8th District debate reveals candidates' strategies

Campaign strategies became clear Tuesday during the first debate in the 8th Congressional District race: Darcy Burner is going to link U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert to President Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress, and Reichert is going to promote his three decades of public service, particularly his stint as King County sheriff.

Both strategies were repeated in the 90-minute debate at Bellevue's Meydenbauer Center, an event sponsored by The Seattle Times and KUOW-FM radio. A loud and divided crowd of 400 watched the candidates respond to a wide range of questions. A panel of journalists and the audience asked about everything from the Iraq war and prescription drugs to North Korea and the congressional page sex scandal.

But questions of experience and political allegiances were at the forefront.

"George Bush is taking this country in the wrong direction and this congressman and this Congress will never stand up to him, but I will," Burner said.

In his closing remarks, Reichert raised his voice and listed his credentials as an Air Force reservist, sheriff and congressman who keeps an open mind. He told Burner: "You're going to have to come from behind the bushes and understand that I'm your opponent."

The race between Reichert, a first-term Republican, and Burner, a Democrat and former Microsoft manager, is receiving national attention. Democrats see Reichert as vulnerable because of the declining popularity of Bush and national Republican leaders, and Republicans are praising Reichert's performance and vying to maintain control of Congress.

The high stakes were evident at the debate, with supporters of both candidates cheering wildly and sometimes heckling the candidates they opposed. Both campaigns said their candidates performed well, and they rushed out press releases rebutting some of their opponents' claims.

The candidates tried to distance themselves from each other but at times showed similarities. In response to a question about protecting the Second Amendment, Burner said she owned a gun and obtained a concealed-weapon permit to protect herself from a stalker in college.

"I have a gun. I know how to use it," she said sternly. After some laughter from the crowd, she said with a smile: "No one should take that as a threat."

Reichert pointed to his career in law enforcement: "I carry one, too, but to protect other people."

The candidates were allowed to ask each other a question. Reichert asked what Burner has done for her community, and she said she worked for good values at Microsoft, volunteered as a youth sports coach and on a community board near her home in the Carnation area.

Burner asked Reichert to defend his wavering and "unprincipled" stances on stem-cell research, global warming and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Reichert explained some of his votes and said it would be easy for voters to support him based on his long record.

The debate will be broadcast on TVW and KUOW (94.9). TVW broadcasts were planned at 7 tonight and 3 a.m. and 11 a.m. Thursday.

The candidates are expected to appear together two more times before the Nov. 7 election. They will tape a debate Friday on KING-TV, parts of which may start airing this weekend, and they also will appear at a Newcastle Chamber of Commerce candidate forum Oct. 21.

The forum starts at 10 a.m. at the Golf Club at Newcastle, 15500 Six Penny Lane.

Ashley Bach: 206-464-2567 or seattletimes.com">abach@seattletimes.com