Shaheen, Sununu spar over economics, Wall Street bailout

NORTH CONWAY-In their first debate, former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D-Madbury) and U.S. Sen. John Sununu (R-Waterville Valley) squared off over the proposed financial bailout bill which is currently stalled in Congress.

In a debate sponsored by the Mt. Washington Valley Economic Council, Shaheen said if she would have voted against the $700 billion bailout, while Sununu said he will vote for the bill when it comes up for a vote later today in the U.S. Senate.

"I would not have voted for that bailout bill," Shaheen said, "Though I think it's critical that Congress to act and to act in a bi-partisan way."

Shaheen said she opposes the bill because of the lack of oversight.

"I think we need to act, and I've said I will support the legislation in the Senate," Sununu said. "The package we're going to act on this evening has an extension of the deposit insurance and that's going to help particular small businesses."

Sununu also criticized Shaheen's fiscal record as governor.

"Her fiscal record is clear she tried to raise taxes, the leadership failure is real she did not provide leadership on the education funding crisis," Sununu said.

After the debate Shaheen's campaign released a statement that said Sununu has supported "reckless spending."

"John Sununu talking about cutting spending is like Popeye talking about eating less spinach," Kate Bedingfield, Shaheen's communications director, said in a statement.  "During his years in Congress, John Sununu has supported reckless spending, voting for every single Bush budget and doubling our national debt to almost $10 trillion dollars. 

Perhaps the only issue the rivals agreed on during the debate was fried food preference. Both candidates said they prefer fried dough over onion rings.