FOUR CANDIDATES IN SOLE PRIMARY DEBATE

Lone Republican Lungren enjoys the sniping among Democrats Checchi, Gray, Harman

LOS ANGELES - Al Checchi's opponents in the Democratic gubernatorial
primary, reeling from his multimillion-dollar barrage of negative campaign
ads, seized the platform Wednesday of the lone primary campaign debate to
fire back at the financier.

Rep. Jane Harman and Lt. Gov. Gray Davis challenged Checchi assertions that
he is only highlighting their records as public servants.

"I watched in horror as Michael Huffington smeared Dianne Feinstein. And,
sadly, now it's happening among Democrats," Harman said, referring to
Feinstein's Republican opponent in the 1994 U.S. Senate campaign.

"These things happen because too many macho politicians say, "Do it my way,
or I will tell the media about something naughty you did when you were 12.'
If (Checchi) runs a divisive and negative campaign, you can expect a
divisive and negative governor."

Davis took aim at Checchi as well: "There are only 20 days left, you could
do a great service by focusing on the merits of your campaign rather than
the alleged deficiencies of your opponents."

Harman, who repeatedly says she is running a positive campaign, went on the
attack again during her closing remarks. She chided Davis for not being bold
enough, said Republican Attorney General Dan Lungren was too extreme and
Checchi was buying the election.

When she was through, Lungren looked at Harman and said: "Thanks for that
positive closing." He got a big laugh from the audience.

The debate was the first chance for the four major candidates - Checchi,
Davis, Harman and Lungren, the lone Republican in the group - to challenge
one another on the same podium. No other debates are scheduled, although
some news organizations are trying to arrange a Northern California match-up.

The 90-minute debate, which was not televised by any major network, took
place in an auditorium at the Los Angeles Times building with about 300
reporters and civic leaders present.

The satellite feed of the debate, picked up and broadcast live in the Bay
Area by BayTV and KQED-FM, went off the air for about 10 minutes.

Requests to candidates

Times executives had asked the candidates to stay away from personal attacks
and "focus your comments on issues and actions you would take" if elected
governor. They envisioned a forum, not a nasty exchange.

For much of the forum, the candidates politely answered direct questions,
but tried often to go on the attack.

Davis and Lungren, who at first got a laugh for wondering if he should jump
between the Democrats, nevertheless swiped at Checchi for his failure to
vote in four of the past six state elections.

Lungren, a former congressman, also questioned Checchi's attacks on Davis
and Harman as career politicians.

"How can you denigrate public service?" Lungren asked. "How can you tell
them you should have spent your time making money?"

Although Checchi spent much of the debate talking about his numerous plans
for education and government reform, he broke away on several occasions to
defend himself.

"I've been attacked for spending my own money from people who take money
from others," he said.

Of his attack ads, Checchi said "this election is about comparisons, and the
things I've talked about are factual, not personal."

Open primary

Although he is an overwhelming favorite for the Republican nomination,
Lungren was included in the debate because of the state's new open primary,
which allows voters to pick any candidate regardless of party. Checchi, for
one, insisted that Lungren be included because Checchi hopes to capture
Republican cross-over voters in the primary.

During opening remarks, the candidates laid out essentially the same themes
they have been selling in their barrage of TV ads - at an estimated $50
million the most expensive ad campaign in California's political history.

Checchi, who told the audience he is the grandson of immigrants, talked
about the coming new century and went through his list of proposals and
promises: cutting bureaucracy, adding more police, and offering tax breaks.

He said he has traveled the state meeting people and "through their eyes I
have also seen that people are concerned about their future and are
dissatisfied with politicians who say things are pretty good right now and
have no plan for the future. I reject the old politics that say we have to
be content with the way we are."

Harman repeated her mix of public and private experience, her fiscal
conservatism and the fact that she is a woman and mother. She took the
middle - and most specific - road when asked how she would spend the state's
current $4 billion surplus.

Harman said she would divide the money between education and a limited tax
cut. She said Lungren's call for eliminating the state's car tax was the
"cut-and-run approach."

Davis mentioned several times his work as chief of staff to former Gov.
Jerry Brown, his status as a Vietnam veteran and his experience as an
assemblyman, state controller and lieutenant governor. He said he wanted to
fix the schools, cut crime and work toward a more diverse state.

"I will work to bring this state together, and end divisive, wedge-issue
campaigns," Davis said.

Lungren highlighted what he said was his record as attorney general helping
drive down the crime rate in California. Asked about the increase in prison
spending, the fastest growing part of the state budget, Lungren said he
would not apologize for tougher sentencing laws he has backed.

"We'll stop building prisons when they stop committing crimes," he said.

For those who missed the live broadcast on BayTV, C-SPAN or KQED-FM, the
debate will be played on KCBS-AM radio from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday
and on BayTV this weekend and C-SPAN at 9 a.m. Sunday.

©1998 San Francisco Examiner

Checked-by: Melodi Cornett