Candidates for New Hampshire’s Congressional District two seat faced off in their only televised debate Wednesday. Incumbent Congressman Charles Bass and Democratic challenger Paul Hodes exchanged heated remarks on a wide range of issues.
New Hampshire Public Radio Amy Quinton reports.
Democrat Paul Hodes hit the ground running in Wednesday night’s debate, immediately attacking Congressman Charles Bass’s record.
In his opening remarks, Hodes accused the five-term incumbent of being in lockstep with the Bush administration, voting with the White House 92-percent of the time.
Hodes1 I simply could not stand by as Charlie Bass blindly supported George Bush’s disastrous policies, his incompetent handling of the war in Iraq, tax cuts for the rich, record deficits, lost jobs, soaring Health care costs, phony medicare reform and empty promises for our schools with every child left behind
Bass said he was proud to be a Republican, but pointed to several votes when he broke with his party.
Bass1 I’m proud of the fights I’ve waged for stem cell research, for prescription drugs, lower cost prescription drugs from Canada, for a woman’s right to choose, against the energy bill because it was too costly and other priorities that I think are important for New Hampshire people.
Both candidates claimed they were independent from their party.
It’s a strategy that’s important in a relatively moderate Congressional district.
But when a panelist asked Hodes what disagreements he had with the policies of Presidential candidate John Kerry, Hodes went so far as to say he was for a “small lean and efficient government.â€
Congressman Bass immediately took advantage of that opening.
Bass2 Paul you’re independent minded I guess but what you really said a minute ago is that your candidate for President is for big and wasteful government and he supports deficits I guess if that’s the only disagreement that you have with Senator Kerry.
The candidates disagreed on almost all of the big issues facing voters, from the Patriot Act and the war in Iraq, to health care and education.
On the Patriot Act, Congressman Bass did agree with Hodes that it needs to be re-examined, but Bass also warned that if it’s repealed it could open up the door for terrorists in the U-S.
Hodes called the Patriot Act seriously flawed, and attacked Bass for voting against full implementation of the 9-11 commission’s recommendations.
Hodes2 He has some nerve to stand here today and talk about revising the Patriot Act when he’s voted to strip you of your privacy, he’s voted against your constitutional rights, I’ll never do that as your Congressman, it’s wrong.
Hodes also attacked the Bush administration policies on education.
He said he would work to eliminate the No Child Left Behind Law unless it could be revised and fully funded.
He called it an unfunded federal mandate that doesn’t work for New Hampshire, strips 25 million dollars from the state each year, and forces teachers to teach to the test.
Congressman Bass said parents and children like No Child Left Behind, and federal funding for implementation in New Hampshire has increased by almost 26 million dollars.
Bass3 That’s a 63-percent increase, four million dollars a year for testing, 12 million dollars overall, the fact is that we have more federal dollars in return for better public education.
Both candidates were asked about the rising national deficit and predictions that the country will soon exceed the national debt ceiling.
Congressman Bass blamed the recession on the deficit, not the Republican controlled Congress.
Bass4 We’re not responsible for 9/11, we’re not responsible for the recession that was deepened as a result of 9/11, do you know that 1.6 million jobs were lost in this country as a result of 9/11 either directly or indirectly
But Hodes called the deficit unconscionable and again blamed Bush administration policies.
Hodes3 the deficits didn’t get there by accident, tax cuts for the rich, corporate loop holes, where the corporations don’t pay their fair share, a seven fold increase in pork spending, they’ve thrown open the doors of Congress to lobbyists and an unneccesary war in Iraq that should have been avoided, that’s what happened with the deficit.
In the end, both candidates agreed on very little and continued to portray themselves as the independent minded candidate.
In closing remarks, Congressman Bass said no political party tells him how to vote in Congress.
And Paul Hodes said a vote for Bass is a vote for more of the same.
For New Hampshire Public Radio, I’m Amy Quinton.
