By Charles Compton
Richmond, KY – The two challengers in Kentucky's race for governor piled on the criticism last night in their final debate of the campaign season. All three contenders appeared in a 90-minute forum hosted by Kentucky Educational Television. Both the economy and health care were major topics. Incumbent Democrat Steve Beshear defended a managed health care program that begins statewide today. He claimed it will save the state one-point-three billion dollars over three years:
"And it says we're only going to pay you x' dollars per patient per month for the whole year so you can take that, you can add it up and you can go back and look at what we've been paying and that's where you can verify the savings Iit's right there in black and white."
However, GOP challenger David Williams, who trails in the polls was on the attack throughout the K-E-T forum. Williams doesn't buy the savings projections:
"None of the commitments he's made in terms of savings have been lived up to at this juncture. He's already lost a month. 25 percent of this year is already gone and to meet his budget projections he would need to cut 500 million dollars in Medicaid services out and it's not going to happen."
Given such gridlock between Republicans and Democrats, Independent Gatewood Galbraith argued he could help Frankfort transcend political bickering:
"You know I thought tonight was a microcosm of exactly what is wrong with this state; .partisanship trumps everything."
This was the last scheduled debate between the three gubernatorial candidates before voters cast their ballots November 8th.
