Good Evening, from Columbus, Ohio, this is liveblog coverage of the Senatorial Debate between Sen. Sherrod Brown and State Treasurer Josh Mandel. I'll be posting comments about the debate as it starts at 8:00PM and runs for the next hour. This diary reposted to Central Ohio Kossacks
Tonight's debate coverage will be seen on WBNS-TV (Channel 10) in Columbus, WCPO-TV (channel 9) in Cincinnati, and WJWD (Channel 8.2) in Cleveland. Also on 10tv.com
8:00PM. Jerry Revish introduces the candidates. Panelists: Laura Bischoff of the Dayton Daily News, Paul Costu (?) of the Cincinnati Enquirer, and Joe Hallett of the Columbus Dispatch.
8:02PM Mandel up first. Talks about the "American Dream under attack". Personal story. Mandel says people blame Washington for their problems (?), and that we need fiscal responsibility. Touts highest credit rating for Ohio, which, of course, he had nothing to do with.
8:05PM Now Sen. Brown. Illustrates how he talks to people around Ohio to listen to what people are thinking. Talks about reducing farm subsidies to save money, suggested by farmers. Talks about his service on the Veterans Affairs committee. Brown seems like he's talking from the stump; Mandel sounded like he was reading from a teleprompter (not that there's anything wrong with that!) Brown seems like he would connect with people.
8:08PM Mandel bitching about how Sen. Brown didn't singlehandedly fix the mess that Bush left us all.
8:09PM Sen. Brown hitting back on the auto bailout, the China currency bill, student loans. Washingtonspeak?
8:10PM Mandel cribs off Romney's plan to "simplify" the tax code. Bitching about the Wall Street bailouts. Pushing Romney's plan to "drill, baby, drill". Blames Sen. Brown for our economic problems.
8:12PM Sen. Brown talks about the economic progress he's supported, and touts the revival of manufacturing in Ohio the past 3 years. Talks about ending the tax breaks for shipping jobs overseas, and ties Mandel to Grover Norquist.
8:14PM Laura Bischoff up. Asks about Taxes on small business. Mentions the execrable NFIB. Sen. Brown touts how he worked with small auto suppliers and helped them get financing. What has Josh done? (WHJD?)
8:16 OK, new meme: What Has Josh Done? Washingtonspeak? Cmon, Josh, Sen. Brown just told you concrete ways he helped business across Ohio.
Mandel thinks his endorsements from the NFIB and the Chamber are impressive.
8:18PM Sen. Brown finally brings up Sen. Mandel's lack of attention to his current office.
8:19PM Paul Kostyu had a great question: why should we elect you? Claims he would be independent, but... I think we know better. That $23 million from Rove, the Koch Bros., and other big money groups looms large.
8:21PM Sen. Brown hits back on how he doesn't show up to work and how he cuddled up to payday lenders when he was in the Ohio House. "Doing things with honor and integrity. You fall far short". Mandel hits back, accusing Brown of being a liar. Seems Brown got under his skin.
8:23 Sen. Brown takes Joe Hallett's question and hurls a hot poker at Mandel. Then, addresses Hallett's question about what can be done to improve bipartisanship: fix the filibuster.
8:25PM "No Budget, No Pay" sounds like a nice enough gimmick. Wonder if Mitch McConnell would go for not being able to hold appropriations hostage. Sen. Brown replies to Mandel's attack on the Wall Street bailouts by reminding people of Grover Norquist and Mandel's no-tax pledge.
8:28 Josh, answer the damn question about the auto bailout... you totally ignored the question!
8:29PM Sen. Brown reminds us of his support of the auto bailout... gosh, Senator, you should run that commercial again where you drive off in the Chevy Cruze! Responds to Mandel about the budget and mentioned the grand compromise passed in Congress (aka the fiscal cliff).
8:31PM Paul Kostyu asks about trade. Sen. Brown repeats his support for tougher trade oversight of China, and touts his currency manipulation. "There's already a one-way trade war". "Trade rules haven't worked for the U.S." Manufacturing is a central part of middle class prosperity.
8:34PM Mandel blames Brown for the trade deficit? You blame Sen. Brown for the national debt, too? Yeah, right.
8:35PM Brown hits back, and reminds people how he opposed the Bush tax cuts and Bush's Medicare plan. Mandel tells Sen. Brown to calm down, which elicits boos from the audience!
8:36Pm Mandel blames the usual straw man-- lawsuits-- for ruining health care. That, plus the same tired 'publican talking points about health care. Cribs off Romney's $716B Medicare mirage.
8:38PM Sen. Brown vigorously defends Obamacare. "The insurance companies always support Josh Mandel." Good line!
8:40PM Turns Mandel's "faceless bureaucrat" line against him-- he's the one who's been running the treasurer's office! Kevin Boyce must also be in the audience. Continues to talk about how he's working with folks in Dayton to prepare if Wright-Patterson is closed.
8:42PM Mandel talks about how he would look for savings in the military to save money on the defense budget. Talked about closing bases overseas-- "The cold war is over". Really, Josh?
8:44 No surprise, Mandel doesn't support repeal of DADT and supports Ohio's gay marriage ban. Claims he would support all Ohioans; I wouldn't let him clean my dog's cage... and I don't even have a dog!
8:46 Brown calls Mandel's legislative voting record "bizzarre" .
8:48PM Joe Hallett asks Sen. Brown how he would cut spending. Farm Bill, prescription drug savings in Medicare, tax breaks for oil companies, tax breaks for shipping jobs overseas. Refutes Mandel's no-budget claim with pointing out how he's beholden to the special interests.
8:50PM Mandel's idea: cutting foreign aid. Libya hates us? Not according to the reports I've heard, where they really regret the Benghazi attacks.
8:53PM Closing statements: Mandel hangs all the problems of the world around Sen. Brown and career politicians in Washington. Haven't heard the phrase "Washingtonspeak" yet... Aid to foreign countries that harbor terrorists? Now breaks into a soliloquy about his wife... a member of the wealthy Ratner family... his wife is a social worker? That's news to me.
8:56PM Sen. Brown's closing statement... staying on message, stating that you can't trust Josh Mandel. Then he touts more of his accomplishments, particularly the auto bailout. Mandel's policy: more tax cuts for the rich. I think Sherrod Brown has this nailed down.
8:59PM It's over. It was a fast hour... liveblogging this debate has been interesting. I think Sen. Brown won, hands down. Brown keeps reminding people of his neglect of the Treasurer's office, and deflected charges of "Washingtonspeak" by listing his accomplishments. I think he connected with a lot of Ohioans.
In short, the impression from our living room sofa... from my wife, who said, "I don't like that guy". She also noted that they didn't shake hands... but I wouldn't shake hands with someone who called me a liar on a statewide TV broadcast.