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Sparks Fly in Philadelphia Mayoral Debate
Aired October 22, 2003 - 15:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: We start with Philadelphia, and the strange but true mayor's race. In their final debate last night, Republican challenger Sam Katz accused John Street's administration of corruption. Street again denied any wrongdoing in the face of a federal investigation that seems to have energized his reelection campaign.
Here now, CNN's Bruce Morton.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRUCE MORTON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Philadelphia Mayor John Street is campaigning for a second term, but the election turned weird October 8, when police found an FBI bug in the mayor's office. Agents have been collecting records from city government ever since.
JOHN STREET (D), MAYOR OF PHILADELPHIA: You are never going to get people to believe that it was all a coincidence and it was all accidental.
MORTON: Many black voters agree. This is a polarized city anyway. When Sam Katz and Street ran four years ago, Katz carried 97 percent of the majority of white voting divisions, Street 98 percent of the majority black ones.
RANDALL MILLER, SAINT JOSEPH UNIVERSITY: Race is always a huge factor. It always is in Philadelphia. But it's never been so overt as it has been for last several days.
MORTON: Katz, the Republican, is himself accused of embezzlement in a civil suit.
SAM KATZ (R), PHILADELPHIA MAYORAL CANDIDATE: The civil case that was filed against me by former business associates is a frivolous lawsuit.
MORTON: He says the real issue is Philadelphia's pay-to-play traditional, city business going to big contributors.
KATZ: The idea of pay to play has polluted the political system in Philadelphia for a long time. And it's time to end that culture.
STREET: During the course of the 3 1/2 years, we have conducted the affairs of this city with fidelity.
MORTON: But the bug, the federal probe dominated last night's debate and the campaign.
STREET: People, I think, are very, very justified in saying something's going on here and something just isn't right.
KATZ: And I don't know if that helps or hurts. In fact, in many ways, I think it hurts.
MORTON: He's right. A poll conducted last week by Temple University shows Street gaining among African-Americans, leading overall 48-41, just the reverse of a September poll.
MILLER: The leitmotif in all these things is, we knew they were going to do it. You can't trust these guys, the people out to get us. And that has benefited Street.
MORTON: Still, the vote is two weeks off. More bombshells could hit at any time.
Bruce Morton, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 22, 2003 - 15:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: We start with Philadelphia, and the strange but true mayor's race. In their final debate last night, Republican challenger Sam Katz accused John Street's administration of corruption. Street again denied any wrongdoing in the face of a federal investigation that seems to have energized his reelection campaign.
Here now, CNN's Bruce Morton.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRUCE MORTON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Philadelphia Mayor John Street is campaigning for a second term, but the election turned weird October 8, when police found an FBI bug in the mayor's office. Agents have been collecting records from city government ever since.
JOHN STREET (D), MAYOR OF PHILADELPHIA: You are never going to get people to believe that it was all a coincidence and it was all accidental.
MORTON: Many black voters agree. This is a polarized city anyway. When Sam Katz and Street ran four years ago, Katz carried 97 percent of the majority of white voting divisions, Street 98 percent of the majority black ones.
RANDALL MILLER, SAINT JOSEPH UNIVERSITY: Race is always a huge factor. It always is in Philadelphia. But it's never been so overt as it has been for last several days.
MORTON: Katz, the Republican, is himself accused of embezzlement in a civil suit.
SAM KATZ (R), PHILADELPHIA MAYORAL CANDIDATE: The civil case that was filed against me by former business associates is a frivolous lawsuit.
MORTON: He says the real issue is Philadelphia's pay-to-play traditional, city business going to big contributors.
KATZ: The idea of pay to play has polluted the political system in Philadelphia for a long time. And it's time to end that culture.
STREET: During the course of the 3 1/2 years, we have conducted the affairs of this city with fidelity.
MORTON: But the bug, the federal probe dominated last night's debate and the campaign.
STREET: People, I think, are very, very justified in saying something's going on here and something just isn't right.
KATZ: And I don't know if that helps or hurts. In fact, in many ways, I think it hurts.
MORTON: He's right. A poll conducted last week by Temple University shows Street gaining among African-Americans, leading overall 48-41, just the reverse of a September poll.
MILLER: The leitmotif in all these things is, we knew they were going to do it. You can't trust these guys, the people out to get us. And that has benefited Street.
MORTON: Still, the vote is two weeks off. More bombshells could hit at any time.
Bruce Morton, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
