able to hear what the candidates have to say. they will have to hear what each other is saying, they will have to do with the panelists are saying, so we appreciate your cooperation in that regard. at this time it is my great pleasure to introduce the candidates left to right. the positions they have drawn beforehand. republican candidate david perdue. [applause] democratic candidate michelle nunn. [applause]

our libertarian candidate amanda swafford. [applause] the format of the debate is as follows. each candidate will get a one-minute opening statement, they will then answer questions from our panelists, who i will introduce in a minute. they will then be allowed to question one another. then more questions from the panelists, and then one minute closing statement. that is the format. our panelists going left to right, the special projects editor with wmaz macon, mr. randall savage. host and reporter with gpb radio, ms. leah fleming. news anchor and reporter in atlanta. and veteran columnist with the

"ajc," mr. jim galloway. candidates, analysts, crowd, thank you for being here tonight. we are officially underway, and we will begin with a one minute opening statement as drawn. mr. perdue, you have the honors. >> thank you. wow, great to be home. welcome to perdue country. [applause] folks, this race is not about michelle nunn, it is not about me. it is about the direction of our country. we have a full-blown crisis in america today. we have fewer people working than any time since jimmy carter was president. middle class wages have dropped dramatically. and yet in the last six years we have put 4 million women into

poverty under the failed administration of this president. [applause] no wonder 70% of america believes we are headed in the wrong direction. we can fix this, my democratic opponent will be nothing but a rubber stamper for the failed agenda. we cannot give harry reid one more vote in the united states senate. [applause] >> opening statement. ms. nunn, your turn. >> thank you, thank you. [applause] thank you to our panelists, thank you to david and amanda, and thank you to our raucous and enthusiastic crowd. [applause] i'm really grateful to be here in my hometown. perry. just a few miles -- [applause] just a few miles down the road from our family farm.

here at the fair where my kids love to come every single year. it is great to be here. i am very proud of my 26 years of living and working in georgia, and mobilizing younger volunteers, going from an organization with a few thousand dollars to $30 million budget. i know that we can change washington, change the dysfunction, if we send someone who is committed to collaboration and creativity and georgia values. [applause] >> ms. swafford, one minute opening statement, please. >> i am amanda swafford, and you may not have heard about me, but i stand for true freedom. i am bringing personal responsibility to this race, running for the united states senate because i believe it is

that important. i am counting on my full-time job running for the united states senate because i believe in the american dream, and that you deserve a real choice in the united states senate race. we know it makes no difference which party controls congress in washington because both parties have controlled us for decades. it is time we get serious about electing a candidate for united states senate who understands the power and responsibility of the individual lies with true liberty, not with big government. i hope you will keep an open heart and open mind and listen to our message of true liberty tonight, and i thank you so much for the honor and privilege of participating in tonight's debate. [applause] >> thank you, candidates. at this time we will begin questions from our panelists. the first will come from randall savage, directed to mr. perdue.

>> let's begin with foreign affairs. not so long ago, isis wasn't a household word, but it is now. how do you think the united states is handling the situation, and do you think ground troops should be used? >> this started when our president did not heed the advice of many experienced people in the military. about taking care of this in iraq. he created a vacuum that allowed the rise of isis, and today i believe our security and national border needs to be taken into account, because of security at the border is not just an immigration issue, it is a national security issue. i have said many times that i want to do with this over there, not over here. thank you. >> how about ground troops? how about ground troops? >> right now what we need to do is make sure we have planned an

-- a plan, a mission. and we don't have that right now. when we put boots on the ground we better give them a chance to win, right now we don't have that. >> our next question is firmly a fleming. directed to ms. nunn. >> good evening. the world has been outraged by the beheadings and murders by isis. you said in an interview that isis is a dangerous terrorist organization and it has to be defeated, and we must take the lead in that. if elected, how would you vote on the issue of isis? >> first of all, i have said it is an incredibly dangerous that could i go back to one year ago when we were asked as candidates what we would do about syria, and david perdue said we should do nothing. i said we should intervene and lift up the moderate forces. there is a big difference in

this race, and it is about leadership and it is about foresight and not about political expediency. it was the popular thing to do a year ago to say we should do nothing. it is now the popular thing to do to say that we should engage. we need leaders who will do the right thing, not the popular thing. we need to do the airstrikes and make sure we have congressional authorization for long-term engagement. >> mr. perdue, you want 30 seconds to rebut. >> times have changed in a year. this president drew a line in the sand. then he backed up from it. he had no plan then, he has no plan now. this is a very dangerous time in our history. we have got to get serious about

our national defense. right now because of our debt we are threatening our ability to conduct our nationals. -- protect our own national security. secretaries of defense have said biggest threat to our national security is our own debt. thank you. >> next question for ms. swafford. >> we want to thank the candidates for being here. there was a story in "the washington post" last week that the trend is for candidates not to appear in these kinds of debates. particularly there was one in minnesota like this and it has been canceled, so a big round of applause for the candidates for being here tonight. give yourself a round of applause for caring enough about government to be here as well. ms. swafford, if you are elected from you would be the only libertarian in congress. with that would be an issue of where you would caucus. would you caucus with

republicans, democrats, or neither? >> if i am elected as the first libertarian in the senate, i would ask which party wants to caucus with me, as the first candidate with a solid record of working in government and reducing government and giving our citizens more freedom. which party would want to caucus with me? that is the true question. let it be clear i would not , support any of the leadership currently in place because congress and the leadership has done a dismal job, dismal. >> next question will come from jim galloway. direct it to mr. perdue, please. >> you were quoted in a 2005 deposition saying you spent most of your career outsourcing. let me finish, please. let me finish. you would say services, others would say jobs.

you say you are proud of that. let's -- we will be talking a lot about this evening, i think, so take an extra minute and lets you begin to make your case. >> well, look, don't be confused, folks. this is another attempt by my desperate opposition to use one line out of a 186-page document to define a career. let me tell you what the issue is. the issue is over the past 30 or 40 years we have decimated an entire industry because of bad government policies. tax policies, regulation policies, compliance issues. what i have fought for in this campaign is to get this economy going again. i believe we have got to stop the nonsense in washington. it doesn't work for us. we have to reform our tax code. we have to reform regulatory

overreach. and finally we have to unlock energy resources. that will help us compete with the rest of the world. define an can industry and kill it that is not , possible. what i am here representing as a way forward to get our economy going and putting our people back to work. thank you. >> jim, you have a follow-up? >> so david has said he has unique experience to really give him opportunity, with 10 other folks who have business experience. but i tell you, he would be even more unique than that. he would be the only senator who from his own words has built his career around outsourcing american jobs. that is not the experience we need in washington.

david in his deposition talked about 16 countries, thailand and singapore and india and pakistan, not once did he talk about creating jobs in the united states. >> we are going to move on. randall savage the next , question, please. >> we were asking viewers to send in questions, and we got a ton of questions. they range from cutting education -- >> i think we are having trouble hearing you. >> anyway, they range from amnesty to getting american citizens jobs and the cost of educating children of illegal immigrants and health care reform. if you are elected to the senate, what would you do to

-- regarding amnesty and those costs? >> i am in support of the bipartisan immigration framework put forward by marco rubio and john mccain and 14 republican senators and the bipartisan coalition of democrats. it is also advanced by the u.s. chamber of commerce, the farm bureau, and it is a framework for investing, with 20,000 security agents on the border as a part of this bipartisan bill. when david talks about our border security, let's talk about what we could have already accomplished with that. it also gives us a pathway, not amnesty, a long journey of going to the back of the line, paying back taxes, security checks, and learning english, and it gives us the opportunity to create jobs and to cut our debts.

>> the follow-up. >> mr. perdue, it look like you were pulling at the bit on that one. did you want to respond? >> yes. let me tell you what was wrong with the bill. if i was in the senate i would have gone against some of my republican counterparts because of two things. it did not define amnesty properly, and it gave the department of homeland security discretion about securing our border. now with isis, we see that that is not acceptable. my opponent would be nothing but a proxy for this president who is not enforcing the laws of the land in terms of securing our border. >> ok, the next question. >> this could sway the election by causing a runoff. how could you get beyond that 3%

and possibly secure a win? >> i think i am a true, real choice for the united states senate, that we do not have someone who represents americans who go to work every single day, and i thought when i was involved, it makes a difference when you have these real concerns, and you try to decide, should i raise the thermostat? these kind of things make an impact. i think if we have an electorate that is tired of the same for both parties, we have had a conference for decades that have promised tax reform, spending reform. have we got it? both parties have controlled congress at various times in the last 20 years with majorities. what have we gotten out of that? that is the important question that i think we need to ask.

i think it is time that we elect a senator who represents more of the diversity that we see in georgia every single day. >> that concludes phase number one for the debate, and it is time now for the candidates to question one another. again, we will look and see who has this backstage, and the first question will be from ms. nunn. you may directed to either candidate. >> david, i have said throughout the campaign that i support raising the minimum wage. you run a company with thousands of employees that makes the federal minimum wage, and you have opposed raising the minimum wage. so i would like to ask you, what do you think that the federal minimum wage should be, specifically? >> let's talk about the minimum wage. we have proven time and again that this is about supplies and supply and demand. if you get the economy going, all rates go up because we have more people, more demand for

people working. the problem right now is that my opponent wants to tear me down in terms of my business career, but let's talk about what she really stands for. she supports obamacare. she supports amnesty. she supports more regulation on energy, and she supports the economic policies of this administration that have caused this crisis that we have today, where 4 million women have been thrown into poverty in the last few years. >> ms. dunn, a 30-second rebuttal. a 30-second rebuttal. >> you did not answer my question. let me ask my question again, because you did not answer it. in a single day of working at dollar general, you made one of -- what would take one of your employees earning minimum wage

in entire year to make. let me ask you again, do you believe we should have a federal minimum wage, and what do you think it should be? >> if you increase the minimum wage, you will kill jobs in this country. that has been proven. bigger government, higher taxes, more regulations. this is the plan that my opponent supports. >> we are moving on. next question. i appreciate it, but i can't even hear what they are saying, and in order to be able to figure out if there is time for rebuttal, i have to be up to hear, and i think our panelists are having a little trouble hearing as well, also. i love your passion, but we need to be able to hear what everyone is saying. you have the next question. you may direct it. >> my question is for ms. dunn. in 2012, the democratic party

finally put in place allowing -- a clank in their platform allowing individuals the freedom to decide who they wanted to marry. were you in favor of that platform before that time, or do you now support that platform that allows the individuals the freedom to decide who they want to marry? >> i'm not sure i heard -- could you say it one more time i am sorry. >> yes. in 2012, the democratic party finally put a plank in their platform allowing people the freedom to decide who they want to marry. were you in favor of that before 2012, or are you in favor of it now? >> i have said throughout this campaign that i believe that all people should have the same right as my husband and i have to marry. i also believe that marriage is not only a legal construct but a sacrament, and that everyone

needs to be able to define marriage for it self. that has been my position throughout the campaign. >> mr. perdue, you can ask the next question. >> michelle, i grew up down here off highway 96, working on our family farm. i understand the needs of the agriculture community. i have said publicly i want to serve on the state agriculture committee. you have said very positive things about agriculture in the state, but in your plan you rank agriculture number 18, and in rural issues number 30. my question tonight is your , campaign just a well-funded effort to deceive the people of georgia, to keep them from finding out who you really are? and what you really believe in? >> david, i did not hear all of that, but i think i got the gist of it.

i will tell you, for you to question my georgia credentials is somewhat ironic. i have been born here. i'm a ninth generation georgian. i have served and build organizations for 26 years here, while you were spending your career in places all over this country outsourcing jobs according to your own deposition. so i have learned my georgia values of service and integrity and commitment across georgia, and i worked alongside georgians, again, while you have been outsourcing jobs. i will say that is a part of the american enterprise system. i just don't think it is actually what we need more of in washington. >> all right, we will wrap things up with a 30-second rebuttal for mr. perdue. 32nd rebuttal -- 32nd rebuttal.

>> you know, michelle, back at you. you did not answer that question at all. have you justified to the farmers that in your list of priorities, there are 17 items more important than the farmers in the state? >> now, where did you get that? >> out of your plan. >> that is not true. there is no plan that has that and i will tell you that for , over a year, i talked about serving on the agriculture committee, and let me put it this way. saxby chambliss and others said the farm bill was the most important piece of legislation for georgians as citizens, and yet, you stood against it. the farm bureau was for it. every single farmer i spoke to said they were for bipartisan compromise, but you were against it. >> we will wrap this up. folks, i am sorry. i am just a business guy, but in my board room, we have to answer questions. she still do not explain to farmers why you have 17 items more important than farmers in this state.

>> we will move on. back to panelist questions. jeff, you have the next question. for mr. perdue, please. >> mr. perdue, since we are talking a bit about agriculture here, or, at least, i believe we can hear some of that, maybe about 10% or 15 percent of that, so let me weigh in again on the issue of immigration, and one of the more searing images, at least from television spots, during this campaign has been of you, a close-up, saying "no amnesty," but the reality in this state defined by agriculture, even at times when unemployment in this state was hovering between 11% and 12%, we could not get anybody to pick crops. there were all kinds of fields left unattended and unharvested. does that not constrict the agriculture business in this state? >> absolutely, but, first, let's put context on this.

the immigration issue is a very complex issue. i think we need to break it down in its components. the first components we have to solve is our border. it is not just an immigration issue. we have to secure our borders for national defense. secondly, to your point, farmers in this state have a hard time getting legal labor. why? because it does not work for farmers. the program only has about 14 farmers in the state that can even use it because it is so expensive. the number one thing we need to do in the state of georgia for agriculture is help these farmers revise the laws so they can get access to legal labor. >> thank you. >> next question. jim galloway you ask it to ms. , nunn, please. >> a state court of appeals judge has said there is the

-- it has been stalled because of votes in favor of the confederate battle emblem on the american flag and because of opposition to gay marriage. if you are elected, will you support this? -- the nomination? >> let me go back for one minute and talk about agriculture, because i do, again, want to ask david -- you have, again misrepresented my position on agriculture, and i just want to make sure that people know that. the boggs nomination is one that i think is problematic, and i think that i have real concerns about it, as a number of other s do. senator would, as any would expect, would want to have a dialogue with him. but i have serious reservations

about that nomination. >> all right. randall savage next question, , please? >> there has been a lot of discussion about legalizing medical marijuana in the state of georgia. if you were elected to the senate, would you support legalizing medical marijuana throughout the united states? >> i believe georgia, we have had unique cases in georgia where we have need people really -- seen families really struggle with the issue of a unknown substance that is helping them with their children with seizures. that's a well-known fact. we have families having to uproot their lives and move to other states, and in georgia is not good progress in these issues we will have other states around us who will do it and the families will leave. and that is leaving a lot of economic vitality. that is very important. we need to definitely allow the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes.

>> the next question, directed to mr. perdue, please. >> this week the treasury department released an excellent of the figure for fiscal year 2014, ending september 30. to total deficit is expected be over $9 billion. i is having a elected hitting the national debt under control and balancing the budget would be your top priorities. how would you do that, and how would you do it without raising taxes? >> thank you. it is the crisis that pulled bonnie and me into this race. this is serious. today, we are borrowing over a third of what we are spending. we have almost an $18 trillion debt. the president said he would cut the debt.

he is on track to more than double it. right now, that debt is $1 million per household, per household, and the way to get out of it is to cut spending and grow the economy. the best way to grow the economy is to cut taxes and absolutely unlock our energy resources. my democratic opponent was handpicked by barack obama. do you think she is going to go against his failed economic policies that created this mess, where we have fewer people working today than any time since when jimmy carter was president. >> to you wish to rebut? >> ultimately, i think david and i would agree that the long-term debt is a serious challenge. i think where we disagree is that i think it would only be resolved through a collaborative approach, bipartisanship, not by republicans, not by democrats, but by working together and actually focusing on compromise

and growing our economy, revenue neutral tax reform and cutting serving, for example, -- it has to be done through collaboration. >> you can direct your question to ms. nunn, please. >> you have said the old role model would be your father who served this state for many years nobly, and you said that you would reach across the aisle, that you would not be locked into any ideology, where you would go to both sides, but in reality, the senate is a radically different place than the senate that was left. is it possible to reach across

the aisle, and if you attempt to do so, your party will penalize you for operating in such a way? do you agree or disagree with that? >> i have heard my father say that he has never had a single piece of legislation without the port, and i believe that. and i will tell you that when david was asked if there was a single democratic idea, he could think of one. that is not what we need. and, in fact, the only way we're going to change washington is through leadership, people who are focused on relationships, and people who are focused on campaign finance reform.

again, this is only by sending people who are committed to work across the aisle. >> mr. perdue, you have 30 seconds to rebut. >> i do not know about you all, but i am getting a little bored hearing i am going to work across the aisle. we have 384 bills, and your first vote will be four harry reid as majority leader, and it is possibly 10 more years. you will not find that. >> next question. the next question comes. >> you'll have to pardon me if this question has been asked, but i am kind of death at this point. monday's supreme court decision about legalizing same-sex marriage in five states could very well be a precursor to

overturning the georgia state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. please, let me finish. are you content to let the issue be determined by the courts or if elected to the senate, would you contemplate some sort of intervention? >> the primary purpose of this was to preserve and protect our individual rights. government should not be involved in the decision of how we structure our individual relationships. the libertarian party has been on record since the very beginning of this very issue, individuals with power and responsibility at the core of what we believe, and we believe we ought to make that decision. how can you trust the government to make that decision for you? it makes no sense. the reason they got involved in marriage in the first place if you go back and look that up, it is not a very good reason, and it is a very sad reason in our country, so absolutely, the

purpose of our federal government is to preserve and protect individual rights, and we need to be responsible and allow that, with individuals and how they structure their marriage responsibility. >> next question to mr. perdue, please. >> mr. perdue, on your website, you say you would repeal the affordable care act or obamacare. in light of the fact that obamacare was president obama's baby, and if you try to repeal it, he will veto it. how would you get that done? >> thank you. first of all, this law is one of the worst laws that has ever been passed in the u.s. who would believe we would have a speaker of the house that says you have to vote for the bill to

find out what is in it, to manage 15% of our economy. jobs are being destroyed. on most two thirds of american small businesses have stopped hiring or have cut back employment. this is a law that has to be repealed or replaced. congressman price has a perfectly good bill in the house, and we can pass it.

i think we need to belay the mandate to 2017 and let the people of america votes in the presidential election in 2016 and pass a referendum about obamacare. >> leah, you have the next question. you will directed to ms. nunn, please? >> do you support the affordable care act? >> i have said time and time again that i believe there are things we need to fix about aca and things that we need to build upon. i think we need to add more affordable care concerns for individuals and extent tax credits to small businesses. this is affecting rural hospitals here in georgia. we do not want to be having this argument for the next six years. if you want more of the same, you just turn david outline a plan for prosecuting and attacking the other side. if you want to have people who are going to work together to do things that will matter in people's lives, like insuring the people who have conditions and access to health insurance,

that parents can cover their kids, and you want to put the people of georgia first, then i would ask you to look at made. >> mr. perdue? mr. perdue, you have 30 seconds for a rebuttal. 30-second rebuttal. >> let's think about obamacare for a second. my opponent talks about all of the working across the aisle. that will not happen, that one republican voting for it. >> jeff, you have the next question, please. >> you talked as a libertarian -- we take a look at so many republicans and democrats adhere to many libertarian principles. they like the idea of the libertarian party, but they do not seem to like the candidates. looking at the numbers that the

libertarians get, it is somewhere between 4% and 7%, and you seem to be tracking that sort of number, as well. at what point does the libertarian party break through and become a real challenger, and the second part, maybe the third part, will it happen in our lifetime? >> i think we are certainly getting there. if you look at the 2008 election, -- excuse me, the 2010 election, we had a candidate who was able to take one million votes in georgia. the libertarians also had a candidate in 2012 that also took one million votes in the race, and i, a candidate running for the united states senate and the only one who has had this experience in local government, i have a record of voting for freedom. i have been with the libertarian party for 20, 18 years, and i can tell you the world of difference our candidates are already making. we have a serious sense that there are a lot of people who are standing up to getting tired of voting for the same old, same old. everyone is tired of the irs and the fair tax.

>> jim, you have the next question. it goes to mr. perdue, please. >> mr. perdue, let's talk about saxby chambliss, who you want to replace. he has been working with warner in virginia to bring down a deficit through an accommodation of reductions in entitlement spending and increased federal revenue by closing the federal tax loopholes, and increasing the corporate tax rate at the same time. even though you say the federal deficit is the nations rate if national security threat. tell us what your approach will be? >> first of all, we have low

hanging fruit. we have $480 billion of redundancies. this is the general accounting office number. that is the first place i would go. the second and place of the economy, what we have got to do is put people back to work again, and the way we do that is replace jobs. we have been working hard to get jobs or families to take care of themselves. what we have to do right now in my opinion, we have to pull the regulators back, and we have to finally unlock our energy

resources. this country has the best workers in the world, but bad government policies are keeping us from putting them back to work. why? because this failed administration does not understand how to create jobs. my opponent believes that more taxes and regulation creates jobs. i am living proof that it is not the case. thanks if we can give them 30 seconds on that same question, if we could, please. >> could you clarify the question, please? >> on saxby chambliss and how to reduce the $17 trillion federal deficit, do you do it through a combination of spending cuts and revenue increases? >> well, i tell you, one thing is that the government is really bad at picking winners and losers, and if you are not connected to the right people, or your industry does not have the most effective lobby, you are at an extreme disadvantage in this regulatory environment. the libertarian solution is really a three-step process. you have to strip government.

and you have to bring spending in line with the actual budget. why have we not done that already? it is a simple question. >> i have said during this campaign that i may have been the only person that said and complemented saxby chambliss for his work with senator warner. we do need to grow the economy, cut spending, and reform our tax code. david talked about his experience in actually creating jobs, but i just want to remind folks that he said he was proud of a career where he spent the majority of his time outsourcing jobs. >> we will wrap up this question with a 30-second rebuttal. and next question.

>> i am proud of creating and saving real jobs. the tax will not change any of that. to ms. nunn, please. >> two parts. first, do you support a balanced budget amendment, and then a previous attempt to implement this, and if you are elected senator, how would you go about this to get them to approve a referendum on a balanced budget? >> i do support the amendment, and i think it is time. i have said, for instance, that we should ask every member of congress to say they do not get paid unless we pass an annual budget. so i do think that there are

measures we can take that would create more fiscal discipline and give us an opportunity to restore regular order, pass a budget, and we do not need this to go to government shutdown. shutting down our government, that is not helpful. it has cost our economy billions of dollars. 77,000 people in georgia were for load during that government shutdown, so we, again, we need principled efforts like a balanced budget amended, but we also need to send people to washington who are not just about paralyzing and polarizing our government. >> well, it is very interesting that you would support a balanced budget. we could not get hairy reed to give us a reconciled budget for five years.

look. the decision in this race, 70% of us know we are headed in the wrong direction. we can sit here all day, but we have to put people back to work in this country again. that is what is at stake in this race. thank you. >> the next question, please. >> congress has had a 9% approval rating, something very low like that. both republicans and democrats have described the stability to restore washington. if elected, what is one issue that you can agree with

president obama on? >> and open and transparent government, but he is not doing it. more open and transparent, across all levels of government. i do not think he knows enough about what goes on in the government. just look how long the nsa spying went on before we knew what was going on. we did not even know what existed until 60 minutes for the first time showed us what was on tv. there is so much we do not know about what is going on. i would just like to see more effort on his part to do that, and also on his initiative, that he has got support to bring more openness and family support to our community. i would really like to see him do that more to support that. it is an admirable program, and he does not speak about it enough, so those are two

programs i could definitely get behind the president on. >> the next question goes to mr. perdue. >> let's talk a little bit about outsourcing. this has resonated through reporters, through your opponent in this race for the u.s. senate. you have said before that washington is the solution for outsourcing. if that, indeed, is correct, what should public policy be about this subject which is very, very divisive in this country? >> well, first of all, let's get this straight. what causes companies to fail? because they cannot compete. we have entire industries being decimated by government policy. apparel, footwear, electronics, even furniture. bad management did not cause entire industries to disappear. do not be misled by false statements about what i have said or what i have not said. there is a 180 page document taken from years ago. what we have to do is get america working again, and that

is why we have to focus on tax reform, regulatory reform. this is critical to set the stage for a new era of economic growth in america. our kids deserve better. >> what do you feel about public policy? what is your view on this? >> david has talked about failed government policies of president obama and harry, and, in fact, i think he does not realize he is not running against hairy reed or barack obama. he is running against me. his tenure of outsourcing took place over 40 years, period, so to blame this administration for what happened during his work at companies when he was outsourcing thousands of jobs, there have been others creating manufacturing jobs right here in georgia at the same time. >> david, we are going to wrap happened during his work at companies when he was outsourcing thousands of jobs,

there have been others creating manufacturing jobs right here in georgia at the same time. >> david, we are going to wrap this up with rebuttals. mr. perdue, 30 seconds. >> michelle, i have a lot of respect for you, but you are dead wrong. i am absolutely running against barack obama and harry reid. no amount of false advertising -- no amount of false advertising will remove the fact that barack obama has funded you and is mentoring you. do you really believe that we think you will bite the hand that feeds you? you will not.

>> ms. nunn, we will stick with this topic. many believe the american free trade agreement is to blame. do you think we should rework that read trade agreement with canada and mexico? >> i believe that we should always ensure that we are creating an equal playing field. i have talked to business people, unions, farmers, and over and over again, they have said we do not need a favor. we need an even playing field. >> do we have that field?

>> i think we need to continue to work towards this with the transatlantic trade or the transpacific going forward. we need to make sure that environmental protections are in place and that worker protections are in place but that we are creating an opportunity for jobs and for more. >> to we have time to ask mr. perdue that same question? >> what? have a level playing field. lostcan jobs are being because this administration is making it harder. american jobs are being lost because this administration is making it harder for manufacturers to compete around the world. this will be a rubber stamp for this failed agenda that has put more people out of work since when jimmy carter was president. >> we will wrap this up with a 30-second rebuttal, ms. nunn. >> i am not sure what that was in response to. did you actually address the question? again, he has said that he is

running, he is prosecuting the president in this race, prosecuting harry reid. he is running against me. my name is on the ballot. her name is on the ballot, and those are the people. we have two more years of president obama, and then we will have another president. and we need someone who is going to work with and respect whoever is the president who actually get things done on behalf of the american people. >> ok, we have time for one more. one more question before closing statements. >> president nixon declared war

on drugs back in the 1970's. as a senator, what suggestion would you make to win that war? >> every 48 seconds, we are using precious law-enforcement resources to arrest someone for the possession of marijuana, every 48 seconds. individuals are being sent to jail for just possessing marijuana, and those are precious resources where we can be working with truly violent criminals, so i would look at the industrial complex of prison. prisons are really big business in america right now, federal prisons, especially, and that is huge, so has really made a difference? with what the federal government is trying to do? the federal government is really bad at almost everything it tries to do. maybe it is time to take a new approach and look at some options that in may be to look at the war on drugs for my

health and alternative perspective and things like that. >> folks, we have to give them their 60 seconds so we will be able to hear them. when we interrupt them, we have to take away from their time. >> thank you and thank you to our panelists a passionate crowd across the sector. thank you for participating. i want to tell you all. they say we need to change washington, that it is broken. david has evidence that he does not have the leadership that is necessary, whether that is opposing bipartisan immigration, the farm bill, embracing the government shutdown, or during his campaign, actually putting

forth what has been called the worst ad in all of america. and this was by president bush and his son, neil bush. i have the experience, the values, the aspiration to bring people together and to get things done in washington to serve the people of georgia and to make a difference in their lives, and i ask you for your vote and your support. >> next up, mr. perdue. mr. perdue has 60 seconds. >> president obama even said this week that his policies are on the ballot this year in this

race in georgia. he hand picked her. he funded her. he supports her. do you really think that she is not going to support him when she gets there? look. the decision in this race is very simple. if you like what is going on in washington, vote for my opponent, because she will be nothing but a rubberstamp of barack obama and harry reid, and nothing will change, but if you are as outraged as i am by this government, by the failed policies of this administration, and by the debt that they are piling on the back of our kids and grandkids, then stand with me. let's bring america forward for everyone. i am asking for your vote. thank you. >> one final closing statement. she will give her closing statement, please.

closing statement, please. >> had he really heard anything different from these two parties? all they really want to do is rearrange big government and make the government more efficient. at its core, i do not believe big government solutions work. both parties have controlled congress at various times for decades. can you name one government program that they have given us that has actually worked? can you name anything that they have done to reduce government interference in our lives or to restore personal freedoms to us?

take a look around you. government politics is big money. a lot of you came out here on buses that were provided at free costs. you came out here on free buses and had free meals provided for you by both parties. it is time that we look at the power of responsibility of the individual. i am honored to be here because i do not feel entitled to your vote in any way. thank you very much. >> david, michelle, amanda, thank you for being here tonight. and thank you, audience, for being here. remember to show up on election day to make your vote count. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2014] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] >> follow us on twitter and like us on facebook to get schedules. c-span is bringing you over 100

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