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October 27, 2006

Cordiality rules at today's Chafee-Whitehouse debate / Photo

Journal photo / Mary Murphy
Sheldon Whitehouse, left, and U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee talk with members of the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce this morning before their debate.

LINCOLN -- In contrast to the vicious campaign barbs they’ve traded in recent days, Republican U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee and Democratic challenger Sheldon Whitehouse sat down this morning for what was a surprisingly cordial debate, sponsored by the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce.

Held at the Kirkbrae Country Club, the 30-minute forum centered on core campaign issues such as health care and education, with questions submitted by the Chamber’s members.

There was no mention of former Providence Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr., or the FBI’s former Operation Plunder Dome probe into corruption at Providence City Hall-- topics which have heated up the high-profile Senate race this week.

Following the debate, Whitehouse said he was content to get back to the central issues. “I think that Senator Chafee was right back in his first race when he said negative campaigning is a disservice to voters, so I think that to be involved in talking about the issues that people care about is the right place to be,” Whitehouse said.

But Chafee said he sees the recent disputes differently. “I don’t consider looking at someone’s record as negative, I consider that as legitimate campaigning activity,” the senator said. “If the facts are there such as I am pointing out on Plunder Dome and Roger Williams Hospital than that’s what I think the voters want to hear. I’m not doing my job as a candidate if I’m not looking at critical shortcomings in my opponent’s record.”

-- Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham

Posted by Andrea Panciera  at 12:08 PM | Permalink

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