Reichert, Burner debate over lunch

U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert and his Democratic challenger, Darcy Burner, brought their very different styles to the Meydenbauer Center Wednesday in their first debate of the campaign season.

Burner told personal stories, including what she had learned about overcoming a crisis after an accidental fire in July destroyed her family's home. She reminded voters she has an economics degree from Harvard and said she is "tech-savvy."

"We are at a time of tremendous danger for this country, and the economic policies that we have been following have failed us," she said.

Throughout the fast-paced lunchtime debate, Burner was insistent, ending almost every response by saying Congress needs "new people" in order to fix the problems the country faces.

At one point, Reichert responded: "Let me just point out and remind everyone in the room that the Democrats are in the majority."

Reichert was more laid-back, joking with the audience about accidentally dipping his tie in his lunch before the debate began. But he also was frequently on the offensive, predicting that Burner would raise taxes if she were in office and calling her proposal to end the war in Iraq "an irresponsible plan" because it would begin withdrawing troops immediately.

Burner calls her Iraq blueprint "The Responsible Plan."

"I really still look at myself as Joe Blow from Kent, Washington," Reichert said, "a cop who came to Congress, who looks at things in a very practical, logical, investigative, I-want-the-facts way."

Burner lost to Reichert in 2006 by a few percentage points. Reichert is seeking his third term representing the 8th Congressional District, which includes the eastern parts of King and Pierce counties, including Bellevue.

The debate helped parse the candidates' different views on the $700 billion Wall Street bailout, which both of them opposed. Reichert said it was rushed and didn't do enough to protect tax dollars. Burner said it didn't do enough to "fix the underlying problem," which she believes is deregulation.

The one-minute limit on answers clipped short the candidates' discussion of their tax plans, which have been the subject of attack ads from both sides in recent weeks.

Reichert said Burner's support for ending President Bush's tax cuts would result in a big tax increase. Burner said she would reinstate many of the cuts and add new ones to benefit the middle class.

She criticized Reichert for voting against so-called "pay-go" rules in Congress, which would require members to identify a source for any money they spend in legislation.

Reichert responded: "Pay-go is a great concept, but there are only three ways to make it work. You can raise taxes, you can make drastic cuts or you can borrow more money. Which one will my opponent do? I believe she will raise taxes."

The two candidates also clashed over the war. Reichert supports the troop surge and said "the generals are the ones that run the war, and those are the ones that I've been listening to."

Burner's Iraq plan would begin withdrawing troops and pursuing diplomatic strategies in the country. She criticized what she called a "go-it-alone policy" that got the U.S. into trouble there in the first place.

Reichert dodged several questions on domestic issues, all but refusing to answer a question about abortion by saying, "My opponent wants to make this a major issue in this case, when in fact Congress has no say in Roe versus Wade."

Burner supports abortion rights and said it was "absurd" for politicians to play a role in such a personal choice. Reichert opposes abortion rights.

Reichert also avoided a question about global warming, speaking about his own environmental record but never addressing whether he believes global warming is human-caused.

In 2006, he said he was still waiting to be convinced global warming was real. Reichert frequently touts his environmental record and, just this week, was endorsed by the Republicans for Environmental Protection as one of the "greenest" Republicans in Congress.

He also skipped a question about whether the government should fund abstinence-only sex education. Burner said abstinence-only education "doesn't work." Reichert said only that it's the responsibility of parents and schools to talk to kids about sex.

Emily Heffter: 206-464-8246 or eheffter@seattletimes.com