Maryland 2006 3-way Senate Debate: on Principles & Values

Benjamin Cardin: We need to change the direction of Washington DC

CARDIN: Yes. We need to change the agenda-setters. I stood up for change in Washington. I took on the President when he was wrong. I’ve worked across party lines. But we need to change the direction.

STEELE: For Ben Cardin to say he’s a change agent is laughable. He’s been in Congress for 20 years. To all of a sudden say you’re interested in change is just not believable. Where’s the voice been? Where’s the voice on transportation, on health care? These voices I have not heard. Now to say that you’re for changing the system, when you’ve been part of the system that gave us these problems, is laughable.

CARDIN: I’m proud of my record in Congress. Proud of the changes I’ve made in Medicare & the retirement system.

ZEESE: I think both of you are right. You’re both selected by your party leadership. You’re both in bed with the special interests. And you’re both not going to bring change to Washington. The voters need to know that.

Benjamin Cardin: Steele was hand-selected by George Bush

STEELE: The Congressman has been running against George Bush for a year, but Bush is not here. You talk about hand-picked-you were hand-picked by Congressman Steny Hoyer to get in this race. If not for Hoyer, Kweise Mfume would be sitting here. He was the first to enter this race, and he stuck his neck out. You’ve been shepherded around the state by Steny Hoyer. When you talk about who’s hand-picked, not me, friend, you.

CARDIN: You’re the one who identifies with George Bush. You brought Bush into Maryland to raise a half-million. You’re the one who supports his agenda.

STEELE: Stop running against George Bush. Run against me and my record as Lt. Gov.

CARDIN: I won a competitive primary and Kweise Mfume is supporting me for the US Senate, because he knows I’ll bring change to Washington.

Kevin Zeese: Both Cardin & Steele are hand-selected & won’t change things

CARDIN: Yes. We need to change the agenda-setters. I stood up for change in Washington. I took on the President when he was wrong. I’ve worked across party lines. But we need to change the direction.

STEELE: For Ben Cardin to say he’s a change agent is laughable. He’s been in Congress for 20 years. To all of a sudden say you’re interested in change is just not believable. Where’s the voice been? Where’s the voice on transportation, on health care? These voices I have not heard. Now to say that you’re for changing the system, when you’ve been part of the system that gave us these problems, is laughable.

CARDIN: I’m proud of my record in Congress. Proud of the changes I’ve made in Medicare & the retirement system.

ZEESE: I think both of you are right. You’re both selected by your party leadership. You’re both in bed with the special interests. And you’re both not going to bring change to Washington. The voters need to know that.

Kevin Zeese: Represents three parties & the people, not moneyed interests

ZEESE: More than my colleagues combined!

Q: Even where people agree with you, how does that translate into the way our country is governed today?

ZEESE: The big problem with our country’s governance is that we’re more governed by the special interests than the people’s interests. I’ve worked on issue after issue where we can have majority support, we can have facts on our side, but we still get ignored as the people. Because the politicians are listening to the money first. This election is indeed about change - and I’m the only candidate who’s a change. Mr. Cardin has been in office for 40 years; Mr. Steele has been the chair of the Republican Party. These are insiders. I’m the only one not in bed with the special interests. I’m not taking special interest money. I’m not out to be bought by anybody.

Michael Steele: For Cardin to call himself a change agent is laughable

CARDIN: Yes. We need to change the agenda-setters. I stood up for change in Washington. I took on the President when he was wrong. I’ve worked across party lines. But we need to change the direction.

STEELE: For Ben Cardin to say he’s a change agent is laughable. He’s been in Congress for 20 years. To all of a sudden say you’re interested in change is just not believable. Where’s the voice been? Where’s the voice on transportation, on health care? These voices I have not heard. Now to say that you’re for changing the system, when you’ve been part of the system that gave us these problems, is laughable.

CARDIN: I’m proud of my record in Congress. Proud of the changes I’ve made in Medicare & the retirement system.

ZEESE: I think both of you are right. You’re both selected by your party leadership. You’re both in bed with the special interests. And you’re both not going to bring change to Washington. The voters need to know that.

Michael Steele: Cardin was hand-selected by Rep. Steny Hoyer

STEELE: The Congressman has been running against George Bush for a year, but Bush is not here. You talk about hand-picked-you were hand-picked by Congressman Steny Hoyer to get in this race. If not for Hoyer, Kweise Mfume would be sitting here. He was the first to enter this race, and he stuck his neck out. You’ve been shepherded around the state by Steny Hoyer. When you talk about who’s hand-picked, not me, friend, you.

CARDIN: You’re the one who identifies with George Bush. You brought Bush into Maryland to raise a half-million. You’re the one who supports his agenda.

STEELE: Stop running against George Bush. Run against me and my record as Lt. Gov.

CARDIN: I won a competitive primary and Kweise Mfume is supporting me for the US Senate, because he knows I’ll bring change to Washington.

Michael Steele: Campaigns are about the man, not just about the issues

STEELE: I’m not discounting the issues, they’re clearly important. But it’s not JUST about the issues; it’s also about the man--their personal journey and their story, and how they arrive at decisions. I look at the totality of what we’re talking about for the next 6 years. You want to get a sense of who I am and what I stand for.