Final gubernatorial debate doesn't lead to 'kinder, gentler' candidates

The most surprising part of Tuesday night’s gubernatorial debate was how well the candidates kept to their time limit, which still wasn’t very well.

With questions geared more towards the candidates’ personalities and personal beliefs, all three had the opportunity to become more palatable to Hoosier voters.
This is the last debate for the gubernatorial candidates.

Issues such as privatization and the economy did resurface, along with Democratic candidate Jill Long Thompson’s claim that Republican incumbent Mitch Daniel’s invested in the junk bonds of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

“Well as you know, junk bonds are considered high risk investments, and you know that Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have had a bailout by the federal government,” Long Thompson said. “I think it’s also important to know that there’s no investment policy for those dollars.”

“First of all, the treasurer decides on the investment of such funds,” Daniels said. “Secondly, there’s a very clear policy governing what is not permissible, and it’s one of the most conservative and cautious in America.”

Daniels said Indiana treasurer Richard Mourdock is reportedly scheduling a conference Wednesday at 10 a.m. to address Long Thompson’s attacks.

Libertarian candidate Andy Horning had a different view of economic policy, which he acknowledged that most voters might think is extremist.

"I don’t think it was the investments that were made, but I think it’s more or less the way our government has structured its money in debt in every kind of respect and what we have done over the last 30 years in terms of moving away from a gold standard,” he said.

For the rest of the questions, the main challenge the candidates faced was how to edge in their Web sites and attacks on the other candidate. The ongoing catfight between Daniels and Long Thompson did not end here, when Long Thompson’s comments finally made Daniels snap.

“Well, I thought eventually we might see a kinder, gentler you,” he said to her, “but I guess it’s not in the cards.”

But Long Thompson wasn’t afraid her strategy and the bickering between her and Daniels would turn voters away.

“I think it’s very important to talk very candidly about the issues and that’s what I’ve always done,” she said.