Before yesterday's debate, Austin Chronicle writer Lee Nichols laid out his two question test for Rick Noriega to pass in the 1st Senate debate.
Let's see how Rick did.
1) 1. Don't have that deer-caught-in-the-headlights look that he so often has when he gets asked challenging questions. I certainly hope he has really worked hard on the debate prep for all eventualities.
For those that watched the debate last night, Rick certainly passed that. So check that one off.
2. Hammer Cornyn hard on his support for the $700 billion Wall Street bailout. Congress may have been sold on it, but the public hasn't. Cornyn has opened up a window of vulnerability.
Let's see what the lead is from the Dallas Morning News report on the debate...
Sen. John Cornyn and his Democratic challenger, state Rep. Rick Noriega, clashed over the financial industry bailout and health care in their first debate Thursday.
At the outset, Mr. Noriega assailed Mr. Cornyn's support for the $700 billion Wall Street rescue package.
"We can't believe anything that we hear out of Washington, D.C., any more," Mr. Noriega said in a debate broadcast statewide on public television.
"This decision was made in haste," he said, adding that the stock market's negative reaction shows the bailout wasn't well thought out.
"It didn't have the accountability," Mr. Noriega said. "Quite frankly, we need to see that people go to jail."
