Newspaper clipping headlined, "Clements, White both claim victory after third debate," Houston Chronicle, October 18, 1982. The third gubernatorial debate involves both candidates blaming each other for a water shortage, illegal immigration, deteriorating highways, joblessness, and budget shortfalls.
• • • 718 WEST 5th ST AUSTIN, TEXAS 78701 477n5 Houston Chronicle Houston, Texas OCT 1 8 1982 Each blames the other for Texas' problems Clements, White both claim vicipry after third debate DALL—A) (4A e_ Gov. William P. Clements Jr. and challeriger-TiErT White each claimed victory after a third guber- natorial debate that saw each crank up his campaign rhetoric and blame the other for Texas' unsolved problems. Clements assailed his Demoeratic op- ponent for not coming up with any plans to deal with the thorny issues of a possi- ble future Texas water shortage, illegal aliens and deteriorating state highways. He continued hi. .campaign theme that White ha—s—been "Mediocre" and "incom- petent" as both Texas secretary of state and attorney general. White countered that Clements, the first Republican governor in this century, has done next to nothing during his four- year term. "The governor says he has all these task forces," White said after Saturday's debate. "We've had them for four years. We need action — not task forces." He also continually stressed that the number of jobless Texans hit 600,000 dur- ing Clements' tenure in Austin. The hourlong exchange, hosted by KERA-TV of Dallas and sponsored by the League of Women Voters, was broadcast by other public television stations state- wide. Both men toned down the personal at- tacks that peppered their first debate Sept. 24 in Amarillo. The two gubernato- rial candidates also faced off Oct. 11 in Austin. Saturday's debate marked perhaps the final face-to-face confrontation between the two before the Nov. 2 general elec- tion. Clements opened with a lengthy list of endorsements — which he said included many .Texas newspapers, four former Texas attorney generals and three for- mer Democratic governors. "This gubernatorial election will set an all-time historic record for ticket-split- ting," he said. "Why? Because I've been a governor for all Texans: Republican, Democrat or independent — black, white or brown." White emphatically disagreed. "I reject the Republican theory that enough prosperity at the top of the ladder will eventually benefit everyone else," he said. Both men agreed on two things: Texas should have stricter drunken driving laws, and each would sign a bill raising the state drinking age to 21. But the harmony ended there. Each man accused the other of favor- ing tax increases, and misleading Texas voters with twisted facts and figures. "I'm a businessman — not a politi- cian," Clements said several times, echo- ing his perpetual campaign one-liner. "I'm trying to make sure this governor quits damaging the people of Texas," White said later. The format for Saturday's debate was the same used at the other two. A three- reporter panel prepared the questions and each candidate had a brief time to rebut answers offered by the opposition. The rules prohibited the questioners from following up their questions. After the White-Clements confronta- tion, Citizen's Party candidate Bob Po- teet was allotted time for a question-and-answer session with the panel. KERA-TV also added an hour to include all candidates for lieutenant gov- ernor and state treasurer. Station officials said Libertarian Party candidate David Hutzelman would be given air time this week.