Deeds, McDonnell tread softly in first televised debate

RICHMOND

The game-changing moment Democrat Creigh Deeds was searching for with three weeks until Election Day didn't appear to come during Monday night 's debate, the first of this gubernatorial campaign to be broadcast across the state.

Instead, Deeds and the Republican he's trailing in the polls, Bob McDonnell, stuck to similar talking points and kept the exchange more civil that they did in the N orthern Virginia debate last month.

The toned-down rhetoric perhaps was attributable to the staging, which had the two men seated side-by-side across a small table from moderator Judy Woodruff.

Still, both men landed their share of jabs.

"My opponent has been one of the biggest tax increasers in the General Assembly," McDonnell said, claiming Deeds has supported $3.5 billion in new taxes in recent years and wants another $1 billion to pay for roads. "I think that's the wrong policy."

"You've heard him state a lie right now. I've not proposed $1 billion in tax increases," Deeds shot back, later claiming that McDonnell is using taxes as a political " boogeyman."

McDonnell repeated his claim that Deeds has no plan for transportation other than to raise taxes.

"My opponent still walks in here today 21 days from the election and he has no plan," he said.

Deeds responded that McDonnell's plan to use a mixture of unproven revenue sources to pay for roads is "dead on arrival" in the legislature.

Although they clashed on a number of issues, the tone of this debate was a departure from some of the more harsh invective that has dominated recent exchanges between the candidates.

Deeds avoided direct references to McDonnell's 1989 graduate thesis that argued for a conservative social agenda in government. Many of the political advertisements sponsored by Deeds invoke the writing in the 93-page document.

W hen asked after the debate if he purposely avoided the thesis because of blowback about his campaign strategy, Deeds said he hadn't.

"It wasn't calculated at all," Deeds said. "The reality is I've talked about the thesis because... it puts Bob McDonnell's record in context."

Deeds also worked to soften his image and relate to voters by saying that while he isn't the "smooth talker" McDonnell is, "I tell the truth and I work hard to get things done."

McDonnell repeatedly attached Deeds to federal proposals for "more taxation and regulation."

"We need to have more limited government. We can't abide by what Washington is doing with cap-and-trade and card check and unfunded mandates. That's why I've opposed those and he's for them," McDonnell said.

As governor, McDonnell pledged to "make government simpler, more accountable" and to grow the economy by promoting small business development, alternative energy, and offshore drilling, among other proposals.

Questions came from the moderator, four panelists and citizens who submitted videotaped queries.

Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com