Democrats Specter, Sestak square off in live debate

May 2, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA

Pennsylvania’s two Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate dueled over character issues, crime, the war on terror and their devotion to Democratic principles in a live debate Saturday.

The hourlong event between fifth-term incumbent Arlen Specter and challenger Joe Sestak at times became uncomfortable as the two attacked each other relentlessly — Specter on Sestak’s Navy record and Sestak on Specter’s Senate votes that defied Democratic Party ideals.

Specter even opened the debate demanding an apology for a Sestak ad in which a veteran asks Specter not to “lie” about Sestak’s Navy record, and he repeatedly asked Sestak to release his service records to explain a 2005 reassignment by the Navy.

Sestak ignored the requests and called his service honorable. Instead, he worked to undermine Specter’s credibility as a Democrat, citing Specter’s vote for the Iraq war and other policies of former President George W. Bush.

Casting himself as a champion of working families who wants to cut taxes for small businesses, Sestak said Specter’s vote to deregulate banks helped lead to the evaporation of nest eggs and a wave of foreclosures since 2007.

“There is no record except the Republican record for Arlen Specter,” Sestak said.

Specter countered that he had stood with Democrats on their top priorities, even during his 28 years as a Republican before he switched parties last year.