>> the midterm elections are in less than a week. each night on c-span, we are showing debates from key races around the country. our line net includes senate candidates in florida. charlie crist, kendrick meek, and marco rubio. the rest of our prime time schedule, a debate in house races. in an hour, it is the candidates in new hampshire second district. . .

>> this week on q & a, historians richard norton smith and douglas brinkley on the obama presidency, the midterm elections and politics in america. >> now the final debate among the senate candidates in there. govern charlie crist who is running as an independent, democratic congressman kendrick

meek and republican marco rubio. sarah palin campaigned with mr. rubio last saturday. president obama and former president bill clinton have campaigned for representative meek. and govern crist has been endorsed by -- governor crist has been endorsed by california governor around solid schwartz. this is an -- arnold schwartz. this is an hour. >> i am david gregory moderator of nbc's meet the press and we are live tonight from orlando for the final face-off, one week from election day, it all comes down to this and the fight for florida's u.s. open seat is one that continues to garner national attention. this is the last time that the top candidates for the senate will publicly debate each other. joining us former florida house speaker, marco rubio, the republican candidate, governor

charlie crist, the independent candidate, and congressman kendrick meek from the 17th district, the democratic candidate. a quick review of the rules tonight. you all have a one-minute opening statement and then we're going to questioning, "meet the press" style. you have two minutes to respond, but i'll be able to follow up as i like to do. i kind of think of this and you should be all be given credit for how many debates you have done. floridians have benefited from this and i want to approach this not to rehash what you have done but to follow up on some of the important questions and pin you down on some answers to floridians have an idea of what they're voting on as they go to the polls next week. mr. rubio, you are chosen to go first. >> thank you for tuning in tonight. we are on the verge of one of the most important elections in american history. literally a week from tonight, we're going to be voting to send someone to washington, d.c. to speak for us at a time when america is confronting challenges as great as it has at any point in our modern

history. for too long, washington has had us on the wrong road. both parties are to the blame for that the result is that washington is a mess. if we stay on this rode that we are on right -- road that we are on right now that makes us unique could be lost. it's important we send people to washington, d.c. people that will stand up for us and give an alternative. throughout the campaign, the 80 some odd ideas we have on our website, our travel and speeches throughout the state or over the last five debates, we have focused on the issues and given people clear ideas of where we would like to take our country and our state. i look forward to taking the opportunity to do that tonight on an important debate on the eve of an important election. i would like to thank all of you for tuning in. >> governor crist, opening statement. >> david, thank you for coming here and be a part of this debate. it's important for the people

of florida to see what this is all about. this is an important election. it will decide who is our next united states senator to represent our beautiful state of florida. there are choices in this race and it's important that you understand what your choices are. one choice will give us an attorney to have an president miss particular point of view, have -- an optimistic point of view. my friend marco rubio talks about raising the retirement age for our senior citizens in terms of social security. he talks about overturning euro versus wade roe versus wade. in addition, i think that this race gives you an opportunity to declare your independence as i have done. i have run as an independent in this race because the parties are broken. far too long and far too much, we have seen political parties in washington, d.c. be more about them, whether it's the democratic party or the republican party than they are

about you the people of florida and the people of america. i believe what abraham lincoln said was right, that government should be of the people, by the people and for the people. he never said of the party. that's what this race is about. i would invite you to go to our website. you have seven days to make up your mind and your decision. i would humbly ask for your vote. "thank you, governor, congressman meek your opening statement. >> david, thank you for being here and i'm looking forward to a great debate. this is the final debate. i want to thank those that have already voted, some by absentee, some by early vote. we have a week ahead of us in voting. i want you to make an educated decision of who is going to stand for you. the next united states senator should not be a person who is going to stand up for special interests because they have representatives in washington, d.c. they're called lobbyists. someone is going to stand up for you, you will find that candidate in me. i can be a great united states senator for this state. i qualify by petition.

i went throughout 67 counties in this state. i'm endorsed by the veterans of foreign wars p.a.c. that are veterans that are throughout this state of florida. i'm the only person here at this table that actually fought against george w bush when he wanted to privatize social security. i'm against offshore oil drilling before and after the spill. go to our website and look at the issues. make an educated decision on who would be the best representative for you. i ask for your vote and i look forward to receiving it. i will continue to work hard throughout this campaign until next tuesday central standard time when the polls close. >> thank you. let's get to the questioning. i will hit all of these issues, rest ashowers, and -- assured, i want to start what was single-handed responsible for the economic collapse of this country. i spent some time going through the papers in there and i see some pretty tough numbers that

prices continue to dip around the state. the charlotte sun, sales give mixed signals, home sales here keep falling. the headlines go on and on about area existing home sales drop from last year. speaker rubio, americans have lost $6 trillion. the centerpiece of their savings and their lives were wiped away when equity prices in their homes were evaporated in this financial collapse. the obama administration has frankly not done very much to mitigate that problem, the foreclosure problem continues in florida especially. what would you do to solve the foreclosure problem? >> let's analyze this in three parts. let's talk about what created this problem and it was a lot of difference things going on in the marketplace. one was about the policy that began under the clinton administration. it was made easier and demanded that banks made certain loans that aren't going to be paid back. it was compounded by easier

monetary policy. they made it cheaper to give bad loans. that created this bubble. florida had a huge real estate market. we suffered more than any place in in country. it created a crash in terms of what our economy has suffed. the obama administration has tried a number of different plans. we have seen the figures over the last couple of weeks and days and they're alarming. the stuff that is being tried isn't working. those $1.3 temporary workouts that were worked of those over half have defaulted. >> mortgage modifications. >> the temporary mortgage modification. there are 500,000 permanent and 11% have already defaulted. it's clear that these plans haven't worked largely because they're focused on lowering the interest rate or pushing the period of the loan back. for example, if you owed five months, they added five months to the back of the loan. there is no easy answers. i do believe that one of the critical answers is going to have to be modifications of principal. working out the principal on a loan is cheaper for the bank

than the foreclosure process would be. we can't mandate this on bank. we can incentivize them to do that. on many cases working on the principal, lowering the principal for some people is better for the branch. >> that is an interesting issue. what would you think -- the big issue is people won't go into the market. why do you want to buy if the value is going to plummet here in florida? what would you say about a government program that would actually insure new homeowners' down payment on a home so they have some insent tiff to get back in the market? >> it's an idea of first impression. i like to study them and understand them well. >> you talked about principal. >> these are existing homeowners. the existing homeowner, for example, on a loan, what you're going to do is add five years. let's say they miss five payments. you add five payments to the back of the loan, that doesn't help them especially if they're unemployed. the lowering of the principal idea is in many cases is going to be cheaper for the bank than

going through the foreclose ire process. >> governor crist a lot of floridians may not know what fannie mae and freddie mac actually do. they guarantee 90% of this nation's mortgages. when the government moved in on those two companies, they assumed the risk for all of those mortgages. what should done with fannie mae and freddie mac? should the plug be pulled? >> there should be greater regulation to make sure it doesn't happen again in the future. we saw in a real alarming way in florida is because of the fact that we are so dependent on the housing market for our economy and tourism. and what happened in the sunshine state is our prices of our homes got inflated all over the state and the bubble burst. when that occurred that, caused a real problem that floridians are facing. it's an epidemic. some at this table have faced close to foreclosures. it's not something that is rare in the sunshine state. we ought to address it several ways. we need to reduce the tax burden on the people of florida. we have done that in the sunshine state. i have led the charge on

reducing property taxes. not as much as i would like yet, but we have started to do that we have amended our constitution to double the home state exception from $25,000 to $50,000 for our fellow floridians to ease the property tax burden that they suffer in florida. we have to continue on that path. other ideas that have started to work in terms of getting the housing market moving again is theless 8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit that the administration put forward. this is an illustration where you support tax cuts but also understand that the administration can do some positive things that i only as an independent candidate can offer. >> what about the issue of fannie mae and freddie mac? this is a huge issue. should the united states be honest to taxpayers and say we're going to take all of that risk on to our balance sheet and incur the risk as taxpayers for 90% of america's mortgages? >> we have fdic already that utilized and gives a guarantee so that there is a problem with

a mortgage or with a loan, that there is government backup for it that's prudent and smart in order to forestall a collapse. we had a run on the banks years and years ago. part of the reason is there wasn't security. security and confidence is one of the things that we suffer from so much in the economy today. >> congressman, what about the role of government here? you can touch on any of these things, but should government insure new home buyers' down payments so that they'll feel confident enough to buy a home? >> the governor spoke of $8,000 credit to homeowners and move into a new home. that was an attempt to accomplish that kind of goal, not necessarily taking responsibility -- >> what happened when it was pulled? it went down. >> but it's important that we continue to show leadership here. for the floridians that own their homes right now, they're suffering because homes are falling around them and their property values are going down. we have cities and counties in the state that hurting more than ever. we have verbal fights at local

county and city commissions. it's very, very important for the next united states senator to embrace the real florida, what is going on right now. there is going to have to be some serious federal involvement here because those that are paying taxes and sending their tax dollars to washington, d.c., they need a return on them. >> congressman, would you support insuring somebody's down payment if they want to buy a home? >> i wouldn't go as far as insuring a down payment. >> how do you get them to buy a home in florida? >> we need more work on making sure we can deal with those homeowners that are failing right now. the first thing we need to do is stop these loan officers from taking 10,000 foreclosure documents all at once. that must be reformed the industry has to look at what is the industry standard so we can have some sort of real evaluation there. you are having people foreclosed on in florida right now that are not deserving of it. >> more on these big issues in just a moment. i want to talk about party

politics. this is unique, three-way race. governor, you're running as an independent. in the debate on sunday, i paid careful attention. you left the g.o.p. to run as an independent because the party had gone so far to the right. you cited two receive issues, roe v. wade and stem cell research. you called them extreme views. here is a copy of the republican platform in 2008. both those views are well spelled out in this party platform. were you unaware that was an entrenched part of the republican party or did you change for political expediency? >> no, i haven't changed. what changed was the right wing of the republican party pushed those issues so much to the forefront now. it's something that the speaker and i debated about in miami back in the spring. we are talking about the issue of being pro life. i am personally pro life, david, but in spite of that, i don't feel it's appropriate to impose my will on others.

it's way we have worked so hard on adoptions. >> governor, you campaigned talking about tradition family values and abortions, are you a problem as a republican for pushing it so far to the right? >> no, sir. i have got an opponent in the republican party who wants to overturn roe versus wade, take away that decision from women in my state. while i'm pro life, i don't feel that big government that he advocates and to stop stem sell research. i'm a -- stem cell research. i'm a campus man. if you do more scientific research for stem cell, you might find the curious for diseases. that is very important. >> do you think floridians should say something changed in 2008 that all of a sudden the opposition of stem cell he is r, or overturning roe v. wade is an extreme part of the party when it's been part of the platform for years? >> it's been part of the

platform for years. the republican party has gone hard right. look at the other republican nominees around the country tonight. those people, christine oh, done -- o'donnell, rand paul, sherron angle in nevada, they have gone so far to the right, it's a position that i'm not comfortable with anymore. my republican opponent with, all due respect, said at one point that some people don't like this country enough. if they don't like it, they should leave the country and he cited keith olbermann from msnbc. >> i brought out the republican platform for 2008. is there any part of that platform or the republican platform today that bothers you that you disagree with? >> i'm not sure there is a part that we disagree or agree with. it's based on the things that i believe in and stand for. that's why i have gone out of my way to outline specific ideas. if you go to our website, we have 80some odd ideas of things

i would like to do if elected. those are the things that i believe in and stand photograph and i'm running on. i think the republican party is to blame for much of what has happened in washington largely because republicans got elected as a majority in 1994 with the contract with america. she slowly began to forget about that. by the middle part of the last decade, republicans basically became indistinguishable from the democrats they chose to represent. republicans get in trouble when they forget about the ideas and the principals that they ran on or an individual ran on and think that the basis of your public service is to be re-elected. your re-election should be a by-product of your public service, not the purpose of it. >> how about the claim that the party left? >> that's silly. we were debating six months on fox news. the governor has run his entire career as a republican. this has been well covered over the last few months in the debates. everybody sees it for what it is. what voters deserve is we not spend a tremendous amount of time trying to convince people

and he found this new path to politics. he switched because he couldn't win the primary. >> congressman, before we take a break, i want to ask you about your party. you said you have been a public servant who has been about the middle of the road. congressional quarterly crunched numbers for us and you voted with democrats 98% of the time since they took control of congress in 2007. as you look back at that, where do you think the democrats that were swept into power starting in 2006 and president obama in 2008, what do you think democrats have lost their way to a point where this is the political environment in which you're operating? >> i just want to say, also, congressional quarterly also found me as one of the most, within the number of members of moderate voters within congress -- >> you're with the party. >> let me tell you something. i'm a democrat for sure. you can count on that i can tell you this. if it's making sure that we bring down health care companies that have ran this whole issue on insurance, who

gets it and who doesn't get it and when they drop them, you can count me in that number. when it comes down to when a woman can be paid the same as a man federal law, i'm for that, too. that's the 98% voting for democrats, it presents an opportunity to see who is ready representing them when it comes down to the real issues that are facing florida and the people of goodwill in this country. >> how do you think democrats lost their way to the point where the country is this angry with democratic rule? >> when you're losing 700,000 jobs per month and we took the realm of all three levels of the legislative branch of government, it takes a lot to get out of that. that's a mighty deep hole. you don't get out of it in 18, 19 months. people logically as they approach the polling place are going to remember that. the kind of idealology that marco rubio is talking about and charlie crist embraced a

few weeks ago is the ideology that got us here. the speaker is talking about i'm convinced, i'm upset with republicans and democrats, they lost their way. he was the speaker of the house of representatives in florida. the governor of this state who was dualy elected as a republican embraced the same ideas that he embracesed when he was elected as a republican. but as a democrat, the reason why veterans are in behind my campaign, working people are behind my campaign because they know that i will provide the kind of leadership, this race, david, in my opinion comes down to leadership. we stood up against george w bush when he wanted to privatize scorle security. i stood up against tallahassee when he had had to make class sizes smaller here. >> on this big point, would you each just take 30 seconds, and i got to get to a break. would be interesting to here how did we get to this place? >> the country? >> where there is a lot of

disaffection with democratic rule, it's not if they have been hanging back, they have done quite a bit. >> how the country got to this point is clear. washington, d.c. has been overrun by people that don't want to face the issues of our time. both parties are to blame for that there are serious problems that confront america. they don't go away on their own or solve themselves. every generation before us have faced their problem and solved them. they have left their children better off than themselves. we might be the first in political leadership that says let's leave our problems to our children. let's not talk about them in a serious way. >> washington is broken. everybody understands that. everybody at this table comprehends that. >> i haven't heard congressman meek say that it's broken. >> i am. they can't get anything done. george washington, our first and last independent president said it best. if we allow the political parties represented here at this table to become too powerful and too strong, we may

cripple the country that we have created. we're there they can't get anything done. it needs to stop. that's why i'm running as an independent. that's what wrong. >> we're going to take a break and come back and talk more about the i understand and talk about social security. we're going to come back for florida's final debates between these senate candidates after this break. >> we're back. i'm david gregory moderator of "meet the press" i'm here with the candidates for the senate open seat. governor crist, i want to go back with you before i get to social security and ask you about the evolution of some of your views. this is an attack against you. politicians change views. why. let me ask you about gay adoption in in 2006 you said on the record i don't think gay adoption is appropriate. last month when the ban on the state was overturned, you said it's a great day for children.

why did you make that change? >> i think as we get older, i call it the convergence of life experience and wisdom. and when you learn through the time of life more tolerance and become less judgmental, i think that's a good place to be. and that's how i am. >> four years did that for you? >> i can't tell you the exact amount of time. it's different for everybody and it depends on your heart. >> what about don't ask, don't tell -- >> let me finish on adoption. there is more to that explanation. i served as attorney general of the state as well. as one of the duties of the attorney general is to enforce the laws on the books. that was a law that was on the books. so i was duty bound by my oath to enforce that law. >> you did enforce it. you took a political position, not a legal position and saying it was inappropriate. >> i addressed that part. i have changed. >> as people do. it's a pattern and not evolution, don't ask, don't tell, you say in may the

current policy has worked well for america. i really do. you support the current efforts to end don't ask, don't tell. the criticism is this is a pattern, that this is political expedroia si, this isn't a expediency. i said when i went independent back in april that come september and october, i was going to have two cannons aimed at me. that has happened. i am up to the task. that's all right. people understand sometimes people change their minds about different things on all kinds of issues. there is nothing wrong with that. it's called being honest. theory video, they have to -- they're rigid, they have to stay where the party bosses tell them. >> why is that unacceptable? >> people change their minds in politics. of course, they can when you see it as a political calculation is when people get troubled by it. voters know this. they see this and understand it

and they make decisions based on that. in the meantime there are critical issues facing our country. people want honest answers and serious solutions to the problem our country faces. >> you want to make a comment? >> i think it's important that people understand and we have had this debate before amongst the three of us the fact that i do believe that marco rubio and what he stands for coupled with another candidate in this statewide race for governor is a dangerous combination for florida. but what the governor is talking is the reason why a number of democrats throughout this state who he has said, i have changed, i have done this, that, and the other, i believe in the positions that i have taken. i believe that a woman has a right to choose. i believe in the fact that so many kids are in foster care right now and everyone it evaluated and taking advantage of being able to raise that

child. that's been my position. gay adoptions didn't chain for me when i started running for the united states senate. i have always been for it. the governor, he has a public policy person, i'm really bothered by some of these positions because the fact when i hear flip-flops in the hallway, i think it's the governor walking down the hall. i am using it as an analogy, it's gone to a level where that it really blemished what we're trying to do here on standing on behalf of the issues. i strongly disagree with marco rubio and he knows it and florida knows it, too. as it relates to the governor, it's this gray area that no one knows and he is on all sides of the issues. >> being flexible is not a sin. and understanding that facts and circumstances change as being a thinking person with an open mind. it's much better to be a senator with an open mind than the opposite. it's what the people of florida want. it's frustrating for my partisan opponents to understand that.

that's how i am and i think that's how most of florida is. they look at things. they take in the facts and circumstances and make a decision about it. as i said the other day, i'm an old quarterback. sometimes you call a play in the huddle and literally as you're walking up to the line of scrimmage, you have to change the play and call an audible because the defense is different in what we're doing. >> let me move on to social security. you have all been outspoken on this. i want to move it up to the follow-up stage and let me begin with you, congressman meek, how is it responsible position to look at floridians in the eye, we can tinker with social security. it's not that much of a crisis. doesn't it immediate to be dealt with in a very responsible way with clear plans, you're going to raise taxes or cut benefits? >> david, it's important that you use the word responsible because that's what we have been right now. we're in a deep recession right now. florida is hovering above 2% of

the national average. it's important that we look at this and have a true evaluation of it. i talked about expanding middle class jobs in the state to hopefully push this whole green economy that we have been talking about -- social security is making sure, as you know, someone who has been in washington for a long time, you don't file a bill and oh, the social security problem is over. you set the tail. you talk about the issues. >> health benefits, raise taxes, you put retirement age increase on the table. >> you don't raise taxes, you don't put the retirement agency, moving the goalposted on the table. >> why do you tell seniors it's going to be ok? >> i'm not saying it's going to be ok. 2037 it's going to be ok. we have to deal with this issue in a bipartisan way. >> raising the retirement age is not on the table? >> not with me. we don't move the goalposts. >> governor, you agree with this. why would you take raising the

retirement age off the table? republicans and democrats have talked about it. how is it a responsible position to say, we're basically ok until 2037? >> because i think we are. i think that's the truth and the reality. paul krugman wrote a great piece about it not lopping ago. what is interesting about social security, this is the one program in washington, d.c. that is actually working. politicians typically want to attack it. he laid out and it's been reported by different commissions it is solvent until 2037 or 2041. this is a promise to the people of our state. this is a promise to the people of our country. social security is something that keeps them safe and secure. my view is that we need to preserve it and protect it as it is. it's an obligation as an honest individual, as somebody who wants to represent the scene i don't understand in the state of florida that they understand where we are. my republican opponent to his credit says -- not really his credit, he wants to put raising the retirement age on the table. he wants to put privatizization

on the table. >> he has said that privilegization was tried by the bush administration, it did not work, they had accounts privatization. that is no what he is for. he is for raising the retirement age. let's be specific. what about the same age, you're 39. when would you raise the retirement age and what to? >> the issue of social security and it's merits of the program don't need to be explained to me. i see it every month. my mom who would kill me the next time i said her name on the air turns 80 november 2. i know how important that program is. i have said consistently despite the governor misstating it over and over again that we should not make any changes for anyone who is 55 years of age or older. that attack that he has used so false that "u.s.a. today" wrote an editorial attacking you for

saying these things when they're not true. this is an issue for younger workers like myself. we have a very simple choice. we can purry our head in the sand -- bury our head in the sand which is what they're doing, we have 2037 or 2041. we can bury our head in the sand and do nothing or begin to fight the issue. the congressional budget office has laid out 30some ideas. the governor's and the congressman's plans -- there are different ideas of how it could be said. >> what is your idea? >> first of all, the way you look at it, you can't throw out a number and hopefully -- one of the ideas that is out there as a starting point, you could say how about adding one month every two years for the next 100 years. that means i would get to retire at 68 instead of 67 which is my retirement age

given current policy. >> is it reasonable to think, governor crist, that retirement with social security benefits at this level will be there for someone who is 40, 45 years old today? >> i believe so, yes, i do. i'm an optimist. you're hearing from my worthy opponent sort of a pessimistic view of america going forward. really, that's true. he has talked about it all the time during the course of this campaign. i don't share that view. i believe our better days are ahead. >> is this an objective analysis when it comes to this program? >> solvent under 2037. let's face what the facts are. facts are suburban things. it's important that we deal with them. what is happening with this program that is a promise to our seniors. marco, people 55 depend on it, too. they're looking forward to being able to receive it. my sister just turned 56. >> i think when you are looking

at the issue, david, you look at it and what muddies the water on this issue, i'm not talking about doing nothing and i'm sorry that somebody may be talking about doing nothing, i'm talking about expanding the middle class workforce in a state that has 12% unemployment and to create blue and white collar job in this country. we have given up on that. that is a goal as marco rubio describes it. rubio on january of this year in tallahassee said he agreed with representative ryan's bill that calls for privatization of social security, privatization of medicare, privatization of medicaid, but he is not talking about that now because he sees it as something that will rock the boat. fact versus fiction, those of us who defended social security to where we had to fight the bush administration, i am the only one sitting at this table that can say that, i don't know what you were doing at that time, but i'm pretty sure in journalism you were calling out what it was to deal with social

security now in this deep resection, folks will make hazy decisions that will aaffect floridians. 40% would go into poverty without it. >> do you think private accounts make any sense the way that the bush administration proposed them? >> i'll tell you why the answer is no. i said it as early in march in the "wall street journal" and fox news. i studied that issue. it takes payers out of the system. it makes it worse, not better. the governor being optimistic, here are the facts. we are paying out more than we're taking in in social security. here are the facts. congress has consistently raided the sorely security trust fund year after year taking all of these additional funds and using it into general revenue. the facts are that every year that goes by, we have more and more retiring taking out of the system and less and less people paying into it. 2037, 2041, that's when it

explodes. every year it gets easier. we need a real solution. the plan you offered is amnesty for illegal aliens. >> thank you. what i talked about is we have an awful lot of people that are here illegally in our country. some say maybe 12 million to 14 million. it's not amnesty, but an earned path to citizenship for those people, not sending them back to wherever they came from. it's a responsible way to get them actively involved in the american economic. this was a plan that was talked about dissect rice, maybe not for the same reasons, but to get people to participate and helping scorte securely go beyond 2036. it's a serious plan and the right thing to do. what is not right is privatizing it. what is not right of raising the age of eligibility. it's not right and fair for the people who depend on it. >> that is not right. he said that makes it worse, not better. he supports your plan --

>> i never said he supported the plan. it's an idea that i wanted to give him credit for. >> the button up is this and i'm the only one at this table that has been a true defender of social security. if anyone says they have the total answer and how to resolve social security, they're platout lying. the only new idea to solve sorely security is an idea you don't like from speaker rubio, is that fair? >> that's not the only idea. it's an idea that he embraces. what i do know is we can't move the goalposts on those who are planning on retirement when it comes down to social security. that is not an option. social security will be resolved between the next two to four years. >> i want us to be out of this deep recession we're going in before we start making hasty decisions. the only income that many

floridians may have -- >> a little tension break before we go to a break. the heat are debuting up in boston tonight. does anyone think that the heat with lebron and this dream team has a chance to go all the way this year? >> absolutely. [laughter] >> the championship trophy! >> ok. we're going to come back with our senate candidates right after this short break. >> we are back in our remaining time we want to move into something of a lightning round it. may not be quite that fast. i want to get through some additional issues and keep this conversation going. congressman meek, on the issue of afghanistan, is this an outside threat to america? >> i think so if we allow the taliban to take control of the country and have a safe haven, that can actually threaten the entire world. the world has to be a part of

the solution. i like the fact that the taliban and afghanistan officials are talking to one another, pakistan must be a part of that. it's important that nato has to continue to play a stronghold there as far as a military presence. >> how about when next july when the president wants to withdraw troops, the general says just can't do it here, not if you want to achieve the goals that you set out. do you support or -- >> we should challenge the world community to put in their resources and their troops. >> they're not going to do that. >> i'm a member of the parliamentary, nato parliamentary assembly, one of 12 in congress. we can't do it alone like we did in afghanistan. >> iraq, you mean? >> yeah, iraq. there are too many military families that have paid the price the last 10 years, some the ultimate price. it's up to the congress to stand up for those families for a change. >> if we win in afghanistan, what are we going to win or

lose? >> the congressman started touching upon it a little bit for afghanistan. it's not just atch, it's its neighbor, pakistan, which is a nuclear power. a nightmare scenario is somehow pakistan's government false into the hands of an -- falls into the hands of an extremist element and they get the weapons. and pakistan can be a staging place for that to occur. that's really the biggest danger in the region. i think the president is right on the troop surge. we have to see it through the success. general petraeus is the right man for the job. an artificial timeline, setting a date and saying this is when we want to leave is the wrong approach. the surge is the right approach. >> my question is -- what do you win if you win in afghanistan? >> first of all, what you accomplish hopefully is a stable afghanistan that can be a country that prospers in the region and a strong ally of ours in the region. you prevent a base of operations for those that would choose to destabilize and ultimately overthrow the

pakistani government. if it falls in the hands of extremist -- >> would you support more troops? >> absolutely. >> more troops? >> absolutely. >> how long? >> we don't say that lightly. first of all, they're never endless. the goal has to be in mind. no one would advocate an endless war. the goal is something we have to keep our eye on. let me say this with all respect and gratitude of the servicemen who are serving overseas. the truth is that we have great gratitude and blessed to have families and young people that are willing to step up and serve in this capacity. >> i'm certain that's an area of agreement with everybody. i want to move to iran. under what circumstances should united states consider military action against iran? >> that always has to be on the table. our greatest allies on the face of the world is israel. what concerns me about iran, number one, is the mad man who leads the country, mahmoud

ahmadinejad. what is happening with their potential to achieve nuclear weaponry. it was announced this week for power they have been able to start putting in the nuclear capability as it relates to electricity. what we need to be cognizant of is what we understand in florida. i was proud as governor of the state of florida to sign the first divestment bill to diversity any funds in iran and sudan. that's the kind of economic pressure you want to continue to have on iran. >> let's move back to domestic. speaker rubio, do you think tax cuts, should they be paid for? >> they don't pay for themselves. i say that repeatedly. they have to be combined with significant fiscal discipline. what i believe and a number of other people believe as well, the way we get america out of this predicament is a package with strategies and fiscal discipline. >> what is the painful cut you would make? >> i believe in a balanced budget amendment. >> what would you cut? >> let me walk through that

process for you. you don't just sit on a talk show battle or on a debate and start identifying programs without a thoughtful process. that's what states do all the time with balanced budgets. they have to examine it, see what programs justify themselves or not. i believe in freezing discretionary spending. a 10% cut to congress and white house budgets. for every two civilian that leaves the federal workforce, let's hire one to come back. tonight, all of the discretionary stuff in the world is not enough. the things you have outlined today regarding social security and the entitlement programs are so critical for our future. >> congressman, if you believe in cutting the deficit, what's a painful choice you would make for floridians, this is tough, we have to cut spending in this area. >> not extending the push tax cuts. i want to say for a fact check, i said $6,000 per family, it's $600 per year per middle class family to pay for the $700

billion that mr. rubio and mr. crist would like to borrow. those are the kind of painful cuts that we're going to have to make when it comes down to being able to balance for budget. i voted for pay as you go. we get to fiscal discipline. china, japan, india, we're going to be beholden to them as long as we continue to run this cake and ice cream government. i think it's important that we have two wars that are going on even though combat operations have ended in iraq and we have this so-called let's continue to extend the tax cuts. >> nowhere near to balancing the budget. >> we have to start somewhere. we have to look at making sure that we're fiscally disciplined. when we look at this war, afghanistan war cost a lot of money and i voted to make sure that our men and women are secured in harm's way. we have to be legislatively

responsible when it comes down to the spending. if we invest half of the money in the economy than war -- >> a painful choice on spending? >> get the economy moving. we can have all of this discussion about what we're going to reduce and balance. we need it balance the budget. i think that's exactly right. we do it here in florida. we are constitutionally bound to do so. i'm proud to tell you that we slashed our budget by $7.4 billion. >> what would you cut out of the federal budget to somehow bring it into taxes? >> i think we need to cut taxes. that's one of the first things i would do if elected to the u.s. senate. it's important to give the people the cuts they deserve and small businesses as well so they can start hiring people. that's the first thing we need to do is get this economy going before we can look at the kinds of things that can be reduced. >> the president gave a recently interview. after next next tuesday, if it's a bad result for the democratic party, i want to work a little harder at building consensus. where do you think you could build consensus with democrats

in the senate? >> all have to build consensus behind this deficit problem. it's not going away on its own. it has to be dealt with. it will double by the middle of the decade and triple by the end of it. we're forced to reach consensus on that. >> where would you do that? you're a candidate and thinking about the issues? >> i think that the grown-ups in the political process are going to realize that some of these difficult decisions are upon us. the day of reckonning is here. we are going to have to start embracing fiscal discipline at the federal level. we cannot continue to spend more money we take in and hopeful to survive. there are other areas that i am pleased what the president has done, race to the top programs. >> would you keep the education money where it is, that level of spending? >> the level of spending is determined by what our budget allows us to do. the role of the federal government is not to dictate to states. i hope that's not the role and the direction they are taking in race to the top.

i hope the direction they're taking is a direction that incentivizes states to undertake the kind of reforms that we are able to accomplish here in florida. >> who would you caucus with if you're senator? >> are you with republicans or democrats? >> it depends on the outcome and the answers. >> is your vote for sale? >> if i get elected, i will go to the republicans and the democrats and have some very difficult questions, what are you going to do to help the florida economy? what are you going to do to get more jobs for my fellow floridians? what are you doing about getting us a catastrophic fund from storms going forward? on the answers, i would make the best decision in the best interests of fellow floridians or not. >> we are going to leave it there in terms of my role in this. we turn this over to you. speaker rubio, your closing statements.

you will have a couple of moments to address the audience. >> david, first of all thank you to you and the others for being in these debates. i have a lot of respect for the hard work that you have put into your campaign. a week from now, one of us is going to be the next united states senator. i hope it's going to be, i'm working hard to accomplish that. the next senator is going to washington. we are facing generational issues that need to be solved if we hope to leave our children with what they deserve, a life better than our own. that will not happen on its own. it requires the next united states senator from florida to go to washington, d.c., stand up to this agenda that is coming from there and in its place offer a clear and genuine alternative. throughout the campaign and the six debates that we have had, that is what i have done. if you go to our website, you'll see our specific ideas. if you have watched these debates, you have seen me answer those questions. tonight i'm asking for your vote, for the opportunity to go to washington, d.c., to stand

up to the mess that they are creating and to offer a clear alternative, an alternative that we will leave for our children what they deserve to inherit from us. god bless you all and god bless the united states. >> i want to thank my colleagues who is running for the united states senate for the campaign and we'll see what happens next tuesday. i think it's important that ever floridian pay close anticipation to what was said here tonight and what wasn't said. i'm the only democratic in this race. i'm the only candidate again that is willing to move towards green initiatives that will create jobs now, not pie in the sky ideology about tax cuts for super wealthy or special interests or people that ship jobs overseas, but tax cuts for middle class to make sure we create a high speed rail system here if florida that will create jobs and real opportunities for people to be able to reach those jobs. the reason why i'm endorsed by veterans because they know i understand.

it's not just about war and salute those that allow us to salute one flag and offer them assistance. i'm glad to be endorsed by public school teachers in this state. i will stand up on behalf of quality education in this state. i want you to vote, vote early and make sure if you don't vote early. vote on election day. i'm kendrick meek. i look forward to be your next united states senator. >> thank you for being here and thank you to my colleagues for these debates. they have been interesting and entertaining. my fellow floridians, this is an important election. florida and america are at a crossroads. one view that you hear from my friend, mr. rubio, is really kind of about pessimism. it's about despair. it's about fear. i don't see that view as the fuft our state and country. i'm an optimist. i believe that our best days are ahead of us and we have a much brighter future ahead for our fellow floridians and our fellow americans.

it's very important that you understand that in this race, you have a choice. i'm running as an independent. i know that it's hard for many of you who maybe most of your life have either voted for the democrat or voted for the republican, but in this election, you have a choice. you have a fundamental choice that you can make and realize this and appreciate this fact as i do. your vote is pressure. it is to be cherished. it is a time-honored tradition in our country. when you go into that voting booth. it is only your vote. it is private. and no republican boss or democratic boss can tell you how to vote. i appeal to you for your vote. i humbly ask for it. if you do so, you will be grateful for it and we'll have a brighter future together. >> that's all the time we have. good night.

[captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] >> this evening here in the historic smith theater in parkersburg, voters in west virginia's first congressional district will have their first opportunity to see the candidates on the same stage. >> i want to see washington take a different direction, to begin that journey. my first vote in congress will be to replace pelosi as the speaker with a leader who can create jobs in the private sector, can reduce the size of government and adhere to the constitution and its policies. >> i'm pro life, i'm pro gun and i'm committed to fiscal responsibility. i believe washington has gotten it wrong, especially during these past two administrations when it comes to dealing with this enormous entity we call the federal government. >> there are two candidates in the race for congress in the first district there is

democratic mike oliverio a senate senator and republican david mckinley. this seat was held for many years by a democrat. he was defeated in the primary in an upset. mike is a native of morgantown and his government roots go way back. he was the w.b.u. student body president. he got out and was elected to the legislature he has been hovering around there and has had aspirations for higher office. david mckinley is from wheeling, west virginia. he has been involved in politics off and on all his life. he was in the legislature a couple of different times. he is a former republican party chairman. he has run for governor before and was unsuccessful in his attempt to run for governor. he has been there as well. and when the mood of the country evolved as it did, mckinley saw this as an opportunity as well to get in the race and has run a very aggressive campaign. the first congressional

district covers the northern portion of west virginia, northern panhandle, north central part of the state and it runs along the ohio river. west virginia is predominantly a democratic state. registration is 2-1. in each of the congressional districts, each of the three, it's roughly 2-1 democratic. however, in west virginia, it's also a very conservative state, so there are many democrats who are some would say democrats in name only or they are conservative democrats. >> the big issues for me are obama health care, which is very unpopular in this state, cap and trade which is very up popular in this state, big government which is very unpopular in this state. >> the economy definitely, fixing the out-of-control debt and bringing jobs to an area like west virginia which is so rooted in industry. >> doing away with the tax cuts is really going to hurt a lot of people. >> jobs especially in obama care house care bill, i think

that jobs are really important right now. and politicians need to focus on them. i think that has gotten loss from 2008 till now. >> i don't want a salesman. i don't want somebody who has bumper stickers. i want someone who can work with the others, even if he doesn't necessarily have the same views that i have. >> when you compare the candidates, they might not like this, but they're probably closer on a lot of things than you might have in some races across the country. clearly david mckinley is a conservative republican. the opponent would be a conservative democrat. they're closer on some of these big issues than the campaigns would have you believe. there is some nuance difference. for example on the health care bill, one wants to get rid of it, one says i don't like big government, let's try to fix it. they both are against cap and

trade, which is a huge issue in west virginia. there you have agreement. they would have a nuanced fight about it, but they would both vote against cap and trade. they are from different parties and they have differences in this campaign, fill so farly, they actually have some similar yits. you similarities. >> i'm not supporting nancy pelosi. that's the most important vote as you know in congress is who is going to be the speaker of the house. i'm voting for john boehner. he is voting for nancy pelosi. >> david mckinley has run many ads that aligns mike with nancy pelosi. a vote for mike is a vote for nancy, not very popular in west virginia. issue number one has been the obama administration and nancy pelosi, harry reid but not in the house race. that has dominated the discussion for much of this campaign. >> we're making it very clear

that i'm not running for congress to get in step with washington leaders. i'm running for congress to get them in step with the people of west virginia. >> there is a tremendous amount of ads running. in fact, you get to the last couple weeks of the campaign and every commercial as an add for both candidates. the air waves are inundated with all of these political ads. the campaign has gotten fairly nasty in the last couple weeks. the polls indicate this is a close race. each of the candidates figures that a percent or half a percent is vital. mike tells an interesting story to the press. he said earlier in this campaign, he ran positive ads about himself and his lead evaporated. he said i'm done with that. i'm going to go more aggressive. both candidates have been extremely aggressive in the last couple weeks. the charges have been flying back and forth in the final days of the campaign. this has been historic in west virginia. we tend not to throw out incumbents.

and this year the incumbent was defeated in the primary. senator byrd died in june. releasing all of these pent-up opportunity for republicans and democrats, the national trend has a republican inspired in the third district in west virginia. we have a very intense, close senate race which we haven't had in years and we have two out of three very intense and close congressional races. we haven't had that in west virginia for a while. this is one of more interesting political periods in sometime. >> we're traveling the country and visiting congressional districts where some of the most closely contested house races are taking place. for more information on what the local content vehicles are up to this election season, visit our website, c-span.org/lcv. >> the midterm elections are in less than a week. each night on c-span, we're showing debates from key races

around the country. our lineup tonight includes the candidates in new hampshire's second house district. charlie bass and democratic anne mcclain custer in an hour, it's a debate between west virginia third house district candidates, democratic congressman nick ray hill and republican elliott spike maynard. this race is likely democrat. after that, a debate from texas 17th house district, one of the most heavily republican districts in the u.s. represented by a democrat. incumbent representative chet edwards is being challenged by republican bill flores. later, the candidates running to be "idol's" next governor, -- rhode island's next governor. that race is rated a toss-up. >> this morning, kathleen

turner looks ahead at this week's congressional agenda. michael doyle previews some of the cases coming before the supreme court this term. in a couple of hours, minnesota state representative -- >> what's ahead for the tea party movement. .

this race is rated as a tossup. this is one hour.

>> now, the granite state debate. [applause] >> good evening and welcome to the second debate. tonight we are covering the second congressional district. but how bludgeons will focus on the major issues affecting the country as well as those that have come up had in the campaign. candidates will get one minute to respond to each question. most questions will come from our analysts.

there will be in two rounds of questions from the candidates to one another. their position was determined by a drop earlier today. they are republican charlie bass and democrat annie custer. there are others that are on the ballot but they did not meet the requirements to be part of this debate. we have three panelists. with all that out of the way, let's get to our first round of questions.

>> good evening. unemployment has hovered around 10% and the white house is taking credit for the rate not going higher. has anything been done right by the obama administration as far as the economy? >> i would like to thank all of you for being here. i will like to thank my opponent. the record of the obama administration is abysmal. unemployment was 7.7% and now it is 9.7%. unfortunately, the president and nancy pelosi and harry reid embark telecourse of spending to get us out of the recession.

spending almost a trillion dollars which has gone basically know where. the average cost to the citizen was $300,000. today save jobs, maybe it did. we need change in washington now, we cannot afford to wait another two years. >> thank you. good evening, great to be here. congressman bass has been in washington for 12 years and he voted for all of the economic policies in the bush administration that caused this economic crisis in the first place. the bottom line is that we were losing $800,000 -- 800,000 jobs

a month and doing nothing was not an option. i think they could have done a much better job on creating good jobs here at home. the congressman cannot have it both ways. he says that the stimulus doesn't create jobs but the company of the board on which she sits is applying for millions of dollars dollars for his company. this is double talk and we need an approach. >> what is the best evidence that democratic economic policies are actually working? >> i am not saying that we're working, we need a new approach. we need to cut taxes for small

businesses. new hampshire lost 16,000 jobs alone. i have a jobs plan on our website and i start with helping small businesses here at home. i am looking to get some of this money off the sidelines and invest in small businesses. i would care more about main street and my opponent's -- than my opponent. >> you heard her say that the policies are not working. what a sad situation we are in today. if there ever was a reason for a change in washington, it is now.

and the democrats will want to double the size of stimulus and see if they can make the economy turnaround over the last 20 months. >> the home buyer tax credit has expired. what more should the federal government do? >> we have to sort out the foreclosure crisis. there has been many hearings where they have asked the person who pretends to represent the bank holding the mortgage, let me see the paper. with all the changes that went on, they have no idea who even holds the mortgage.

they have bundled the mortgages. congressman bass voted for the deregulation of wall street and that it voted for reregulation -- the regulation. >> this is certainly a priority. if there is fraud or negligence, they will be prosecuted. this is not time to talk about blame, this is the time to work on solutions. those will involve turning the country around. if these banks have been

committing fraud or negligence, they should be prosecuted. i support getting this economy turned around so that we can have real economic growth. >> you support the creation of a government committee of where to make hats, white do you believe that this could be more effective than previous efforts? >> this is a committee that would be a full standing committee and the house and senate. this is modeled after a committee that did work and work very effectively between world war ii and 1994.

i believe that the establishment of such a committee will would pull spending reduction ideas out of any other committees jurisdiction and bring those resolutions directly to the floor. >> a moment ago, you said that the stimulus was not handled correctly on the campaign trail. can you explain how much money you think must be spent? >> there was no provision that the jobs be created right here. we need to go beyond the roads, bridges, and highways.

i have seen some of that can make a difference right here in new hampshire. they cannot be outsourced. also the modernization of our infrastructure. people want access to broadband communication. they are trying to run a small business or get their children off to college. we are starting to see a digital divide where people are falling behind. we need more accountability. congressman bass and his company are trying to get a stimulus funding right now. >> [inaudible] >> i don't think that we need more stimulus. what we need to do is to focus on accountability.

>> this is all about creating wealth. there is a stimulus remaining. it should return to the treasury. it will not get spent seven because president obama is owned agency says that the stimulus will not create for a single shot. >> 3 have received a lot of comments and questions, commercials that have been on the air. >> since the day he became president, the deficit has $4.8 billion every single day.

the plan has pushed unemployment to nearly 10%. annie kuster would like more of the same. >> i don't understand any of the advertisements. this is another one of these ads where they put my picture into an ad that could be used anywhere in the country. i am not in the congress. i have been working here in the community helping to bring our community together and solve challenging problems. congressman bass is the one who needs to answer for his years that got us into this mess that we are in. he voted for deficits, earmarks, spending that was wildly out of control. the debt went from 4 trillion

dollars to 8 trillion dollars while he was in washington. the voters of new hampshire do not want to give the keys back to the person that drove this economy right into the ditch. >> i want to stay focused on the advertisement. why do think that this is fair? >> this is factual and accurate. the debt is going up by $4.8 billion a day. the person who my opponent will vote for the is a third of the reason why we have the problems we have today. the democrats have had 20 months to make a difference in this economic crisis. the results are zero. my opponent said that she works for a small business. make no mistake, she lobbies for a large farm in concord. i have signed to the front of paychecks as much as i have signed the backs.

>> next up is an advertisement that comes from your opponent's campaign where she uses your own words to frame the advertisement against you. >> for every single job that comes to america, $2 million comes back. and he voted for tax breaks that encourage shipping jobs overseas. >> and give us the context in which he meant that outsourcing jobs create jobs. >> first of all, no outsourcing is any good. i don't want to see a single job be outsourced under any circumstances. this is not always possible to avoid because the alternative is protectionism. trade isolationism. i would suggest that cutting off trade in this state would be

very serious for the economy. barack obama's phone trade representative, $3.1 billion in exports originated in this state and almost a quarter of all the jobs either directly or indirectly related to exports. outsourcing is a bad idea. >> why do you think that the advertisement is fair? >> he voted for the tax breaks that actually reward companies that ship jobs overseas. as i said, 16,000 jobs in the hampshire -- i have met people all across this district who

have lost their jobs. one of them was a third- generation papermaker. the last of the paper mills closed last week. i have met the real people whose lives are hurting and they know that it is congressman bass who voted. he does not care. he cares more about these companies and their lives. >> thank you very much. we will move to our first-round of candidate to candidate questions. mr. bass, you have the first question. >> minmy question is very simpl, will you vote for nancy pelosi? >> the answer is that i don't know.

congressman bass seems to be fixated on the inner workings of congress. he talks a lot about the committees and the leadership. i know that you will vote for the republican leader, you voted for newt gingrich. i note -- i might vote for her but that is not what i am focusing on. i focused on creating jobs for people in new hampshire. i am not going thinking about the leadership or the committee, i am thinking about solving problems. i know about bipartisanship and bringing people together to get things done. that is the kind of work i've done here in new hampshire and that is what i will do to help families right here. >> now your opportunity to ask a question. >> the night before the election, monday, november 1st, sarah palin will be here in new hampshire. the day you announced your campaign, he said god bless the

tea party, i love every one of them. their agenda is exactly the same as mine. that includes abolishing the department of energy and ending social security. are you going to be at that rally and do you stand by those words? >> i will be at that rally if i can make it and i think i will. i believe that for once in america there is actually a grass-roots movement of people that want change now. the tea party movements supports lower taxes, less government, less spending, reducing debt, saving america for my children and your children. at the rate we're going, this will not happen. we know what will happen on january 4th, there will be a new direction and there will be real change. to the extent that the tea party movement for the first time in my political career has been a

movement about reducing taxes, spending, deficits, getting the government under control. i support it and i think it is a good idea. when i entered congress in 1994, i got a plate that said "seeing the national debt, stupid." >> would you and the social security? >> of course not. >> in the current attack style -- >> thank you. that is the most important question of this entire campaign season. as i mentioned, i was raised as

a republican. my mother serve 22 years in the hampshire legislature -- in the new hampshire legislation. i care about bringing people together to solve problems. we want to bring together the business community and our nonprofit colleges and university system to help families say if for their children to go to college. thousands of families across new hampshire have benefited and we have even been able to create scholarships for low income students to attend college right here in new hampshire. those are the things that i have learned working across party lines and that is what i will do in congress. we need a new approach, not the 12 years that congressman bass served with newt gingrich, president bush, and dick cheney.

>> before the primary, my opponent characterized her mission as "i want to go to congress to further the obama agenda." it is my understanding that there was not a single meeting on health care reform until after the massachusetts election. my opponent will be supporting nancy pelosi and barack obama and harry reid. they are perfect descriptions of partisanship of. interest of our country and i will continue to do something in the next congress. going to congress to further the agenda is not a definition of working with the other side.

>> it is it time to let gays serve in the military? >> that decision is to be made by the commanders. this is by the people in the field, by the people who are in charge of their troops. it is regrettable that this administration forced the commanders to the conclusion. this kind of the decision is about the troops making the decision about whether this is in the best interests of our national security. if their decision is to eliminate the policy of don't ask, don't tell. i will support it.

if not, i will oppose it. >> it is fair to say that he plans to rejoin the party of no. i've taken a pledge, this is a pledge that we take every single day and that is liberty and justice for all. i will stand for an apology. i am proud of the quality that we have in new hampshire and this is a very important principle. the joint chiefs of staff have already urged the congress to move forward on this issue and it was the republicans and the party of no who stood in the way of moving forward. how can we ask someone to give their life for this country and not recognize their personal values and beliefs? yes, i support equality for all americans. >> the war in afghanistan is in its 10th year, do you stand by their marching made when he said it is time to defund this war?

>> i did not say that, i said we should not keep finding it in the increasing amounts. congressman bass would like to build up the war in afghanistan and get abstract and deeper. this adds trillions of dollars to the national debt and we have lost almost 10,000 lives between the two wars. this is not making us safer. i have sought counsel for many leaders and members of congress who have been very helpful in helping me understand this but we need a much more narrowly defined mission of counter- terrorism not of the open-ended counter insurgency. but we need to do is focusing on -- focus on keeping america safe. al qaeda has moved from pakistan, yemen, somalia. we need to coordinate our intelligence and be much more focused on attacking the

terrorists wherever they may be and getting out in front of the threat, not getting dragon deeper. >> when will we know when it is time to leave? >> we will now when the mission named by the commander in chief is fulfilled. i would hate to think that any kuster -- annie kuster with both against the sec urged. i don't think it is practical to expect that a representative democracy in this country. we should build our intelligence. as soon as we can detect, deter, and eliminate terrorist threats, then i think we should leave.

>> let's move to china. china currently holds true as of dollars in u.s. bonds. they seem to be manipulating their currency. is it time to rethink our relationship? >> the reason they have so many treasury bills is that we are purchasing many of their products. secondly, we are running up such massive debts. china is a perfect place before buying them. and china has some of the rare

earth for builds -- for raw materials. i don't like currency manipulation. >> and the congressman has not been representing the people here in new hampshire. let me give you the example of the industry. it is important in the hampshire. they have subsidized the paper industry.

the truth is that it was the policies that congressman bass photophore. the most favored nation status, the outsourcing, shipping jobs overseas. >> them you have said that the zonaaw is not only wrong but unconstitutional. >> i don't know if you had the opportunity to see the footage but they try to make a film for the police to enforce this law. this cannot be done without

arbitrary decisions. how to you know if this is an immigrant or the governor of new mexico? i have had the opportunity meet many people across this state. i think we need legal immigration and we need to enforce the laws at our borders and support the president. many to focus for the employers to stop illegal immigrants wanting to come into this country i believe this is unconstitutional because of our equal protection laws. >> basically, the same question, where do you stand on

this lot? >> my opponent avoided talking about amnesty. that is what she's talking about. i know a lot of good constituents. as far as arizona is concerned, i don't blame the governor for doing what she did. this is about drugs, murder, people and law abiding citizens having their lives threatened on a day-to-day basis. i believe it is perfectly legal to ask a foreigner for his or her passport. >> i have not talked about

amnesty. at that is what he is talking about. this is about a legal path to citizenship. how do you tell congressman bass one congress -- 1 immigrant from another? we want to stand for equality. do you want to carry your passport all the time? how do you know? this is not just arizona, there are dozens of states around this country that are considering this legislation and i know that i did not want to be stopped and pulled over -- get pulled over arbitrarily.

>> legal path to sufficient means allowing illegal citizenie to become citizens -- illegal immigrants to become citizens. i don't support the idea that people of done illegal things should be given legal status. we can work the immigration issue out. >> we don't have to do it by pulling people over based on the color of their skin. >> we will move to our second round. each questiocorrect missis kuste

deregulation of wall street. you voted to allow the big banks that traded the risky derivatives and credit-default swaps that led directly to the crash and then afterwards you represented a group of republicans who cheered on and in fact advocated for the wall street bailout that i opposed. when it came to reforming wall street, you called the bipartisan reform law "extremist." why do you keep standing up for what street banks over new hampshire families? >> that is a ridiculous charge. in the course of the campaign, you have accused me for voting to raise a veteran's benefits which i never did.

for bernie madoff, for the bp oil spill, for the loss of 4000 jobs in nashua that apparently never existed and now you have this complicated train were at some point i cast a vote or did something that caused the entire ruling of the u.s. economy. this is the campaign about where we need to be a year ago. this is between someone who has spent the last three months u.s. been picking up my record and trying to ignore the real issue which is white unemployment is at 9.7%? honwe need to change in washingn

and we needed now. >> for years, you have supported a state income tax. do you think that that is a good idea? >> what this campaign is all about is federal taxation. i do not support the state income tax. congressman bass voted for taxes and to encourage companies to ship jobs overseas. i think we need to close those tax loopholes. i will focus on tax relief for middle-class families, families that i have met across the district. that is where we need to focus tax relief 65% of new hampshire people work in small business. i propose tax relief for repealing the capital gains tax. congressman bass has opposed that idea. i want to stay focused on tax of

the for middle-class families so we can create jobs and get everyone back to work. that is what people want and need a new approach in washington. >> we have some hot topics that are for you individually. >> you are praised for helping the company through your advocacy of renewable energy and also for setting up a meeting between their president and the cabinet member. three days after you left congress, you bought half a million dollars a privately traded stock. can you explain how that was proper? >> this has to be the most ridiculous issue i have ever run into. i did not own a single share of that company until 2007 and i submitted the stock significant -- certificates to prove it. there was no secret meeting, no

special legislation. there was a photo opportunity and an amendment which i think is important and my successor carried on which applies to all the nobles -- all renewables. this is a very good company in this state. i put my own resources on the line because i believe that alternative energy will create real jobs. >> another question, this is directed at mrs. kuster. >> how do voters know that you will get an honest deal for legislation that affects the pharmaceutical industry because you have lobbied for them? >> congressman bass has been working for a lobbying firm in washington and has made half a

million dollars over four years. i will work hard for the people of hampshire. i work on a project that was to create a program for free medicine for lower income people and senior is in need. those are the kinds of projects that i will be working on in congress and i will be representing the people here in new hampshire. >> let's move on to health care and try to get a little bit more of a discussion going. >> and health care debate, you made -- you have been a strong supporter and one of the holdouts when it comes to the single payer system. >> i don't support the single pair system. >> how would government control

lower overall health-care costs without watering down the quality of health care? >> i am all for the quality of health care and access to affordable health care. the congressman said that he would try to repeal the entire health care reform. i don't want to repeal reform that keeps an insurance companies from denying coverage when it you need it. i met a woman in claremont and we were having a discussion and she let me know that she had not had health care since she was 20 years old. she was excited because the coverage with up to 26, she could go on her father's coverage for one year. she planned to get a root canal. that is what people need.

what i wanted to its focus in on the needs of people with affordable health care. when i get to washington, i think that we need a new approach of this whole problem and we need to tackle the cost problem because congress was in gridlock and they did not take up the issue. >> you were in congress for a decade and health care reform was not a top priority. >> first of all, there is only one registered lobbyist on the stage to day and it is not me.

i never lobbied for everyone. she supports the public option for health care. the public option if implemented would result in single payer health care. >> she said "i don't believe that the health care goes far enough." medicare cuts, $570 million. 115 billion just to implement the bill. 87 million americans who have health care today will lose their current coverage and have to go into some other kind of coverage. that is from the department of labour. a 10--- 10%-15% coverage.

>> your time is up. i will give you a minute to respond. >> congressman bass talks about repealing this entire bill. the reality is that new hampshire families need help. i never once talked about the single payer. what i'm talking about is an option like a public university where you have that option. we have private colleges all over the state. i am talking about an option for people who cannot afford the skyrocketing increase in premiums and are being left by the wayside with no insurance coverage. congressman basswood repeal the whole bill and we would be right back where we started. he spent 12 years in washington and did not do anything of providing access. >> when was the last time that

tuition and went down? this is a great example because it indicates that the cost of health care will go up. i would only point out that this bill started out with a public option and ed public option is eventually single payer. this was dropped because there was not enough support even amongst democrats. now we have this great expansion of government bureaucracy and coverage without the public option. the effort has got to be to change this legislation so that this is more competitive. there is more availability, health care is universally deductible. that we have associated health plans. meaningful tort reform.

this is not a great conglomeration of power in washington. >> thank you for a very controversial topic >> let's move to social security. what is your approach to fixing the finances so this is still around for young workers who are paying in the system. >> i know that congressman bass wants privatization. i met a woman in a bakery last week and i suggested to her that he supported privatization and she looked at me with tears in her eyes and she said, what would have happened to me? she knew about what happened on wall street. social security is secure right now until 2037. we need to insist on stopping the rating of the trust fund and

get people back to work. when people work, social security will be more secure. we don't need to cut benefits and we don't need to do privatization. >> you have a 1.6 trillion dollar deficit. personal accounts are not about the stock market. but this is not about current recipients or anyone near the age of 90 or 65 or even 55. this is about preserving and protecting social security and one of the biggest issues that this -- will face. she is attending that there's no problem. social security is not about

democrats, liberals, conservatives. this is about the american retirement plan and the american people should be involved in its resolution. we should have a resolution consisting of those who understand the system and that should be put to the congress after an election. >> people talk about the options on the table. you can look at raising the retirement age from modifying benefits. >> the commission is usually his answer. >> i said you don't need to increase the age and you don't need to modify the benefits, you need to stop the rating of the trust fund and getting people back to work so that they are

investing in seoul's security and their benefits will be there. frankly, this has been a big scare campaign by wall street companies and it is the surprise me that congressman bass is a big proponent of it. he is a big proponent of bailing out the banks. we need to put the people first. >> rating the trust fund, i've not heard anyone propose that as a real solution. i don't think that i will be collected to congress. i believe need to attack them and not avoid preserving and

protecting these problems. >> let's go to the high-speed rail. >> just over $2 million in federal money was awarded to the planning grant as commuter rail service. the the project could end up costing two added $50 million or more. is this a good investment? >> i never thought that they would come that getting passenger rail into new hampshire would cost as much as it did. it involves some ingenuity and flexibility. what they are talking about now

is doing something similar which is going to cost a lot of money. i support passenger rail and i made it a priority. there was funds in the transportation reauthorization bill. the management has not been good. there is no discussion going on between the various parties involved. >> i support passenger rail but i am concerned about the high cost. he would like to spend and spend and then act like he is frugal. i would like to see passenger rail, to new hampshire. we would like to help families get to work.

there are some people who spend time commuting from the southern tier. we want to use the most frugal approach and not just throwing money at the program. >> thank you. >> many question whether the government is doing enough when it comes to regulating the internet and social networking. >> i do have concerns having raised two sons. we always kept the computer right in the kitchen. i have concerns for families with the bullying that is going on in our schools. we need to take an approach that is protective and will root out criminals and people that want to pray on others.

i don't support transaction such transaction. i think that we need to promote new technologies to provide the kind of protections that are needed. >> we will ask a closing question. candidates will have 90 seconds to answer the question. >> i think you will like this.

today, one of you is a progressive democrat and the other embraces the policies of the tear party. why have you moved away from your family's moderate political lineage? >> thank you for that tough question. i believe that the hampshire people want change. nancy pelosi said unemployment insurance is one of the biggest stimuluses to our economy. this creates jobs faster than almost any other initiative. this is the person that my opponent will be voting for. we have a clear choice between an independent voice, someone who is committed to to real change and to get our economy moving again. on november 2nd, we will decide

the direction of our nation. i running for congress because i care about america. i care about where this country will be. this is so important. this will result in lower taxes and lower deficits. this administration has been goingthe bottom and "there's no reason to believe that this will change. for me, my children, you can vote for change.

from the beginning i had been for less government, lower taxes and living within our means. i consider that to be a moderate or conservative position. >> the party was a originally known as the progressive republican party and my mother said that the tent moved away from her. my opponent supports the tea party and is looking to do away with social security as we know it. i am running to help families and to help families get back to work. the truth is that the old broken ways that congressman bass followed in his 12 years in

washington simply will not help us solve these challenging issue is. from the jobs crisis to the fiscal crisis and from afghanistan to the gulf, we need a new approach. instead of tax loopholes that reward companies for shipping jobs to china, i want to shut those loopholes down and wrote companies right here at home with tax benefits which will eliminate the capital gains tax on small businesses and help them grow. instead of using our tax dollars to bail out of the big banks, we should make them pay this back in full. that is your money. we need smart reforms. instead of exploding the national debt by voting for bailouts and subsidies, i want to vote to end those subsidies and freeze congressional pay until we have balanced budgets

again. congressman bass loaded for the old ways. on november 2nd, i ask for your vote. we need to put people first. >> thank you very much. thank you to the panelists. that wraps up the debate. have a great night tonight. we will see you back here again tomorrow night. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] >> it the midterm elections are in less than a week and we are showing new debates from key races around the country. this includes a debate between the third house district in west virginia.

this is likely democratic. and an hour, a debate from texas, one of the most heavily republican district in the u.s. to represented by democratic. after that, the candidates running to be rhode island's next governor in their final debate. this is rated as a tossup. then, the senate candidates in florida. >> what is ahead for the tea party movement? there's the potential that it will become a third political

party. the candidates for the third house district and west virginia which is in the southern part of the state aris next. . .

>> at this time we will introduce the candidates seeking your vote. we will do this by alphabetical order. we will start with mr. elliott "spike" maynard. he earned his degree in what in 1974. he practiced from 1974-1981 and was twice elected prosecuting attorney of maine kokanee. it was appointed a trial judge of the 13th circuit and twice elected judge in that circuit.

in 1996, he was elected to a 12- year term on the state supreme court. he served as chief justice of the west virginia supreme court in 2000 and 2004. he is the republican party candidate to represent west virginia's third congressional district. ladies and gentlemen, please welcome mr. elliott "spike" maynard. [applause] >> mr. ray hall was born and west virginia and graduated from duke university in 1971. he went to graduate school of george washington university. he once served as a staff member for the late robert t. byrd. he is currently serving his 17th term in that office. he serves as the chairman of

that natural committee of natural resources. is the democratic incumbent for west virginia's third congressional district. please welcome mr. nexrad call -- nick rail -- rahall. [applause] >> the order of tonight's debate will be as follows. each candidate will be given two minutes for opening statements. after the opening statement, we will begin our questions. the a moderator's well as it a question period -- the moderator will ask candidate a a question. the next question will be asked of a candidate b.

>> our timekeeper will give time cues of 30 seconds, 15 seconds, and stop. once the candidate is given the stop sign, they will be allowed a few seconds to complete of thought. neither candidate shall be allowed to interrupt one another. >> prior to the start of tonight's event, we have the candidates participate in a coin flip to see who would start with. to-minute opening statement. leading off tonight will be mr. maynard. >> thank you to the sponsors for hosting this event. this is an important event. it will educate the voters about the differences in the candidates. and there are clear differences between the candidates in this election if, and the voters deserve to know the difference. i want to know about the government take over our of our health care system.

we call it obama care. it cuts medical care for our elderly which will was alton rationing for our seniors medical care and it will result in wide differences in in the light treatment for our seniors. our district has a senior population in this is devastating to them. one of the worst things obamacare does is allow for federal tax dollars to be used to pay for abortions. there is $160 million in federal been being used in pennsylvania today to pay for abortions as we speak. it also law allows for free medical care for illegal immigrants. these are some of the reasons that i have been endorsed by west virginians for life. he voted for obamacare. i would repeal obamacare and replace it for other medical care for everyone. let's talk about the war on cold.

-- coal. the generals in the war on coal today are barack obama, nancy pelosi, and the people at the epa. my opponent voted with the nancy pelosi 90% of the time. -- 98% of the sign -- 98% of the time. the last thing i want to talk about is the so-called stimulus package, which is wasted $1 trillion and brought nothing to west virginia. no money for that cold feel expressways'. bikeway -- and thank you. >> you have two minutes for your opening statement. >> thank you. thank you for sponsoring these debates. west virginia likes to exercise our american right to question

our elected leaders. it is a great thing. it is great for our democracy. unfortunately some is used this healthy skepticism to stoke the fear factor during tough economic times. television ads running against me are disappointing, disingenuous, disgusting, disturbing, despicable, and you know what? downright desperate. even my granddad father who came to this country and west virginia with $0 in their pocket and watch the american dream come true with hard work. they had adopted american as the land that they love. cliches and sound bites we of heard during this campaign comes straight from the peckerwood's of washington d.c., and you know who turn to than that?

robert c. byrd. his mentor, john blankenship. my friends, you know who my mentor is. robert byrd. our people deserve better than what they have seen on the television screen. i hope that my pundit has gotten over the name calling and they will call no more constituents of mine degenerate's as he did the other day. i've always placed our coal miners and cold jobs is number one. our hardworking men and women, those are my top priorities. i will continue to work across party lines as i have done even when my party did not control the congress, more vital today than ever. i will still maintain my seniority to work for west virginia to put our values to work in washington. >> faq, mr. rahall -- thank you,

mr. rahall. [applause] we also have a coin toss to see who would take the first question. mr. maynard, you won that honor. let's go right to it. infrastructure is the foundation for economic growth. in southern west virginia we continue to suffer from lack of highways, both paid and technological, along with the need for basic water and sewer systems. how do you plan is a member of congress to obtain federal financing for these types of projects? >> the first thing we need to do is for congress to stop spending money we do not have been stopped spending money on things like the so-called stimulus package, which has wasted and squandered a trillion dollars of taxpayer money. it is created jobs in four of places like china. it has created jobs in south

korea. it is a statute that my opponent voted for. it also gave big bailouts to the banks, to the insurance companies, and it is a huge waste of taxpayer money in. instead of spending money to create jobs in china. we need to build plants throughout southern west virginia. we have a lot of people could dump their sewage straight into the streams. at that has to change and we need federal crisis projects to fund those types of improvements. we need to build a four-lane highways. i mentioned earlier that we had the stimulus package and we got no money -- no money for the king cole expressway, we got no money for the bypass in abruptly. the money that we're now using to build schools and sewage projects in place like iraq, and we're doing that what taxpayer

dollars, that money needs to be spent in southern west virginia. and that would be my prime project in congress. stop spending money there and spend it in southern west virginia on infrastructure projects. >> infrastructure is vital to the future economy of west virginia. you've heard me often during not just this campaign but often in the years i've been in congress talk about transportation, technology, and tourism. improving our infrastructure to get water and sewage, i'd agree with my opponent in that regard. it is vital for southern west virginia. many of the big cities take it for granted. we do not have those basic services in many areas. we have used the stimulus program that he's so viciously attacked -- first of all, 33% of stimulus spending went to a tax cut for 95% of working americans making $150,000 or below.

one went for in structure -- 33% went for infrastructure funded. please correct yourself there. the final third went to the programs like cobra extensions and unemployment benefits. >> mr. maynard, you have 30 more seconds. >> providing more government handouts is not the answer to creating jobs in southern west virginia or correcting the problems and our economy. but congress needs to stop spending money we do not have. win -- they need to stop talking about tax increases. we need to focus on the very basis of government. we need to give incentives to private enterprise to create jobs and not any more government giveaways, no more bank bailout, and no more -- no more government takeovers. [applause]

>> staying with this topic, mr. rahall, how do we address the deficit that increases by more than $400 billion a day? >> let's remember that our federal budget has always been in debt and except for a five- year period going back in 1961, we've always had federal budget deficits. except for a five-year period in which we had surpluses. we know when this error plus period was. it was during the clinton administration. the previous administration came in and spurn -- spent all the surplus on two wars. it provided tax cuts for the super wealthy in this country. those were not free expenditures. no president has been able to fight two force and provide tax

cuts for the super wealthy at the same time. the numbers do not add up. deficit spending, i want to get it under control. there are -- there are certain services that our federal government needs to provide to help our people. not a handout -- words from my opponent right now, but i hand it up. many programs that partner with our private sector, seed money such as the gateway project, the intermodal center, what we did with poland square in huntington -- this was seed money that has been used very well by the private sector to partner and to provide private jobs. that is number one, i a minute. private sector job is where it is that. we have to realize that by putting people were providing payroll tax cuts as we did in the stimulus package, we're providing tax cuts to people who needed, who put that money back

into the economy, they do not afford the money in some cd or a hedge fund in wall street. they put it into repairs, go out and buy a new home, with interest rates as low as they are today. but when people work, they pay taxes and that helps to reduce our deficit. for every $1 million we invest in infrastructure spending, we create 40,000 jobs, good paying jobs, long-term jobs. that is what we need more of. [applause] >> mr. maynard, you have one minute. >> deficit spending and the debt we face is a dagger aimed at the heart of the american economy. my opponent and his friends in d.c. continue to talk about tax increases and tax increases and spending more just to solve our economic problems. if you cannot spend yourself into prosperity, ladies and

gentleman. my opponent this to a vote in congress. it was the deciding vote that he missed the would have extended the tax cuts that would add just started this economy. it is going to result in a tax increase for all of us all $1 trillion, the largest tax increase in the history of america. and we're having that tax increase because my opponent missed the deciding vote to keep congress in session to extend those cuts. you do not raise people's taxes in the middle of a recession. no economist will tell you that it is wise to raise anyone's taxes in a recession. if you want to create jobs and into recession, you have to cut taxes. you have to give people an incentive to create jobs. [applause] >> 30 seconds response, mr. rahall.

>> action has not been taken on extending the bush tax cuts. i happen to favor very strongly making permanent the tax cuts for middle-class americans, except for those -- for those making $250,000 or below. i recognize the need to reach across the aisle and if necessary extend may be temporarily the tax cuts for the super wealthy but it extended permanently, it would cost our treasuries $700 billion over 10 years. talk about that it's a spending, where we going to get that from? we need to give it to lower income groups. [applause] >> mr. maynard, the cost of the wars in iraq, afghanistan, and pakistan have been staggering. and it has contributed to our fiscal woes. do we keep pushing our role as

the world's police force, and if so, how do we justify that trillions our government continues to spend on overseas military action? >> first of all, let me say that i'm a veteran of the u.s. air force. we must what every cost spend whatever it takes to get the very best available medical care and benefits to all our veterans, no matter when they served their where. i strongly support that. notwithstanding that, we have troops -- america has troops in over 125 different nations around the world today. we are engaged in two wars at the same time, in afghanistan and in iraq. we cannot be the world's policeman any longer. we simply do not have the resources to be the world's policeman any longer. we need to carefully analyze

every place that we have troops on the ground in countries around the world, and we need to bring most of those troops home. i would suggest we put some of those troops on our border with mexico to control the border and stop the drugs and violence and crime coming into this country. [applause] that this administration, that mr. -- mr. rahall supports, refuses to do. we have two wars that are going on. we need to wind those wars down as quickly as we can. we need to bring those troops home from the war zone as quickly as we can. then we to take a hard look at military spending. i'm a strong supporter of the military. we need a strong military mainly at home. we need to make sure we give them the finest equipment, but by this material, the latest technology in all of our aircraft and large ships at sea, but we do not need to have troops housed in over 100

countries around the world. we have to look at that and bring those troops home and reduce the costs and it will be a savings in the hundreds of billions of dollars if we do that. [applause] >> mr. rahall, if you have one minute to rebut. >> god bless our veterans. thank you for your service. and our american troops, those are truly american heroes. they are in harm's way so that we live in the greatest country in the world and enjoy the many freedoms that we enjoy. you're right. we cannot be the policemen of the world. we cannot be the 9114 the world and be expected to respond to every trouble spot. nor can we expect to be a nation builder of every nation in which we have our forces. more cost sharing is needed. if we're going to undertake a

war like we did in iraq -- which i opposed, but i supported the troops,, bless them again. i have voted to give them every ounce of equipment that they need to do their jobs. but that does not mean that i -- i disagree with the policy but it does not mean that i disagree with our troops. it's necessary that we have some cost sharing with our allies before we undertake such a fiasco as we did in iraq. [applause] >> mr. maynard, you have 30 seconds. >> we have some common views. the american military is still the strongest military in the world, the best equipped, and our soldiers and sailors and airmen are the finest in the world. we need to emphasize that we are not doing right by some of our

veterans. congress has not done right by some of our veterans. we still do not have the best medical care in the war. a veteran of to be able to go to any hospital in the country and get a complete and total medical care. that is not what we have. [applause] >> the next question is that category consisting of two questions. one specific question for each candidate. we will still follows same format -- two minutes, one minute, and in 30 seconds response. they attempted to use candidates associations as a means of swaying butter's in one direction of the other. we will start with mr. rahall. the maynard campaign has brought into question your association with groups associated with terrorism. >> the alleged contribution that

i received, i did receive a contribution in 1996 from whatever gentleman this is. so did many other politicians, including the national republican campaign committee. in 2003, at the first allegations of wrongdoing surfaced. i immediately gave the money to charity. most all the other politicians, including george bush, gave the money back. david did charity as i did. the only group that kept it was the national republican campaign committee. fact. another group was the american tax reform group. the same one running ads against the had it with the same man. they are now running ads against me as well. that is why i made my opening statement as i did about disingenuous, the dishonesty,

the owl might despicable -- the outright despicableness of these crews. they spend money without having to account who is giving them money. which u.s. the american conservative foundation to reveal who their donors are, spike? i like to know. the people of west virginia need to know who is funding these outside groups when they can except on limited money and not have to tell the first individual, the first public filing of where their money comes from. we talk about every money that we receive and every minute that we spend. not so with these new groups. it is all made possible by the supreme court ruling earlier this year. we passed a bill in the house called the disclose act which would ask these groups to identify who their main sponsors are. put a name on their ad like we have to put a name one hour at.

it died in the other body because the party of no says no to everything. it has not passed the congress. [applause] >> mr. maynard, you have one minute to respond. >> in fact he did not give the money back. u.s. r.d. spend his money on your campaign. -- you have already spent your money on your campaign. the council of the american islamic relations, in congress you receive more money from that group than any other member of congress. since you have chosen to make his personal, i will point out that your sister is a registered foreign agent for a middle eastern government. qatar is the government and has

lobbied for them for years. she has a post office box in your congressional district. >> you have not answered my question. i am calling upon you publicly this evening to ask these outside groups waging a smear campaign on your behalf to reveal who they are and where the money is coming from. the people of southern west virginia deserve to know this. yes, i introduced a resolution praising qatar for their security for our forces during the war in iraq. that is where our forces were stationed, and the only thing i did was introduce a resolution backed unanimously by republicans and democrats banking that country for their support of american troops. [applause]

>> sticking with television ads, mr. maynard, the other campaign has brought into question your association with mr. blankenship. >> i will respond briefly. mr. rahall will let knowledge that his sister is a registered foreign agents who is required to register with the u.s. department of justice as a registered agent of a foreign government, and i would be happy answer his question. in particular with mr. blankenship, if we're going to decide this election based on our supporters, then i would like to talk about his supporters as well. mr. blank in shop employs about 8000 people in southern west virginia. they are good jobs, paying good wages. they pay medical benefits for about 30,000 people in southern west virginia.

there many people in the coal industry, i have the endorsement of an association that represents all the coal industry in west virginia. we have the support of many other coal executives including -- there is no need to give you a long list of names. this election is about coal, coal miners, and coal miner jobs. mr. rahall and his associates are running a war against c oal. they are conducting a war on coal, where they intend lawless surface mining in west virginia. they want to destroy for at every 10 mining jobs in west virginia. they want to do more than that. they're really do know like -- they really do not like coal and want to abolish it completely.

friends, mr. rahall's barack obama and ms. pelosi, and they want to destroy coal. [applause] >> you have one minute. >> spite, you of all people raising guilt by association. let me say is i have said many times, you want to association me -- associate me with the current administration. i work for no president. i work with the president. and i worked with a number president says. i'll agree with some and disagree with some. i've agreed with this house and the speaker of the house on gay marriage, on prayer in the public schools, on immigration. i have supported the border fence, one of 63 in my party.

i agree we need to have a stronger border enforcement. i have voted against my party on that debt tax six times. i voted to repeal it. i have voted against my party on cap and trade. have voted against my party on a number of other issues. [applause] >> if you disagree do it him, i do not understand how you have a 98.7 term voting record with nancy pelosi. when i do not know why you said you were an early supporter of barack obama and the ease supported him her for president fide.

there was a three-one margin against him in favor of hillary clinton. it is strange if you say you are against these people if you managed to vote with him nine out of 10 times. >> mr. rahall, this question is for you. our education system lags behind when it comes to our students competing academically with those in china, india, and other asian countries what can we do to provide better education for our children? >> i supported barack obama for president because hillary clinton was the alternative. she supported cap and trade. she was a co-sponsor with the john mccain of climate change legislation. you were in the democratic

party. who did you support? [applause] >> i supported hillary clinton. >> let's stay on topic. >> and god bless our teachers. they affect the lives of our children for an eternity. they have not received the pay they deserve. for it places us at a competitive disadvantage with all the other developing countries. we have tried to restore pell grants to our students and staff for loans. we have tried to improve the loans to our students by eliminating the middleman. teachers have a very important role. we have to give them the tools of reach to do it. the government cannot do it alone. we need to partner, and poor in word, partnership, with our

teachers, parents. let's not forget the role parents play. with our communities, we need programs to start our children off on the right foot and fund them such as a head start. whinnied after-school programs where we can put them into places where they have other alternatives. it takes partnering. we put into our schools the necessary chowan nutrition programs plus the partnership with our local enforcement of law enforcement officers to instill the dangers of drugs and alcohol abuse. >> that sounds a whole lot like the typical rahall answer, let's

raise taxes and throw more money at the problem. you will not solve the problems by three more money at it. that has been proven to not work. it has proven to be counterproductive. if you want to fix what's broken with american education, you have to go back to the basis. you cannot throw money at it. we have to teach more math and science. we have got to teach basic language arts. we need to look at grade education countries like england are doing. they do not have a 180 day school year. they have a 200 days school year. we need to look at extending the school year. when need to look at extending school hours.

those of some of the press will things he can do that and not cost money. >> once again, my, this seems to think that i believe the federal government is the solution to all our ills. i have said that such is not the case. the federal government has a role to play, yes but if this is an important difference between us. the federal government needs to partner with parents and teachers in our community leaders and with the private sector. where the number one employer is. it takes teamwork to pull together so the west virginia and our children can win. thank you. >> we have some reader jr. waited questions -- generated

questions. is health care reform legislation is to repeal, what do you say to families that may look forward to the benefit for children up to the age 26 or unemployed workers concerned insurance would not covered a pre-existing condition? >> i favored repealing obamacare and i favor some other form of health care that the congress needs to craft that does not cost two or three trillion dollars. one of the problems with obamacare is that it is a job killer. when we revisit health care, we need to make sure that people who have pre-existing conditions are covered. nobody should be excluded from health care because they have a pre-existing condition. we can afford to make sure everyone has health coverage.

all we needed to do was have coverage for 30 million people. that to be an easy thing to do. police could have added those 30 million people without destroying the finest medical care delivery system on the planet. why are we paying for medical care for illegal immigrants? what are we paying for viagra for prisoners in jail. these are all true. we need to adopt a healthcare program that will make sure that everyone is covered and people with pre-existing conditions are covered. this program that we have come extending coverage to 26 years of age, that is a costly

provision. there should be provision that says if your child is in college, and then he or she should be included on the program until they are out of college. this because someone is 26 and should not be required to be covered on the policy. companies have to pay for that. it is good to force employers out of business. >> is the bill perfect? and no. does it need tweaking the? yes. my opponent has said his favorite retail and that we cannot repeal the law. for the bill will not be repealed in the totality.

let's not talk about these pie in the sky schemes that will not happen. i believe those in favor of the repeal to not want to see children eliminated from coverage on their parents' policy. i do not think they want to see children eliminated from being covered from pre-existing conditions. i think kids should be covered for health insurance if they have pre-existing conditions or not. we should eliminate the annual cap. we have health care rationing today by private insurers. the cost of doing nothing is much higher. >> if you want to cut costs,

all of the cost of madison that doctors face when they have to order thousands of unnecessary expense attests to ward off lawsuits. without meaningful tort reform, you'll never reduce the cost of medical care. you will have a bloated system like obamacare. >> this question is for a new from the public. many tax reductions put in place are scheduled to be eliminated or phased out beginning in january 2011. what is your position on this issue? >> i stated it earlier. i will respond with more detail. what is scheduled to respire are

the bush tax cut seller sets in place using a process known as reconciliation 10-years ago. they are not the 60 votes to pass the cuts for the super wealthy in the senate. they needed only 50 votes. that is what expires january 1. we put up action until a lame duck session in november. many of our members and i want to be put on the line without this that have been taken action also. i favor extending the bush tax cuts for the middle income. it will make it permanent of would have to compromise and extend it for the super wealthy, fine. i will vote for that as long as we make permanent a tax cut to gi. this is money that goes into the home improvement.

it put back into our economy and helds grow it. it goes to work for our economy. the worst-case scenario if we take no action, should we not take action, guess where we are? we are back to the clinton years and give there is even less tax on dividends than in those years hiding we did pretty well during the clinton years. we have budget surpluses. that scenario would not be as bad as it is painted as. it is not the largest tax increase. democrats have passed the largest tax cut i referenced earlier. we provided a payroll tax cut to 1/3 of the bill for 95% of working americans. [applause]

>> his failure to show up and vote to extend the session to take up the tax cut is a stunning failure. it is an unforgivable failure. this is what we are talking

about. we are talking about people who are your neighbors and run the local gas station but there these are the kind of people that congress things are sued for wealthy. they are not super wealthy. [applause] >> extending the tax cut for middle income america that is number one. we should not be holding the tax cut for the wealthy as hostage for a middle income tax cuts in this country it is unfair. it is a basic difference of philosophy. it is unfair to our working men and women we received a permanent tax. >> thank you.

>> would republican control of congress mean by partisanship or a gridlock for americans? >> we certainly have not had a grid lock up until now. this present administration has said total control of all three branches of government. they ignored the opposite party when they passed ofcare. they jammed it down the third of americans. americans did not want obamacare. to 70% of our people do not want obamacare. republicans had no say in it. republicans had no power. it is a 2700 page bill and nobody in congress and read before they voted on it. i defy you to go to the internet and read it yourself.

it is unreadable. it is impossible to reach. it creates incredible bureaucracy by the creation of 20 or so bored with awesome power. it is a bill people do not want. republicans will take control of the house. everyone thinks that is the case. they are very likely to take control of the senate. i hope the when it occurs there will be a spirit of cooperation and that the parties will be able to work together. our country is in really big trouble. we have people that are really hurting. this is not about democrats or republicans or independents or any political schemes. this is about doing the right thing for america. i hope that you ever goes to congress, no matter what their political stance, will know that our country is in big trouble

and they need help. we are on the verge of bankruptcy. we are facing economic collapse. if we do not do something about the spending and a continuing push to raise everyone's taxes -- we are in the middle of the worst recession. you do not raise everyone's taxes. it creates a depression. we must not do that. [applause] 4 >> mr. rahall, you have one minute. >> the fact of the matter is that i will still maintain my experience and seniority if reelected to the congress regardless of who controls the congress. i've not always been in a congress that has been controlled by my party. when my party was not in control, i worked quite well across party lines to continue to receive major funding for the

expressway, the highway, the bypass, water and sewage infrastructure projects. this is a type of the partisanship that works for our people. we need to continue that. gridlock is something that people like to point to when something does my kid down. for that often just least two more gloom and doom talk. what we need to do is sit down outside the cameras and take the tough decisions that are needed to get this deficit under control. >> my plan and needs to go around the third district and talked to some people who are facing hard realities.

when people are losing their homes to foreclosure, i do not think they will be able to survive. our coal mines cannot get permits to mine coal. your friends at the epa to shed down another permit for a mine that will cost 300 jobs. go talk to those 300 coal miners. ask them if that is live and doom. -- gloom and doom. >> for mr. rahall, there is a growing sense across the country that our best days as a nation are behind this and that our kids will not live as low as we have. how do you reverse that mentality? >> i do not by the assumption and that question. i believe that we do have a lot going for us.

my opponent said we ought to spend time with our families. i have spent that time. i know the 1a family has a mortgage or a car loan or a student loan that are not always balancing their budget either as he seems to preach is set a bad thing when the government is a little out of skelter. sometimes you have to look long term. you have to do what is in the best interests. i believe we are doing that. we have laid the foundation. cole is number one for our economy. we cannot put all our eggs in that basket. it should not be our ceiling. when need to diversify. i have been doing that since day one when i protected the national rebar and build upon that. it is drawing the boy scouts of america to our area.

it is a game changer for our area and the boy scouts. we opened a new line here in raleigh county. it is some of the best in the world. no one is trying to stop the permit from going forward. it will provide jobs for our people. those are big announcement. there is private money coming to our area. it'll be 300 million by the time it is said and done. these are good, positive things from our area. it is surely something we need to nurture. we need to be prepared. so must we be prepared with the necessary water and sewage lines. we have been necessary positive attitude among our people, welcoming them to our area we will continue to help them progress.

>> one minute. >> i firmly believe that our best days are still ahead of us in america. as ronald reagan says, it is morning in america. where surely the greatest nation on earth. our kids will have at least a good of life as we have. our grandkids will have even better still. we cannot get there by wishing and hoping. it will not make it happen. we really have to face hard realities. we have to do with our government when you and i do that home. we have to stop spending money we do not have. we have to stop going in debt. we have to stop deficit spending. we are in debt $13 trillion. almost $14 trillion. we are in debt $13.70 trillion.

it has to be paid. we have absolutely got to stop increasing people's taxes. we have got to step incurring debt that we cannot pay. we have to have a fair process for business regulation bell will let our businesses create jobs and compete in world markets. [applause] >> our economy in west virginia has held up pretty well when you consider the entire nation. that is thanks to our coal industry, and no question about it. we are one of three or states able to pay our bills. we know we have a strong work ethic here workwith patriotic

people compare. >> in the interest of time, wish to move to our final question. if elected to serve west virginia is third district, what will be on the top line of your agenda when you are sworn in? >> jobs. jobs. and more jobs for our people. i believe that that is the numbers 1 in west virginia. at least one person that was to work is out there and cannot find it. our unemployment is too high.

if they are unable to find that job, they should receive unemployment compensation benefits that is not a handout. i do not believe our senior should be scared that the social security would be cut. thank goodness we were able to beat back the bush proposal to privatize social security. look at what we need to do. it will provide our veterans in health care they deserve. we can never do enough for our veterans. we have to look at our education

system. let's work together lets provide a solid economic foundation. that is what our people need. it will help reduce our deficit. it'll help us get this thru whatever 10 times may await this in the future. >> am going to change the rules a little bit. >> my opponent said something about the russian education system. what i said was the great western democracies. they do have a wonderful education systems. they do particularly in england. i'm surprised you'd mention

russia. the coal company referred to is a ukrainian company. i am going to go back to the basics. we have a government today that is being run by people who do not know the basics and economics. you do not create incredible debt and a newborn child and west virginia those $40,000 the day it bourne's. that debt has to be paid. we must address this. we must stop spend money. we must stop talking raising everyone's taxes. we must turn this around. if you like the way the obama

administration is running things, you probably want to vote for my opponent. if you do not like the way they are running things, you have to change burda you have to change congress. new want to put on the bricks in washington d.c.. there is only way voters can do that. mr. obama is not on the ballot. the only thing you can do is vote to change congress. you have to make sure that tax increases and not -- are not visited on the poorest of our people, working moms and peoples with families. [applause]

>> we have come to the end of our broadcast. we have to move on to a closing statement. this is a live broadcast. we have to limit it. sponsors predict it is disconcerting to hear my opponent continually attacked president obama and speaker pelosi as if my one boat determines the course for the entire congress. that is disconcerting. if that were the case, why not just vote for the speaker in congress go home.