[The 90’s Election Specials raw: Democratic presidential debate on WBBM]

Footage for The 90's election specials. This tape contains footage of the Democratic presidential debate on Channel 2 WBBM-Chicago.

00:00Copy video clip URL Television footage and ads.

02:21Copy video clip URL Coverage of the debate begins. The introduction features footage of the famous John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon debate in the WBBM studio in 1960. The candidates make statements in video clips. Governor Bill Clinton says he doesn’t care who’s to blame and that he just wants to be a force of change. Senator Paul Tsongas stresses his economic focus. Jerry Brown says that he offers an alternative and says the the post-Cold War period should be a renaissance.

04:23Copy video clip URL The debate begins. The candidates will be asked questions for the first half and will ask each other questions in the second half. They begin with a segment on crime and urban issues. Brown says that the way to stop drugs is to prevent the factors that lead to drug use. He advocates full employment and childcare. Clinton says that he has seen urban problems, but on a smaller scale. He says he would focus on gun control, school protection, partnerships between citizens and police, and border control. Tsongas says that the mindset of the 1960s influenced current drug culture but that the 1980s did as well, calling the recent attitude selfish and irresponsible.

10:08Copy video clip URL The candidates are asked about jobs. Tsongas says he should get blue collar votes because his record is good with labor. He calls the saving of Chrysler an example of government, business, and labor working together. Clinton says the country needs a national strategy and to shift incentives towards domestic job creation. Clinton answers to the slow growth of Arkansas, saying that manufacturing was high while agriculture was low. He defends his taxes as going to education. Brown interjects about inequality and elitism; he says that Clinton bragged about the low wages in Arkansas. Brown declaims fast track treaties. Brown says he is taking no more than $100 from any one person. Tsongas says his focus is rebuilding the manufacturing base and reads an endorsement from the Chicago Tribune.

17:33Copy video clip URL The debate moves to international relations. Clinton says he would use military force, if necessary, to prevent a dictator from obtaining nuclear power, calling this the greatest threat to the United States. Tsongas defends cuts of the defense budget. He calls dictators and nuclear terrorism the two most likely threats. Clinton says that the conflict in Iraq should have been prolonged for a day and a half to weaken Saddam Hussein. He says the President should have been given power to go to war but they perhaps should have waited. Brown says that the details are still unknown and that a different alternative may have possible.

24:24Copy video clip URL The debate turns to taxes. Brown defends his 13% flat rate tax, saying that the tax code is too complicated and allows corruption. Clinton says that the flat rate tax will relieve the rich and burden the poor. Clinton defends his tax record in Arkansas saying that the local taxes have stayed very low. Tsongas blames the George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan administrations and calls Clinton’s tax approach a kinder, gentler voodoo economics. Clinton makes the same charge against Tsongas. Clinton calls his tax cuts an investment in youth and in the future. Brown speaks on the growing inequality and excessive bonuses for executives while the working people get shafted. He says the export of jobs to Mexico is the bottom line.

33:58Copy video clip URL The debate turns to the direction and vision of the United States. Clinton says that the country needs a unified vision and hope. Tsongas says that it is a period for difficult decisions and sacrifice. Brown compares American decline that of the Roman Empire. He says the gridlocked power structure has to be broken.

37:45Copy video clip URL The candidates begin to question each other. Tsongas asks Clinton who he’s asking to make sacrifices. Clinton says that he’s calling for both sacrifice and offering benefits to all groups. He defends his middle class tax cuts. Brown says he would like to see sacrifice from members of the government and executives.

42:44Copy video clip URL Clinton asks Brown whether he agrees with Tsongas on raising the gas tax to decrease dependency on foreign oil. Brown says that he would abolish the gas tax. Clinton and Brown argue about the flat tax rate.

44:58Copy video clip URL Brown challenges Clinton over special interests and campaign donations. Clinton says that he has received a lot of funding from his home state and he will work for people from outside of Washington.

46:27Copy video clip URL Tsongas attacks the middle class tax cut. Clinton attacks Tsongas’ support of lowering the capital gains tax. Brown attacks fast track treaties.

49:35Copy video clip URL Brown defends his advocacy of a common market, differentiating it from a free market. Tsongas says in order to be a high wage country, there needs to be investment in manufacturing. Brown speaks on his plan for enterprise zones in devastated areas. He says he would replace welfare checks with welfare vouchers.

54:04Copy video clip URL The candidates give their closing statements. Tsongas says that he is the alternative to selfish and irresponsible government, that he will provide for future generations. Brown says that his goal is to provide everyone with a decent living wage. Clinton speaks on the need for a unified vision and hope.

1:02:23Copy video clip URL End of tape.