Murphy, Fitzpatrick clash in first debate in Bucks race

In the first debate of one of this years's most closely-watched congressional races, Democratic U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy traded barbs on the economy and foreign policy on Wednesday with former congressman Mike Fitzpatrick, the Bucks County Republican Murphy narrowly unseated in the Eighth District race of 2006.

In an exchange recorded this afternoon for Larry Kane's Voice of Reason program on the Comcast Network, Murphy and Fitzpatrick blamed each other for the nation's ongoing economic woes, which both agreed will be the key issue throughout their fall campaign.

Fitzpatrick said tax cuts enacted under President George W. Bush should be extended indefinitely so that small business owners will have the confidence to invest in their businesses and create new jobs. He said that the unemployment rate and the national debt have both doubled since he left office.

"We're loading obligations on future generations that we can't afford to pay for today," Fitzpatrick said. "It's immoral what we're doing to future generations."

Murphy said he favored keeping tax cuts intact for all but the richest two percent of Americans, and accused Fitzpatrick of supporting military and trade policies that drove up the deficit and sent jobs overseas. While he did not like voting for President Obama's costly stimulus plan, he said, it was the only way of avoiding an economic depression created, in his view, by Republican policies.

"Sometimes I feel like the cleanup crew after an Eagles game," Murphy said.

Murphy, an Army veteran of the war in Iraq, ousted Fitzpatrick by less than 1 percent of the vote in 2006 in the Eighth District, which comprises all of Bucks County and slivers of Montgomery County and Philadelphia. Fitzpatrick, a freshman Republican, was swept out in a national wave of anti-war and anti-Bush sentiment.

This year the roles have reversed, with Obama's popularity ebbing and voters disillusioned over the persistently flagging economy. A recent Republican poll showed Fitzpatrick leading Murphy in a race seen by some as a bellwether for the respective parties' national fortunes this November.

Their appearance on Kane's program was the first in what is expected to be a series of debates between them this fall. The 30-minute program will be broadcast at 9:30 p.m. Sunday and at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 15 on the Comcast network.

Contact staff writer Larry King at 215-345-0446 or lking@phillynews.com.