Spencer, Clinton Spar In Final Debate

The second and final debate in the race for U.S. Senate from New York is now history. And let history show there was little-to-no new ground covered this morning at WABC-TV's studios in Manhattan

Sen. Hillary Clinton and her Republican opponent hit all the usual topics and gave all their usual answers.

Photo Credit: WABC-TV

Spencer opened the debate by saying he's the only one on the podium who wants to be a senator for the next six years. Obviously referencing Clinton's expected run for the presidency.

I was about to give him some points for being clever with the following quote about his opponent, who won her Senate seat just a few months after moving into the state in 2000.

"Mrs. Clinton was given the welcome mat six years ago by the people of New York and now I believe she is using us as a doormat," Spencer said.

Pretty clever. Until you find out (via the state Democratic Party spin machine) that Spencer appears to have - borrowed - those words from one-time Senate candidate Jeanine Pirro, now running for attorney general on the GOP ticket.

According to a story on CNN's Web site in August of 2005 Pirro said the following:

"She asked us to put out a welcome mat, and New York did. But now she wants to use New York as a doormat to the White House."

It also looses its cleverness when you really think about it and realize that a doormat and a welcome mat are the same thing.

Anyway. I digress!

Much of the debate was spent on national security and foreign policy. Both candidates were asked, in retrospect, if it was a wise thing for the Senate to have authorized President Bush to go to war in Iraq.

The New York Times has a terrific piece today on how political candidates of all stripes are handling that very question.

Spencer's answer fell clearly into the "Second-Guessing is for Weenies" category of answers, as defined in the article.

Ever the nuancer, (I know that's not a word), Clinton's answer fell into three of the categories: "The "No, but..." Response;" "The Hypothetical Meets Hypothetical," (If we had known then what we know now there never would have even been a vote on going to war); and "The 'Only Authorization' Vote.

It's a good piece in the Times. You should read it.

For Channel 7's review of the debate, and for dowload of the video, click here.