CLEVELAND, Ohio -- U.S. Reps.
and
offered clear signals Monday that their friendship has limits as they compete in a closely watched congressional battle.
Both needled each other relentlessly during an hour-long debate on local cable television.
Kucinich dinged Kaptur for her votes to fund the Iraq war. Kaptur sought to cast Kucinich as a political opportunist taking a premature and unearned victory lap over Cleveland's unsettled Inner Belt Bridge project. And long-shot newcomer
dismissed the duo as career politicians leaving behind an economic mess for his generation to clean.
The three Democrats are on the March 6 primary ballot in
that stretches across the Lake Erie shore from Kaptur's longtime Toledo turf to Kucinich's base in Cleveland and its western suburbs.
Slow population growth cost Ohio two seats in Congress, setting up the Kaptur-Kucinich showdown.
Bob Conklin, host of a public-affairs program on Time Warner Cable's Northeast Ohio Network, moderated the debate, which was taped for broadcast Monday evening on the cable system's NEON channel. Rebroadcasts are scheduled for 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tuesday. The channel is not available in all parts of the new district.
Kucinich opened with an attack on Kaptur.
"The gentlelady from Toledo has consistently voted to fund the war in Iraq," said the outspoken war critic.
Mindful of Kaptur's seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee, Kucinich wondered why she supported the spending when "we have some serious needs" in the Cleveland area. Conklin steered the debate in another direction before Kaptur could respond. When the topic came up again in the debate's final minutes, Kaptur noted that she opposed the war, but, "when our troops are in the field, and a decision has been made, we have a responsibility to protect them."
The debate's most heated moment came when candidates were asked to identify a Republican they admire.
Kucinich used the opportunity to praise U.S. Rep. Steve LaTourette and tout their recent involvement with the Inner Belt Bridge project in Cleveland. He and LaTourette, a Republican from Bainbridge Township,
to announce a plan to get the delayed second phase completed sooner. Strategies include applying for a hefty grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Kaptur repeatedly interrupted Kucinich's remarks about the bridge projects with questions about the source of the money.
Kaptur's point -- that the federal grant must go through her committee -- quickly registered with Kucinich.
"I would hope that the gentlelady from Toledo would not let politics stop this," he said.
The congresswoman took no position on the bridge during the debate. In a brief interview afterward, she said she "absolutely" supports the project. But she expressed skepticism, saying "it's difficult to obtain those dollars." She also complained that Kucinich did not invite her to the meeting with LaTourette and ODOT officials.
Tension was clear throughout the second half of the debate. After the Inner Belt exchange, Kucinich snapped at Kaptur when she attempted to raise a point while he was speaking about national security threats.
"Don't interrupt me this time," he said.
Veysey, who runs a video production company in Cleveland, often talked over both of his opponents. When the three candidates were asked about abortion, Veysey, who supports women's reproductive rights, interjected as Kaptur and Kucinich shared their views. Kaptur opposes federal funding for abortions; Kucinich had opposed abortion rights but flip-flopped before running for president in 2004. Veysey noted these nuances.
"Don't describe my positions," Kucinich said.
Veysey, 29, said both 65-year-olds have failed to address problems such as the national debt and deficit. He also stole a line Kaptur has used at least once about Kucinich in regards to Davis-Besse, the nuclear power plant in Port Clinton that has been part of Kaptur's district for years. Kucinich has recently raised concerns about structural flaws at the plant.
"Johnny-Come-Lately," charged Veysey, parroting Kaptur's remark about Kucinich the day before
. He added that "no one in Ottawa County," home to Davis-Besse, knows who the congressman is.
Kucinich shot back that he has been fighting plant owner FirstEnergy "since before you were born."