The Democratic and Republican nominees for US Senate squared off in a live televised debate Monday night in our KHON2 News studio.
It was sponsored by AARP Hawaii, so the initial questions were focused on topics affecting seniors.
The debate between former Governor Linda Lingle and Congresswoman Mazie Hirono started off with a question about social security.
"What specific measures do you support to ensure that social security is strong and solvent for our children?" asked panelist Gerald Kato.
"We should lift the cap on payments into the social security trust fund so people making over $110K will continue to pay into that trust fund," said Mazie Hirono, (D) Senate Candidate.
"There’ve been changes. People live a lot longer, and there are fewer workers for retirees. So we do have to lift the cap on the amount of wages that are subject to social security tax," said Linda Lingle, (R) Senate Candidate.
The candidates also had a chance to ask each other questions.
"Since no weapons of mass destruction were ever found, do you regret supporting the War in Iraq?" asked Hirono.
"I’ve heard Congresswoman Hirono say on many occasions how she supports our troops but I’ve never seen her once at a command change ceremony, at a deployment ceremony or visiting families at funerals I’ve attended," replied Lingle.
"Your response clearly demonstrates why we need two democrats in the US Senate," added Hirono.
"Can you point to any bills in Congress where worked in a bipartisan fashion?" asked Lingle.
"I’m proud of the accomplishments that I’ve worked President Obama to achieve for the people not just of Hawaii but across the country. Obamacare is one of them. I’m proud of the fact that I fought hard to make sure that Hawaii pre-paid healthcare law remained in tact in the House version of that bill," replied Hirono.
"And I didn’t hear anything specific about a bill that you got passed that was your proposal," added Lingle.
"Linda, in 2008 while you campaigning for John McCain and Sarah Palin on the mainland, you told audiences there that Barack Obama was indecisive, not comfortable with leadership, his economic agenda would devastate our economy and our children’s safety would be at risk. Do you regret those comments?" asked Hirono.
"When all the debate was going on across the nation about where President Obama was born, it was me as governor who made public statements and issued news releases so that that kind of talk would stop," replied Lingle.
They closed by saying …
"Her backup plan seems to be to convince voters that they should support her so she can protect Senator Inouye. It’s really sad that she’s not able to stand on her own," said Lingle.
"The people of Hawaii don’t care about feet in camps. What they care about is someone who has a head and heart and here’s where my head and heart are," said Hirono.
HPU Communication Chair and political analyst John Hart was in the audience.
We asked him for his reaction after the debate.
"I don’t think it’s any question that although Mazie is a good speaker, that Linda Lingle is a more practiced speaker, a more professional sounding speaker. For example, if you noticed Linda looked right into the camera. So at home people she was talking to them. Mazie was looking at the questioner so you’re seeing Mazie look at someone else," said John Hart, HPU Communication Dept. Chair.
Hart also says there was a clear winner of the debate.
"I thought in terms of the closing statements, Mazie’s statement was quite good at summarizing her best argument, which is she thinks most people in Hawaii agree with her. So not in terms of who should be the better senator, not in terms of who I would vote for or you should vote for, but if you ask me who won this debate? Linda Lingle won this debate this evening," said Hart.
Tonight’s debate was the second of five debates between Hirono and Lingle before the General Election.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
