Burr-Bowles debate a 'pitiful performance'
DURHAM (Sept. 28) -- While never satisfied to have the Libertarian
message excluded from any political conversation, Libertarian U.S. Senate
candidate Tom Bailey made light of the fact that he was not invited to
Monday night's UNC-TV debates between Democrat Erskine Bowles and
Republican Richard Burr.
Since he was not invited to the UNC-TV event, Bailey attended a
candidate forum at another state institution, the University of North
Carolina Greensboro in support of a fellow Libertarian. "I attended the
better forum," Bailey said. He appeared in support of fellow Libertarian
Rusty Sheridan, a candidate for the state Senate. Bailey said there were
about 50 people there, noting there didn't seem to be anyone in the
audience at the televised Senatorial debate.
Bailey berated the U.S. Senate debate, hosted by UNC-TV and the North
Carolina Association of Broadcasters, as a "pitiful performance by the
would-be Senators."
Burr and Bowles found a great deal of common ground on issues including
increased Federal spending, the expansion of the war in Iraq and the
viability of the Patriot Act, he noted.
"Burr and Bowles agreed the Patriot Act was right on the edge of
acceptability but they seem to think that secret arrests and indefinite
detentions without trials are good enough to replace the Constitution for
national security purposes," Bailey said.
The Libertarian Party opposes to the Patriot Act on the grounds that it
grants unconstitutional powers to law enforcement authorities.
Bailey is the only candidate who stands for a more defensive U.S.
foreign policy, a smaller and more efficient Federal government and an
uncompromising protection of the Constitution. He said he was disappointed
voters in North Carolina were not able to see a more diverse field of
choices in the televised forum that may be the only U.S. Senate
candidate's debate in North Carolina.
"I noticed Burr and Bowles thanking each other for participating,"
Bailey said. "I presume that was for each other's help in keeping the real
alternative off of the stage."
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