Alex Sink and Rick Scott Open Up Debate Firing Away on Ethics

As the close contest to be Floridas next governor enters its final week, Democratic candidate state CFO Alex Sink and Republican candidate businessman Rick Scott crossed lances in their last debate of a contentious election battle.

The debate, which was moderated by CNNs John King and broadcast nationally by that news channel, was held at the University of South Florida in Tampa. King was joined by Adam Smith of the St. Petersburg Times.

King opened the debate by asking 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.

Sink disagreed with Scotts view that she was an Obama liberal.

You just dont know what youre talking about, shot back Sink. I have always been a fiscal conservative, she insisted. She did praise the Obama administration for education reform. She criticized the Obama administration 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 try to link Obama and Sink, insisting that Sink would 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, said Sink.

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 squabbled on ethics issues. Scott said he was proud of his record in the private sector.

King jumped in and asked Scott about his immigration plans, noting the Republican wanted 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, was a legal immigrant. We should have a working visa process, insisted Scott who added he was not backing amnesty.

Florida is not Arizona, said Sink who called for increasing fines to businesses that hired illegal immigrants. Sink added that she was talking to law-enforcement officials about the matter, reminding voters of her backing from police groups.