State of Pennsylvania Archives: on Homeland Security


Bob Casey: Keep the wiretaps and keep the intelligence programs

CASEY: Rick, you just talked about Iran, calling it “Islamic fascism” [instead of terrorism]. What we need, Rick, is not a change in the terminology, we need to change the tactics. We should be finding and killing Osama bin Laden, then we can hold a seminar on whether he’s a dead terrorist or a dead fascist.

SANTORUM: My opponent has no plan. All you suggested with your plan is more Special Forces. Do you support more intelligence gathering?

CASEY: Absolutely.

SANTORUM: The Democratic Party has gone out and said that you have serious questions about our intelligence surveillance programs.

CASEY: You’re debating me, not the Party. We should keep the programs and keep the wiretaps.

SANTORUM: I think you just fundamentally misunderstand the problem. You’re saying that somehow or another the terminology doesn’t matter. You believe that we’re going to win or lose this war on the battlefield in Iraq and Afghanistan. I don’t. I think we’ll win or lose this war right here in America.

Source: Meet the Press: PA 2006 Senate Debate, Tim Russert moderator Sep 3, 2006

Everett Stern: Our country must have the strongest defense in the world

Q: Do you support or oppose. `Expand the military`?

A: Strongly Support. Our country must have the strongest defense in the world.

Source: E-mail interview on 2016 PA Senate race with OnTheIssues Nov 2, 2015

Joe Sestak: 2005 Navy reassignment: personnel change or morale issue?

Specter opened the debate demanding an apology for a Sestak ad in which a veteran asks Specter not to "lie" about Sestak's Navy record, and he repeatedly asked Sestak to release his service records to explain a 2005 reassignment by the Navy.

Sestak ignored the requests, called his service honorable and aggressively worked to tie Specter to the policies of former Pres. Bush. "There is no record except the Republican record for Arlen Specter," Sestak said.

Specter countered that he had stood with Democrats on their top priorities, even during his 28 years as a Republican. Specter switched parties last year.

Sestak has said he was reassigned in 2005 because the newly appointed chief naval officer wanted his own team in charge. Specter has cited a report in the Navy Times that said Sestak was reassigned from his job as deputy chief of naval operations for creating a poor command climate--a term for morale.

Source: Lehigh Valley Live coverage of 2010 PA Senate debate May 1, 2010

Pat Toomey: Economic viability is most important national security issue

Sestak noted, "China holds so much of our reserves. If they dumped them on the stock market--imagine what would happen. Remember, it really is a strong economy that undergirds our military. That undergirds our education, that undergirds our health system," said Sestak.

His rival agreed with him on that one. "I agree with Joe that the most important national security issue long term is the economic viability of our country," Toomey said.

Source: Epoch Times coverage of 2010 PA Senate debate Oct 23, 2010

Patrick Morrisey: Strong national defense preserves American freedom

Maintaining a strong national defense is essential to preserving American exceptionalism and freedom. The world is growing increasingly dangerous, and our security interests must focus on pressing threats, including, but not limited to, eliminating ISIS and stopping the development of the North Korea and Iran nuclear programs.
Source: 2018 PA Senate campaign website PatrickMorrisey.com Feb 3, 2018

Rick Santorum: War against Islamic fascism will be won or lost in America

CASEY: Rick, you just talked about Iran, calling it "Islamic fascism" [instead of terrorism]. What we need, Rick, is not a change in the terminology, we need to change the tactics. We should be finding and killing Osama bin Laden, then we can hold a seminar on whether he's a dead terrorist or a dead fascist.

SANTORUM: My opponent has no plan. All you suggested with your plan is more Special Forces. Do you support more intelligence gathering?

CASEY: Absolutely.

SANTORUM: The Democratic Party has gone out and said that you have serious questions about our intelligence surveillance programs.

CASEY: You're debating me, not the Party. We should keep the programs and keep the wiretaps.

SANTORUM: I think you just fundamentally misunderstand the problem. You're saying that somehow or another the terminology doesn't matter. You believe that we're going to win or lose this war on the battlefield in Iraq and Afghanistan. I don't. I think we'll win or lose this war right here in America.

Source: Meet the Press: PA 2006 Senate Debate, Tim Russert moderator Sep 3, 2006

  • The above quotations are from Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Politicians: Archives.
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Former V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
U.S.Rep.Dean_Phillips(D-MN)
Vivek_Ramaswamy(R-OH)
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