Kirk, Cornyn turn up the heat
Posted on 10/19/2002 2:17:56 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
Kirk, Cornyn turn up the heat
10/19/2002
HOUSTON - After simmering in a slow-cooker for the first 20 minutes, Friday's first televised meeting between Democrat Senate nominee Ron Kirk and GOP rival John Cornyn warmed up into a tepid spat between the two button-down candidates.
Democratic nominee Ron Kirk took frequent swipes at Mr. Cornyn over his contributions from the failed Enron Corp., and Mr. Cornyn peppered Mr. Kirk with criticisms of his opposition to President Bush's plan to alter Social Security, his acceptance of an attorney's salary while working as mayor of Dallas, and his own Enron connections.
"Ron, there you go again trying to scare our old folks, and you know it's shameful," Mr. Cornyn told his rival after Mr. Kirk said it would be unwise to divert funds for Social Security into the tricky stock market. Responding to questions about an increasingly negative campaign -- among other things, each side has accused the other of using race as a weapon -- Mr. Kirk said that he had "never run or paid for a negative ad against any candidate." He said Mr. Cornyn has been criticized for "negative, partisan and mean-spirited ads."
Mr. Cornyn responded that "The Democratic Party is running negative ads -- it takes your breath away." Friday's debate -- televised statewide on Texas Cable News (TXCN, Cable Channel 38) and nationwide on C-SPAN, and sponsored by KHOU-TV and the Houston Chronicle -- is the first of three. The candidates have agreed to meet again in Dallas on Wednesday and in Brownsville on Thursday.
The candidates came into the debate on an acrimonious note. This week alone, they have accused each other of race-baiting and of unethically collecting full-time salaries while campaigning full time -- Mr. Cornyn from taxpayers, Mr. Kirk from a Dallas law firm.
Mr. Kirk -- who if elected would make history as Texas' first black senator -- on Thursday accused his opponent of interjecting "racial politics" into the contest. The Democrat was angered by the Cornyn campaign's attacks over his appearance at a Hip-Hop Summit last weekend in Dallas with a producer and rap star who worked on the N.W.A. album that featured the song "[Expletive] tha Police."
Asked to defend that appearance, he said, "My appearance there was to encourage people to be responsible and be involved in the political process."
Mr. Cornyn, in turn, was asked to comment on a high school newspaper article written under his byline that extolled the virtues of one-time segregationist George Wallace during the 1968 presidential campaign. Mr. Cornyn said the article was a high school class assignment.
"The truth is," he said. "I was a Nixon man."
The two also mixed it up over President Bush.
Mr. Cornyn said he welcomed the president's support but disagrees with him on some issues, such as certain open government questions.
But overall, he said, "We share a common philosophy of limited government."
Firing back, Mr. Kirk said that his GOP foe the entire campaign "has done everything but morph himself into George Bush."
Mr. Kirk said he will practice the same style that Mr. Bush showed as governor, working with Democrats and Republicans to achieve legislative success.
 Polls show Democrat Ron Kirk and Republican John Cornyn in a tight race for the seat of U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm, who is retiring. (AP) |
"I believe John Cornyn is a bright and intelligent man, but he has never worked in a legislative body," said Mr. Kirk, who sought to portray himself as a moderate able to work with both sides of the aisle in the Senate.
Mr. Cornyn said Mr. Kirk was trying to dupe voters into believing that he was in step with Bush policies. "He likes to say he stands behind President Bush," Mr. Cornyn said. "I would say far behind." Each side tried to hang the Enron albatross around the other's neck.
Mr. Cornyn has called Mr. Kirk a lobbyist for Enron, accusing him of profiting personally from the failed energy trader, which paid the law firm for which he works $180,000 in lobbying fees.
Those fees went for the work of a lawyer in the Tulsa office of Dallas-based Gardere Wynne Sewell who helped draft legislation involving oil and gas royalties.
Mr. Kirk said he hadn't known about the arrangement, and because he doesn't share profits at Gardere, didn't profit from it.
Mr. Kirk has blasted Mr. Cornyn for taking $190,000 in campaign donations from Enron executives and issuing rulings as attorney general that let the company protect some of its financial secrets.
"You basically served as the in-house counsel for Enron; the bad news is the people of Texas were paying you at the time," Mr. Kirk said.
Mr. Cornyn accepted the donations before news of the company's financial scandals broke, and Mr. Cornyn later donated $200,000 to a fund for ex-Enron workers.
"How can you stand here to attack me on Enron when your firm paid you $180,000 and some of it ended up in your pocket?" Mr. Cornyn countered.
This week, Mr. Kirk called on Mr. Cornyn to step down as attorney general and to return his $90,000-a-year salary, accusing him of being an "absentee attorney general" for months.
Mr. Cornyn has defended his work ethic, saying he keeps in constant touch with his office by phone and email.
And he has questioned the $227,000 annual salary Mr. Kirk has collected from Gardere, which paid him a full-time salary while served as Dallas mayor and continues to do so while he spends time running for the Senate. Mr. Cornyn calls it a "sweetheart deal" from a firm that would doubtless expect payback if Mr. Kirk went to the Senate.
The outcome of the race is crucial as Democrats and Republicans battle for control of the Senate, which is held by the Democrats with a one-vote majority. Both parties have pumped millions in "soft money" into the race, and Mr. Cornyn has raised $8.5 million, Mr. Kirk about $7 million.
Republicans have lambasted Mr. Kirk for taking dozens of out-of-state fund-raising trips and accepting fund-raising help from the likes of Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D.; Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.; and former President Bill Clinton - all while never inviting them to appear at his side in Texas.
Republicans are determined to ensure that Mr. Cornyn succeeds Republican Phil Gramm. At the risk of making him appear that he lacks independence, Mr. Bush and his family have campaigned numerous times with Mr. Cornyn.
E-mail tgillman@dallasnews.com and gjeffers@dallasnews.com
At Hip-Hop Summit, Kirk pleads for generation to
vote - John Wiley Price attends Kirk campaign event
Excerpt:
"I believe John Cornyn is a bright and intelligent man, but he has never worked in a legislative body," said Mr. Kirk, who sought to portray himself as a moderate able to work with both sides of the aisle in the Senate.
Mr. Cornyn said Mr. Kirk was trying to dupe voters into believing that he was in step with Bush policies. "He likes to say he stands behind President Bush," Mr. Cornyn said. "I would say far behind." Each side tried to hang the Enron albatross around the other's neck.
Mr. Cornyn has called Mr. Kirk a lobbyist for Enron, accusing him of profiting personally from the failed energy trader, which paid the law firm for which he works $180,000 in lobbying fees.
Those fees went for the work of a lawyer in the Tulsa office of Dallas-based Gardere Wynne Sewell who helped draft legislation involving oil and gas royalties.
Mr. Kirk said he hadn't known about the arrangement, and because he doesn't share profits at Gardere, didn't profit from it.
Mr. Kirk has blasted Mr. Cornyn for taking $190,000 in campaign donations from Enron executives and issuing rulings as attorney general that let the company protect some of its financial secrets.
"You basically served as the in-house counsel for Enron; the bad news is the people of Texas were paying you at the time," Mr. Kirk said.
Mr. Cornyn accepted the donations before news of the company's financial scandals broke, and Mr. Cornyn later donated $200,000 to a fund for ex-Enron workers.
"How can you stand here to attack me on Enron when your firm paid you $180,000 and some of it ended up in your pocket?" Mr. Cornyn countered.
This week, Mr. Kirk called on Mr. Cornyn to step down as attorney general and to return his $90,000-a-year salary, accusing him of being an "absentee attorney general" for months.
Mr. Cornyn has defended his work ethic, saying he keeps in constant touch with his office by phone and email.
And he has questioned the $227,000 annual salary Mr. Kirk has collected from Gardere, which paid him a full-time salary while served as Dallas mayor and continues to do so while he spends time running for the Senate. Mr. Cornyn calls it a "sweetheart deal" from a firm that would doubtless expect payback if Mr. Kirk went to the Senate.
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Texas ping list!. . .don't be shy.
No, you don't HAVE to be a Texan to get on this list!
Why do I get the impression that Kirk thinks that's a bad thing and that he'd work hard with little tommy da$$hole to continue with 2 more years of Obstructionism of legislation and Bush judicial nominations?......
Show us the real Ron Kirk. Bring in da$$hole and the clintoons to help you campaign, Ron !
The great Tax & Spend DIMocRATic tradition......
This one makes me chuckle. Could you imagine if Cornyn had said exactly the same thing about Kirk? He would have been condemned for engaging in racist condescension!
By the way, I'd be interested to hear from any FReepers who actually saw the debate. Who got the upper hand?
I watched the whole debate, and I never heard Kirk say that. Maybe the reporter sorta made up that answer for this story.
Well at least Kirk's not a complete idiot! "Rappin' Ron" in a final push to lure Texas(?) voters??? Did I miss something??
FGS
They keep pushing this idea and it may turn out that way, but I don't think it is that close at this time.... Maybe it's just my wishing/hoping it isn't.
For purposes of comparison DC's Political Report.
FGS
I thinks it's wishful thinking on the DMN's part, actually.....
http://www.nbc5i.com/politics/1721236/detail.html
Also, nearly half of those polled said they think both campaigns are using "unfair" campaign ads.
The poll was conducted from October 8 through October 13 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percent.
"…who do you think you would vote for if the election were held today?"
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State |
North Texas | East Texas | South Texas | Central Texas | West Texas | |
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| Democrat Tony Sanchez, Jr. | 34% | 36% | 33% | 39% | 28% | 21% |
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| Republican Rick Perry | 48% | 46% | 51% | 41% | 50% | 64% |
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| Undecided | 17% | 17% | 16% | 20% | 20% | 13% |
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State |
Male | Female | White | Hisp | Afri-Amer | |
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| Democrat Tony Sanchez, Jr. | 34% | 32% | 35% | 21% | 52% | 64% |
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| Republican Rick Perry | 48% | 52% | 45% | 65% | 25% | 10% |
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| Undecided | 17% | 15% | 19% | 13% | 23% | 25% |
U.S. Senate
"…who do you think you would vote for if the election were held today?"
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State |
N. Texas | E. Texas | S. Texas | Central Texas | W. Texas | |
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| (D)Ron Kirk | 36% | 40% | 34% | 36% | 40% | 26% |
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| (R)John Cornyn | 46% | 47% | 46% | 43% | 42% | 60% |
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| Undecided | 16% | 11% | 19% | 21% | 15% | 13% |
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State |
Male | Female | White | Hispanic | Afri-Amer. | |
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| (D) Ron Kirk | 36% | 33% | 39% | 25% | 46% | 73% |
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| (R) John Cornyn | 46% | 51% | 43% | 60% | 33% | 6% |
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| Undecided | 16% | 14% | 17% | 14% | 18% | 19% |
Absolutely. The wider dissemination the better. If you would, save it to your site as opposed to linking to mine. My small time server can't handle the volume ; )
FGS
FGS
Neither had the guy we in Texas elected governor in 1994 and overwhelmingly again in 1998. 'Nuff said.
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