The Wolf-Corbett Debate: What They’re Saying
At Guv debate.. Corbett speaks with dozens of reporters Post.. Wolf leaves with limited response. pic.twitter.com/FY5XSHwamS
— Pat Ciarrocchi (@PatCiarrocchi) October 1, 2014
Gubernatorial contenders Tom Wolf and Tom Corbett squared off this morning in a televised debate. Here’s what they’re saying in the media — social and otherwise — about the clash:
AP notes the debate was heavy on school funding issues:
Wolf sought to put Corbett on the defensive on those subjects amid questions from station reporters over what the candidates would say to parents who are upset about the quality of their public schools,
Wolf pledged that parents would see smaller class sizes if he is elected, while Corbett cautioned that he understands that people want more money for schools, but that the state budget is tight right now.
Lancaster Online says Corbett came out aggressive, again. Was it enough?:
Seeming confident and self-assured despite facing a double-digit deficit in the polls, Corbett played the role of the aggressor in front of a very friendly business crowd.
But Franklin & Marshall College pollster G. Terry Madonna said it wasn’t enough.
“This is pretty much what I expected with the exception of the comfort level we’ve seen from the governor,” Madonna said after the first meeting. “But it’s still not the game-changer he needed to make up ground.”
The Inky focuses on economics:
When the debate, moderated by longtime broadcaster Larry Kane, shifted to economic issues, Corbett said the state benefited from the shale gas industry while Wolf argued that Pennsylvania is ranked 47th among the states in job creation.
Corbett countered by pointing to an analysis that ranked the state 36th.
When a panelist asked when Wolf would release his tax plan, the Democrat said – as he had before – that he first needed to see what sort of gap he would inherit if elected.
In fact, the candidates covered a lot of ground in just an hour, as the Twitter accounts of the debate can attest:
Sharp back & forth over state budget – Wolf says Corbett has used gimmickry to balance; Corbett says he's been governing w/taxpayers in mind
— Charles Thompson (@ChasThompson1) October 1, 2014
Wolf says Corbett "cooked the books" on budget. Corbett: "Are you accusing me of a criminal act?"
— Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) October 1, 2014
Corbett: “Are you accusing me of committing a felony?” Wolf: “I’m accusing you of overestimating what the revenues we’re going to be.”
— Sy Snyder (@PoliticsPA) October 1, 2014
Wolf has Corbett flat on his back in this debate. Corbett blames everyone but himself for his failures. #cbsphillydebate #PAGOV
— Silas Russell (@Silas_Russell) October 1, 2014
Watching the guv debate I keep thinking Wolf is gonna lunge at Corbett and try to get him in a headlock but Corbett will wriggle out of it.
— Kevin Donahue PHLBIZ (@PHLBIZKevin) October 1, 2014
https://twitter.com/tros77/status/517288662586101760
Wolf smartly avoids Eagles-Steelers question, goes with Penn State. #cbsphillydebate
— Sy Snyder (@PoliticsPA) October 1, 2014
Wolf: responsibility for porno emails in Corbett AG office starts at the top, blames it on "culture" enabled by leadership #PAGov
— Jon Geeting (@jongeeting) October 1, 2014
Tom Wolf says PA needs to attract more entrepreneurs; Gov. Corbett: asks why Wolf is ignoring 250,000 unfilled jobs in the state #pagov
— PA Center for Women & Politics (@PCWP_Chatham) October 1, 2014
Agreements between Corbett and Wolf: both prefer french fries to chocolate and like dogs. #cbsphillydebate
— tomfitzgerald (@tomfitzgerald) October 1, 2014
We’ll have more later this morning as more stories and analysis emerge.
