Jim Bunning in KY Senate Debate

On Principles & Values: Admits using Teleprompter during live debate

Bunning said earlier this year that Mongiardo looked like one of Saddam Hussein's sons, a remark for which he later apologized. In his only debate with Mongiardo on Oct. 11, Bunning participated via satellite from Washington, where he said he was needed to cast votes in the Senate. His campaign admitted he used a TelePrompTer to read his opening and closing statements. Bunning, who is 73, has asserted that he is in excellent mental and physical health, providing letters from two doctors as proof. Source: KY Senate Debate analysis on WKYT.com

On Health Care: Mongiardo holds several pharmaceutical companies' stocks

MONGIARDO: It is absolutely absurd that we as Americans are paying more for prescription drugs than our neighbors in Canada for medicines made here in the USA.

BUNNING: You're cashing their checks. You better look at your own portfolio before talking out of both sides of your mouth.

MONGIARDO: If I was trying to make money on my drug stocks, I wouldn't be pushing for cheaper drugs from Canada. I don't care about the money. I'm over here with middle-class families because they are struggling.

Source: [Xref Mongiardo] KY Senate Debate, in Cincinnati Enquirer

On Homeland Security: Combined 22 federal agencies to make us more secure

BUNNING: We have combined 22 different agencies of the federal government to make us more secure. Mongiardo doesn't understand that there has not been an attack over the last three years in the US. Do you think that's by accident or do you think it's by design? We have worked very, very hard. By combining intelligence, by confronting our good friend Saddam, the ugliest dictator in history, on their turf rather than on our turf, we have prevented attacks.

MONGIARDO: I'm concerned we are going to see another attack. Bunning's priorities are not to take care of the working class families of this state. Even though you think that I look like Saddam's sons, he is not my good friend.

Source: KY Senate Debate, in Cincinnati Enquirer

On Principles & Values: Apologize for an inappropriate comment and look for the same

[Regarding Bunning saying Mongiardo looked like Saddam's son]:

BUNNING: I made an inappropriate comment, and for that I personally apologize to you. I would hope that you would do the same to my wife & my family for all of the horrible rumors that you & your staff have been circulating about my health.

MONGIARDO: You have conduct that is unbecoming of a US senator. You have conduct that is unbecoming of a Kentucky gentleman. So people are reaching, searching for an excuse for that poor conduct.

Source: KY Senate Debate, in Courier-Journal

On War & Peace: We have looked out for our troops

MONGIARDO: How could you have allowed our troops to go into harm's way before they had the body armor they needed or the armored Humvees?

BUNNING: We got it from the horse's mouth - that's the secretary of defense, the head of the joint chiefs. We have looked out for our troops.

Source: KY Senate Debate, in Courier-Journal

The above quotations are from Kentucky Senate Debate: Dan Mogiardo (D) vs. Jim Bunning (R), Oct. 11, 2004. Click here for a profile of Jim Bunning.
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