2012 Del. Senate Debate: on Principles & Values

Tom Carper: We need bridge-builders in Washington

Kevin Wade: Career politicians can't change Washington

Tom Carper: Rumors about my health are "baloney" and "hogwash"

Carper responded by pointing to a doctor's letter posted to his website 2 days before stating that the senator's "overall health is good."

The moderator initiated the conversation, asking Pires to explain why he would question the senator's health, after Pires first raised the health issue in July. "If Tom Carper is emotionally and mentally healthy, he would end it by putting his health records out," Pires said, saying the senator has had trouble focusing during public events and suggesting Carper would step down soon after re-election.

Carper responded, calling the the issue "baloney," adding that "we'd do well to focus on the health of our economy and finances."

In an interview following the debate, Carper said rumors that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's or a form of dementia is "hogwash. It's nonsense."

Kevin Wade: Sen. Carper accepts Wade's 10-debate challenge

Wade issued public statements in May and a written request to Carper's campaign in July asking the senator for "10 or 20 debates" across Delaware. Carper is now in his second term as a U.S. Senator and previously served as State Treasurer, as Delaware's U.S. Congressman, and as Governor. When Carper campaigned against then-Senator William Roth in 2000, they engaged in several statewide debates that Carper called "the Delaware way," setting a precedent that Wade seeks to exploit in un-seating Carper. Neither Carper nor his campaign office acknowledged Wade's debate challenge until last night's forum in North Wilmington.

Kevin Wade: Challenges Carper to twenty Senate debates

Wade said that Carper challenged then-incumbent senator William V. Roth (R-DE) to a series of twenty debates statewide in 2000. Carper defeated Roth in that election, and called the debate challenge "the Delaware way."

"There are 880,000 people in the state that have questions they'd like to ask of Senator Carper" Wade said during his call-in to a popular Wilmington radio program. "Maybe we can get 500 at a time into a room and get the questions asked and he can describe his vision from his 35-year incumbency standpoint," he continued.

Wade described Carper as "silent Tom down in the Senate." He said the debates in 2000, which he referred to as "the Carper rule," were a good idea then and are a good idea now. "Good ideas don't age," he said.

Tom Carper: 2000: Twenty debates are "the Delaware way"

Wade said that Carper challenged then-incumbent senator William V. Roth (R-DE) to a series of twenty debates statewide in 2000. Carper defeated Roth in that election, and called the debate challenge "the Delaware way."

"There are 880,000 people in the state that have questions they'd like to ask of Senator Carper" Wade said during his call-in to a popular Wilmington radio program. "Maybe we can get 500 at a time into a room and get the questions asked and he can describe his vision from his 35-year incumbency standpoint," he continued.

Wade described Carper as "silent Tom down in the Senate." He said the debates in 2000, which he referred to as "the Carper rule," were a good idea then and are a good idea now. "Good ideas don't age," he said.