Diane Farrell, the Democratic candidate, continued to challenge incumbent Rep. Chris-topher Shays, R-Conn., for backing the war in Iraq. Shays emphatically defended his position, including his recent change of mind about setting a timeline to withdraw troops. Libertarian Phil Maymin attempted to offer an alternative to the two major-party candidates.
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"This is one more illustration of what has been happening with the existing Republican leadership," Farrell said of the Foley scandal, alleging House leadership knew the former congressman sent sexually explicit e-mails to a teenage page but did not take action to stop it.
"It has been one mistake or one scandal after another, and the one that is the most substantive right now is, of course, where we are in the war in Iraq," she said.
The debate, hosted by the Business Council of Fairfield County at the Stamford Marriott and co-sponsored by The Advocate and Greenwich Time, the League of Women Voters, the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties and the Fairfield County Bar Association, allotted the three candidates 15 minutes each of cumulative time to answer questions.
Green party candidate Richard Duffee was not invited to the debate.
Shays spent most of his 15 minutes defending his vote to authorize military force in Iraq, as well as his recent call to set a timetable for troop withdrawal after returning from his 14th trip to the country and reporting no political progress by the Iraqi leadership. After the debate, he called on Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to resign over his handling of the war.
Farrell suggested Shays was switching his position in light of the Democratic primary win last month of anti-war candidate Ned Lamont over incumbent Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn. Shays responded angrily that he would not suggest policy based on politics.
Brandishing a packet of letters and observations about Iraq, including a letter to the Bush administration written before the primary, Shays said his position has been extensive, sincere and real.
"I have attended five funerals," Shays said. "I would never ever, ever have a policy on Iraq based on my personal election."
Farrell, who supports a diplomatic solution by establishing benchmarks for the warring Iraqi factions, chided Shays for his letters, saying his recommendations have done little to change the minds of the Bush administration.
"This is not an action item. Too passive for me," she said. "Not for where we are today."
Maymin, advertising himself as the only candidate who would not have supported military action in Iraq under any circumstances, said the United States must set a strict July 4 deadline to withdraw troops.
Setting benchmarks means "we stay potentially forever, or stay forever until we experience such a large number of casualties we pull out looking weak," Maymin said. "You set a deadline several months out, but less than a year É because it signals to the people of Iraq to get your affairs in order. É We will not be writing a blank check."
The debate was delayed at times because of crowd applause. Maymin earned perhaps the biggest laugh of the afternoon when he quipped that no Libertarian candidates had been involved in any recent scandals.
Candidates also were asked about the federal deficit and transportation, though most answers referenced the Iraq war, including a response by Farrell after Shays brought up the rising deficit and debt in Westport while she was first selectwoman.
"The vast majority of the money (spent), we built a new middle school, refurbished our high school, renovated and touched every single school in the town of Westport," she said. "I challenge you to stand here and tell me the $250 million we spend every day in Iraq is money better spent."
A Reuters/Zogby poll released yesterday showed Farrell ahead of Shays, 46 percent to 41 percent with 13 percent still undecided. A poll by The Advocate and Greenwich Time released Monday showed Shays up 44 percent to 40 percent, with 16 percent undecided.
