Election 1970 - Senate Debate

From its fall convention at the Park Plaza Hotel in New Haven Connecticut Broadcasters Association is privileged to present a debate between Joseph Duffy Lowell Weicker and Thomas Dunn. The three candidates for the office of United States senator from Connecticut here to moderate the debate is Dr. Homer Babbage president of the University of Connecticut. The format of this debate agreed upon by the participants is as follows. Each candidate will make an opening statement not to exceed three minutes. Each candidate will then be allowed two minutes for rebuttal. After these first 15 minutes questions will be directed to the candidates by an all of newsman. Each candidate will respond to each question and will be allowed 90 seconds in which to do so. At the conclusion of the question period each candidate will have three minutes for a closing statement. The order in which the senatorial candidates will make their presentations and answer the

questions has been determined in advance by the toss of a coin. A warning bell will be sounded when a speaker is within 30 seconds of exhausting his allotted time. It will ring again insistently if he exceeds the allotted time. The candidates for election to the United States Senate from Connecticut. We are honored to have with us today in the order in which they will make their opening statements are Joseph Duffy of Hartford the Democratic Party candidate for the United States Senate in one thousand sixty eight he was cochairman with Governor Dempsey of Senator Abraham of a cop's reelection campaign. He was presently a member of the National Policy Council of the Democratic Party. Secondly Congressman Lowell Weicker Jr. who has served for the past two

years as a representative of the Fourth Congressional District of Connecticut. Prior to that time first selectman of the town of Greenwich and for six years a member of the state legislature. He is the Republican Party candidate for the United States Senate. Senator Thomas died has served for the past 12 years in the United States Senate. He was first district congressman for the previous four years. He serves at present as chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on juvenile delinquency and serves also on several other major Senate committees to make the first three minute presentation on behalf of the candidates. I introduce Mr. Duffy. I think 70 is a critical year in American politics. We must decide whether what kind of leadership we want in this country for the next

decade we must choose whether to stand up for the hopes and the dreams which brought our fathers and grandfathers to this country the hopes of a nation at work and at peace. A nation where men and women live in dignity and security and where children look to the future with confidence whether to stand up for that hope or to turn away and let the vision dub go. There is only one acceptable choice for the past 10 years I have been working for a better and stronger America with my own neighbors in my own community. As a director of a Center for Urban Studies and a member of the Hartford Community Renewal team I have worked to improve my own city. I have come to see that whatever we seek to do here in Connecticut is in great measure dependent upon the decisions that are being made in Washington. Take for example the problem across the streets in my own neighborhood are not safe at night. At our local junior high school young children 12 and 13 years old

buy and sell dangerous drugs. As a father I want to do something about those problems. I want to work from our aid to local law enforcement officials for better treatment for drug addicts. We're steps to cut off the supply of drugs at the source. Or take the problem of the of the economy last week without warning several thousand men lost their jobs in New Britain in Bridgeport and New Haven. There is nothing those men can do to save their jobs. They are the victims of Mr Nixon's economic policy which seeks unemployment as a way to fight inflation. Our national administrator has responded to these problems not with positive programs but by encouraging us to blame each other for the difficulties we face. I believe there is a better way. This is not the first time that America has faced difficult problems. Like many Americans of my generation I grew up in the Depression. My own father began his life as a

coal miner in West Virginia. He worked hard to support his family. In the 1930s a Democrat named Franklin Roosevelt brought new hope to my family and to this country. In 1960 with millions of other Americans I worked for John Kennedy to get this country moving again for leadership that is honest and vigorous and into leadership of integrity leadership that stands for hope. We face today new problems once again the slogans and the solutions of the past are not working. But this year the people of Connecticut can choose between the past and the future. I believe in the future of this country. I believe our best days are ahead of us and not behind us. And I ask the continued support of the people of Connecticut. Mr. Weicker my friends in Connecticut there is no reason why I actually to live with the past any more than it has to choose to honor those

who bad mouth this nation in the past. There is no reason why this state has to choose between discipline compassion and integrity in its public officials any more than those officials should choose between these qualities in their solutions to the problems of the day. As I travel through our state I find a yearning by its residence to be with the future without ridiculing the past. I find its people yearn to see our laws enforced and respected without granting to those laws the sanctity of legislative status quo. In other words there are some of us left who believe that the work at hand is both helping those that need our special care because they are helpless and confronting those that need our special discipline because they are lawless.

Did I fight for health education housing transportation and the environment in the Congress. Sometimes locking horns with Democrats and sometimes with the Republicans. Yes I did. Did I fight for President Nixon's plans on withdrawing from South Vietnam. His plans for a crime and Narcotics Control postal reform welfare reform draft reform sometimes disagree with Republicans and Democrats. Yes I did. I imagine what we who are the moderates are saying is nobody is right or wrong 100 percent of the time. Good comes from Republican Democrat and independent from liberal and conservative from northerner and Southerner and should be judged for what it is not where it comes from. Yes I want to be a United States senator from Connecticut a moderate

United States senator. And this year in Connecticut that means voting Republican. Thank you very much. Like right here right now and personally I want to say. Running on my record I have a record of having the 16 years in the 12 the Senate or the house. I would imagine passionate legislators legislators. I had 13 major bills clash in my years in Congress and number 14 will be passed before the end of the year and my legislation has will surely have a vested interest to them and serve the people because their senators effectiveness increases with their seniority. The last two years in the Senate have been my most fruitful during this period I had four major bills and I think that's a

record if I may say so without rainbows for the present members of the Senate no one let me take the drug epidemic that is sweeping this country. But everyone is with drug control but I remember 10 years ago when I reduced my first drug like that I found deliberately getting attention and interest of my colleagues. So sad times when I was with them were really recognizing the problem 10 years ago. Incidentally the most important these measures the president signed this morning that was a controlled dangerous substances act with trying to do so on the floor of the Senate which I place managed on the floor of the Senate was the first time consumed five days of debate and I asked the Senate unanimously to the nothing. But does not want to try to work through my record I think we don't have much time. I would use legislation which would make the crease rather the maximum federal guaranteed loan for hospital construction from 25 to 50 million dollars that's going to make a big difference in the hospital situation is going to be passed the Senate will

pass the House on to everybody in the year. I'll pass tomorrow since I've been home I've spoken of thousands of people on the streets in the stores in almost every part of the state in factories in their homes. And I'm convinced that the number one worry why people at home is securing freedom from fear in their homes down their streets and their places of work and their places of recreation. They want to do secure in these places when something terrible has happened in our society. The nation's capital you take your life in your hands if you go out after dusk bombs risk blowing across the nation. Policemen and firemen are being shot down but I think of how much worse the terrorist situation and it is a terrorist situation we are facing in this nation and with worse it would be if the quote elements were still able to buy guns freely and grenades and bombs and mortars and bazookas and anti-tank guns as a war until my gun bills were passed to deal with the current epidemic of violence.

I would use the word and Terrorism Prevention Act which I think will help us great with improving this reign of terror as I describe it. I fought against you and I'll delinquency and I think I puffed about it or not graffiti I had a bill passed on that's not what we're calling you. So it goes with what you talk about. Three one of which is my record. There's much more to it. This is where I stand this is what I'm running on and with the added seniority that I have as a third to the Senate and I think I'll be able to more people watch that now for the two minute statements of a bottle and a carcass when I sensed a rotation I car first Mr. Weicker find myself not only literally the man in the middle but also in my criticisms going toward both ends here of the spectrum on the one hand a man who uses fear to a certain extent as the basis of his campaign and as I said in my opening comments I think I understand the law and order. But just as I had in my advertisement the problem of law and order is not only law enforcement

but it is better housing. And the same man says the effectiveness of a United States senator increases with his seniority. I think that probably what this nation is looking for today is the effectiveness of a United States senator that should increase with his ability. And I didn't know that the censure of the United States senator increased his effectiveness in the Senate of the United States. And then the other man on the other hand a man who keeps on talking about the future when in fact he's had 10 years to go ahead and operate constructively toward the problems that we have today and use those 10 years in the Senate. Rock out criticism. He turns to us now and tells us about our divisions and yet he was one of the men that created those divisions dividing parent from child dividing black from white. Now when he goes ahead and turns to the people that surround him and say that maybe Robert's Rules of Order isn't exactly what we need to follow when he advocates amnesty for draft dodgers when he says

I'm not challenging the law I'm violating it as a means of bringing attention to this matter. Believe you me this isn't the leadership quality which the state of Connecticut is looking for. It's been a great system Joe it's been here since you and I are able to get into it. The only difference between you and I is you've chosen to go ahead and criticize it. I've chosen to use it just like a Mr Dott. I'm good. You're referring to me when you said I'm running on a platform here yes I am I'm afraid I'm afraid lose courage and I think advance will drive Iraq people are afraid to with good reason that they will not things like violence and crime in this country will be so great I don't want your man a man a senator who's been censured not being affected by being more effective since that injustice was done with it on me and I was able before before my poor major bills were passionate afterwards two of them unanimously. There was a grave injustice Mrs. Dodd and I and our children suffered through that it two and a half years

were taken by our heels and turned upside down and shake. I don't suppose anybody wants to such an ordeal every investigative agency of the government was after me. And finally we're only trying to plan of what I think is right and those laws and I haven't done anything wrong and of course I hadn't. We live in our own home with a substantial mortgage on it I want a 1960 a Ford math wrong. I live on my salary. I'm probably the only member of Congress who's proven to be honest my ordeal. I think the record is what counts. Everybody wants my job they say what they'll do is mostly the things I've done and I think that's the way we want to be judged of I want your job I want to be able to say we haven't done it well not really but I give him a pass if you disagree with what measure that I have passed if you disagree. Thank you Mr. that Mr. Duffy When you run for public office there are

several ways to campaign. One is to talk about the past. And pretend the solutions of the past can solve the problems of the future. Another is to criticize and distort your opponent's positions instead of discussing the issues. I am in politics and I'm running for the Senate because I have faith in the decency and the good sense of the American people. I oppose the kind of politics we have seen so often from the Republican Party this year. A politics that seeks to divide us from each other. Throughout this campaign I have avoided slogans and labels. I have sought instead to talk sensibly about the issues. I have called for a reasonable moderate and effective approach to our economic problems or presidential leadership to hold prices down for credit and mortgage policies to encourage home buying and home building for tax reform to make sure everyone pays his fair share to channel funds away from wasteful spending such as the agricultural subsidies toward education and crime fighting and pollution control for long range planning

to convert or protect the economy from the production of war to the production of peace and to protect the jobs of workers in the process. I have called for a reasonable and effective approach to our social problems revenue sharing between federal and local governments. Realistic funding of education and mass transit and health insurance for all our citizens and all our battle against drugs and addiction to court reform and speedier trials evenhanded law enforcement and better trained better paid police. I have sought to bring young and all together instead of driving them apart and I have sought most of all to practice a politics of integrity that says what it means and means what it says. For I believe the American people have had enough of empty promises. I believe they want and I know they deserve. And on his campaign and on his governor. Mr. Duffy We come now to the question period. The panel of television newsman who will question the candidates are

from left to right Bob Norman W. NHC Larry divan air of WTI C Bob Douglas W. H and B Gary Armstrong of w h s. t and Andy Young of public television. The first question from Mr nor Mr Duffy besides being the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate you're also the national head of Americans for Democratic Action. If elected with that position dictate your vote on the various bills which come before the U.S. Senate. Americans for Democratic Action is a group which has among numbers among its officers congressman and senators. Former Vice President Humphrey has been a national chairman of the organization. The organization arrives at its positions and its legislative program

by popular vote. I have in the past disagreed with aspects of that program I would expect to in the future. It would not dictate my positions I think the organization in general and most of its positions on domestic issues represents the goals that I would set for this nation in the next decade. Indeed its goals in the 1950s seem to have been the goals this nation has been striving for in the last decade. And of course with our format each candidate is invited to respond to each question as difficult as it may be for Mr. Y Christ to respond to that particular question invited to do so. You know obviously we have to respond like I think we know exactly what his organization is about as much as you'd like to divorce himself from the organization the fact remains that his this is the organization that advocated amnesty for draft dodgers. And in a statement by Mr. Duffy not the organization he said we commit ourselves to these programs in the 90 first Congress second session one of those programs was amnesty for

draft dodgers who now denies it. This is the organization the former head man that Mr. Duffy succeeded Mr. Galbraith made a statement as a former chairman of Americans for Democratic Action the Democratic Party must henceforth henceforth use the word socialism. He describes what is needed. I think we know very well what the Americans for Democratic Action consists of and what they're for. And I don't think it's compatible with the state of Connecticut. We are a moderate state. I've said so before. Moderate Democrats and moderate Republicans. The Americans for Democratic Action represents the far left of the Democratic Party. I don't see how it's possible be present in a vet organization and a United States senator from Connecticut representing all the people. Mr. Duff. You know I would love to voice what are. You on. May I remind our questionnaires to direct to the candidates the questions which each can properly respond to.

Mr. De Baron Mr. Weicker do you favor sending armed National Guardsmen to university campuses where disorders are taking place. The answer to that question is if requested by the authorities of the campus they should be sent. I think it's been made very clear by this administration that the administration this year expects university personnel to control their own campuses. I wouldn't want to have it said that here in the United States of America our great free institutions of learning are under the thumb of the federal government. And I think the president made it clear as I make it clear that number one we expect university personnel to manage their own institutions. Number two where there are individuals that are involved with bomb throwing or any sort of threat to human life or property the FBI is going to go ahead and go in. This is the combination that I was talking about a minute before. On the one side the enforcement of the law and the application of it to those instances calling for on the other hand understanding a very

basic principle which means that our universities are under the control of our educators. They've got to do that job. I think they will do that job this year and to help them do the job we have whether it's the National Guard or the FBI the enforcement agencies of our country has to die. I think where though necessary to help out on the request is justified I'm sure they would approve of the use of the U.S. I think a lot of this want to see an end to this burning of libraries and laboratories of university doesn't make any sense of the free will of the wife and that's one of my fears I think we've gotten with this situation. Mr. Duffy And each time the college authorities request a they should receive it from local or state or national officials. A very small very tiny minority of students who have turned to violence are giving a bad name to a whole generation.

We must find some way to support and stand up beside that great number of students in this country who want to work in the political system who want to work for the same values that all the rest of us want who are struggling with the future of this country as the rest of us are. We therefore need to give them the kind of leadership that is both firm in the enforcement of the law and that understanding of the possibility of progress in this country. We therefore need to elect public officials who can communicate with them who they respect who they believe who they trust like Mr. Douglas. Senator Dodd a question of a century ago I would have been raised there really as the US is the central question really an issue in this campaign. Well what is on the ground as you know Christiane I think you know now the glue should be on the West Wing. I don't want I want I am I never tried to hide it. I said early on I want to go through this with my family and I really want it. Say I've never owned a business or a share one I never owned a

stock or a bond in my life. I don't today. I lived on my income Grace and I raised six children and we've done pretty well out of the great injustice on me and many senators have told me says they deeply regret it. Mr. Duffy You Kerrick on it. I respect Senator Dodd we've always discussed with each other the basis of issues and differences. I'm not sure the censure is the major issue in the campaign I think Senator Dodd's voting 60 percent of the time in the last session with the Republican Party is a major issue. I think his unwillingness to tell us whether in the organization of the Senate the next time around he will vote with the Republicans or not you keep suggesting he will is much more of an issue than anything that is in the past. I'm interested in where he will be on the future history. Mr. Riker I think this century is an issue it involves the state of Connecticut. It involves To put it in the words of the Senate itself the

judgment of the Senate Senator from Connecticut not just anybody senator but our son deserves the censure of the Senate and censured for his conduct which is contrary to accepted morals derogated from the public trust expected of a senator and tends to bring the sign of dishonor in disrepute. Unfortunately this is not or that has not been accorded many in the past and I think the time has come to understand that if we Connecticut is going to get its share out of the federal government if Connecticut is going to be represented in solving the problems of the 70s and 80s it needs two United States senators to affected United States senators in terms constantly use I'm afraid I'm not afraid I understand the problems that we've got today and they're not always easy. I'll tell you what you do need you need somebody is going to go ahead and stand up to face him in the eye. Not a man who's backed away from the past not a man who says that he's afraid for the future. I have the next question is from Mr. Armstrong.

I'm sorry Senator you had the opportunity to respond first to that question. Well we'll have a further we'll have a further opportunity Mr. Armstrong's question. Mr. Duffy with regard to the accusations that have been made do you now or have you ever advocated and they've a draft dodgers. I have never advocated amnesty for draft dodgers I did not vote for the resolution Mr. Weicker has referred to life presented as a part of the total a DNA program. I had several disagreements with that program. My position is that it is impossible as long as men are accepting the draft and going off and doing a duty to this country for there to be any consideration of amnesty. The law must be a force enforced and must be enforced fairly. I have said that when this war is over and a sufficient period of time has passed this country will have to face that question. This country will have to face it as France faced it after the Algerian crisis as it has been faced in the past. It is not the appropriate time now. I believe in the equal and firm enforcement of the law.

To all of who have violated and that principle makes it impossible to consider amnesty as long as the war continues. Striker Well of course that's just the greatest collection of backtracking driving I've ever seen. He's not he's not for amnesty for draft looks we saw the press kit January 15th 1970 in three parts a general news release a specific statement by Joseph Duffy present the Americans for Democratic Action. We commit ourselves to these programs in the ninety first Congress second session third part of the press kit specifically says amnesty for draft. There it is. Now we're backing away from his work and they were no longer just President of the Americans for Democratic Action will present Americans for Democratic Action and the Democratic candidate for the United States Senate. And then we hear a by his own words today and I heard it in Meriden Connecticut sort of must go after the wars or we've got to look at this problem. Look we've got a bunch of photos out there that went ahead and bit the bullet if you will went to

Viet Nam. They didn't complain. Many died as far as I'm concerned they're the heroes and nobody's going to go ahead and make a hero out of himself who ducked across the border to Canada Sweden or anywhere else when he comes back to the United States if he comes back you can have a nice spot in a jail cell and you can suffer the full penalty of the law. Not only now not only now but after the war is over. Mr. Dide I would not really believe that war. Yeah I think we want to thank him more than we do about these people. Maybe you did lose another fight. You finish with yourself. I know where I stood was of on of course I think it was the first consideration. Young traitors run away from forty thousand Americans. I do think in addition to my mother when I was there we were greatly

concerned about this prisoner of war situation I don't think we. Were not a boy right from then either. Young Downey from New Britain has been in a Chinese jail since he graduated from there I can't get anyone to pay any attention to his plight. I'm going to one president secretary of state after another. I think we ought to talk about and think about. I don't want you to do your business you wouldn't have me if you were in it. Next question only pressed Mr. Young Mr. Weicker it seems to me that there the economy is one of the great issues of this campaign. There are French charges on all sides levied against people who are alleged to be responsible for the present status of the economy. I wonder what economic policy you advocate with particular respect to easing unemployment and inflation. I think the economic problem which we have in the state of Connecticut is much more easily defined than it isn't other states of the Union easily defined because it is this

president over the carping and the interference of critics like Mr. Duffy That has brought us to the point where we are nearing peace in Southeast Asia that involves defense work. The state of Connecticut has the highest per capita defense employer in the United States of America. And so obviously if we're going to have peace on the one hand we're also going to have to suffer an adjustment on the other unless there had been an adjustment made by our State Development the state Democratic administration in part. And they didn't do it so that when Mr. Duffy who considers himself a peace candidate comes crying about jobs I would've liked to have heard him talk about jobs at the same time that he was yelling for peace. And it's the same time he was yelling against or calling for an across the board defense cuts. The two are totally incompatible. As far as I'm concerned we've got the skill and then part to involve ourselves in the industrial complexes of transportation. Help the environment. We've got the ability to do it but I would imagine that we have a better chance of at least participating

in government business if we had a Republican United States senator working with a Republican administration in Washington rather than either Mr. Duffy or the independent stood up. Yeah I think the worst part of this is awful inflation that we're living in and I'm ashamed of the shopping I think also should be required to do so once a week. I know what the prices are I raised a family. I've been asked in debate on the floor of the Senate what would you do about it I answer I'm no expert I don't pose as one in this field. First thing I do is stop and I couldn't control over it. So we can spread it out and I don't believe we're going to cure like we're throwing people out of jobs. And I see nothing on the world horizon that indicates to me we can let down in our defense. We better stay strong. Everywhere I look on the world I see other aggression threatening in the Middle East and the Far East in Africa or in our own hemisphere I think until we can find in peace other activities will our people who work in defense. We better keep them at work force people who need a defense. They need the job. And that's where I

stand. Mr. Duffy the state of the American economy is certainly an issue in this election. Republicans are not responsible for inflation. But in 18 months they've given we've had an opportunity to see what matters to them in fighting inflation and letting the cost of living rise as it has continuously and throwing people out of work doesn't seem to matter to them. It's a problem that touches everyone it touches the businessman who's trying to plan for the next year. Now there are selective credit controls given to the Congress over the opposition of the president over the opposition of Mr. Weicker which could be used by the president to put money into productive spending. There are wage and price guidelines which the president could use if he were willing to exert a little bit of leadership if you willing to go to management and labor and appeal in the public interest. There is the problem of conversion Mr. Walker seems to be suggesting that he would resist the policy of his own administration which is to cut back defense spending. The problem is whether the federal government will by its policies make it more profitable provide

incentives for industry to plan ahead for peacetime production and protect jobs rather than as now make it more profitable for them to go on seeking defense contracts. There are housing credits which could get the housing industry moving again Mr. Weicker voted against this proposal last December. Live like campus of Penn State University in the wake of the deaths of four students. This seems to run contrary to what the commission on campus at rest had to say Could you comment on this apparent contradictory I guess I can it's difficult to comment I have high respect for the members of the president's commission I think they're all dedicated and able people they came to one conclusion. One of them by the way who we don't know is the chief of police in the Haven the people who are unable to tell and incapable man the grand jury in the Ohio came to another conclusion. I don't know they may have been both partly right and partly wrong but I have no independent knowledge I wasn't present when the grand jury heard the testimony and I was I present when the

Commission made its just that is an investigation. It's a perplexing thing. I would like to see the attorney general take a look at both perhaps help us along. I don't know how one can that can say more I just don't know. Duffy. It would be my job to the president's commission perhaps conducted a much more thorough survey of the circumstances but I agree with Senator Dodd about the contradiction. I think within our system the best way to resolve that is for the case to be appealed. And I presume through that process we'll have some chance to see in the process of our courts through the American system more careful analysis of what actually happens. Mr. WHITE Well of course I can't say that I have an assumption in favor of the president's commission on student unrest as against the grand jury which is of course with plies. I supported the president's commission's report on campus unrest and I'm not prepared. Having been there to go ahead and comment on the grand jury's findings and what I said what I really object to and I've seen this time and time again is

that the president's commission is something it's OK but this grand jury they came in with something contrary what I believe so that you know they're not all right and this is the type of reasoning that we get out of this Duffy all the time. How do you know what's going on unless you actually see it firsthand and are a party to those facts so that until until I have an opportunity to see both would be impossible for me to go. Another question for Mr. de Fer Mr. Duffy. Do you feel that welfare recipients should be given more money than has been proposed by President Nixon. Well I'd like to see President Nixon's program and acted in principle because I think it's of a very significant departure away from the present welfare system I certainly think the funding is not adequate either to relieve state budgets or to provide enough for those who cannot work two to subsist in this country. But the essential problem beyond Mr. Nixon's proposal is the problem of providing work and meaningful work and work that pays enough to make it worthwhile. Mr. Nixon is just on the edge of confronting that problem you can't simply

provide job training without providing jobs. Beyond that it seems to me the whole problem is one of the kind of medical and health and educational opportunities that prepare people to enter the job market. We have a great scarcity in this country of skilled labor of the same time we remain with large pools of unemployed. Mr. Nixon's proposal will be a first step but it does not begin to solve that problem. Hopefully we can solve it in the course of the next decade. Mr. Weicker. Well it is a first step. Just like President Nixon had to take the first step in Viet Nam and that wasn't good enough for Mr. Duff. And he's taken a first step as far as trying to get us off this welfare system that presently is diluting the state of Connecticut. BLOCK That's a Democratic Congress standing Democratic controlled. There are some Republicans who have been blocking it too but it's in the power of the Democrats to release this plan one which puts work back into the welfare system one that has compassion that encourages the family to stay together. You go right down the list one that I might add goes in gives a conscience to the rest of the United States not

just our own state with everybody coming up here to take advantage of our welfare system. By any criteria. It's a great plan it should have been acted in the session of the Congress. It hasn't been. But the criticisms that come from the fact that it's a first step of this much as this is too low or this isn't high enough. Look let the Democratic Party put its shoulder to the wheel and get it off the launching pad. Because unless we do get off the launching pad I can assure you our fiscal problems in the state of Connecticut are going to get worse. While the welfare rolls get longer and that the job that was set out to do in this area isn't going to be done. Mr. Duff Yeah I think it's a good step and I I approve of it I think well there's a problem nationwide. I've got a hungry man in Mississippi might be one fanatic but I think it ought to be handled that way. I don't think I'm getting enough attention in this debate will as we'll be fighting with ourselves all the time. I don't know what to make of that collision.

I've had this record over 16 years. You've been doing other things. And somewhere somebody says I voted 60 percent of the time for President Nixon I did what I thought he was right. That was 60 percent that's good we got a good Prez on the ocean floor. I think you'll find that I've supported him in foreign policy of authority. I think he was right not to get us out of that horrible war but we're not going to run out right about that. What I think is right I'm going to say you saw last night I voted last night I will in the future and that's why I'm the best candidate for years in the pen. A question for Mr. Douglas. Congressman Mica recently suggested that in this political era the dogs very well may have won the duffers and the reverse of that could be true. The duckies very well may have gone with dogs. Do I collaborate on that statement. Sure. Then you come in and you come in to doesn't use the full

power of his office to anticipate problems not to come along and hold an investigation as to what went wrong. But to anticipate what will go wrong if we don't have change in the United States then believe me when the day which comes from the other mission it's men on the other extreme like Mr. Duffy who jump in or on the other hand if you get a man like Mr. Duffy and the permissiveness which he's advocated in 19 in the late 1960s then you're going to get a reaction the other way on the law and order side. And where this catches the moderates like myself is right in the crossfire because I believe in anticipation of our problems and working on them in a quiet way so that they don't blow up to become a crisis. On the other hand going ahead and understanding that this great political system of ours does work. Not challenging it but working within it. So

here you have the extremes on either side in the election. And I think that this state as I said before has been moderate and it will reject either the non-action non action when he had the power of the District or the criticism of our democratic processes here in the United States by Mr. Duffy. And I don't know much more. Or I could have done and anticipating things the only drug bills in the past Congress seems like they're the ones I introduced the only global bills of the past let alone law introduced. The only juvenile delinquency larger than 5 in Congress are those I introduced our anticipatory love you to death. I've had 13 bill passed there would be a forty five for a look at a way out of the space I don't know what you're talking about. I've been doing this work. Find a voice for all the pros were full of emptiness. I did my work

but nothing anticipatory about and I was aware 10 years ago when I would lose my first drug when I thought great years with those gone belly up. Nothing we're going to hear about that when we got to suggest something in space. Mr. Duffy Mr. Weicker thank standing as he does of Mr. Agnew Mr. Nixon and defending the handling of this economy is a moderate position let me go ahead and use the labels he's trying to avoid the precise issues he's trying to avoid defending his position. My record is one of public service rather than public office and I am proud of it. In the Connecticut assembly Mr. Weicker did not introduce one bill which became law. His television and public claims of support for a role in acting legislation and the building of a sewage treatment plant have been called in a very serious question by reciting of the factual record and by a statement of a man who sponsored the bill he claims to have written in the Connecticut assembly in the 1970s looking

ahead when we're going to send a man to Washington for six years. We need a man who is willing to commit himself before the people of this state in terms of what he will fight for what means the most to him what he will struggle for in the United States Senate. And we need to judge him on the basis of the kind of leadership he can give in this state to people from all walks of life. A question for Mr. Armstrong. Senator you've said that the NRA for years one of the things that troubles you what you advocate some sort of censorship board on the federal level. No. Oh I have one I've had one of my bedroom one of the 13 was the bill to prohibit pandering through the mail. I don't think that's enough. And I've introduced a new bill which will help as much more when I'm mostly concerned about is the filth in the mail to our children. I've been a parent and I maintain that as a parent I have the right to decide what my children when their children will see and read just like grades and I decided what they put in their mouths when they're Adams that's their business they want to

get messed up with this filthy stuff that's another problem. But I don't need because to the lawyer to tell me that I have the right to determine what my children will see and read when their children I don't think any of the planet this country does either. And that's the way to approach it we can stop it like that. If we really get behind it and my pornography bill that I believe will be passed. Between November and the end of the year well that's one of the things I didn't do anything about. Mr. Duffy essential problem is the problem children. The problem of those who approve a pornographer and literature of violence to children I think said that parents didn't deserve and need the chance to protect their children from this kind of literature and this kind of influence. We may well need legislation in this particular area. Those with respect to the mails and with respect to the kind of penalties that are involved for those who try in a commercial way to exploit or children pornography or literature of violence. Thank you Mr. Duffy. We have time for a final question from Mr. Elkins.

Mr. Duffy What should be this country's policy for the new government in Chile. I think this country must at this point look with some patients to the Latin American countries. We need to do everything we can to encourage the progressive forces that are developing within those countries. We need to do everything we can to encourage the kind of economic development that that will result both in an economic independence and in a reciprocal trade arrangement with that the regime in Chile at the present time is one we should look upon with some caution but with patience with every effort to wait so that the internal affairs of that country may be handled by the people there. I don't think there's any reason for this country at the present time to be alarmed about the developments in Chile I think we are able to to safeguard our concerns in this hemisphere while we wait and see the outcome of that particular government which has come into power via democratic. Can I just take an extra second answer because I'm never going to chance to answer the question on pornography and I just want

to cover that in two seconds for history. Pornography Commission report is concerned you can put it in the secondary sewage treatment plant the stuff he claims I didn't build with which in fact we did. The fact remains is that we've got to go ahead and crack down and hard in this area as far as I'm concerned the taxpayer is not subsidizing those that peddle this smut and us and the US males are in a factory had been a subsidy so we should use the power that we have in that area to crack down and hard we have to a certain extent through legislation recently passed. As far as Chile is concerned in an international sense I get back right to the statement I made before. The odds are small enough. The fact that so much has been left undone in that nation. So we end up with the present state of affairs and one that we can't go ahead and change that's not our country. They freely chose me and they chose it because the areas of

health education and housing and transportation were left unattended to and this is the whole point that I've been trying to make throughout this campaign. I make it now when they are left unattended to and it's the extremes that come to play. I don't think there's much we can do with Chile. Not if we recognize the integrity of the nations in South America. But what we should have done was to certainly in our own foreign policy as best we could channel toward these constructive areas yesterday. Well I'm mixed up here we got a lot of it. I should explain Senator Dodd that through an oversight on my part I did not like and I'm likely to reach on to the pornography question your chargin are my to blame for Surely you've been in Congress too long to avoid occurred down there as I'm nonsensical really I'll be sensible about this debate. I'm more to blame for Chile than you are.

This has been happening all over the world. I've spoken up time and again on the floor of the Senate. I don't agree with Mr. Duffy that the over patient I think we should have been doing more about it but I don't want my general attitude is not a lot of my critics say I see a red under every bed well that's not quite true like that. I've taken a firm view about it I think we ought to stay strong in your house all the time try to change these people persuade them you're on the wrong track knowledge is the right way of peace and decency will help you let's work together and I tell you you got to move in God's good time. We'll that we will persuade them. We don't need any wars or any conflict I think there's a right way to do it but you can't hold me responsible for Chile or Cuba or every place in the world. I would hold you responsible. I'm afraid that's all the time we have for questions and answers. I expressed my appreciation to the representatives of the television media.

Closing statements by the candidates which by mutual understanding are to be summary statements in which no new issues attacks assaults by opponents are to characterize the statements are not in order to lead off Mr. Dide. Well I can simply say what I said right if we were beginning that I said the only issue in this campaign seems to be my censure. I don't want these fellows would do without me. They don't have any if you would talk of their own they have no record on all these problems that these senators. I have a right. I remind you of it as I try doing the begetting on drugs on crime on violence on delinquency on pornography. I've done these things with Senator Proxmire I introduced a housing bill that I think will build how do we think those federal reserve funds put them into a housing program. You know how to cost more than $25000 No applicant to be earning more than $12000 and the

interest rate to be no more than six percent. I've increased the funds to guarantee loans for hospital building I worked in every area Depor bothers our county. And I think it's a good record I've done my job and normally here this afternoon they said otherwise they're going to throw a little something a mile and I often say it was an awful century. We learn just Center and history will say so and I wouldn't be here today if I was ashamed of anything I've ever done. I never stole a penny from any man woman or child. Nobody ever said I did. I live my life in this state I've been 35 years in public service 16 years in Congress. It's a public record and I'm proud of it. You'll forgive me for putting it that way. I worked in prison reform. Nobody wants to talk about that that's a way to turn back the crime rate. I better Penology rehabilitate people just don't throw them in cages. A lot of my friends have a sense of anyway about those from the school and I say because that's where the problem is when you consider the 70 percent of our prison inmates today

are less than 25 years of age. Repeated from a juvenile detention home to a reformatory then graduating to the state prison. That's why I'm working in those fields I've been in law enforcement work. That's why I am afraid. And let me tell you Congressman there's something to be afraid of. You're a great big fellow and there's a lot of you were made there's a great big country and we can win this fight. But we've got to be afraid of what's going on here in this reign of terror. Crime rates rising every day murders policemen shot down in cold blood even the firemen. What's going on in this country. Bombings in front of the bombings. You have an MP an office building in Manhattan by a bomb threat. It's happening all the time. Yes I'm afraid of that I want to stop it. And I believe I can stop it more than either of you can do. Mr. Duffy A wise man once said that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. It seems to me that those who cannot envision a better future are equally in danger. We must not despair over

past mistakes. We must learn from them and build a better America for our children. But we cannot be content simply with looking at the record. We cannot be complacent about the problems we confront. We cannot hide from them or talk them away. I believe the people of this country want effective and honest leadership and I believe that once again the Democratic Party can provide that kind of leadership. One of my opponents is an open of valid Republican. The other is a secret Republican a Republican by conviction by vote and by promise. If I am elected senator from Connecticut a man if I am not elected the man who will be elected will vote with the Republicans to organize the Senate. I asked the people of Connecticut to consider what that means. The loss of just seven Democratic seats this year will give to Spiro Agnew the tie breaking vote on every important piece of legislation before the Senate for the next two years. And all of us know where Mr. Agnew will cast his vote. He represents an administration that has said no to housing and no to education and

no to health care and no to full employment and no to limits on campaign spending and no to responsible leadership and no to national unity and no to every progressive proposal and good new idea of the last two years. Mr Agnew says our economic problems have been solved. If you agree with him you have two choices for senator from Connecticut. You can vote for either of my opponents. If you think he is wrong if you think we can do better for America you have one choice. And I ask you to vote for me. Mr. Weicker suggested we can solve our economic problems if the working man will only tighten his belt. If you think belt tightening is the answer to an employment you can vote for either of my opponents. If you think jobs are the answer. I ask you to vote for me. If you think schools and railroads in the forest in this country will improve without federal leadership planning and funds. Vote for either of my opponents. If you think the time has come to grasp our responsibilities I ask you vote for me. If you think repudiating our children is the way to reach them vote for either of my opponents if you think we must seek to bridge the generation gap and not to widen it.

I ask you to vote for me for I believe that you can only govern a nation by uniting. And I ask all those who agree with me to vote Democratic on November the 3rd and to put Connecticut and this country back to work again. It is certainly not a public not a Democrat Linda. Happy to give you that opportunity to refute the charge that I think when I call Mr like I VERY say that's a constructive speech to you it's just not as constructive as the rest of the here in pain as well as joy just Connecticut's opportunities of the 70s and beyond are Connecticut's problems today. It's the choice of addressing oneself. Some people are all people that I'd like to wind up on. I can't solve the problem of the color of your skin because it isn't a problem it's a fact I can't solve the problem of your ethnic background because it isn't a problem. It's a fact

I can't solve the problem of your religion because it isn't a problem. It's a fact and anyone that addresses is used to categories divides rather than unites. I will work to solve the problem of narcotics because the despair and tears of the afflicted family. No no income limits. I work to clean up our waterways because regardless of your faith no one enjoys walking on the filth that is Long Island Sound. I will work to getting a decent roof over every human being because the color of a man's skin there's no air conditioner or overcoat. I work for good urban mass transit in our state because when you're sitting choking on smoke in the Grand Central tunnel Nobody cares what the transportation of your forefathers was the Mayflower or the Santa Maria and so on down the list. There are those who would have you believe in instant

solutions. There are those who prefer to republics the of what went wrong in these respects they are both divisive or lazy. America was built on hard study work. America was built on never being satisfied with itself but always adding to the quality of its national life. We're far from perfect but I always was taught in sports. You play by the rules and you try hard and that's the important thing. For eight years I've been solving problems on the field of American politics. Hard for fourth and rational district. Today I asked my state to let me work for all of Connecticut for six years. Ladies and gentlemen this concludes an unprecedented debate among the three Connecticut candidates for election to the United States Senate on behalf of the Connecticut Broadcasters Association on behalf of the people of the state of Connecticut. I thank them for joining in this nigger us exchange of views

in the spirit of American politics. And with perhaps a rare grammatical correctness I can say to each Good luck and may the best man win. Thank you. The preceding has been a set of Tauriel debate between the three candidates for the office of United States senator from Connecticut Joseph Duffy Lowell Weicker and Thomas Dunn. Your moderator has been Dr. Homer Babbage president of the University of Connecticut. This has been a service of the Connecticut Broadcasters Association.