Baldwin, Thompson tangle in Wausau debate

Republican Tommy Thompson and Democrat Tammy Baldwin clashed over President Obama's health care overhaul law, the future of Medicaid, and other matters in a debate last night in Wausau. Thompson accused Democrat Baldwin of wanting a government takeover of health care.

"She does not believe that Obamacare went far enough.," he said. "She said it many times. She wants the federal government, ladies and gentlemen, to run your health care program. Now, I don't think anybody in America would like to see us take the same kind of program that Canada has and run it."

Baldwin accused Thompson of wanting to do away with Medicare, referring to the Republican's own words at a campaign event.

"It's a program that I think isn't just a program, but it's a promise, and one that I vow to keep," she said. "We need to strengthen and extend the solvency of Medicare, not voucherize it or do away with it as Tommy Thompson said himself."

Thompson accused Baldwin of cutting $716 billion from Medicare for the President's Affordable Care Act. Baldwin said Thompson wasn't telling the truth.

"We did not change one guaranteed benefit in Medicare, in fact we strengthened it," she said, to which Thompson replied, "You took $716 billion dollars out of Medicare and now it's going to go bankrupt."

Baldwin replied that the AARP says the allegation isn't true.

Thompson and Baldwin also clashed over jobs, taxes and spending and the threat of a nuclear Iran.

Last night’s debate was sponsored by Wisconsin Public Radio and Television, The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, and WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee. Thompson and Baldwin face each other one more time before the election: October 26th in Milwaukee.

Tags: news, politics, elections, wisconsin