ATLANTA -- Democrat Michael Coles accused Sen. Paul Coverdell of casting votes that hurt patients, veterans and farmers while Mr. Coverdell repeatedly tried to peg Mr. Coles as a friend of liberal Democrats during a debate Sunday. For voters who caught the first U.S. Senate debate two weeks ago, Sunday's rematch broadcast on WSB-TV was largely a rehash. Mr. Coles continued to hammer at Mr. Coverdell for opposing patients' rights to sue HMOs for damages, voting to cut veterans' health benefits by $17 billion and supporting free trade policies that he says undercut farmers. ``Your slogan shouldn't be `Coverdell works.' It should be `Coverdell hurts,''' Mr. Coles said. Mr. Coverdell, a Republican seeking his second term, chided Mr. Coles for flooding the airwaves with negative ads that distort his record. ``Mr. Coles has spent almost $2 million on advertisements, none of which are positive,'' he said. Mr. Coverdell also constantly attempted to tie Coles to Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy and President Clinton, who attended a fund-raiser for Mr. Coles in July. ``They have a very definite view of our country -- the largest tax increase in American history, government would take over medicine, defend welfare and the status quo and diminish the military,'' Mr. Coverdell said. ``My Democrat opponent, Mr. Coles, has joined that team.'' Mr. Coles compared himself to former Democratic Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia, saying he would rise above partisanship. ``When I have a `D' or an `R' next to my name, I would not stop thinking,'' he said. Also debating was Libertarian Bert Loftman, an Atlanta neurosurgeon, who advocates scrapping the federal income tax and replacing it with a national sales tax. Mr. Loftman dismissed his opponents as a ``big business candidate'' and a ``big government candidate'' who are both beholden to special interests. On managed health care, Mr. Coverdell insisted he supports a patient's right to choose his own doctor. But he said disputes over denied coverage should be handled through independent appeals panels, which can process complaints faster, rather than in the courts. Mr. Coles said he also supports appeals panels, but that patients should still have the right to sue for damages in order to hold their insurers and any appeals panels accountable. Mr. Coverdell did vote this year for a plan by Mr. Clinton to cut veterans' benefits for smoking-related illnesses. But he said he also tried to override the president to restore $3 billion in cuts, and that the final bill was needed because it included $2 billion in crucial transportation funds. ``I've made some very tough calls,'' Mr. Coverdell said. Mr. Coles responded, ``I wouldn't have cared how many times this vote came up, I wouldn't have voted to take a penny away from veterans' benefits.'' Mr. Loftman joined Mr. Coles in attacking Mr. Coverdell for his support of the NAFTA and GATT free trade agreements. Mr. Loftman said the policies' removal of taxes on foreign imports ``betrays our workers and it betrays our farmers.'' Mr. Coverdell noted that Mr. Nunn also supported the trade agreements and he credited them with creating 8,000 jobs in Georgia and opening up foreign markets to Georgia farmers. ``The only reason I can think of someone being against NAFTA is you're beholden to the AFL-CIO'' labor unions, Mr. Coverdell said. ``You're trade-restrictionists, and any time we've done that in America we've taken it on the chin.'' Asked whether his plan for a national sales tax would unfairly impact the poor, who would likely have a higher share of their income taxed, Mr. Loftman said he supports rebates for the first $10,000 people spend. ``You get your money, you save it as long as you want, and when you spend it you pay a tax,'' he said. Mr. Coles and Mr. Coverdell said they both support a fairer, simpler tax system, but did not endorse Mr. Loftman's proposal. |
