In a discussion dominated by social issues, Republican gubernatorial candidate Jerry Kilgore and Democratic candidate Tim Kaine engaged in their first and only televised debate organized by the Center for Politics and moderated by University Politics Prof. Larry J. Sabato last night.
The questions in the debate, some of which were submitted by Commonwealth residents via the Internet, others by members of a live panel of media representatives, and a few by Sabato himself, focused on a wide variety of issues, some of them of more concern to students then others, Sabato pointed out.
"The students I have tend to be really interested in social issues," Sabato said.
One media panelist asked Kilgore on his stance on affirmative action.
"Why should the parents of minority students seeking admission to state colleges support [you]?" Richmond Times-Dispatch columnist Michael Paul Williams asked Kilgore.
Kilgore responded by saying that he supported diversity, but encouraged schools to look for other non-race-based ways to diversify their student bodies, such as appealing to first generation college students.
In responding to Kaine, Kilgore pointed out a time when, as Attorney General, Kilgore encouraged Virginia Tech to end their diversity program.
"He muscled the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors and got them to drop their diversity program," Kaine said. "The result of that was that their minority percentage of four percent fell even lower."
Other divisive social issues were also prominently featured.
The death penalty emerged as a big issue in the debate, with a large number of questions dealing not only with the death penalty itself, but also how candidates can reconcile their views on abortion with their views on the death penalty.
Kilgore said he supports the death penalty and opposes abortion.
"I am the only pro-life candidate in this election," Kilgore said.
When asked how he can reconcile his position on abortion with his position on the death penalty, Kilgore differentiated between the life of an innocent person and a criminal.
"I support protecting innocent life at the beginning and end of life," Kilgore said. "Tim Kaine is too liberal on this issue. He will not support the death penalty."
Kaine, on the other hand, said that his religious beliefs teach him to be pro-life and to oppose the death penalty, but if elected he would not let his religious beliefs hinder his performance as governor.
"Every time I have been elected ?I swore that I would uphold the laws of the United States and Commonwealth," Kaine said.
The candidates also disagreed over whether or not gays or lesbians should be allowed to adopt.
"I support the current law of Virginia [regarding gay or lesbian adoption]," Kaine said.
The current Virginia law states that any individual deemed capable by the court can adopt a child, as well as any married couple.
Kilgore, however, voiced a dramatically different view on gay or lesbian adoption.
"I do not support gay adoption," Kilgore said. "I [also] do not support civil unions."
At the end of the debate, Sabato asked both candidates to take a pledge to ensure that at least half of their campaign ads be positive.
While Kilgore said he would stand by his ads, he did not agree to take Sabato's pledge. Kaine, on the other hand, did.
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