Bruce Lunsford in 2008 Kentucky Senate Debate between Mitch McConnell & Bruce Lunsford
On Energy & Oil:
Expand drilling; draw strategic reserve; plus alternatives
Republican incumbent Sen. Mitch McConnell touched on the debate over domestic oil drilling, which has been a hot-button issue in the campaign for US Senate. “In order to solve this problem, we have to do everything.
We have to both find more and use less,” said McConnell, the Senate’s top-ranking Republican. McConnell also mentioned coal-to-liquid fuels, nuclear technology and even electric cars. “We’re not too many years away from the time when we’ll be plugging in
our cars and trucks for the night,“ he said.Bruce Lunsford said his energy plan includes expanded drilling, alternative fuels and drawing from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve to lower gas prices. Lunsford said
Republicans are pushing for expanded drilling because it is favored by the oil industry. ”What the Republicans have done led by Mitch McConnell is they have been industry-driven for every solution, because that’s who butters their bread,“ Lunsford said.
Source: 2008 Kentucky Senate debate reported by AP, in Forbes Mag.
Sep 6, 2008
On Environment:
Worked on father’s tobacco farm as a youngster
Lunsford cited his childhood experience working on his father’s tobacco farm. At one point he mentioned how, when he was in high school, he kept a tobacco spear and a knife in the trunk of his car. “I always got the feeling with Sen.
McConnell’s background that he had a briefcase in the back of his car,” Lunsford said. McConnell responded, “It’s interesting that my opponent was raised on a farm, but other than being interesting, it’s totally irrelevant to the issue at hand today,”
Source: 2008 Kentucky Senate debate reported in Herald-Leader
Aug 21, 2008
On Health Care:
McConnell is bought and paid for by drug companies
During the forum, the candidates agreed on several broad policy issues, such as eliminating the capital gains tax. But they frequently traded shots over each other’s political backers.
Lunsford repeated his claim that McConnell is “bought and paid for” by special interests such as drug companies and the oil industry, while McConnell described Lunsford as a patsy of labor unions.
Source: 2008 Kentucky Senate debate reported in Herald-Leader
Aug 21, 2008
On Jobs:
Agrees with all issues that AFL-CIO has asked him to support
Throughout the forum, McConnell returned over and over to three themes--energy, clout and what he said was Lunsford’s allegiance to the AFL-CIO. He said the labor organization is diametrically opposed to the interests of the farm bureau.
McConnell said that Republicans have the best solutions for high gas prices and that as Senate minority leader he can get more done than a freshman Democrat. And he said that the labor unions supporting Lunsford would control him in
Washington. “I’m not there to do the bidding of organized labor like my opponent,” McConnell said. “If they deliver for him, believe me, he’ll deliver for them.”
Afterward, Lunsford said that he has met with the
AFL-CIO and other labor groups and that he has no problem with any of the issues they asked him to support. But he said he isn’t under the union’s thumb. “I don’t think I’ll be a puppet for anyone,” he said.
Source: 2008 Kentucky Senate debate reported in Courier-Journal
Aug 21, 2008
On Principles & Values:
McConnell enables Bush & squandered 24 years in Senate
Lunsford offered the most biting criticism at the end of the forum, when he used his closing remarks to speak directly to McConnell. He told him that he has used his power to block progress rather than help his constituents. “The last 24 years, you’ve ha
an opportunity to do great things and great things for the country. and I think you’ve failed,” he said.He also said McConnell has been an enabler for Pres. Bush, whom he called the worst president since Herbert Hoover. “I think in many ways the syste
has been better to you than you have been to the system,“ he said.
McConnell had no chance to respond to those remarks during the program. But he said afterward that Bush’s 8-year tenure has produced both good and bad results, declining to specify the
latter. He dismissed Lunsford’s assertion that he, McConnell, had failed. ”That’s hardly a credible argument to be made against one of the two leaders in the US Senate,“ he said. ”I think that’s an argument that people will just simply laugh at.“
Source: 2008 Kentucky Senate debate reported in Courier-Journal
Aug 21, 2008
On Tax Reform:
Eliminate the capital gains tax
For the first time during a campaign fought mostly over airwaves, Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell and his Democratic challenger Bruce Lunsford stared each other down Wednesday and answered each others’ criticisms.
During the forum, the candidates agreed on several broad policy issues, such as eliminating the capital gains tax. But they frequently traded shots over each other’s political backers.
Source: 2008 Kentucky Senate debate reported in Herald-Leader
Aug 21, 2008
On Energy & Oil:
Double oil production by developing 70M federal acres
I support legislation recently proposed by Rep. John Yarmuth. His creative solution to increase domestic oil production will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and hold Big Oil accountable for failing to develop nearly
70 million acres of federal land they’re not using. This could double domestic oil production if tapped. It’s time we hold Big Oil accountable for their actions...or inactions in this case.
Source: 2008 Kentucky Senate Debate on Political Base website
Jun 18, 2008
On Environment:
Bring together all parties to review mountaintop removal
Q: Where do you stand on coal’s role in our energy policy, its effects on global warming, and mountaintop removal?LUNSFORD: Coal is the economic engine for hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians. We need to bring together all relevant parties,
including the coal industry, local leaders, and the environmental community to review mountaintop removal practices. We can find solutions that protect the environment, eliminate the dangers of runoff, and utilize coal more efficiently.
Source: 2008 Kentucky Senate Debate on Political Base website
Jun 18, 2008
On Technology:
Supports net neutrality; McConnell stalled it
Q: There is a growing push for Congress to codify the issue of “net neutrality” which guarantees that broadband networks cannot use their networks to give preferential fast lane access to any content provider. Where do you stand on this issue?
LUNSFORD: Mitch McConnell appears to be one of the reasons that bills with net neutrality language have stalled in congress. I would support the inclusion of net neutrality language as part of needed consumer-friendly telecommunications reform.
Source: 2008 Kentucky Senate Debate on Political Base website
Jun 18, 2008
Page last updated: Dec 01, 2018