DOYLE and GREEN DEBATE: LIVE FROM LA CROSSE

Tonight was the last debate between Jim Doyle and Mark Green before the election.

It was broadcast live from La Crosse at 7:00 pm.

Like the others, it was a one hour debate.

(I don't think that Doyle has the stamina to last any longer.)

From WisPolitics:

The focus of the debate is quality of life issues such as education, health care, the marriage amendment, campaign finance reform, immigration, energy and transportation.

Colin Benedict and Frederica Freyburg moderated.

There were no opening statements.

Citizens asked the questions.

After the candidates responded, there were two minutes for open debate.

To begin, appearance--

Green looked very relaxed and confident. He was wearing his usual dark suit and red tie.

Doyle looked like he's packed on a few pounds. He, too, wore a dark suit. His tie was distracting, red with rather bold white stripes. The tie was so lively that it made him look dull.

Now, substance--

QUESTION ONE: What will you do to reduce the cost of health care in Wisconsin?

During the open debate segment, Green charged Doyle with finger-pointing and making excuses. Green made the case that the buck stops with Doyle.

Green pointed out that Wisconsin has some of the highest health care costs in the nation.

That's not good.

Doyle, of course, trotted out his tired "Green didn't get anything done in Washington" on health care. I really don't think that resonates with voters. People are smart enough to know that a single congressman isn't responsible for running the federal government.

QUESTION TWO: How do you plan to fund education?

Doyle said that education is his number one priority. His wife's a teacher and his mother was a teacher. (That's nice, but so what?)

He talked about how hard he's worked on education. (Too bad the results aren't there to show for it.)

Green said that he has a plan. He wants 70 cents of every dollar to go to kids and not to buildings and bureaucrats. Green spoke passionately and convincingly.

Green pointed out that slowing down increases is not the same as a cut in funding. He scored a direct hit when he said Doyle has not fulfilled the promises he made four years ago regarding education.

QUESTION THREE: It dealt with crime and incarceration. The question wasn't very clear. The woman asked if the candidates thought that it was a problem that criminals end up back in prison.

The candidates spoke in general about crime.

Doyle joked about the question coming from "Mary from Sun Prairie." It appeared that Doyle is trying to look more likable and less like an ogre.

During the open debate segment, the woman said they didn't answer her question. She repeated, "Do you see that as a problem?"

Both Doyle and Green were confused.

QUESTION FOUR: What is your plan to strengthen the people's trust in government?

Doyle said he holds himself to the highest standards of ethics. After he said that, I was so thrown by his ridiculous claim that I missed the rest of what he said.

Green brought up casino gaming and Doyle's broken promise to establish oversight. Green also hit Doyle hard on the sleazy contract scandals.

Doyle countered by saying that Green made wild accusations. He then brought up the money that was stripped from the Green campaign.

Green said the same rules should apply to him as Tom Barrett. He said that Doyle rigged the State Elections Board.

The two minute time was up but Doyle refused to shut up. Very boorish. He broke the rules. As a result, the moderator gave Green time for a quick rebuttal.

This was the most heated moment of all the debates, but it still was pretty tepid.

QUESTION FIVE: What would you do to improve access to health care in Wisconsin?

Green said what Doyle has done obviously isn't working. Green pushed for health savings accounts and noted that Doyle has obstructed tax deductions for such accounts.

Doyle then slipped back to Washington, saying Green has voted to cut Medicaid. Very ineffective.

During the open debate time, Green reiterated a new solution, health savings accounts.

Doyle said that he was making things better in Wisconsin by pushing for drugs from Canada. Sure.

QUESTION SIX: What steps will you take to insure that every child in Wisconsin has access to quality education and get rid of the racial achievement gaps?

Doyle responded that he's for four-year-old kindergarten, small class size, and breakfast programs.

Unlike Doyle, Green addressed the racial disparity regarding achievement head on. He said he's a huge supporter of choice schools and charter schools. He said we have to stand behind reformers. Green pointed out that Doyle was dragged kicking and screaming to give some support to school choice and lift the cap a little bit.

During open debate, Green talked about the tremendous tuition increases for the UW system that have occurred under Doyle.

QUESTION SEVEN: Do you support lifting the moratorium on nuclear energy and promoting alternative energy needs?

Green spoke about focusing on renewables.

Doyle talked about the Big Oil companies and Right-wing conspiracies to lower prices at election time.

No two minute open debate. From this point on, the moderators were rushing to get questions covered. It seemed very rushed.

QUESTION EIGHT: What would you do specifically to enhance the quality of health care?

Doyle said he wants Wisconsin to have the best medical records systems in the country. He called it an "enormous step forward" in terms of quality.

Green talked about transparency and increasing competition. He brought up liability risks for health care providers. According to Green, "We're Alabama North."

QUESTION NINE: On liability costs and tort reform, how would your position affect Wisconsinites?

Green said that Doyle has been a disaster when it comes to liability reform.

Doyle looked visibly angry. He said that he signed medical liability caps and Green was lying about his record.

CLOSING STATEMENTS:

Doyle was first, losing the coin toss three times in a row.

He talked about Washington failing Wisconsin, another reference holding Green personally responsible for what the federal government does or does not do.

Then, he said that he supports embryonic stem cell research. Most of his closing statement was about stem cell research. Very odd. Does the Doyle camp believe that embryonic stem cell research is their ticket to victory?

When it was Green's turn, he asked Wisconsinites: "Are you satisfied with the current path?"

He asked if you're satisfied with higher taxes, increased in-state tuition, increased health care costs, increased energy costs?

Green said, "We don't have a people problem. We have a leadership problem."

Once again, Green was energetic and positive. He encouraged Wisconsinites to join him in making things better in the state.

Interestingly, the marriage amendment wasn't mentioned at all.

Freyburg and Benedict had difficulty managing the time, so it's possible that the issue wasn't addressed due to time constraints. Such a big question should not have been left out of the debate.

Immigration was barely touched on. Green mentioned it in regard to tuition breaks, but other than that, there was no discussion on immigration. Again, as with the marriage amendment issue, it was unfortunate that the topic wasn't addressed.


I've watched nearly all of all three debates.

I have my biases. That's no secret.

But being as objective as possible, I think that throughout the series of debates, Doyle seemed on the defensive overall. He seemed worn out. He tried to smile more this time, but it appeared forced.

Green came off as so much more vibrant and eager to bring new life, energy, and ideas to the state.

Bottom line:

Doyle spent the debates defending what he's done the last four years.


Green took the opportunity to offer new solutions and a vision for a better future for Wisconsin.

To me, there's no question who should be the governor of Wisconsin for the next four years.

VOTE FOR MARK GREEN.