©2011 Galesburg Broadcasting Co.
| Earmarks for Galesburg One Subject of Durbin-Sauerberg Debate; Download Full Debate Here |
150 years and two days might have been worth the wait for another major political debate to come to Galesburg.
Incumbent U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and Republican, Doctor Steve Sauerberg, at times, verbally slugged it out on the Knox College campus Thursday night, in a debate heard live on WGIL and WGIL.com.
The two differed on every topic thrown at them, including earmarks. Durbin says he's always been transparent when it comes to earmarks, especially some that have been pretty good to this area. "Alumni Hall at Knox College wanted to put up a permanent exhibit about Abraham Lincoln's visit here and the history of the Underground Railroad," Durbin said. "When the Maytag plant was closed in this town, and they needed worker retraining funds, they came to me for an earmark, and I went to Carl Sandburg College and we provided the funds for that. We've used funds in this community to deal with railroad problems. I was stopped by a train on the way in here, and I know it's a railroad town."
Sauerberg, when asked by Springfield Bureau Cheif Melissa Hahn about the possibility that the City of Galesburg is hopeful for federal money for three proposed railroad overpasses, that would likely come in the form of earmarks, said the city probably shouldn't get that lucky.
"Pass a bill in Congress," Sauerberg said.
"And not go through bureaucracy?" Hahn asked.
"Have a vote. Put it in front of the people of America and have a vote," Sauerberg responded. "An earmark is attached to another bill. You wouldn't see Congress voting for a Bridge to Nowhere if it was a separate bill. Are members of Congress gonna vote for a Bridge to Nowhere if it's public?"
Observers at Knox College said they believed Durbin won the debate, but agreed with Sauerberg's stance that every American should have access to affordable health care.
To download the entire Knox College debate, CLICK HERE (mp3 format, approximately 53 minutes long).
To download WGIL's post-debate analysis program, CLICK HERE (mp3 format, approximately 23 minutres).
(A scene from Thursday night's debate at Knox College. Left to Right: Senator Dick Durbin; Craig Dellimore, moderator; Melissa Hahn, moderator; Dr. Steve Sauerberg. WGIL News Photo by Will Stevenson.) |
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| 10 09 08 by Newsroom |
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