The Hotline on the O'Malley v. Ehlrich v. Ehlrich debate

http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/

MD GOV -- It's All About Baltimore
BALTIMORE – One down, one to go.
MD Gov. Bob Ehrlich (R) and Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley (D) hit on familiar themes in the first part of an unusual day-night debate doubleheader today. Though state issues were discussed, the commentary often found its way to a proxy battle between an unpopular Pres. Bush the city of Baltimore.
The conversational debate, held at WJZ-TV studios in Baltimore, was a contrast in styles. O’Malley was generally more polished, repeatedly invoking the idea of the “two Bob Ehrlichs” – the one of the first three years in office and the one running for re-election. The governor, meanwhile, was animated and spoke bluntly, especially about problems in Baltimore. “Without us, you are done,” Ehrlich, referring to state funds in the city budget. And twice he followed O’Malley’s lofty, “poetic” statements by saying: “I don’t know what any of that means.”
O’Malley surrogates accused Ehrlich of “revisionist history,” taking credit for the work of the majority-Democratic legislature. And Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D) supported O’Malley’s effort to link Ehrlich to Bush. “People in Maryland are very firmly convinced we’re on the wrong track under George Bush’s leadership. And anyone who believes that George Bush is providing that leadership, as Governor Ehrlich is, [it] shows he’s on the wrong track.”
Ehrlich didn’t run from Congress, alluding to his service in the House on several occasions. “That record got me elected governor of Maryland,” Ehrlich said in an interview after the debate. And responding to O’Malley’s frequent references to Bush, Ehrlich said: “I think he’s either running for president or channeling John Kennedy too much.”
The unusual timing of the debates, twice in the same day, resulted from a last minute compromise after weeks of back-and-forth accusations that each camp was ducking a confrontation. Tonight's debate will actually be seen first, live on WBAL-TV. The afternoon event was taped for broadcast on WJZ-TV this Monday night [MIKE MEMOLI]