THE VALUE OF INCUMBENCY WAS THE OPENING TOPIC AS REPUBLICAN SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY AND HIS DEMOCRATIC OPPONENT, MIKE FRANKEN, DEBATED ON TELEVISION LAST (THURSDAY) NIGHT.
GRASSLEY, WHO IS SEEKING AN EIGHTH SIX-YEAR TERM, WILL HAVE THE MOST SENIORITY IN THE SENATE IF HE’S RE-ELECTED AND HE DESCRIBED IT AS A POSITION OF INFLUENCE.
DEBATE1 OC….NUMBER 100 :07
FRANKEN IS A RETIRED NAVY ADMIRAL WHO HAS NEVER HELD ELECTED OFFICE.
DEBATE2 OC….THE IDEAS :07
THE TWO CANDIDATES DISAGREED ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS. FRANKEN FAVORS MAKING THE 1973 ROE V WADE DECISION THAT HAD LEGALIZED ABORTION FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS A FEDERAL LAW.
DEBATE3 OC….GOVERNMENT :09
GRASSLEY SAID THE U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION THAT OVERTURNED ROE V WADE HAS LEFT ABORTION POLICYMAKING TO ELECTED STATE OFFICIALS AND HE’D VOTE NO ON A REPUBLICAN SENATOR’S BILL THAT WOULD BAN ABORTIONS NATIONWIDE AFTER THE 15TH WEEK OF A PREGNANCY.
DEBATE4 OC….DECISION :11
IF ELECTED, FRANKEN WOULD VOTE TO REPEAL TRUMP-ERA TAX CUTS.
DEBATE5 OC….STILL IN PLACE :11
NEAR THE END OF THE DEBATE, FRANKEN RESPONDED TO A FORMER CAMPAIGN AIDE’S ALLEGATION THAT HE HAD KISSED HER WITHOUT HER CONSENT.
FRANKEN, WHO SAID HE HAS ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SEXUAL MISDEEDS, SEEMED TO SUGGEST THE GRASSLEY CAMPAIGN HAD A ROLE IN MAKING THE ALLEGATION PUBLIC.
DEBATE6 OC….TO DO THAT :15
GRASSLEY AND FRANKEN AGREE U.S. MILITARY SUPPORT OF UKRAINE IS CRITICAL. SOME OF GRASSLEY’S G-O-P PEERS HAVE SAID U.S. ASSISTANCE SHOULD BE CUT OFF.
DEBATE7 OC….RIGHT NOW :12
FRANKEN SAYS IF UKRAINE FALLS, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADAMIR PUTIN WILL ORDER MORE INVASIONS.
DEBATE8 OC….COUNTRIES :08
THE CANDIDATES MADE THEIR COMMENTS AT NEARLY THE SAME TIME, PRESIDENT BIDEN TOLD A CROWD IN NEW YORK THAT PUTIN IS NOT JOKING ABOUT USING TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
FRANKEN, A RETIRED NAVY ADMIRAL, SAYS IF THAT HAPPENS, U.S. AIDE WORKERS SHOULD BE SENT TO ASSIST BURN VICTIMS — AND SOME WILL BE UNARMED BUT SPECIALLY TRAINED AMERICAN SOLDIERS. GRASSLEY SAYS THAT’S UNWISE.
DEBATE9 OC….DOMESTIC :19
THURSDAY NIGHT’S DEBATE, WHICH AIRED ON IOWA P-B-S, IS THE ONLY JOINT APPEARANCE THE CANDIDATES WILL MAKE BEFORE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.