Florida Attorney General debate, thread 3

Question: individual rights -- red-light cameras, texting while driving, etc. -- how would you handle it?

Gelber: No one should be texting while driving. I'm sort of a "crazy dad" in that way. As for red-light cameras, I know Florida seems to be more vigilant against speeding while in a budget crisis ... but I am FOR red-light cameras. I'm introducing legislation that will make texting while driving illegal.

Aronberg: The Republican efforts to promote red-light cameras was motivated by profit. If something is going to save lives, I think that's great, but I have serious civil-liberty concerns about some of these sorts of things. As for texting while driving, let's make sure we write the bill properly. Republican bill would have allowed surfing the Internet and searching for phone numbers but just not texting -- that doesn't make sense. I trust Sen. Ted Deutch to draft the proper bill.

Question: What about freedom of information and "Sunshine" laws?

Aronberg: We have good laws in this state, but we need an AG who will enforce them. We also need to overcome the Republican brand of ethics ... their bill would prohibit lobbyists from buying us a cup of coffee, but giving a million dollars to our committee? Well, that would be fine.

Gelber: Unlike Dave, I do not think our laws are adequate. So I've introduced legislation to bring sunshine to the one area that doesn't have it right now: the legislature. When we created the Sunshine laws, they -- Republicans -- specifically exempted the legislature. We're trying to get this onto the ballot in 2010. In campaign finance, the senate wouldn't go along with my "muffin bill" -- lobbyists can't buy us a muffin but they can give us a $50,000 check.

Question: If Democrats control the whole executive branch in Florida, how do you see the AG's role changing?

Gelber: I pushed for principles in the legislature. If we have the Cabinet, you will have an AG who is fighting for the things you care about and not attacking everything you care about. "This is our chance to stand up and take back all of the things that have been taken from Floridians."

Aronberg: My district stretches from coast to coast. It's how the Republicans drew it. That's why it will take time to change our legislature, because the Republicans have rigged the game (so please sign the Fair Districts Florida petition!). It will take years to change the legislature ... but we can change now by electing Democrats to the Cabinet.

Question: What do you pledge regarding civility on the campaign trail?

Aronberg: We're here on a Sunday morning to exchange ideas. This has been a great debate. Republicans are motivated by anger, we're motivated by passion. There's a difference. Even though this is my dream job and I've focused my entire career on it, I will support Dan Gelber if he is the nominee because it's so important to have a Democratic AG.

Gelber: If that's an endorsement, I'll take it [laughter] ... Do you listen to Glenn Beck? The huge distinction between our parties is that they have founded their entire success on fear and division. If you create a game plan based on the worst in people, you bring out the worst in people. They were upset that the president of the United States won the Nobel Peace Prize! We should talk about how we voted and how we differ on the issue, but we will never demean each other. Things are too important right now to engage in pettiness. To Aronberg: "And if you want to come back, I will hire you at the AG's office."

Closing statements:

Gelber: It's great to be engaged in this process. But as for the AG position, it's really important. More than any other position in government, no one can tell the AG what to do. The quality that sets me apart is that if you look at my history as a prosecutor and investigator in the U.S. Senate and in the Florida legislature, I have stood up against some of the most wrong ideas and kept with it. We have to have tenacity. Lawton Chiles told me, "if you ever run for office, don't do it to be liked. Do it because you want to do something." I am running because I believe our state has gone so terribly off course that we need to fix it. I will wake up every morning saying to myself, "Who am I taking on today on behalf of you? What enemy will I make?" I ask for your support.

Aronberg: Thanks to Dan Gelber for this excellent debate, and thanks to Susan McManus. Also, thank you for coming out today. Obviously the Democrats have the superior candidates; Republican candidates are so beholden to special interests, it's "cash for clunkers!" [laughter] I'm someone who is about taking actions and beating Republicans. They've spent a million and a half dollars to beat me and swiftboat me, and I've won every time. My issues have always been about making people safe. The AGs we've had lately have only been concerned about their political future ... no one even knows what the AG does anymore. When Bob Butterworth was AG, we took action -- he stood up to Big Tobacco and Ford Motor Company and Firestone Tires. He stood up for civil rights and for people over the powerful. We need another Bob Butterworth. Anger has given the Republicans Joe Wilson and Glenn Beck. "If you will reach higher and dream bigger, we will change the state together." "If you forget my name, it's 'Aronberg' -- it starts with an 'A' and ends with a 'G.' "