Hodes and Horn Trade Swipes in 2nd District Debate

Despite repeated reminders from moderators to stick to issues, not attacks – both Republican Jennifer Horn and incumbent Paul Hodes repeatedly took swipes at each other.
The two found only one issue they could agree on during the hour-long debate - that Iran should never develop a nuclear weapons program.
But on everything else, they disagreed – starting with the economy and the consequential 700-billion dollar federal bailout.
Horn says Hodes, who sits on the financial Services Committee and the Oversight and Government reform committee, is partly to blame for the economic crisis.

40:07 (what this highlights is we cannot wait until there is a crisis to take action. When our representatives are charged with the responsibility of providing oversight for any industry, we have to hold them accountable)

She also pointed out that Hodes took contributions from the financial services industry.
The attacks intensified from there.

(Hodes 1 41:04 If I was in the pocket of the financial services industry I wouldn’t have voted against the bailout, not once – well let’s talk about the vote – hang on let me finish – let’s talk about the vote before you get too distracted by your other lines, not once but twice because it didn’t protect NH taxpayers, homeowners and small businesses and it wasn’t the right first step to rebuilding our economy.)

Horn says she thinks victims of predatory lending should get government assistance, but government needs to stay out of private industry.
The candidates also disagreed on drilling for oil.
Hodes says he supported drilling on the 68 million acres that oil companies already lease.
He also backed legislation to expand drilling offshore within a 100 mile range.
But he says it’s not the answer to the nation’s energy crisis.
52:23 the clear fact is that we are not going to be able to drill our way out of the energy crisis we’re in, we simply cannot, we have three percent of the worlds reserves, we use 25-percent of the world’s oil, that stark numerical percentage is one of the answers why drilling is not our future.”
Horn took issue with that.
“We can drill ourselves out of the problem we’re in immediately, everyone understands it’s not the full long term solution, but your drill bill allowing for drilling outside the 100 mile mark, it was written in a way to specifically exclude drilling where there’s oil.”
Horn says she’d support drilling off New Hampshire’s coast, if companies knew where it was and could do it safely.
Hodes says he would not.
When it came to social security, Horn says she wants to give people the option of investing their social security money in other areas, like CD’s or bonds or the stock market and added..
Horn3 “I do not support increasing the retirement age, I do not support increasing withholding taxes, and I do not support decreasing benefits.”
Hodes on the other hand, says a comprehensive approach is needed but added he would NOT support privatizing social security.
“She says this is not privatization, that’s like saying I’m not gambling with your money, I’m just betting some of it it is the same thing”
The two candidates also disagreed on Iraq.
Horn sees Iraq as the primary front for the global war on terrorism.
Hodes says there should be a strategic redeployment from Iraq and a focus instead on Afghanistan and Pakistan -- where Hodes says troops can finally deal with the terrorists who caused 9-11.
For NHPR news, I’m Amy Quinton.