NY Senate race, third & final debate: on Principles & Values

Hillary Clinton: Rejected Independence Party; they include Pat Buchanan

LAZIO: Mrs. Clinton, that’s not totally accurate. Your people were up there working hard for that.

CLINTON: I’ve specifically said publicly that I wouldn’t take it if they nominated Pat Buchanan. It was up to them to decide what to do.

LAZIO: I condemned him and the fact that he has been intolerant.

CLINTON: You know, I can only respond because, you know, as The Forward said when they endorsed me, Jewish voters should reject smear campaigns and inaccurate information.

Q: Did you accept the Independence nomination?

LAZIO: No.

CLINTON: That’s because it wasn’t offered.

LAZIO: No. It wasn’t offered to either one of us, to be fair about that.

Hillary Clinton: Supported teacher tests & China women despite unpopularity

CLINTON: Well, I’ll give you two. You know, back in 1983 - when I was probably the first person in the country who said that we should test teachers - that was extremely unpopular, and it caused quite an uproar. But it was the right thing to do, and I still believe today that we should be testing new teachers and raising standards for our teachers. And then in 1995, when I went to China to speak on behalf of women’s rights, there were many people, inside and outside our own government, people literally around the world, who said I shouldn’t go, that I shouldn’t make a speech, that I shouldn’t criticize the Chinese government.

Hillary Clinton: Lazio’s a nice young man, but it’s about policy differences

LAZIO: It’s not a matter of personal dislike, [but] to point at the differences between candidates and the philosophy between two candidates.

Q: Do you dislike him?

CLINTON: No. I think that I have no personal animus at all toward Mr. Lazio. He seems like a very nice person.

Q: Well, name three things that you like about him.

CLINTON: Well, it seems like he has a very nice family. And that he has worked very hard. And that he’s an attractive young man.

Q: And you name three things you like about her.

LAZIO: Well, I think you’re an attractive woman. And I think you’ve got a very nice family. I’m sure you’re a very good mother as well.

CLINTON: Thank you very much. But that’s not what this election’s about. And what it is about are the very significant differences between us on everything like education and health care and the economy and the environment and guns and choice and Social Security and the budget surplus.

Rick Lazio: Hillary’s a good mom, but it’s about different philosophies

LAZIO: It’s not a matter of personal dislike, [but] to point at the differences between candidates and the philosophy between two candidates.

Q: Do you dislike him?

CLINTON: No. I think that I have no personal animus at all toward Mr. Lazio. He seems like a very nice person.

Q: Well, name three things that you like about him.

CLINTON: Well, it seems like he has a very nice family. And that he has worked very hard. And that he’s an attractive young man.

Q: And you name three things you like about her.

LAZIO: Well, I think you’re an attractive woman. And I think you’ve got a very nice family. I’m sure you’re a very good mother as well.

CLINTON: Thank you very much. But that’s not what this election’s about. And what it is about are the very significant differences between us on everything like education and health care and the economy and the environment and guns and choice and Social Security and the budget surplus.

Rick Lazio: Supported NAFTA & assault weapon ban despite unpopularity

LAZIO: I’ve done that many times. In Congress, supporting NAFTA and the assault weapons ban after receiving thousands and thousands of calls from people who wanted me to go in a different direction, because I felt it was the right thing to do. I think it’s very important to stand up for your beliefs. Even in this race, I know there are a lot of people who would like to see casino gambling. In one of our former debates, I expressed my personal opposition to casino gambling although I believe in the end it’s a state decision. So I think there are many, many times when I have demonstrated independence on a whole range of issues.