Jackson Free Press

The Mississippi Democratic Club hosted a debate between second congressional district contenders Bennie Thompson and Chuck Espy on May 28. Candidate Dorothy Benford did not attend the debate.

Signs endorsing one candidate or another crowded the scene outside the auditorium. Unfortunately, little of that excitement made its way into the debate itself. Though both candidates hurled barbs at the other, the sheer venom between their supporters didn't make it onto the stage, leaving supporters to give standing ovations to lines as banal as "because our communities are so important." Supporters on each side of the audience seemed determined to show up the other side.

Espy's arguments centered on retaking a seat on the congressional Agriculture Committee—a seat Thompson abandoned when a more senior chair opened up on the Homeland Security Committee. Thompson explained earlier that Homeland Security has matured over the last three years following 9/11 and said he wants to make it more efficient and perhaps use it to the state's advantage in acquiring new business.

Espy disagreed. "We must regain this seat in the Agriculture Committee. It is vital to housing, water and sewer systems … and we do not have a seat at the table. I'm going to start (my term) by fighting to get that seat back," Espy said. He elicited derisive chuckles from Thompson supporters when he offered the same response to a question about how to handle high gas prices.

Thompson, meanwhile, tried to promote his close ties to local politicians, businessmen and farmers, saying he was familiar with the problems facing people in his district and that he kept his office open to anybody with need.

Both candidates managed to land some zingers.

Espy scored points by discussing Thompson's growing ties to petroleum companies like Exxon-Mobil, which has contributed money to Thompson's campaign. In fact, Thompson bragged of his support for the recent congressional energy bill, which he praises as "providing incentives for gas exploration in places like ANWR," the Alaskan National Wildlife Reserve that oil companies have had their sights on since Bush took office. Thompson's support for drilling in ANWR runs counter to his strong record of votes for the environment.

Thompson chided Espy on his failure to make committee meetings in the State Capitol, where he sits on the Agriculture, Conservation & Water Resources, Juvenile Justice, Oil, Gas & Other Minerals and Public Health and Human Services committees.

"When the kids at Oakley and Columbia needed help, I wrote your (Juvenile Justice) committee and did not hear from you, but when I looked at this committee, this attendance record, you did not make a single committee all year," Thompson said. "When I look at the Agriculture Committee—which you say you love—I see that you only made 30 percent of those meetings. When I look at the committee on water resources, which is so important to the Delta, you made one meeting out of nine this year. … How do you plan to go to Washington and do all these good things when the job you have now you were missing in action?"

Espy said he and other legislators have managed to open communities like Gunnison, Miss., to grants and funding "to make sure that their people have safe drinking water," regardless of committee attendance. He also said the "Juvenile Justice Committee is very important," that "we work very hard and diligently to make sure our training schools are not abusing our children."

Espy accused Thompson of being unavailable to people with high utility bills in his region. "He talks about not being there for the committee; but all the people in the Second Congressional District are crying loud; and you even ignored people when utility bills were too high," Espy said.

Thompson and Espy took different sides on gas taxes. Espy said he favored immediately eliminating or at least reducing any tax on fuel "if it will help the people of Mississippi," while Thompson said lowering taxes on fuel meant taking money away from health care and other social needs. Thompson said he was wary of "penalizing" people in his district who needed social aid to see a doctor.

They also disagreed on getting troops out of Iraq. Thompson, who voted against the use of force resolution in 2003, said he was impatient for the war's end. He wanted the president to come up with a "timetable to bring the troops back home," while Espy said, "We need to make sure that we finish the job and then bring our troops home safe."

Thompson backed off on statements he made earlier in the campaign that a Democratic majority in the House would investigate the Bush administration's mendacity leading up to the war, along with other constitutional violations that could lead to the impeachment of President George Bush. Instead, Thompson said that he could not impeach the president in a time of war.

"If the articles (of impeachment) are presented down the road, I'll give them consideration. But at this point in time, issues dealing with the war, gasoline prices and health care are far more important than the impeachment of the president," Thompson said.

Espy agreed. "After we begin to solve our wars and the illness of the people, then we move forward. But at this time (Bush) just has low poll numbers."

The candidates took similar positions on illegal immigration, saying the border was so porous that the U.S. military should be temporarily deployed to secure it. Thompson added that a 50-foot fence wouldn't help because somebody will eventually come along "with a 51-foot ladder," and said the country needed to use satellite and other forms of technology to better monitor the border. Both also advocated penalizing businesses that hired undocumented workers.