The Arkansas Democratic Gazette - Beebe Takes Rival To Task: Too Much Talk ‘About Me'

Beebe Takes Rival To Task: Too Much Talk 'About Me'

BY SETH BLOMELEY

Posted on Friday, March 31, 2006

Attorney General Mike Beebe said Thursday that his Republican opponent in the governor's race, Asa Hutchinson, is focusing too much time "talking about me" and should focus on issues facing Arkansans.

Beebe, a Democrat, was responding to several criticisms from Hutchinson the previous day when Hutchinson filed candidacy papers.

"We're coming out of the gate talking about real people and real problems, and he comes out of the gate talking about me," Beebe said, laughing. "It's a stark and marked difference."

Hutchinson said Wednesday that it's "right and appropriate" to illustrate the differences between the candidates for voters. He also said people should vote for a Republican governor because the Legislature is majority Democratic and there needs to be checks and balances. But Hutchinson said it was OK for Republicans to control the White House and Congress.

Beebe said Thursday that didn't make sense.

"He surely doesn't believe that because he said he didn't mind it in Washington and thought that was a different deal," Beebe said. "You can't have it both ways. Be straight. That's not being straight."

Both men took turns Thursday speaking at an Arkansas State Police Association lunch at a Little Rock hotel to about 150 troopers, recruits and retired troopers. Neither candidate shook hands or said hello to the other. The closest they came to each other was when they were about 15 feet apart on opposite ends of the buffet line, shaking troopers' hands.

Hutchinson and Beebe each said afterward that the avoidance of the other meant nothing. Beebe, walking through the hotel hallways, told reporters he'd shake Hutchinson's hand if he was still around. Told Hutchinson might still be in the parking lot, Beebe laughed and kept walking to his campaign vehicle.

After their speeches, association leaders asked the candidates about several state police issues.

Both men said they support increases in trooper pay and hiring more troopers but weren't ready to commit to a specific plan.

Association officials also complained about the State Police Retirement System providing two different levels of benefits.

Hutchinson said he favored increasing the lower-level benefits to make them equal to the higher level. He said his experience in charge of customs and immigration agents as undersecretary of the Department of Homeland Security taught him about problems that arise if employees are getting different compensation packages.

"It's a morale issue," Hutchinson said. "We need to rectify that."

Beebe said that two levels were instituted years ago to preserve the financial health of the retirement system.

"If the money is there, the benefit should be increased," Beebe said. "But to be perfectly honest with you, and I'm not going to lie to you, it's a question of [financial ] soundness."

He said if the state increases the benefit, there may not be enough money to hire more troopers.

Each candidate said they could conceive of no reason they would use the governor's clemency powers to free someone from prison convicted of injuring or killing a law enforcement officer.

Hutchinson stressed his tenure as U. S. attorney in the Western District of Arkansas in the early 1980 s. He said he worked with the state police on several high-profile cases, including a siege involving members of a highly armed criminal organization in Baxter County.

He also talked about "Operation Mountain Express" that, during his tenure as head of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, seized large quantities of Chinese methamphetamine brokered by Middle Eastern gangs.

He said he would use that experience as governor to lead the state police in the fight against methamphetamine in Arkansas.

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