No Drama In Malloy-Lamont Debate

Anyone watch the debate between Democrats Dan Malloy and Ned Lamont on WFSB Channel 3? I watched the full hour. Overall, no harm, no foul. The opening started a little testy based on a question posed by moderator Dennis House regarding the nasty campaign ads in the final days, Malloy charging Lamont padded his pockets by cutting jobs, Lamont hammering Malloy for hiring city contractors to perform work on his house when he was mayor of Stamford.

For the most part the gubernatorial candidates were civil and wedded to their campaign themes. Malloy urging voters to support him because of his government experience. Lamont proclaiming he was better suited because of his business background. There was a decent exchange about the state’s income tax. Malloy saying the middle class gets screwed, higher income brackets should pay more. Lamont saying everyone already pays too much. Of course, the candidates have their own take on things.

From Ned Lamont:

Debate: Lamont Lays out Clear Vision for Connecticut

Malloy Refuses Lamont’s Call for Civil Conversation

Rocky Hill, CT – Today Democrat and businessman Ned Lamont and his opponent in the Democratic primary for governor met for their 29th joint appearance of the 2010 campaign.

While Lamont focused entirely on his own record and qualifications to be governor, Malloy closed the debate by reiterating the same false attacks that he’s launched against Lamont on television.

Malloy repeated his attacks despite Lamont’s call this morning for a civil conversation on the issues.

“I’m glad I had the opportunity to stand up and talk directly with the people of Connecticut about my record as a small business owner and a public servant,” said Lamont. “Given the tone of the past few days, I had hoped that Dan would refrain from dragging our campaign further into the mud, but I guess he couldn’t help himself. With just seven days until the primary, I hope he can find it within himself to close this campaign with a serious, positive conversation about the challenges Connecticut families are facing this year.”

Today’s debate marks the 29th joint appearance for the two candidates and the third statewide televised debate. In the final week Lamont will continue traveling the state, meeting with the people of Connecticut and talking about his plan to move Connecticut forward.

From Dan Malloy:

MALLOY CAMPAIGN COMMENTS ON DEBATE WITH LAMONT

The following is a statement from Dan Kelly, Campaign Manager for the Dan Malloy for Governor Campaign:

“Today’s debate made clear the choice that exists for Democrats on Aug. 10: they can choose a CEO who downsized his workforce by more than 70%, laid some people off, and paid himself half a million dollars, or a former Mayor who revitalized a city in decline and turned it into Connecticut’s most successful city, and one of the ten safest cities in America.

Time and again in the debate, Dan demonstrated that he’s ready to hit the ground running, while Ned continued to display a lack of knowledge about some key issues. For example, he said the money from the state’s two Native American run casinos was supposed to have gone to pay for education. That’s just wrong. That money was always slated to go into the General Fund. Perhaps Ned meant the Lottery?

Pressed by reporters afterward to explain the specifics surrounding the 70% reduction in his company’s workforce, Lamont seemed to say he’d release all his business and tax records. We urge him to do so – immediately.

While Ned’s attacks on Dan grow more desperate – one newspaper today called his latest TV commercial ‘the worst smear of the campaign so far’ – Dan will spend the last few days of this campaign doing what he’s been doing the entire time: talking about his track record of experience as a Mayor of a large, successful city, and laying out a path toward a better future for Connecticut.”