Debate a display of record, rhetoric.

Byline: David Steves The Register-Guard

PORTLAND - Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski rattled off accomplishments and proposals. Republican challenger Ron Saxton lashed at what he said were the governor's failures.

Saxton extolled the wisdom of newspaper editorials endorsing his vision. Kulongoski cracked back that Saxton's vision was pure rhetoric.

Tuesday's televised debate see-sawed all night between lofty self-congratulations and snippy potshots.

In other words, it had all the elements of a neck-and-neck race between two candidates in their fourth direct face-off since winning their parties' nominations.

The debate, held at the KGW television studio and telecast throughout the state, was the final chance for TV viewers to catch the two major candidates for governor before ballots are mailed out this weekend in advance of the Nov. 7 election.

In a campaign that's pitted the two against each other since May, a recent spate of newspaper editorials - with seven of nine coming down for Saxton - gave him and Kulongoski one of the few new topics for them to joust over since their previous debate Friday.

Saxton wasted no time touting the editorial support. He was just 20 seconds into his opening statement when he began reading aloud excerpts from The Oregonian's Sunday endorsement.

"They're exactly right. Oregonians know that the governor has done a job that's just not acceptable. They know we have to do better," he said.

Kulongoski congratulated Saxton, and then said it reminded him of another endorsement in that newspaper six years ago for a different candidate, whom it praised for showing "the intelligence, the character, the fortitude and the talent" to succeed.

"This was The Oregonian endorsement for George W. Bush. I think they may be saying the same thing for you, but I think the consequences are still the same."

After enduring months of criticism from Saxton about his leadership, Kulongoski struck back.

"I had the ship of state and I got us through rough waters," said Kulongoski, who noted that Oregon's most recent recession was buffeting the state when he took office and drove revenues down nearly 25 percent from projected levels. Since then, Oregon has added 120,000 jobs and has the fifth fastest-growing state economy in the nation.

While Saxton criticized the pace of state progress during a difficult stretch on Kulongoski's watch, the governor said, his rival had yet to tell Oregonians how he would lead.

"Mr. Saxton has not said one word in a year about where he is going to take the state in the future. He always is looking through the rear-view mirror."

Asked by a debate questioner what was his "big vision," Saxton responded: "This is all about how does Oregon be the kind of place where you can live and raise a family and work and succeed? How do you have a government that isn't always interfering? ... My vision is that at the end of my time as governor, people point to Oregon not as a laughingstock but as the place in the country that figured out how to have an education system to be proud of."

Kulongoski retorted that "that vision must be in his breast pocket because he still hasn't told you what it is. The fact is, it's all rhetoric."

Kulongoski said Saxton's support for $2 billion worth of tax cuts and vague ideas about squeezing more spending money out of unspecified government efficiencies showed that "he doesn't have a plan."

In contrast, Kulongoski said he saw government as being about "the common good for all of us. To recognize that we have to invest in people. It's about children. It's about health care. It's about providing quality jobs. ... If you look at my Education Enterprise, my Healthy Kids Initiative and - that's the vision that we should be talking about."

The two candidates found a few areas on which they agree - to a degree.

Asked about the teaching of evolution, Kulongoski said he thought the state should require it and Saxton said he thought the government shouldn't interfere with the teaching of science - but when asked to clarify their positions, both said schools should teach evolution.

The two also came from different philosophical starting points to say they did not support raising the beer and wine taxes to pay for more treatment of people addicted to alcohol or other drugs.

Saxton said he "support(s) the programs, but I don't support a tax increase." Kulongoski said he would take 2 percent of the state's mark-up on liquor sales to pay for increased treatment programs.

And in the latest wave of news reports about lobbyist-paid trips to Hawaii for legislators, both said they would crack down by ending such trips and special-interest gifts.

Kulongoski went the furthest, agreeing to raise his hand at the request of a reporter on the debate's moderator panel and pledging not to accept lobbyist gratuities, including meals, travel or lodging for themselves or their staff. He said he was "on the forefront of this issue" because last year he charged the Oregon Law Commission with studying the state's ethics laws for officials and lobbyists and recommending reforms to the next Legislature.

Saxton called the legislators' acceptance of freebies "shameful and wrong" and cited his recent proposal to ban lawmakers' acceptance of out-of-state trips funded by third-party organizations. And he said he didn't intend to accept lobbyist-furnished gifts, but stopped short of actually taking the reporter's suggested pledge, saying his own proposal was actually tougher.

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