Gilmore Meets Warner For Final Showdown

7:55 p.m Both candidates are now giving closing statements. Gilmore is talking about the bailout, noting again he would have opposed it while Warner supported it. "The tax man will come, and undoubtedly ladies and gentleman, he will come for you," Gilmore said. Warner reiterated that the bailout was needed. "You just can't push off problems," he said. Warner then framed race as a contrast between the "future versus the past."

7:54 p.m Gilmore said he would vote to confirm Supreme Court justices who support overturning Roe v. Wade. Warner said he wants to protect Roe v. Wade.

7:53 p.m.Warner said he wants to eliminate earmarks for transportation but said he would advocate for additional federal funding for some Virginia institutions. Gilmore said he will not request any earmarks. Gilmore is now talking about how the bailout bill was "full of earmarks." "Mark Warner would have voted for this bill," Gilmore said. "I will stand up for the taxpayer."

7:50 p.m. Warner is talking about investing more in transportation. He said he supports more public-private partnerships to build more roads in Northern Virginia.

7:42 p.m. Warner said his opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the same as GOP presidential nominee John McCain's. Gilmore responded, "Im not in this for John Mccain, I am in this for the people on the other side of this camera."

7:41 p.m. The two candidates are now debating energy policy. Both say they support offshore drilling, but Gilmore says Warner is not being sincere because he has ties to the environmental community. Gilmore supports more drilling in Alaska.

7:40 p.m. Warner is accusing Gilmore of being too partisan to be an effective voice in Washington. "The last thing Washington needs is one more over the top, my way or the highway, partisan voice in the United States Senate," Warner said. Gilmore said Americans want someone in Washington who will stand up for the taxpayers on issues such as the bailout.

7:37 p.m. Gilmore is accusing Warner of being a "flip flopper" because he said Warner previously supported a timetable.

7:36 p.m. Warner restated he wants to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq in January. "Its time to go to the Iraq government and say, you are sitting on $80 billion in oil profits, it's time for you to take some responsibilty," Warner said. But Warner said he doesn't want a firm timetable.

7:35 p.m. The question is on No Child Left Behind, but Gilmore is back to the bailout. Warner said he is not for the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind because it is not being adequately funded.

7:33 p.m. Warner is now stating his views on illegal immigration. Warner is advocating tougher border security and a more aggressive approach in deporting people in the country illegally who commit crimes. But Warner said, "I don't think we are going to be deport 10 to 12 million additional people." He said he would support a pathway to citizenship for some illegal immigrants but they "would have to go to the back of the line." Gilmore responded he wants all illegal immigrants deported.

7:29 p.m. Both candidates are now getting a bit testy. "Mark you don't understand," said Gilmore, who is calling the bailout a "travesty."

7:28 p.m. Warner is blaming the bailout, again, on the Bush Adminstration and greed on Wall Street

7:27 p.m. The two candidates now get to ask each other a question. Gilmore wants to know, again, why Warner supported the bailout

7:25 p.m. The two men are now being forced to defend their respective records as governor. Warner was governor from 2002 to 2006. Gilmore was governor from 1998 to 2002. Gilmore said people are more interested in the bailout then they are his or Warner's record as governor. Warner is responding by accusing Gilmore of leaving a deficit when he was governor. Warner noted Virginia was named the "best state for business" when he was governor.

7:20 p.m. A panelist is asking the two candidates what programs they will cut in order to pay for the bailout. Warner doesn't have a specific answer, but said he will bring fiscal responsibity to Washington and will take a look at everything. Gilmore is turning the question around to once again state his opposition to the bailout. He said, "we could have done something to inject capital into the banking system without taking over their bad debts."

7:20 p.m. Warner is now hammering Gilmore's views on the health insurance program. Warner noted he expanded the program when he was governor.

7:18 p.m Gilmore is being asked about his previous opposition to adding state funds to the Childrens Health Insurance Program. "The fact is we are not going to be able to do anything on health care if we continue to give away taxpayers' money," Gilmore responded, referring to the bailout.

7:17 p.m. Gilmore is accusing Warner of being too close to organized labor. "Mark, when you get to the United States Senate, you have to vote yes or no to this bill and the AFL-CIO expects you to vote yes."

7:15 p.m. Warner is now having to answer a question on whether he supports Virginia's right to work laws. Warner is being forced to clarify his position on a bill before Congress that would make it easier to join a union. He said he supports the bill, but would like some changes made it. Now, he is trying to change the subject.

7:14 p.m. Gilmore is now answering a question about whether he thinks the United States should begin dialogue with Iran. He said he supports some communication with Iran but said "we should have a policy" where Iran is not allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.

7:12 p.m. Warner is now appearing a bit defensive. "This is a problem that is not going to go away," Warner said of the bailout.

7:10 p.m. Gilmore is clearly on the offensive as it relates to the bailout. Could this be the issue that breathes new life into his campaign?

7:09 p.m. Gilmore is now answering a question about what he would do in lieu of a bailout. Warner is responding by again defending the bailout. "What we are facing right now is a freezing of the credit markets." He said there would be "economic turmoil" if the bailout was not approved. Warner noted both presidential candidates voted for the bailout. "I think we needed to act," Warner said.

7:08 p.m. Gilmore responded, "this bailout is wrong." Gilmore added, "I can say, I would have voted no. I would have protected the taxpayer, Mark Warner would have not," Gilmore said.

7:06 p.m. Warner is now talking about the bailout, saying it was needed because "too many people made mistakes" both in Washington and on Wall Street. But Warner said the bailout was needed because the credit markets were frozen. "We had to act," Warner said.

7:06 p.m. Warner is talking about Gilmore's record as governor. Warner said he was endorsed yesterday by more than 600 local officials from both parties. He said he will be a senator who will show independence on Capitol Hill.

7:05 p.m. Gilmore and Warner have now taken the stage and they are delivering opening remarks. Gilmore said, "this is the most important election we may ever see in our lifetime. There is going to be change and this United Senate race will determine exactly what type of change." Gilmore has come out against the bailout. Gilmore is accusing Warner of supporting the bailout. "I think we should stand with the taxpayers," Gilmore said.

6:45 p.m. The televised U.S. Senate debate between Republican James S. Gilmore III and Democrat Mark R. Warner will begin at 7 p.m.

This is the last scheduled debate between Gilmore and Warner. They have had two previous encounters, neither of which altered the course of a race in which Warner holds a big lead in the polls.

We will be keeping track of the action in this posting. The debate will air on C-Span in Northern Virginia.

By Tim Craig |  October 3, 2008; 7:44 PM ET  | Category:  Tim Craig
Previous: Kaine Looks to Budget Showdown | Next: Gilmore Finds His Issue

Posted by: Missed the debate | October 3, 2008 8:19 PM

Posted by: Michael1945 | October 3, 2008 8:31 PM

Posted by: Former Virginian | October 3, 2008 9:14 PM

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