Thanks to commentor RK, C-Span livestream here.
Warren gets the first question, on jobs, and IMO responds strongly…
First (out of line, audience ‘agreed’ to keep quiet) applause for Warren, defending what she calls ACA (Obamacare) against “Sen. Brown’s first job” of attempting to repeal it.
Brown keeps insisting Warren/Obama will “take money away from OUR communities”; Warren rebutting that Brown has voted against three job bills & will continue to vote as his Republican masters dictate.
Next question: education costs. Warren says more federal support is needed, and incidentally, Brown voted against reducing interest rates on student loans.
Brown whines rebuts that Warren gets paid a lot of money by Harvard, and that’s why college costs so much money! (Second round of applause) Also, small businesses shouldn’t be taxed just so students can have lower rates…
Same rondelay: Warren says we need to give American kids “the best chance at a good education”. Brown says that raising taxes is something he can never, never nevernevernever contenance.
The “Inevitable” deficit reduction qeusiton. Warren says we’re ‘winding down’ in Afghanistan, we can take some of those funds and use them to support social services as well as cutting the deficit. Says she will never vote to cut Social Security, gets the third & loudest round of applause.
Brown says that taxes must never be raised, taxes! Taxes, terrible, terrible, taxes, crushing! Lies some more about the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s B.S.
Moderator Jim Madigan is doing a much better job than DGregory. Or, for that matter, Jim Lehrer.
What’s the “middle class”? Brown getting teary-eyed about “fighting, all my life” against the government “pigs in a trough, who take & take & TAKE!”
Warren says she actually got a record of helping the middle class, not just spouting rhetoric.
Brown rebuts that Warren is a “lobbyist, hired gun” for big corporations. Gets booed by the audience. Warren defends her Consumer Protection Agency, gets another round of applause.
Scott claims he (& Sen. Reid) “made the agency better” before voting for it — mixture of boos & applause. Oops, Warren gets to point out that Brown secretly went behind the scenes to try & rewrite the bill to make it easier on big local companies…
Uh-oh, the Ladyparts Question. Brown grew up in an abusive home w/a single mom, and now he has two daughters. Yay him. He’s actually got some semi-coherent defense here, since he’s been allowed to vote for “women’s issues” when the Repub counters knew his vote wouldn’t affect the issue anyway.
Warren congratulates Brown on being a good husband & father. Then points out that Brown actually voted against equal pay and Planned Parenthood, not to mention against Kagan. “One chance to vote, and he voted against women’s rights.”
Brown: “Yes, I voted against your boss.” Took me a minute to realize he meant Pres. Obama, not Kagan.
Syria, also Iran. Warren: “I support President Obama, as the Commander in Chief”. More applause.
Brown reminds everyone he’s a JAG, also we can’t have our army fighting with its hands tied. Also, Iran is Satan walking, but he loves Israel, unlike some people.
Since reducing the deficit is “crucial”, when it comes to cutting militiary bases in MA, how will the candidates vote?
Brown: Did he mention he’s in the National Guard? Also, Our Sacred Military must be supported at all costs, as long as it doesn’t involve raising taxes, of course.
Warren: We need to reshape our military budget, reduce the standing army we no longer need, and probably raise taxes on millionaires and megacorporations to support veterans while developing the high-tech forces we’ll need in the future.
Closing statements. Brown: He is very very thankful, for the honor of being our senator. He wishes to remind everyone one more time, he is bipartisan, in the most bipartisanly way possible. And then once again he gets teary-eyed, literally, at the horror of raising taxes.
Warren: She wants to help ensure a better future for all our children & grandchildren, not just the millionaires.
Madigan (moderator) reminds everyone, “Remember, none of this counts, audience members, UNLESS YOU GET OUT AND VOTE!”
Excellent debate for Warren, IMO, and when Brown isn’t allowed to start off with his “Fauxahontus” BS, he’s really feeling out of his depth. Also, it might’ve been a very different debate in Denver if Madigan had been the moderator…
One more time, if you liked the buskers, time to pass the hat:
Third Warren / Brown Debate – SpringfieldPost + Comments (158)