Jeanne Shaheen Wins Final Debate Of Campaign, Lays Out Clear Vision For New Direction In Stark Contrast To Sununu Half-Truths And Excuses For Failed Record
Friday October 31, 2008

Today, Shaheen kicks off five-day barnstorm for a new direction for the final push to Election Day on Tuesday.

 

(Manchester, NH) – In the final debate of the campaign, former Governor Jeanne Shaheen laid out a clear vision for a new direction, in stark contrast to Senator John Sununu's series of half-truths and excuses about his six years of supporting a failed economic agenda.

 

"John Sununu spent tonight's debate trying to mislead voters about his record and complaining about the format," said Kate Bedingfield, communications director for Jeanne Shaheen for Senate.  "From energy to the financial crisis to social security, Sununu did everything he could to disguise years of supporting failed Bush policies.  Jeanne Shaheen established that just five days from today we have the chance to turn the page on the failed policies of the past and jumpstart our economy so that it works again for middle class families and small businesses."

 

Reality:  Sununu Voted to Create the Enron Loophole.  [House Vote #603, 12/15/00]

 

Sununu Voted Six Times Against Closing the Enron Loophole.  [Senate Vote #436, 11/5/03; Senate Vote 434, 12/14/07; Senate Vote #130, 5/15/08; Senate Vote #140, 5/22/08; Senate Vote #144, 6/5/08; Senate Vote #151, 6/18/08]

 

 

Debate Distortion: "I think [Fannie and Freddie legislation] is an indication of the kind of leadership that I can provide on financial service regulation and issues that are at risk for the taxpayer." [John Sununu, 10/30/08]

 

Reality: Experts ranging from SEC Chairman Chris Cox to former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan have discredited the idea that Fannie and Freddie were the cause of the financial crisis.  The real cause was the deterioration of oversight in the mortgage markets – something John Sununu continually supported in the US House and Senate. [New York Times, 10/23/08]

 

 

Debate Distortion: "We submitted the [privatization] legislation and it makes the trust fund solvent permanently…" [John Sununu, 10/30/08]

 

Reality: George Bush and John Sununu's plan to privatize social security would require $1 trillion to $2 trillion from the general fund to remain solvent.  John Sununu's plan would gamble seniors' guaranteed retirement benefits on the stock market and it would require trillions in taxpayer dollars to remain afloat.  [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 4/26/05]