Crist and Rubio Spar Over Spending in Debate
By DAMIEN CAVE
Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida, from left, and Marco Rubio debated Sunday, moderated by Chris Wallace. G.O.P. voters must choose a candidate to represent the party in the general election.
MIAMI — Gov. Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio faced off Sunday in the first debate of the race to become Florida’s next senator, and each unleashed a line of attack based on dollars and cents.
The question posed to the state’s Republican voters was which is worse: Mr. Rubio’s use of campaign contributions for personal expenses when he served in the Florida Legislature, including as speaker of the House? Or Mr. Crist’s support of the federal stimulus package?
“Speaker Rubio views public service as a way to enhance his personal enrichment,” said Mr. Crist, who spoke first, and attacked first, during the 40-minute debate on “Fox News Sunday.”
The governor went on to criticize Mr. Rubio’s use of campaign money for personal expenses, including $134 for a haircut, as well as his billing of what some said appeared to be personal flights to either the Republican Party or the state.
Mr. Rubio said that he had proved all the questioned expenses were legitimate or had repaid them. Then he tried to broaden the scope.
“You just don’t get it,” Mr. Rubio said. “This campaign is not about you, and it’s not about me. It’s about the people watching this program, that are watching their country being fundamentally redefined by this administration and this Congress.”
He added: “This election is about trust. Who do you trust to go to Washington and stand up to Barack Obama?”
Republican voters must decide which of the men will represent their party in the general election this fall. And in the candidates’ first face-to-face meeting, there was less bile than there has been in their campaign e-mail messages, perhaps because they were sitting just a foot apart.
Nevertheless, there were surprises.
Mr. Rubio, 38, said that, if elected, he would consider raising the age for Social Security benefit payouts and slowing the cost-of-living increases for recipients in his generation when they reach retirement age.
Mr. Crist, 53, said repeatedly and almost unequivocally that although he was behind in the polls by double digits, he would stay in the Republican column and not run as an independent.
“That’s right,” he said when asked about the persistent rumors that he would leave the party. “I’m running as a Republican.”
On policy, Mr. Crist emphasized his record of pragmatism. He defended his support for the $787 billion federal stimulus package — saying it had created or saved 87,000 jobs — and said that bringing assistance to Florida was more important than “rattling the cage and saying you’re going to do great things and stand on principle or politics above the people.”
He looked most frustrated, frowning noticeably and complaining, when the Fox News moderator, Chris Wallace, cut him off from talking about his mixed record on taxes. Mr. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, looked most flummoxed on the issue of immigration, when Mr. Wallace said he had taken a tougher line as a Senate candidate than as speaker of the Florida House.
On the federal health care overhaul, more differences emerged.
Mr. Crist said he supported the new law’s ban on canceled coverage for pre-existing conditions. But after emphasizing his own efforts in Florida, he had little to say when Mr. Wallace pointed out that the state’s program for the uninsured had largely failed, with only 5,000 people signing up for coverage.
Mr. Rubio was more direct. He said the overhaul should be rejected for one reason: “We can’t afford it.”
The question posed to the state’s Republican voters was which is worse: Mr. Rubio’s use of campaign contributions for personal expenses when he served in the Florida Legislature, including as speaker of the House? Or Mr. Crist’s support of the federal stimulus package?
“Speaker Rubio views public service as a way to enhance his personal enrichment,” said Mr. Crist, who spoke first, and attacked first, during the 40-minute debate on “Fox News Sunday.”
The governor went on to criticize Mr. Rubio’s use of campaign money for personal expenses, including $134 for a haircut, as well as his billing of what some said appeared to be personal flights to either the Republican Party or the state.
Mr. Rubio said that he had proved all the questioned expenses were legitimate or had repaid them. Then he tried to broaden the scope.
“You just don’t get it,” Mr. Rubio said. “This campaign is not about you, and it’s not about me. It’s about the people watching this program, that are watching their country being fundamentally redefined by this administration and this Congress.”
He added: “This election is about trust. Who do you trust to go to Washington and stand up to Barack Obama?”
Republican voters must decide which of the men will represent their party in the general election this fall. And in the candidates’ first face-to-face meeting, there was less bile than there has been in their campaign e-mail messages, perhaps because they were sitting just a foot apart.
Nevertheless, there were surprises.
Mr. Rubio, 38, said that, if elected, he would consider raising the age for Social Security benefit payouts and slowing the cost-of-living increases for recipients in his generation when they reach retirement age.
Mr. Crist, 53, said repeatedly and almost unequivocally that although he was behind in the polls by double digits, he would stay in the Republican column and not run as an independent.
“That’s right,” he said when asked about the persistent rumors that he would leave the party. “I’m running as a Republican.”
On policy, Mr. Crist emphasized his record of pragmatism. He defended his support for the $787 billion federal stimulus package — saying it had created or saved 87,000 jobs — and said that bringing assistance to Florida was more important than “rattling the cage and saying you’re going to do great things and stand on principle or politics above the people.”
He looked most frustrated, frowning noticeably and complaining, when the Fox News moderator, Chris Wallace, cut him off from talking about his mixed record on taxes. Mr. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, looked most flummoxed on the issue of immigration, when Mr. Wallace said he had taken a tougher line as a Senate candidate than as speaker of the Florida House.
On the federal health care overhaul, more differences emerged.
Mr. Crist said he supported the new law’s ban on canceled coverage for pre-existing conditions. But after emphasizing his own efforts in Florida, he had little to say when Mr. Wallace pointed out that the state’s program for the uninsured had largely failed, with only 5,000 people signing up for coverage.
Mr. Rubio was more direct. He said the overhaul should be rejected for one reason: “We can’t afford it.”
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