John Neely Kennedy in 2008 Louisiana Senate Debate between Mary Landrieu & John Neely Kennedy

On Budget & Economy: Be concerned about economy, but not scared

Landrieu, meanwhile, continued to push herself as a centrist senator who works across party lines and has brought home billions of dollars in aid to Louisiana during her 12 years in Congress, particularly since the blows of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. “Send me back to continue to fight for you, to deliver for you,” she said.

On Corporations: Disallow bank getting so big that its failure wrecks economy

On Environment: Wetlands will wash away before 2017 coastal protection

Landrieu said she was proud of expanding oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, with a large portion of the royalties going to help coastal protection efforts.

Kennedy responded by saying the state’s entire congressional delegation worked to pass the bill & much of the billions of dollars in royalties wouldn’t start flowing until 2017, after thousands more acres of wetlands had washed away

On Government Reform: No pay-for-play; campaign contributions notwithstanding

Landrieu suggested that was an impropriety since Kennedy can decide what projects appear on commission agendas each month. “There’s a lot of talk around Louisiana about how you get on the agenda,” Landrieu said.

Kennedy denied any pay-for-play suggestions, and he said he was glad to compare his record to Landrieu’s campaign contributions, which he said include $300,000 from Wall Street firms and more than $200,000 from executives with collapsed mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. “Sen. Landrieu criticizing my fundraising is a little bit like being called vain by Donald Trump,” Kennedy said.

On Principles & Values: Ran for US Senate in 2004 as Democrat; & endorsed John Kerry

While Kennedy shifted his rhetoric, Landrieu largely continued hers--calling Kennedy “confused” because he switched parties last year after running for the U.S. Senate in 2004 as a liberal Democrat who endorsed John Kerry for president.

Kennedy’s received significant fundraising and campaign help from the national GOP, but some of that assistance appeared to be drying up Wednesday with reports that the National Republican Senatorial Committee will pull its ads next week and focus attention on embattled incumbents in other states.

On Tax Reform: Cut taxes & stop deficit-spending, to fight economic crisis

The state treasurer didn’t mention Landrieu’s endorsement for Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama, an endorsement Kennedy has used to describe Landrieu as a “tax-and-spend liberal.”

On Energy & Oil: Incentives for non-petroleum automobiles are a tax increase

Landrieu’s ad goes beyond any nuanced criticism from Kennedy, with an announcer stating, “He opposes her plan to open up 120 million acres for drilling. Under Kennedy, no new oil, higher gas prices, lost Louisiana jobs.”

On Energy & Oil: More domestic drilling, including in Gulf of Mexico & ANWR

A Landrieu spokesman echoed his boss’s characterization of Kennedy, saying the Republican speaks in generalities and has not offered any specific energy policy, drilling or otherwise.

Drilling has been a major issue in the campaign since Kennedy started earlier this summer highlighting a May committee vote in which Landrieu honored a request of Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colorado, to vote against allowing exploration in oil shale in Colorado.

On Social Security: Endorses voluntary private retirement savings accounts

Kennedy continues to broadcast an ad titled “Scary Mary,” a retort to her accusations that Kennedy would cut Social Security because he has endorsed the idea of voluntary private retirement savings accounts. The Republican ad states that “Mary Landrieu voted to allow illegal immigrants into the Social Security system.“ The statement refers to the Senate’s 2006 debate over an immigration bill. The relevant portion deals with what kind of Social Security benefits a legal immigrant might be due for wages the immigrants earned before they established legal residence. Landrieu voted against a Republican amendment that would have prevented immigrants from receiving credit for Social Security taxes paid while their work status was not legal.