KING: Let’s let Mr. Scott in the —
SINK: I put forward an ethics package that should be passed.
KING: Let’s let Mr. Scott in on that question.
SCOTT: You talk about all of these things, but you know you’ve been in office for four years, you could have proposed some of these things that you didn’t — and they didn’t happen.
SINK: I absolutely did every time —
(CROSSTALK)
SCOTT: Let’s go back to what — let’s go back to what — first thing you talked about. You talked about your endorsements by the newspapers. Absolutely, most of them endorsed Barack Obama. You’re an Obama liberal. That’s exactly why they’re endorsing you.
(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE)
SCOTT: Second, let’s talk about the important endorsements. OK, this race is about jobs. All right, this race is about jobs, so I’m endorsed by the NFIB. I’m endorsed by the Florida Chamber. Also you know if you look all across the state the people that care about jobs, they’re the ones that are supporting me.
SCOTT: Second, let’s talk about the important endorsements, OK? This race is about jobs. All right, this race is about jobs. So I’m endorsed by the NFIB. I’m endorsed by the Florida Chamber. Also, you know, if you look all across the state, the people that care about jobs, they’re the ones who are supporting me.
The people that care about things such as, you know, teachers’ unions, that’s who supports you; trial lawyers, that’s who support you. So that’s the difference in this race. You’re a tax (INAUDIBLE). You’ve been in office for four years. You’ve had your shot. Look at what’s happened to our state in four years. Our pension fund was — has gone from way over funded…
SINK: Can I respond, please?
SCOTT: — to way under…
KING: Actually, at the moment, you can’t. I need to stop this…
SINK: Can I respond?
KING: We are running short on time. We will have time for you to respond in the next block. We have to take one last quick break. When we come back, the candidates for Florida governor. Please stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We’re back with the candidates for Florida governor. Our time is running short, so I’m going to ask the candidates to treat this like a lightning rod. If you can answer yes or no, please do. If you need a little bit more time, just take a sentence or two, please, so we can get a few more issues in. Mr. Scott, a the last debate, you were asked whether you considered homosexuality to be immoral and you wouldn’t give a straight answer. Is homosexuality immoral?
SCOTT: I’m not going to judge people based on that.
SMITH: Let’s go to Terry Schiavo, the Terry Schiavo case. Was the legislature and Governor Bush right to intervene in that, Miss. Sink?
SINK: Absolutely not. It’s a private decision between a family and their medical profession. And let me add, because you — you said that I would have an opportunity to respond to the last comment before the break. I’m sorry, John, but let’s talk about these newspaper endorsements. “The Jacksonville Times”…
SINK: “The Jacksonville” — excuse me.
(CROSSTALK)
SINK: “The Jacksonville Times”…
(CROSSTALK)
SINK: We have to be fair.
KING: Mr. Scott, on Terry Schiavo?
SCOTT: They did the right thing.
SINK: “The Jacksonville Times-Union” endorsed me. They have not endorsed a Democrat in 26 years. “The Naples Daily News”…
KING: All right, you can run a campaign…
SINK: — his hometown newspaper…
KING: You can run a campaign ad saying that. We can’t say that here. Back in March, Mr. Scott, the Republican Party of Florida compared Alex Sink to Fidel Castro because they both publicly supported the health care bill. Was that over the line?
SCOTT: She supports the health care bill and it’s a disaster…
KING: A comparison to Castro?
SCOTT: It’s horrible for patients, it’s horrible for taxpayers, it’s horrible for businesspeople.
SMITH: What’s your biggest regret, Miss. Sink?
SINK: My biggest regret?
SMITH: Um-hmm.
SINK: Oh — you know, that’s hard for me to answer because I don’t think about the past and I don’t think about regrets so much. I think about the future. I think about — I’m thinking about the future of Florida and what I can do for Florida people, putting them back to work.
KING: Mr. Scott, any regrets?
SCOTT: Yes. I would have more kids. I love my daughters. I would have had three or four.
(LAUGHTER)
KING: The Obama administration…
(APPLAUSE)
KING: — please, please, please, please. The Obama administration has lifted some restrictions on family travel, money transfers to Cuba and is allowing U.S. telecommunications companies to provide more cellular and satellite service. Good idea?
SCOTT: Bad idea. Bad idea. I’m against it.
SINK: I’m against it, also. Because I think the…
KING: You’re both against it?
SINK: I think there should be more family travel, of course.
SMITH: What’s the minimum — minimum wage in Florida, Mr. Scott?
SCOTT: $7.55.
SMITH: Miss. Sink, is that right?
SINK: Yes.
SMITH: $7.25.
(LAUGHTER)
KING: National Public Radio, last week, fired Juan Williams, because he said that sometimes when he’s on an airplane and he sees Muslims, he gets nervous. Was that the right decision?
SCOTT: No, it was the wrong decision. I don’t believe — I don’t believe Juan — Juan Williams is a bigot. I think it’s the wrong decision.
SINK: I agree. Juan Williams has a distinguished career with National Public Radio and I’d hate to see him not there anymore.
KING: All right, Rick Scott, Alex Sink, Democrat and Republican candidate for governor of Florida, we’ll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We’re out of time tonight, but we’d like to thank the University of South Florida, the “St. Petersburg Times” and both of the Florida gubernatorial candidates for joining us tonight for this conversation. Thanks for watching “JOHN KING USA”.
I’ll see you tomorrow night, one week to election day, from the CNN Election Center. Please be with us. Please vote.
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