With the election little more than a week away, the three leading candidates running for the U.S. Senate clashed Sunday morning in a heated debate.
With Republican candidate Marco Rubio leading in the polls by double digits, Gov. Charlie Crist, who is running with no party affiliation, and Democratic nominee Kendrick Meek, a U.S. congressman, took the gloves off and went after Rubio, trying to cut down his lead.
The debate was held at the University of South Florida in Tampa and was hosted by Candy Crowley of CNN, the network that broadcasted the debate. Crowley was joined by Adam Smith of the St. Petersburg Times.
Crowley started by citing the high unemployment rate and asked Crist what his responsibility was, noting the unemployment rate went from 3 percent when he took office back in January 2007 to 11.9 percent in September.
This is a global economic problem, insisted Crist. Theres plenty of blame to go around. Crist said the continuing economic crisis was why he backed the federal stimulus package supported by President Barack Obama.
Meek also defended the stimulus and attacked Rubio for not backing the measure. Its not necessarily the silver bullet, said Meek who insisted that it helped things from getting worse in the Sunshine State. Meek said he had faith in the White House and its advisers.
Rubio made no excuses for opposing the stimulus and launched into a condemnation of the Obama economic policies, including taking aim at new federal health-care laws. I dont believe the economy grows because of government spending, said Rubio.
I think both views are correct, added Crist, praising the idea of cutting taxes and pushing free market solutions while insisting the stimulus was needed at the time. The governor tried to portray himself as a realist instead of an ideologue.
Meek picked up this line of attack, accusing Rubio of following an ideology.
Rubio countered arguing that the economy was not being harmed by cutting taxes but by government policy. Its not ideology, its reality, he fired back.
After going to commercial, the debate returned to unemployment and tax cuts.
Its important we grow this economy, said Meek. He continued to hammer Rubio, this time for backing tax cuts for Floridians and ignoring the middle class. Meek insisted that the tax cuts Rubio backs will hurt the middle class, forcing them to pay for more, and add to the national debt. If we are going to govern, we must govern in a responsible way.
Crist chimed in, agreeing with both Meek and Rubio again, praising the tax cuts Rubio backed and the stimulus plan.
The debate then focused on tax cuts. Rubio praised tax cuts backed by President George W. Bush in 2001 and 2003 and called for extending them. Meek continued to hammer Rubio, arguing that he cannot be a deficit hawk while calling for extending the Bush tax cuts, which Meek insisted will add to the national debt.
I want the middle class to get that tax cut, said Meek. He added he is open to a proposal floated by Vice President Joe Biden of changing the threshold for the cuts.
Rubio insisted that politicians of both parties support his position, including the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, state CFO Alex Sink.
Crist said that bipartisanship is needed and added that the bickering between Rubio and Meek is a model of what is wrong with Washington.
Rubio then attacked Meek for wanting to raise taxes, arguing that failing to extend the Bush tax cuts will increase taxes on every American. Rubio then added that the only things in the way of getting the cuts extended are Obama and congressional Democrats in leadership.
All three candidates then jumped in, with Crist saying that he is running as an independent because of the partisan bickering between Meek and Rubio.
We all know why the governor is running as an independent, said Meek. He couldnt beat Marco Rubio as a Republican.
Ignoring Meek, Crist then pounded Rubio on social issues, trying to argue that the Republican is extreme for wanting to overturn Roe vs. Wade.
Meek opened the second half of the debate blasting Rubio for his record as speaker of the Florida House and attacking Crist for having no political beliefs, flopping on issue after issue, including abortion. Meek said Crist is driven by political calculations because he needs Democratic votes to win.
Rubio, who had essentially ignored the governor in the first half of the debate, then jumped on Crist.
I do think its curious that he attacks me for backing positions he supported six months ago when he was running in the Republican primary, said Rubio.
Noting Rubio said he is not open to compromising on tax cuts, Crist said the right-wing Republican is so ideologically motivated that he will reject extending the cuts for 98 percent of Americans.
The moderators turned the debate to foreign affairs. Rubio praised American involvement in Iraq while Meek insisted it is a war launched on false information. Crist defended the war in Iraq and praised the Obama administrations policies in Afghanistan, cheering the leadership of Gen. David Petraeus. Crist and Rubio agreed America needs to keep an eye on Iran and Crist specifically said America needs to support Israel.
Asked about Afghanistan, Rubio called for a stable nation state in Afghanistan. Rubio insisted that a stable Afghanistan will help secure Pakistan which is a nuclear power. Rubio also praised Petraeus.
Meek said a negotiated settlement with the Taliban is not acceptable. Diplomacy is important, said Meek, calling for the international community to have a seat at the table.
The debate then turned to immigration. We have to have a legal immigration system that functions, said Rubio. Rejecting amnesty, Rubio tore into the current system.
We need a common-sense approach to the problem, said Crist who praised Republicans who call for securing the borders -- before tearing into Washington for being broken.
Meek tore into Rubio. The Democrat called for comprehensive immigration reform and said that talk about securing the border is meaningless. Weve been talking about that for 15 and 20 years, said Meek. Meek hammered Rubio on immigration, saying he and Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott want to bring an Arizona-style immigration law to Florida.
Asked about changing parties and positions, Crist said he is open-minded and compared it to a quarterback calling an audible.
Rubio pounded Crist for switching positions while Crist talked about ethical questions in Rubios past. A smiling Meek sat in silence while his two rivals both had competing monologues going on at the same time, attacking each other.
Rubio said Crist is trying to change the subject and insisted the election has to be about serious issues -- including restoring the economy and reigning in government spending.
Meek agreed they need to focus on the economy.
Jobs have to be created, said Meek. We have to diversify the economy.
Meek added both of his rivals support offshore oil drilling. Crist jumped in to say he does not. Well, now you dont, Meek shot back.
The candidates did not offer closing statements.
CNN will host a debate between Sink and Scott at 7 o'clock Monday night.
Reach Kevin Derby at (850) 727-0859 or at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com.
