2008 Alaska Senate Debate: on Principles & Values


Mark Begich: Democrats advertise Stevens’ calls secretly recorded by FBI

Begich and Steven’s haven’t debated face-to-face yet, and two debates are scheduled for later this month. But with Stevens’ trial underway in Washington, D.C., it’s uncertain if they will meet in-person to debate. And while he is away at trial, Stevens’ own words are being used against him in the battle for the Senate.

A new attack ad from Democrats uses some of the FBI’s secret recordings that have been played at Stevens’ trial. “Worst that can happen to us is we run a bunch of legal fees and we might have to serve a little time in jail,“ said Stevens to former VECO CEO Bill Allen in a phone call recorded by the FBI.

At the Stevens’ headquarters, they aren’t too happy about the tone of the ad and are annoyed the Democrats are spending about $1 million here to get Stevens out of office. ”Alaskans are rejecting the ads,“ said a Stevens campaign spokesman. ”If Mark Begich wants to keep this about the issues, he would stand up to these groups and say pull them off the air.“

Source: 2008 Alaska Senate Debate reported on KTUU News Oct 16, 2008

Ted Stevens: Calls secretly recorded by FBI played at corruption trial

Begich and Steven’s haven’t debated face-to-face yet, and two debates are scheduled for later this month. But with Stevens’ trial underway in Washington, D.C., it’s uncertain if they will meet in-person to debate. And while he is away at trial, Stevens’ own words are being used against him in the battle for the Senate.

A new attack ad from Democrats uses some of the FBI’s secret recordings that have been played at Stevens’ trial. “Worst that can happen to us is we run a bunch of legal fees and we might have to serve a little time in jail,“ said Stevens to former VECO CEO Bill Allen in a phone call recorded by the FBI.

At the Stevens’ headquarters, they aren’t too happy about the tone of the ad and are annoyed the Democrats are spending about $1 million here to get Stevens out of office. ”Alaskans are rejecting the ads,“ said a Stevens campaign spokesman. ”If Mark Begich wants to keep this about the issues, he would stand up to these groups and say pull them off the air.“

Source: 2008 Alaska Senate Debate reported on KTUU News Oct 16, 2008

Mark Begich: Reputation as mayor for getting things done

Since being elected mayor of Anchorage in 2003, Mark Begich has acquired a reputation for getting things done. On his watch a shiny new convention centre has gone up. Roads are being repaired and heating elements laid under pavements to melt snow during the long Alaskan winter. Miraculously, much of this has been paid for by bonds, not federal earmarks.

On Aug. 26th Begich sailed through a primary election. Now all he has to do is defeat a man who will soon go on trial for failing to report gifts from oil companies and he will become Alaska’s first Democratic senator for 28 years.

40% of all Alaskans live in Anchorage, so Begich has a strong base of support. He also has a good surname: his father, Nick Begich, was a popular congressman who disappeared in 1972 while flying in a small plane.

Best of all, Begich is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and supports drilling in the ANWR. Woe betide any Alaskan politician who stands in the way of guns and oil.

Source: 2008 Alaska Senate Debate reported in The Economist Sep 4, 2008

Ted Stevens: Uncle Ted voted “Alaskan of the century”

Begich was just six years old when his opponent, Ted Stevens, was appointed to the Senate and began to shower money on his home state. Some years ago Stevens was voted “Alaskan of the century”. In the run-up to the primary, Stevens’s supporters put up more and bigger signs than Begich’s, even in Anchorage. It is a measure of “Uncle Ted’s” popularity that Begich has so far tiptoed around the federal indictment, issuing bland statements of regret. Stevens’s opponents in the Republican primary were much harder on him, and he beat them handily.

A day after Stevens’s indictment on July 29th, polls put Begich 13 points in the lead. Astonishingly, it also revealed that two-thirds of Alaskans believe Stevens to be at least as ethical as most politicians. This seems to prove that Alaskans do not care much about corruption, as long as their representatives keep the dollars flowing.

Source: 2008 Alaska Senate Debate reported in The Economist Sep 4, 2008

  • The above quotations are from 2008 Alaska Senate Debate between Mayor Mark Begich & Sen. Ted Stevens.
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