Iraq sparks exchange between candidates

By JO CIAVAGLIA
Bucks County Courier Times

The focus of the 8th congressional debate Wednesday was domestic issues, but the Iraq war found its way into candidate answers including a heated exchange between two veterans.

In his closing statement freshman Democratic congressman Patrick Murphy responded to Republican challenger Tom Manion’s accusation he spent more time renaming post offices than addressing important issues.

Murphy, an Iraq war veteran, replied that among the post offices renamed was one in honor of a Falls soldier who died in Iraq.

Manion, a former Marine, whose son, Travis, also died fighting in Iraq, angrily interrupted leading to a loud back-and-forth exchange.

Throughout the 90-minute debate at the Bristol Riverside Theatre, the war was mentioned several times by Murphy, mostly to point out how the money funding the war could be used to fund domestic programs.

After Murphy suggested $3 trillion spent on the Iraq war could be used to shore up Social Security and Medicare programs, Manion replied, “I guess the answer is stop what is going on in Iraq and spend more money here.”

This elicited an explosion of cheers and applause in the audience of 200, mostly older adults and candidate foot soldiers.

“But I don’t think so,” Manion quickly added.

In response to a question asking if the candidates would stop taking earmarks, Manion said he would call for a moratorium until an oversight process is put into place. “Your tax dollars pay for earmarks throughout the country,” he said.

Murphy responded that he has cut $7 billion in earmarks, but that he is proud of the money he has secured for Bucks County. He again mentioned the $3 trillion cost of the Iraq war.

“Iraq is not an earmark,” Manion countered.

Throughout the debate, Murphy and Manion directed most of their responses at each other, barely acknowledging independent candidate Thomas Lingenfelter, a Doylestown dealer in historic documents and materials.

But the third-party candidate whose platform advocates eliminating the major political parties, garnered the biggest audience laughs with his blunt and pointed responses.

“Steal as much money as I can from other people and bring it back here,” Lingenfelter answered to the question what he would do for Bucks County if elected.

The debate was the first of two sponsored by the Bucks County Courier Times and its sister paper, The Intelligencer. The second, on international affairs, is scheduled for Oct. 29 at Central Bucks West High School in Doylestown.

Murphy represents the residents of Bucks County, some districts of Abington, Upper Dublin and Upper Moreland in Montgomery County and two wards in Philadelphia.