Philosophy Rules Final Gubernatorial Debate

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana's gubernatorial hopefuls clashed for a third and final time before the Nov. 4 election in a debate at Indiana University Tuesday night.

The debate format was different than the first two -- designed to reveal personal characteristics -- but it appeared to thwart efforts to discuss candidates' policy plans for state government if elected, 6News' Norman Cox reported.

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Analysis: Capitol WatchBlog
Watch Norman Cox's Report

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Republican incumbent Mitch Daniels, Democrat Jill Long Thompson and Libertarian Andy Horning got less time to talk about their plans for the state tonight than in the first two debates, largely because of a series of dating service-type questions from moderator Tom Cochrun, with questions such as "Who's the biggest influence in your life, and what was your biggest mistake?"

Gov. Mitch Daniels called the questions "different." Democrat Jill Long Thompson said she thought everyone would end up singing "Kumbaya."

There were virtually no sparks until near the end, when Long Thompson accused Daniels of mishandling money from the Toll Road lease.

"He has invested almost one-third of the money that came in from that contract in junk bonds, in Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae -- very high risk and unacceptable," Long Thompson said. "Not only that, he doesn't even have an investment policy for those funds."

Daniels said the money is invested strictly according to the law and that the Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae bonds are perfectly safe and backed by the federal government.

"Well, you know, I thought eventually we might see a kinder, gentler you," Daniels said. "But I guess it's not in the cards. First of all, the treasurer of the state, separately elected, invests the funds."

Afterward, Long Thompson offered no evidence that any money had been lost or that the state wasn't getting a good return on its investment of Toll Road money.

"We have tried to get that information, but it has not been available," she said.

Daniels said that it's ironic that someone who opposed the Toll Road lease so strongly now criticizes how the profits are invested.

"If people like my opponent had her way, there wouldn't be any money to invest. There'd be zero. We'd be broke and canceling road projects like everybody else," he said.

Polls have been all over the map in recent weeks, with some showing Daniels with a double-digit lead and others showing a virtual dead heat.

Daniels has outraised and outspent Long Thompson, and has run television commercials continuously since March. Long Thompson aired her first general election commercial in July, but hasn't run a TV ad for about five weeks.

Long Thompson said after the debate that she would be back on the air very soon.

When asked why they were running for governor, Long Thompson said it was about the future of Indiana. Long Thompson, who served northwest Indiana in the U.S. House from 1989 to 1995, said she got interested in politics in the late 1970s when the nation's economy was struggling.

Daniels said before he ran in 2004 he had never considered running for political office. But he said he got restless when he saw state government falling behind and not providing services as well as it should be.