Horn Plays Offense Against Hodes in Televised Debate

Press Release

Horn plays offense against Hodes in televised debate

Republican Jennifer Horn was determined to keep Democratic Rep. Paul Hodes on the defensive Friday night, even if it meant interrupting him and the moderators at their televised debate.

Horn, a former radio talk show host and Telegraph columnist, is a political newcomer. She accused her opponent several times of putting a Washington spin on his claim to represent New Hampshire taxpayers, particularly when it comes to the $700 billion financial industry rescue plan Congress just passed.

Both opposed the plan, but Horn accused Hodes of taking the politically easy way out and said he could've prevented the crisis had he done his job as a member of the House Financial Oversight Committee.

She also criticized him for taking donations from the financial industry.

"When I'm in Congress, I will not accept money from any industry or business that comes before my committee. It's inappropriate, it's wrong and in this case, it has hurt our economy."

Hodes challenged Horn's logic.

"If I was in pocket of financial services industry I wouldn't have voted against the bailout, not once but twice, because it didn't protect New Hampshire taxpayers, homeowners and small businesses and it wasn't the right first step toward rebuilding our economy," Hodes said, talking over Horn as she interjected, "Let's talk about the vote.""What's interesting is that apparently you believe that at (a) time of the most severe economic crisis that homeowners around our state are facing, and homeowners around the nation are facing - a crisis that has been likened to the Great Depression - when we have 5,000 people in New Hampshire who are going to lose their homes, you apparently believe government has no role to play to help in that crisis," said Hodes, who has supported cracking down on predatory lenders, letting bankruptcy courts adjust mortgages and increasing regulation of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Horn earlier had said that victims of predatory lending should be helped, but she said bailing out private industry was the wrong approach.

"I think I just indicated that for those who are victims of predatory lending, there does need to be some help. That's kind of a Washington thing, I like how you do that," she said sarcastically.

When it came to Social Security, panelist James Pindell of Politickernh.com did the interrupting, repeatedly pressing Hodes to answer yes or no when presented with a variety of options for strengthening the system.

Hodes refused to answer directly, saying a comprehensive evaluation of all options except privatization is needed. Horn said she opposes raising the retirement age or decreasing benefits but wants people to be able to invest some of their retirement money in private accounts.

"Mr. Hodes does not have a plan," she said. "Apparently Mr. Hodes is waiting until it's a full blown crisis like the financial crisis."

Hodes countered that Horn's plan amounts to privatization, which he said would have been disastrous given the recent upheaval in the stock market.

"Mrs. Horn says this is not privatization. That's like saying 'I'm not gambling with your money, I'm just betting with some of it,' " he said.

The two also clashed on foreign policy, with Horn calling Iraq the "primary front" of the war on terrorism and Hodes saying Afghanistan and Pakistan hold that distinction.

Hodes said the U.S. troop surge "probably helped" improve security in Iraq, but other factors contributed. He said the "important thing to ask is how to best protect American national security" around the globe.

Horn quickly took offense.

"The men and women of the United States military have achieved extraordinary success in the mission we've asked them to do on our behalf . . . and to suggest that 'to some extent' they may have had something to do with our success is more than a little bit offensive," Horn said.

The debate was sponsored by New Hampshire Public Television, New Hampshire Public Radio, New England Cable News, Politickernh.com and the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

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