Landrieu, Kennedy battle over tactics, Iraq, abortion in debate

• By WILL SENTELL
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Oct 23, 2008 - Page: 1A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

In their final debate, Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu and Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy lobbed charges against each other Wednesday night on campaign tactics, Social Security and abortion.

Landrieu, who is seeking her third term, again portrayed Kennedy as a chronic flip-flopper who cannot decide on his political party or positions.

“He is not who he claims to be,” Landrieu said of Kennedy, who changed from Democrat to Republican last year.

Kennedy repeatedly blasted Landrieu’s stance on the war in Iraq, and her continued criticism of last year’s troop surge there.

“The surge is working,” he said.

“I do not know why Sen. Landrieu and Sen. Obama cannot admit it.

“They want to surrender in Iraq,” Kennedy added.

The contenders faced off for the fourth time in 17 days in a New Orleans television studio.

The debate was carried by several CBS stations statewide, including WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge and KLFY-TV in Lafayette.

Landrieu, 52, was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996. Kennedy, 56, has been state treasurer since 2000.

The election is Nov. 4.

Both contenders dodged responsibility for the hard-edged nature of some of their campaign charges and countercharges.

Kennedy said his camp began a positive campaign in August and that Landrieu immediately “went up with ads attacking me.