ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, September 30, 1996 TAG: 9609300088
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG
Virginia's two candidates for the U.S. Senate spelled out sharp differences on taxes and spending Sunday night during an hour-long televised debate at the College of William and Mary.
Democrat Mark Warner repeatedly accused three-term Republican incumbent John Warner of casting votes in 1995 to slow the growth rate for Medicare benefits while at the same time seeking a tax cut for the rich.
"I will not balance the budget on the backs of our senior citizens," Mark Warner said.
"My priorities are different from John's," Mark Warner added later in the debate. "I believe we have to put off massive tax relief until we get our fiscal house in order."
John Warner defended his vote to slow the rate of Medicare growth as a serious attempt to pare entitlement programs which account for a large portion of federal spending. He said his support for a Republican-proposed $245 billion tax cut - including reductions in levies on income and capital gains - was aimed at keeping money in the pockets of working families.
The Republican repeatedly challenged Mark Warner to come forward with a list of his proposed cuts. He scoffed at the Democrat's proposal that a bipartisan panel be appointed to recommend ways of decreasing federal spending.
"If you want to criticize me, that's fine," John Warner said. "But I think in fairness, Mark, you've got to put where you would cut on the table."
The arguments about taxing and spending highlighted a mostly civil debate in which the candidates also stressed their leadership qualities, experience and vision of the future.
The debate was sponsored by Virginia Public Television and Landmark Communications, which publishes The Roanoke Times and The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk. Questions were asked by a group of 16 citizens - five of whom attended the debate in Williamsburg while the rest viewed it from studios in Falls Church and Roanoke.
Each of the citizens had participated earlier this year in round-table discussions on politics with the two newspapers and public television. The candidates did not always answer the questions put to them, often substituting speeches about other topics. The debate was moderated by Ken Bode, a political commentator on CNN.
The exchange - the second of three debates scheduled for the candidates before the Nov. 5 election - was particularly important to Mark Warner, who has been unable to cut in John Warner's lead of more than 20 percentage points, according to several statewide polls.
Mark Warner sought to portray his foe as doing little more in the Senate than marching in step with Republican leaders such as House Speaker Newt Gingrich. He said Warner backed GOP budget cuts which reduced federal funds for computers in classrooms and lunch subsidies.
John Warner disputed the characterization, saying he has long prided his independence from Republican ideology. As evidence, John Warner consistently alluded to his outspoken opposition in 1994 to Oliver North, the GOP nominee for the U.S. Senate. Warner outraged many Republicans by accusing North, the central figure in the Iran-Contra affair, of being dishonest - and eventually recruiting former attorney general Marshall Coleman to run as an "independent Republican."
"I'll put the interests of Americans and the interests of Virginians ahead of my own personal political interests," John Warner vowed. "And I've got proof of it."
The 69-year-old moderate Republican once again distanced himself from the religious right by saying he opposed calls to abolish the federal Department of Education. "I have never been part of any group which I believe is extremist," he said.
While defending much of the bureaucracy, John Warner said efforts to drastically cut the Internal Revenue Service and flatten the tax structure are "great ideas."
"John, if those are great ideas, what have you been doing the last 18 years?" replied Mark Warner.
"Fighting a Democrat-controlled Congress," the incumbent shot back, getting loud applause from the audience.
The Republican said his top priority would be to ensure that the United States remains strong militarily.
Mark Warner, a 41-year-old cellular telephone magnate, said his top goal is to improve education and train students to cope in a technological age.
"We must have political leaders who understand the [technological] challenge," he said. "If not, I'm afraid we'll have two Virginians and two Americas in the future. Those people who do understand will get good jobs. And those who don't will be left behind."
Although Mark Warner has never held public office, he said he is a strong leader. The Democrat pointed to his experience building a personal fortune in excess of $100 million and his successful efforts to help make medical insurance available to many working Virginia families that have low incomes but do not qualify for Medicaid.
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS CONGRESSby CNB