics reform and backing SB 6, a measure to reform teacher performance pay.
Scott said it is no surprise that newspapers back Sink considering they also back Obama. Youre an Obama liberal, he said.
King then called for a lightning round to close the debate. Scott said he would not pass judgment on whether homosexuality was immoral. Sink said Gov. Jeb Bush and Republicans were wrong in trying to interfere in the Terri Schiavo case. Scott and Sink both agreed that the Obama administration was wrong in trying to lift economic restrictions in Cuba. Both candidates did not know the states minimum wage, which they thought is $7.55 instead of $7.25. And they both thought that National Public Radio was wrong for firing radio commentator Juan Williams. The candidates did not offer closing statements.
While Scott and Sink fired away during the debate, their surrogates kept pounding away at their rivals.
In an e-mail to supporters sent out on Monday afternoon, Jim Cassady, Sinks campaign manager, lashed out at Scott.
Alex has the business, political and leadership experience -- not to mention the integrity -- to govern our state, wrote Cassady. Meanwhile, Rick Scott's unethical business practices, lack of transparency and policy gimmicks make him unfit for office."
Rick Scott was the only one with a clear plan tonight for creating jobs, getting Floridas economy back on track, and reducing our near 12 percent unemployment, said Dan Conston, a spokesman for the Republican Party of Florida, after the debate. Meanwhile, Obama liberal Alex Sink refused to promise that she wouldn't raise taxes and wouldn't answer questions about her high-spending proposals and failed record as a fiscal watchdog. The fact is that Alex Sink as governor would mean higher taxes, higher spending, and higher unemployment for Floridians sounds awfully like President Obama.
A poll released Monday revealed what was at stake in the final week of the campaign.
Taken by Zogby on behalf of the Naples Daily News, the poll released Monday had Sink with a small lead. The poll of likely voters showed Sink taking 43.1 percent while Scott took 38.5 percent. The poll surveyed 802 Floridians between Oct. 18-21 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
