by John Shearer
posted June 29, 2006
KNOXVILLE – The three Republican candidates for Bill Frist’s U.S. Senate seat – Ed Bryant, Bob Corker and Van Hilleary -- held a spirited debate here Thursday evening, with former Chattanooga Mayor Corker referring sarcastically to the other two former congressmen as “my Washington friends” several times in reference to their lobbying jobs, and Mr. Hilleary calling Mr. Corker “my tax-raising through the roof buddy.”
The hour-long event -- held in front of a 75-percent-full UT University Center auditorium crowd of journalists, elected officials, Republican Party boosters, college student supporters and others – did maintain civility for the most part, however.
With Knoxville area media personalities serving as moderator and panelists, the candidates answered questions on such topics as the Iraq War, illegal immigration, abortion and each other’s record.
On the question of immigration, Mr. Hilleary said that the United States had an illegal problem “that has gone crazy,” while Mr. Bryant said a lack of will exists in Washington to enforce the immigration laws along the country’s borders. Mr. Corker, meanwhile, said that both Mr. Hilleary and Mr. Bryant had chances to act on the immigration situation in 1996 through legislation while in Congress but did not.
When asked about a timeline for bringing the troops home from Iraq, all three said they were against one. Mr. Hilleary, a Gulf War veteran, said it was “un-American” to have a timeline and on more than one occasion said America needed “to have enough boots on the ground to get the job done.”
On the topic of pressuring employers not to hire illegal immigrants, Mr. Corker said a system needs to be in place so that employers know if a worker is legal or not. Mr. Hilleary added that it is unfair to penalize employers.
Mr. Bryant brought out that Democratic candidate Harold Ford Jr. had discovered that Mr. Corker once had illegal immigrants working on a job site of one of his development projects. Mr. Corker rebutted that he never had illegals working as employees, but that of the “thousands and thousands” of subcontractors with which he had worked, one crew was found to have some illegal immigrants. However, he said his company worked vigorously with immigration officials to resolve the problem and that event of 18 years ago has given him the experience to deal with that issue as a senator.
On the subject of the proposed fair tax, which would be a tax on consumption, Mr. Bryant said he would support it and any legislation that would make the system fair. Mr. Corker said he is intrigued with it and likes that it would be transparent and encourage savings and investment. However, he did say he wanted to know the details. Mr. Hilleary said Congress should make sure a Constitutional amendment is put into place so that an income tax can still not be enacted, if a fair tax law is passed.
A question from the audience dealt with global warming, and Mr. Hilleary said that the debate on whether global warming exists is not over, despite what Democrat Al Gore says. However, he did say everybody needed to be sensitive to the environment and look at using cleaner coal technology, building more nuclear plants and drilling for oil where it makes sense.
Mr. Bryant said alternative fuels will benefit the country better, while Mr. Corker said that, regardless of whether global warming is real or not, it is in America’s own self-interest to look for alternative energy sources.
On the subject of ethics reform, Mr. Bryant said that intelligent people who will make the right choices should be elected. Mr. Corker said people should not be able to leave Congress and become lobbyists, while Mr. Hilleary said he would like to see names on earmarks next to legislation.
When asked their views related to abortion, Mr. Hilleary said he is pro life and has always been pro life. “Up until this election, Bob Corker has been pro choice,” he said.
Mr. Corker said he is pro life and was pro life before the race began.
Mr. Bryant, adding that he is pro life, said he has the endorsement of the Tennessee Right to Life group.
In their closing arguments, Mr. Corker said there was not any difference among the candidates on the issues. “I believe I have the background to create positive change,” he said.
Mr. Hilleary, taking a shot at some of the campaign accusations against Mr. Corker, said his record is different from raising taxes and being pro choice. “I have a Ronald Reagan backbone of values,” he said.
Mr. Bryant, meanwhile, also plugged his conservative values as a reason to vote for him.
When breaks for commercials were held during the debate, none of the candidates talked with each other. Prior to the event’s beginning, Mr. Corker went down one aisle toward the stage shaking hands, while Mr. Bryant went down another. After the debate, one of Mr. Corker’s daughters ran up and hugged him from the back as he walked off the stage.
Among those spotted in the audience were former UT President Dr. Joe Johnson and current Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, who is a Corker supporter. Several state elected officials were also present.
On the streets outside the University Center, campaign volunteers had put up literally hundreds of yard signs. Corker seemed to have the most, followed fairly closely by Bryant. Only a small number of Hilleary signs could be found.
Besides Knoxville television station WATE, the event was also sponsored by UT’s Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy. Construction on the new center has just begun farther west on Cumberland Avenue.
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