Lieutenant governor contenders spar at debate
NEEDHAM -- The three Democratic candidates in the race for lieutenant governor yesterday debated ways to improve healthcare costs, increase the number of jobs, and provide more money for local communities.
Andrea Silbert, a Harwich businesswoman, went on the attack several times during the 30-minute debate, beginning by criticizing Timothy P. Murray for announcing he was running for lieutenant governor shortly after he won reelection as mayor of Worcester.
Silbert later used an endorsement of her by the Brookline Tab, the hometown newspaper of Deborah Goldberg, to criticize Goldberg as not having the support of her community.
``Your home paper endorsed me because they think I have the right skills for the job," Silbert said.
Goldberg, the former chairwoman of the Brookline Board of Selectmen, fired back, saying that Silbert, a political newcomer, does not know what it is like to take positions that are sometimes unpopular in a community.
``You've never had to put yourself before the voters or fundamentally disagree under public scrutiny," Goldberg said.
The debate, which was held at the WCVB-TV studios and will be broadcast tomorrow at noon, was the last time all the candidates will appear together before the Sept. 19 primary. A final debate has been scheduled, but Goldberg has another event to attend and is not participating.
Murray was endorsed by the party at the convention in June. The most recent poll suggested that 8 out of 10 voters were undecided, and the lieutenant governor candidates have been struggling for attention in an election where much of the focus has been on the governor's race.
Because the candidates agree on most policy issues, the debate yesterday, like those before it, focused more on jabs and personal slights than on what they would do if elected.
At one point, when candidates were allowed to ask one another questions, Murray criticized Goldberg for pouring $2.1 million of her own money into the campaign.
``Do you think it's more important for our democracy, and to our party in November, to create networks of people rather than just having millions of dollars for network TV?" he said.
Goldberg, whose family started Stop & Shop, said she was proud of raising more than $600,000 through 2,000 individual contributions, and said, ``We're at a crossroads, and I want to take a personal risk and take a chance."
Silbert said Massachusetts should avoid lowering the income tax to allow the state to expand its healthcare plan for families.
Moderator Natalie Jacobson asked the candidates to describe ``who are you" without leaning on the talking points they've being using on the campaign trail.
Murray said he had ``a decent sense of humor," was ``not too high maintenance," and ``enjoys people watching and going to a game."
Goldberg said she was ``a loving and supportive mother," and ``I think I'm funny, and I think I'm fun."
Silbert said she liked to travel and be outdoors, and ``I feel like the luckiest gal in the world because I've got a great husband . . . and three wonderful and healthy children."
Following the debate, Murray announced that he had received the endorsement of the Massachusetts Nurses Association. Goldberg spent the day campaigning in Lowell and Somerville, and Silbert was preparing for a ``whistle-stop kayak tour" this weekend.
Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com. 