Republican Sen. Scott Brown faced off against Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren Thursday night in a debate televised by WBZ-TV. The Thursday debate was the first of four planned tilts between the candidates, and it saw disagreement between the two on just about every topic.
Polls have seesawed over the last week, with Brown and Warren swapping small leads, as they have throughout the campaign. The debates may provide one or the other an opportunity to change voter minds and swing the election his or her way.
Central to Thursday's debate was the focus on taxes, jobs and the economy.
"He has said he will defend the top 2 percent and the top 3 percent ... and will hold the other 98 percent of families hostage," Warren said, referencing Brown's position against extending the Bush-era tax cuts unless it also contained cuts for the country's top earners.
Brown countered by noting that Warren's policies would raise taxes, on everyone, in fact, it's the "first thing she looks to do," he said.
"And the criticism is that I don't want to raise taxes," he said. "Guilty as charged. I'm not going to raise taxes. I'm going to protect taxpayers' pocketbooks and wallets."
Who do you think won the debate? Did the back and forth change your mind about the upcoming election? Did the candidates answer the questions you had?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
Gloria davis
7:18 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
Warren
carolo
9:14 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
It would have to be Warren for me. This was her first debate so was not perfect but Brown bringing up her 3 drops of indian blood was petty and stupid. And she never "checked the box". Her former employers said they never heard her mention any indian blood ever. Did Brown see her resumes? For a guy who posed nude in magazines, why would THIS be important?
His campaign money is listed as coming from Big Banks. Her campaign money come from Universities. But who will vote with their friends to end social security and medicare? Easy one there. He can not hide from his voting record.
Ron
10:18 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
Carolo, I believe her and her employers, and I also believe the BO Administration that the attack in Benghazi was in response to an online video and not an Al-Qaeda planned attack. Oh, wait what? Now they're saying it was planned? Hmmmm, did they just lie to us.
Could you imagine how silly Harvard would look if they admitted the truth? What a mess that would create. And if she didn't check the box would it be a great time to release the information and shove it in his face? Instead they continue to hide behind big curtain and lie.
Equal pay for woman. Is she saying that all Harvard Law Professors receive 380K per class that they teach and get 0% loans and housing? No wonder kids who go to college are drowning in dept.
She admitted that she sees no reason to vote for anything other than D. I believe that is a good grade for the professor and her political views so far. I will check the box for Scott Brown, unshe has checked one box to many.
I’m tired of people who talk about voting records. Unless you have the ability to look inside the bill and see which groups are behind the bill, who is getting paid, where the taxes are coming from, and all of the other add on pork the black and white record or yes or no on a bill means nothing.
M.C
9:53 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
myself and a good friend of mine who admits he is the furthest left of left both think Brown buried her...
Karen L. Grossman
12:22 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Elizabeth Warren came out on top, as far as I'm concerned. Scott Brown is not as independent as he paints himself and his record of voting with Republications most of the time shows that is an important point. Massachusetts voters, a majority of whom are Democrats should vote for Elizabeth Warren to better represent middle class values.
Ron
2:09 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Are you looking for a Bi-Partisan Senator who has the interest for the best ideas? If you answer is yes Scott Brown appreciates your vote. Liz, "I'll check a box for my own personal benefit" Warren will only vote for the best interest of the Democratic Party regardless of the hidden costs to the citezens or special interests.
Ron
2:14 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Spreading fear to woman and reaching out to a national audience shows that she is unable to win the seat on her own merrit. Her lack of charachter and integrity was in full view. Do you really think that Scott Brown would vote against a law that would harm his daughters? Seems to me that the special interests in the bills that Professor Lie-awatha pressed him on was giving advantages to lawyers opposed to help solve problems.
Paul
12:27 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Brown was excellent starting off with Lie-awartha's hypocrascy. She cannot take a bunch and that was clear. She can play the class envy card all she wants but there is nothing more elitist than being a HARvard professor and living in that insanity called Harvard Yard.... where the HATE America first line of baloney was BORN and is taught. Her money comes from those liberal professors whose SALARIES are high six figures and who pretend to live on berries while owning "mansions" in Cambridge.
I trust Brown to be more of a JFK democrat and vote for MY blue collar life than Lizzy's Marxists wacko beliefs! Brown will respect the flag of 50 stars and stripes!! Lizzy will go shoulder to shoulder with the United States of Obama and HIS flag that he DARED to publish with his melogmaniac version that replace OUR 50 stars with HIS campaign logo!!! GOOD GOD! We need to tell him AND Lizzy that AMERICA is a federated republic where the STATES are granted much power. The job is called "President" Mr. Obama, no "supreme dictator". I am going to donate what little I can to Brown and encourage all my relatives to vote for THE REAL JFK DEMOCRAT in the election. Let's leave Lizzy in the stacks at Weidner!!!!!!
Uncle Bunny
6:54 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Harvard university's largest union ( 4,500 members ) is deadlocked in a tense contract negotiation, Liz Warren refuses to endorse the employees. I guess she does not want to upset the bloated endowment of her employer.
Bet she would endorse any other union but not one in her 02138 zip code.
Reverend E. Raleigh Pimperton III
1:11 am on Saturday, September 22, 2012
Where will Warren do the least damage? That is the question.
In Washington she already created another useless bureaucracy. Like others, this one will become bloated with fresh college graduates who could have led otherwise productive lives in the private sector. It is not like we don't have enough government agencies to protect the consumer.
If Warren remains a Harvard professor she will cultivate new generations of leftist Harvard graduates. We have a good supply of these, but could use a few more.
As voters, our choice is simple.
Reverend E. Raleigh Pimperton III
P.P. Longstocking
9:36 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Scott Brown thanked the Tea Party for his win two years ago. That should be enough to get every moderate in Massachusetts at the polls.