Clinton and Spencer Debate on WABC-TV

(New York - WABC, October 22, 2006) (WABC) -- New York's candidates for U.S. Senate met Sunday morning at the WABC-TV studio for a one hour debate sponsored by Eyewitness News, Univision and the Buffalo News.

The candidates: Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and the Republican nominee John Spencer.

Asking the questions this morning were Dave Evans, political reporter for Eyewitness News, Bob McCarthy, political reporter for The Buffalo News, and Antonio Martinez, an anchor with Univision.

Eyewitness News' Dave Evans asked the first question of Hillary Clinton, saying she had promised six years ago to server out her full term, and asking "If re-elected, can you make that same promise today?"

Hillary Clinton, (D) Candidate for U.S. Senate: "I am going to say what I have been saying because it is what I believe and where I am in my thinking. I am running for re-election. I've worked very hard for the last six years to be the very best senator I could be for the people of New York. We've gotten a lot done against some pretty tough odds. I have made no decisions about any future plans. And if that is a concern to any voter they should factor that in to their decision on November 7th. But I'm proud of the record I have accumulated over the last six years and I'm looking forward to helping to chart a new direction in America."

Her opponent, U.S. Senate Candidate John Spencer, also addressed the possibility Clinton might run for the White House, saying that he thinks she would make a "tremendous" candidate for president, but that he was the one more interested in representing the state of New York in the Senate.

John Spencer, (R) Candidate for U.S. Senate: "I don't want to sound like a broken record but I'm going to say it again. I'm the only one standing here that wants to be a United States senator for the next six years for the people of New York. Senator Clinton, I believe, I'm trying to be a gentleman here, is being disingenuous with people here. I think it's been written coast to coast and all around the world. Committees, I believe, have been set up. Senator Clinton has been given the welcome mat by the people of New York six years ago and I believe she is using us as a doormat."

The candidates also talked extensively about the war in Iraq, and U.S. policy there. Eyewitness News conducted a poll of New York voters on this topic. People were asked if it was worth going to war in Iraq, and whether President Bush should set a specific timetable for withdrawing from Iraq. Sixty seven percent of those polled said it was not worth going to war in Iraq, and 59 percent said that the president should set a timetable to withdraw U.S. troops.

John Spencer was asked about the fact that this has been the deadliest month yet in Iraq this year, and how long he feels the U.S. should be there.

Spencer said, "I didn't vote to go to war. I'm still trying to figure out Senator Clinton's position..." pointing out that she voted to go to war, and said later that "the war is not going well and I don't like the war.." He said that Clinton had taken several contradictory stances on Iraq in the last several years.

Spencer said, "I believe in a strategy of victory. We must prevail, we must get Iraq to be stabilized."

Spencer said he'd define victory as a stable Iraq and a beginning toward a stable Middle East, with Americans united on the home front.

Hillary Clinton said, "Iraq is the most serious challenge we currently face in terms of what must happen now."

She said she voted to "Give the president authority to put inspectors back into Iraq, and unfortunately we've had a lot of problems, The president has refused to change course, and listen to the uniformed military and others giving him advice."

Asked if she regretted her vote to go to war in Iraq, Clinton said that her vote was to authorize the president to get inspectors back into the country, and that she "doesn't believe in do-overs," and she believes she made the best decision possible with the information available at the time."

Spencer called for an end to politicizing the situation in Iraq, saying "Find me a war, any war that we've ever had that went well. Wars do not go well." Spencer went on to say, "In my conversations with Mrs. Clinton it's all about 'blame President Bush.' You can't do that in a war. We are struggling. We must prevail, we must win the war. The negative politics, including politics over our nation and our troops, is what is hurting our whole effort."

Among the other topics discussed on Sunday's debate: The government's efforts in Afghanistan; the situation in North Korea; how the U.S. government should address the issue of illegal immigration; abortion; the U.S. economy and New York's state and local taxes.

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