ATLANTA (AP) Kicking off the first debate In the U.S. Senate race, Michael Coles didn't even waste time to introduce himself before attacking Sen. Paul Coverdell for opposing the right to sue managed health-care providers. Coles and Libertarian Bert Loftman went on to aggressively press the Republican incumbent for an hour Sunday night, questioning Coverdell's claims that he's an enemy of the Internal Revenue Service and a friend to ailing farmers. Coverdell, sitting on a daunting 22 percentage-point lead in the latest poll, tried to act like the front-runner by ignoring attacks and claiming credit for helping Republicans lower taxes, balance the federal budget and reform welfare. But by the end of the debate, broadcast statewide by Georgia Public Television, Coverdell was linking Coles to President Clinton and Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy. He even joined Coles in a testy tit-for-tat over which candidate had proven himself more drug-free. Coles, the millionaire founder of the Great American Cookie Company, jumped right into the fray, accusing Coverdell of shrugging off horror stories of Georgians who had been harmed because their HMOs refused to cover needed treatments. "This is one issue his campaign is saying to be no big deal, and that is wrong, senator," said Coles, the millionaire founder of the Great American Cookie Company. "You should be about helping Georgia families, not attacking them." Coverdell, who believes nonjudicial review panels would solve health care disputes more efficiently, waited until the debate's end to respond, saying Coles favors government meddling in health care. "Mr. Coles has chosen the Clinton-Kennedy team -- more taxes, more government, more government health care," he said. Loftman, an Atlanta neurosurgeon, meanwhile said his proposal to replace the income tax with a national sales tax would solve a myriad of problems. Workers, for example, would receive all of their income and be able to buy their own insurance, he said. Currently, workers "should be able to sue their employers for choosing a bad insurance company," Loftman said. All three candidates said they were concerned that cutbacks in military spending have left the United States vulnerable. Coverdell blamed the White House for creating a "hollow army, ill prepared to fight against terrorism." Coles replied that Coverdell voted in favor of the very spending bills he was attacking. When it counted, you voted to cut them,” he said. Coverdell responded that the same budget measures contained vital transportation funding for Georgia. The Republican senator was also forced to defend his support of Georgia farmers, which Coles said Coverdell was ignoring in favor of sending financial aid to foreign countries in economic crises. |
