News Media Commentary: The teeth come out- when candidates attack

(photo taken by Flickr's Duo de Hale, who said the dogs in the picture are actually just playing. It sure looks like fighting though- so it fits for this post. Creative Commons licensed picture.)

Anita Kumar wrote an article in WashPost today on last night's Gilmore v. Warner debate, the last scheduled debate of the race.

Here's the scoop:

• Republican Jim Gilmore repeatedly touted his opposition to the $700 billion financial bailout package signed into law earlier today and attacked his Democratic opponent Mark Warner over his support for the emergency economic plan. This financial rescue package offers Gilmore the chance to emphasize the differences between him and Warner (who as I noted in one of my former blog entries, are seen as creepily similar at times).
  
  Quick Quote: "This bailout is wrong. It is wrong," Gilmore said. "I can say, I would have voted no. I would have protected the taxpayer. Mark Warner would have not."
  
  
• Warner says he supports the plan and would have voted for it, although he would have liked to see some changes. He noted that both presidential candidates and both Virginia senators supported the bill.
  
  Quick Quote: "We had to act," Warner said. "This was a time when we needed to go forward to help the taxpayers."
  
  
• Apparently this debate was more "feisty" then the last two, as both candidates were observed interrupting the other. They were also noted snapping at each other like dogs fighting.
  
  Gilmore attack: "Don't talk down to me. Don't tell me I don't understand. You don't understand." (I can't help feel that this quote may have qualified for a few exclamation points.)
  
  Warner attack: "The last thing Washington needs is one more over-the-top, my-way-or-the-highway, partisan ideologue in the Senate."
  
  Now, boys, it's time to play nice!
  

The article also talked a little on various topics such as the Iraq War, illegal immigrants, and other not quite as fun topics.

Then the teeth came out again! (At least in the article)

• On the topic of the state's past financial problems! A fitting one for two former governors!
  
  Warner Attack: "You can't simply push off problems the way you tried to do when you pushed off the budget shortfalls we inherited when I became governor of Virginia."
  
  Gilmore Attack: "There was never a budget shortfall in Virginia," Gilmore said. "The law does not permit that."

Oh sister. Watch out for that.

And here's another photo to illustrate.

(photo by Jesse Gardner- who also said that these dogs may look fierce were just "having a grand time")

What has the world come to when dogs are behaving better than our candidates for state senator?


Oy vey.