As the close contest to be Florida’s next governor enters its final week, Democratic candidate Alex Sink and Republican candidate Rick Scott crossed lances in their last debate of a contentious election fight -- this time involving national rather than state issues, and this time showing the country a verbal bare-knuckle brawl, Florida-style.

The debate, moderated by CNN's John King and broadcast nationally by CNN, was staged at the University of South Florida in Tampa. King was joined by Adam Smith of the St. Petersburg Times.

Despite the close race and the state’s continuing economic problems, the moderators' questions revolved around national issues and allowed the candidates to trade attacks on their records in the private sector.

King opened the debate by asking businessman Scott about President Barack Obama. Scott praised Obama for continuing the war in Afghanistan. “The stimulus is a disaster,” said Scott, who insisted new federal health-care laws backed by the White House were “job killers.”

State CFO Sink disagreed with Scott’s view that she was an “Obama liberal.” “You just don’t know what you’re talking about,” she told her opponent. “I have always been a fiscal conservative." She did praise the Obama administration for education reform. But she criticized it for not extending tax cuts backed by President George W. Bush in 2001 and 2003.

Smith asked Scott about his taxes, noting that he was doing better under Obama than Bush. Scott brushed off the question and continued to link Obama and Sink, insisting Sink will raise taxes.

“There’s nothing in my plan that calls for raising taxes,” said Sink before hammering Scott for Medicare fraud that occurred during his tenure as a health-care executive at Columbia/HCA. “He’s someone we just can’t trust to follow the rules.”

“There’s nothing you want to cut,” said Scott.

“You are reinventing history,” said Sink, continuing to pound Scott on ethical issues. “I think you have spent a lifetime reinventing the truth, Rick.”

“You want to talk about fraud, let’s talk about your record at NationsBank,” replied Scott.

The two candidates continued to squabble on ethics issues while Scott insisted he is proud of his record in the private sector.

King jumped in and asked Scott about his immigration plans, noting the Republican wants Florida to adopt the immigration law that Arizona enacted earlier in the year. Scott praised legal immigration, noting Rep. Jennifer Carroll of Jacksonville, his running mate, is a legal immigrant. “We should have a working visa process,” insisted Scott. He said he is not backing amnesty.

“Florida is not Arizona,” said Sink, who called for increasing fines to businesses that hire illegal immigrants. Sink added that she is talking to law enforcement officials about the matter, reminding voters of her backing from police groups.

 

After a break, the debate returned to ethical issues. King brought up Scott’s record at Columbia/HCA. He asked if Scott intends to run the state as he had his businesses. Replied Scott, “What you do as CEO is surround yourself with the smartest people you can and you trust them." King continued to ask Scott about the case. Smith then jumped in asking Scott about sealing a deposition concerning matters at Solantic, a company he invested in.

“It has nothing to do with running for governor,” said Scott. “This race is about jobs.” Scott then tried to fire away at Sink, insisting she never built a private-sector job.

Asked about her record as state CFO, Sink fired back at Scott insisting she did build jobs. She again hammered her opponent on ethics issues, saying he was a “corporate raider” who “left as a disgraced chief executive officer.”