Mitch McConnell in 2008 Kentucky Senate Debate between Mitch McConnell & Bruce Lunsford

On Energy & Oil: Supports coal-to-liquid fuels, nuclear tech, & electric cars

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 Energy & Oil: Has clout to implement GOP solutions for high gas prices

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 Free Trade: Trade agreements allow selling farm products abroad

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. “He’s not going to be for any of these trade agreements that will allow you to sell your products abroad, because the AFL-CIO won’t let him,” McConnell told the Farm Bureau. “He bought into the agenda right down the line.” Source: 2008 Kentucky Senate debate reported in Herald-Leader Aug 21, 2008

On Principles & Values: After 24 years, one of the two leaders in the US 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 Principles & Values: Leadership has value; freshmen have little impact

McConnell [repeatedly] brought his remarks back to his central campaign theme of touting the value of his leadership position. That, he said, will be lost “if you were to trade in the Republican leader in the Senate for a freshman member of the other party. He won’t be there long enough to have any impact no matter how sharp he thinks he is.” Source: 2008 Kentucky Senate debate reported in Herald-Leader Aug 21, 2008

On Tax Reform: Resolve to lower capital gains taxes

McConnell said that Lunsford’s farm upbringing “isn’t relevant” to how he would perform in the Senate and questioned Lunsford’s resolve to lower capital gains taxes, which are not indexed for inflation. He said Democratic leaders in the Senate would never allow a budget bill with such a tax cut, and “the chances of a freshman legislator voting against a budget resolution is nil.” Source: 2008 Kentucky Senate debate reported in Courier-Journal Aug 21, 2008

The above quotations are from 2008 Kentucky Senate Debate between Mitch McConnell & Bruce Lunsford. Click here for other excerpts from 2008 Kentucky Senate Debate between Mitch McConnell & Bruce Lunsford. Click here for other excerpts by Mitch McConnell. Click here for a profile of Mitch McConnell.
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Page last updated: Dec 01, 2018