Lincoln, Boozman quiz each other in first debate

U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and U.S. Rep. John Boozman, R-Rogers, squared off in their first formal debate on Friday afternoon (Sept. 10).

Boozman is hoping to unseat two-term incumbent Lincoln and is favored to win. A mid-July Talk Business Poll showed Boozman with a a 25-point lead over Lincoln. The Arkansas Election Line has rated the race as “safe Boozman.”

Roby Brock, owner of TalkBusiness.net and a content partner with The City Wire, moderated the debate which was held at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock.



According to Brock’s report on the debate, Lincoln was the aggressor answering tough questions on taxes, the economy and health care by drawing contrasts between herself and the Republican representative from the state’s Third Congressional District.

Boozman fielded many hardball questions, especially from Lincoln, on Social Security, foreign travel and abortion. His collected answers — while showing differences with Lincoln in certain areas — did not allow for any major gaffes.

In his opening and closing statements, Boozman said that Arkansas "can’t afford" Lincoln anymore and accused her of running up bigger deficits and supporting a more expansive government.

Lincoln said Boozman put the politics of his party ahead of the state’s needs, while declaring that she’d continue to fight to bring more of Washington dollars to Arkansas to help the state’s economy.

There were some definite moments of clarity and contrast in the debate, especially when the candidates were allowed to ask questions of each other.

Boozman, who has cited scheduling conflicts for not debating more often, proposed that Lincoln meet him for a town hall style debate that could last "three or four hours."  Lincoln, who has called for more debates accepted the offer, assuming details between the campaigns could be worked out.

Later, Lincoln asked Boozman to defend his overseas travel expenses related to his work on two subcommittees on veterans and military affairs. Boozman said that the travel, while expensive, was a good investment in American foreign policy as it allowed him to meet with leaders of other countries in the Middle East and other trouble spots around the world.

On her final question of the debate, Lincoln asked Boozman to defend his support for an anti-abortion bill that Lincoln portrayed as harmful to women who had been victims of rape and incest.

Boozman called for the bill number, which Lincoln was unable to provide, before declaring that he supported exceptions to anti-abortion legislation for rape, incest, and the health of the mother.