Quinn, Brady Get Nasty In Last Debate
CHICAGO (CBS) - The contest between Gov. Pat Quinn and challenger Bill Brady has been dominated by comparisons to Rod Blagojevich, claims of extremism, and even what was dubbed America's nastiest campaign ad.
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On Thursday night, the candidates were hardly burying the hatchet. The final debate between them was dominated by bickering and personal insults.
Quinn and Brady appeared for a debate on WTTW-Channel 11's "Chicago Tonight" show, with Carol Marin serving as moderator. They faced off on issues from immigration and abortion to gay rights.
Brady introduced a proposition for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions.
"The law of Illinois is that marriage would be a protected institution between a man and a woman, and I support that law," Brady said.
"I don't agree with Senator Brady's position. He sponsored a bill that would allow employers to fire gay people just because they're gay. We want to have jobs in Illinois, and gay people want to work too," Quinn said.
But Brady took Quinn to task for a quote Marin read, which says Brady "doesn't believe in equality for women and would rather that lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender people not exist."
Quinn said he never said the quote attributed to him. But he continued to slam Brady: "I disagree with your position on a lot of things, but especially, the governor of Illinois should be tolerant. You haven't been tolerant."
Brady accused Quinn of misrepresenting his positions.
"You ran ads saying I didn't believe in equal pay. You know I voted for an ad that said I do believe in equal pay. I voted for a bill," Brady said.
Quinn brought up a claim that Brady wanted to cut the minimum wage. But Brady said he actually wants to "let the federal level catch up to Illinois. Another distortion."
Brady spoke against the state's plan to borrow $4 billion to pay the state's contribution to pension plans, and blamed Quinn for being unwilling to "face up to the tough decisions that a governor must make.
"Illinois is spending out of control. Governor Quinn has not been able to rein in state spending. He's elevated; he's increased state spending by over $3 billion," Brady said. "Families and businesses around the state have deconstructed and reconstructed their spending to live within their means. We need a governor who won't continue to borrow on the backs of citizens and our pensions."
Brady also pointed out that the state is constitutionally required to balance the budget.
"You seem to fail to remember the oath you took," Brady said.
But Quinn said he has cut the budget, with 1,100 fewer state employees than when he took office.
Brady also blamed Quinn and his predecessor, Blagojevich, for failing to fund state pensions.
Quinn countered: "Our problems did not begin the day I lifted my hand off the Bible and got sworn in. Senator Brady was in Springfield for 17 years. He voted on 17 budgets. The pension problems developed over that period of time.
But as the debate went on, Brady pressed on in linking Quinn to Blagojevich and said they are both to blame for the state's ballooning deficits.
"You were Governor Blagojevich's partner for eight years. You can't blame it all on him. You were his partner," Brady said to Quinn.
"He never talked to me. Everybody knows that," Quinn replied. "As a matter of fact, he announced to the whole world that I was not part of his administration."
Quinn in turn brought up another governor who ended up in criminal trouble.
"When George Ryan was running, even when those six children died, what did you say to him?" Quinn said.
The candidates were also asked if they would commit to serving just one term, so, Marin said, "this term will have your undivided attention, with no distractions or thoughts about an upcoming election."
Quinn said he believes in term limits and that two terms is enough, but he said he would not commit to one term.
"No, I don't think so. If you look at the federal term limits with respect to president, I think that's the best system that we should have," Quinn said. "We should adopt it in Illinois by constitutional amendment."
Brady said there are "difficult decisions" that need to be made to eliminate "the fraud, the abuse, the mismanagement."
