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By Lawrence Viele
Savannah Morning News
ATLANTA -- Republican U.S. Sen. Paul Coverdell, R-Ga., Libertarian Bert Loftman and Democrat Michael Coles squared off Sunday evening in the first debate for U.S. Senate.
Coles attacked Coverdell in his opening statement, saying the incumbent opposed managed health care reform. Coles then struck again at his opponent for voting against a federal spending bill that funds health care for children of the working poor.
"You voted against helping 145,000 children," Coles said, referring to PeachCare, the new Medicaid plan that covers children under 5 for free and children up to 18 for $7.50. Families would pay a maximum $15 for the plan.
"My record on helping young people stands tall," Coverdell answered.
In a response to a question from Loftman on how to protect Social Security, Coles lashed out at Coverdell again.
"We have people like Paul Coverdell who have been there for six years and they haven't figured it out," Coles said.
Coles said he would appoint a panel to consider the issue.
Coles hopes that several face-to-face debates will help make up points in what appears to be a widening gap between the Democrat and the Republican incumbent before the November election.
Poll results released this weekend showed Coverdell with a 22-point lead. Coles lags behind Coverdell in name recognition, the poll showed. However, in 1992, Coverdell was 20 points behind then-incumbent Democrat Wyche Fowler before winning in a first-ever Senate race runoff.
Coles and Coverdell also battled over Coverdell's vote for a transportation spending bill using money from a $17 billion cut to veterans' benefits.
"I wasn't going to vote against ... transportation funds for Georgia," Coverdell said.
The Republican, who served in the Army, then took a jab at Coles, who does not have military experience.
"There has been no interest in the military from this gentleman until the last 24 months," he said. "I've been interested since I wore the uniform in Southeast Asia."
This is Cole's second bid for office. He was defeated by U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., for Congress in 1996.
Coles is the millionaire co-founder of a chain of mall cookie stores. Coverdell recently sold his multimillion dollar insurance marketing company and served as Peace Corps director under George Bush.
This is Loftman's first attempt at winning public office. The Atlanta neurosurgeon favors abolishing the Internal Revenue Service and establishing a national, 21 percent sales tax.
When asked whether Clinton should be impeached, Loftman said the inquiries should also include consideration of "Filegate and the killing of Vince Foster."
Loftman's national sales tax proposal served as an answer to nearly every policy question directed to him.
He maintained that the drug war will only be effective when one parent can afford to stay home with the children. Cutting the federal income tax would eliminate the need for a two-income family, he said.
"Only parents are going to be able to win the war on drugs, not Washington," he said.
State government reporter Lawrence Viele can reached at (404) 589-8424. |
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