David BrodyIncumbent U.S. State Senator Jim Talent (R-Mo.) faced off in another debate with State Auditor Claire McCaskill, the democratic candidate, on Wednesday night at Clayton High School. This was the first of three televised debates between Talent and McCaskill in their race for U.S. State Senator.
The topics of the debate included the war in Iraq, a stem cell research ballot initiative, the government’s position towards North Korea and energy conservation issues.
The debate began with a question about sending troops to Iraq, despite the lack of weapons of mass destruction found there.
Talent said the mission in Iraq was to remove the threat it represented in the region and to replace it as an ally in the war on terrorism.
“[The ally’s] very existence would rebuke the terrorist vision for the Arab Islamist world,” said Talent.
In contrast, McCaskill called the war in Iraq a failed policy.
“The elected government of Iraq supported the Hezbollah terrorist organization that invaded our strongest ally [Israel] in the region,” said McCaskill. “It is not even clear if we stayed for another decade if we are going to get a government that will be our ally in the war on terror.We are never going to build democracy at the barrel of a gun.”
The pair also debated stem cell research and focused on Amendment 2, the stem cell initiative that would ensure that patients have rights to stem cell therapies and cures available under Federal law. In the past, representatives from both the state house and senate proposed bills that would outlaw embryonic stem cell research.
Talent replied that he does not support Amendment 2, saying, “I can’t support the ballot issue because it grants a constitutional right to clone the earliest stages of human life and that goes too far for me. The right would exist.on an unqualified basis, regardless of whether there was a continued medical necessity for it.”
In response, McCaskill said, “My faith dictates that we should heal the sick and God gave us incredible intelligence to find ways to make people’s lives better with science and medicine. Our country has never turned its back on medical research. Missouri should never turn its back on medical research.”
The duo also discussed the U.S.’s involvement with North Korea and Iran. Each party responded differently to the issue, with Talent stating that the United States should avoid bilateral talks with North Korea. McCaskill said she would encourage diplomacy talks with North Korea.
The debate rounded off with a question on rising college costs and the candidates’ solution to the problem. McCaskill said that she would support a measure that would give tax breaks to middle class income earners. Her proposed tax break would redirect the middle class tax credit for college education.
Talent said that he had supported strong funding for Pell Grants in Congress and had supported universities in Missouri to help them lower their tuition costs, but said that he opposes any tax increases that McCaskill may propose.
The race between candidates is expected to be close, although Talent currently has a significant financial advantage due to fundraising from the Bush administration. The televised debates did not include third-party candidates Frank Gilmour, nominee of the Libertarian Party, or Progressive Party candidate Lydia Lewis.