Mar 03, 2009

WTEN ABC: Jim Tedisco Ducks Debate Questions

"Tedisco either had a problem hearing the questions, or more likely, he was doing what a lot of politicians do - is that he seemed to ignore many of the questions and simply talked about what he wanted to talk about. So much so that the crowd seemed to grow a little bit uneasy.

WTEN, ABC Albany TV
March 3, 2009

Anchor: Thank You Eric. Well, four weeks from tonight, voters will go to the polls for a rare March election. Republican Jim Tedisco and Democrat Scott Murphy are vying to fill Kirsten Gillibrand's vacated seat in the House of Representatives. Today, they held their first debate. As News 10's John McLoughlin shows us what the packed crowd of onlookers saw.

John McLoughlin:   It was more Q&A than debate. Standing room only here at the Saratoga Springs Public Library as long time Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, the Republican, touted his experience.

Tedisco: I'd like you to ask yourself - who has a proven record of fighting to improve the quality of life?

John McLoughlin : And Democrat Murphy, the venture capitalist from Glens Falls, beating the drum for job creation.

Scott Murphy: For the last 15 years, I've been an entrepreneur, starting small businesses in my living room, and an investor, working with small businesses all across New York State.

John McLoughlin: Murphy repeatedly taunted Tedisco for refusing to say whether he would have voted in favor of the $780 billion dollar stimulus plan.

Scott Murphy: Because everybody on the Republican side in Washington is opposed to it.

John McLoughlin : And, as on the campaign, Tedisco repeatedly ignored that issue.

Jim Tedisco: There's only one person at this dais right now who's implementing the stimulus package. That's me.

John McLoughlin : When it came to Social Security, Medicare, both candidates seemed to say what was satisfying to this audience of mostly seniors from the AARP. Both of them scoffing at what was George Bush's plan for privatizing part of Social Security.

Jim Tedisco: No privatization of Social Security. No change in benefits.

Scott Murphy: And I think that what the Republicans have been trying to do for the last five years - to divert money from Social Security to private accounts - is a horrible idea.

John McLoughlin : Now coming up at 6:00, Tedisco either had a problem hearing the questions, or more likely, he was doing what a lot of politicians do - is that he seemed to ignore many of the questions and simply talked about what he wanted to talk about. So much so that the crowd seemed to grow a little bit uneasy. That's at 6:00. John McLoughlin News 10.


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