TELL US: Who Won the Brown-Warren Debate?
Incumbent Scott Brown and challenger Elizabeth Warren squared off in their first debate Thursday night.
Republican Senator Scott Brown faced off against Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren Thursday night in a debate televised by WBZ-TV. The Thursday debate was the first of four planned tilts between the candidates, and it saw disagreement between the two on just about every topic.
Polls have seesawed over the last week, witRh Brown and Warren swapping small leads, as they have throughout the campaign. The debates may provide one or the other an opportunity to change voter minds and swing the election his or her way.
Central to Thursday's debate was the focus on taxes, jobs and the economy.
"He has said he will defend the top 2 percent and the top 3 percent...and will hold the other 98% of families hostage," Warren said, referencing Brown's position against extending the Bush-era tax cuts unless it also contained cuts for the country's top earners.
Brown countered by noting that Warren's policies would raise taxes, on everyone, in fact, it's the "first thing she looks to do," he said.
"And the criticism is that I don't want to raise taxes," he said. "Guilty as charged. I'm not going to raise taxes. I'm going to protect taxpayers' pocketbooks and wallets."
Who do you think won the debate? Did the back and forth change your mind about the upcoming election? Did the candidates answer the questions you had? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
Bryan McGonigle2
9:12 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
Since I'm obviously not a debate coach, the debate winner depended on you personal politics.
Brown is painting Warren as the far left candidate while trying to box out a spot in the center. Warren is painting Brown as a real Republican while fighting for the middle class. It's unfortunate that the best strategy is to try to represent your opponents record in the worst possible light (i.e. misrepresent it) rather than explain your own record.
Scott Brown mentioned two things that haven't been extensively reported. First, during the question about college affordability, he blamed Warren's 370K salary while only teaching one class. And during a back and forth about big special interests and fighting for the middle class, Brown accused Warren of earning about $225k for representing the big Traveler's insurance company against the "hammered" middle class asbestos claimants. Warren essentially ignored these claims. I guess by not responding to them the accusations might go away quicker. If not, she's in trouble. Maybe the election will boil down to whether accusations like these stick.
John Cook
9:33 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
Brown hands down...no doubt about.
Bill Callahan
2:49 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
My take: Brown came out swinging and connected a few times, I thought his best jab was on the asbestos claim just b/c it couldn't be refuted in 30 seconds. But, his demeanor was really snarky with the smirks and laughing and I don't think that will play well with independent women. He did have trouble on this votes, and that's what Warren was hammering on. The line "Sorry I didn't vote for your boss" was particularly condescending.
Warren was succinct, methodical and prepared. She knew more about his votes than he did. She should have been ready for the asbestos claim question.
I was surprised that Warren didn't turn on Brown about his record of opposition to labor unions. That's an important constituency that broke for Brown before he had a record.
Cool Fusion
4:35 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Otto Von Bismark's Rule of Politics: Don't believe anything until it is officially denied .. or it's corollary: The opposition is accused of the same, only worse.