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PA Governor candidates split on negative ads, gun laws
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
Governor candidates split on negative ads, gun lawsCasey, Fisher, Rendell debate before newspaper group.By Mario F. CattabianiCall Harrisburg BureauJanuary 30, 2002HARRISBURG | -- Providing further evidence that the Democratic gubernatorial primary will become a politically bloody bout, Robert P. Casey Jr. said Tuesday he would not sign a pledge against negative campaigning."If you are a voter deciding whether or not one person should be entrusted with enormous power . there has to be some basic scrutiny that's applied to a candidate," Casey told newspaper publishers and editors at a debate. "That's part of the process. People understand that and expect it."However, his primary opponent, former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell, said he would agree to a pledge to air ads only on his own qualifications for governor."I hate what politics have become - 30-second negative ads that never tell the true story," said Rendell, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee.Attorney General Mike Fisher, the lone Republican in the race, also said he will sign the pledge, although he acknowledged that negative ads have become a staple of modern campaigning.The issue was one of several that separated the three major party candidates at a debate sponsored by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.After the forum, Rendell spokesman Dan Fee said the pledge question portends things to come for the Casey camp in the months until the May 21 primary."Clearly, they are just teeing up to run the most negative and nasty campaign this state has ever seen," Fee said.The three candidates also differed on issues as diverse as gun control, abortion and expanding gambling, among other topics.Casey, the state's auditor general, and Fisher both said Pennsylvania has enough gun laws on the books, and the way to crack down on gun violence is to do a better job enforcing those rules, not creating new ones.To that, Rendell shot back, "What you just heard was two candidates unwilling to take on the NRA."Rendell said he supports limiting handgun purchases to one a month, but said he would not infringe on a person's right to bear arms or hunt.Also, Casey and Fisher said that if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, they would sign a bill outlawing abortions in Pennsylvania except in cases of rape, incest and when the life of the mother is threatened.Rendell said he supports a woman's right to choose and would veto such a bill.Fisher and Rendell said they favor expanding gambling in Pennsylvania to include slot machines at the state's four horseracing tracks.Pennsylvanians are leaving the state to gamble, taking those dollars with them. Harrisburg should have a piece of that, they insisted.While not outright dismissing the idea, Casey questioned whether slot machines would bring in that much revenue.What's more, he worries that they might sap dollars that would otherwise go to the Pennsylvania Lottery, through which programs for senior citizens are funded.Previewing a future campaign focus, Casey also said Rendell has to be held accountable for Philadelphia's failing school system, which was taken over by the state late last year.Rendell countered that Harrisburg's unwillingness to provide enough state subsidies led to the district's downfall, and that certain test scores rose at the state's largest district during his two terms as mayor.The candidates agreed on several topics, including one dear to the hearts of the audience.Each said he would support efforts to increase assess to public records. For years, newspaper officials have fought unsuccessfully for such a measure in Pennsylvania, long known for its weak open records laws.The Pennsylvania Cable Network will air the debate unedited at 9 p.m. Thursday, and at 2 and 11 p.m. Sunday.Green Party candidate Michael Morrill was excluded from the debate. PNA members will hear what he has to say today. http://www.mcall.com/news/yahoo/all-a11_5demsjan30.story
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