In an exclusive interview with The Brody File, Sen. Richard Lugar says his GOP Primary opponent Richard Mourdock, “does not have the qualifications to be a senator.”
As for the national Tea Party type groups that are trying to oust him, Lugar says, “Indiana unfortunately has become either the battleground or the playground, depending upon how you look at it for outside people who want to prove that they have clout.”
My sit-down interview with Lugar took place last Thursday afternoon in his Capitol Hill office. We will be releasing more clips throughout the afternoon.
The Brody File also interviewed Richard Mourdock out in Indiana and those clips will be released shortly. A full report can be seen on "The 700 Club" next Monday, May 7.
Lugar is in the fight of his political life to retain his Senate seat. He’s been a senator for 36 years and long time incumbents are definitely in the danger zone in this Tea Party type political climate. His reputation (fair or unfair) as a moderate doesn’t help either. Freedom Works and Club for Growth are working overtime to try and defeat him.
Mandatory Courtesy: CBN News/The Brody File
David Brody: What is the big difference between you and Richard Mourdock? And why don't you think Richard Mourdock may be suited to take your job so to speak?
Sen. Richard Lugar: Well, let me just say, frankly, that my opponent does not have the qualifications to be a senator because he simply has not done the homework that's required to be effective - whether it be on the jobs issue, the economic issues, international issues, whatever they may be. This takes time and effort, and a good staff can be very helpful if you have not done the homework yourself, but our campaign unfortunately has not been one in which we have discussed, really, propositions for jobs or economic security or creation of new opportunities, or problems of America abroad, threats that we face from the rest of the world.
Unfortunately, the campaign has been largely dictated by so-called outside interests. By that, I mean very large contributions from organizations that have come into Indiana with millions of dollars, have run negative ads. Long before my opponent was designated as the nominee, Club for Growth, for example, was running $180,000 worth of negative ads, loosening up the terrain.
Indiana unfortunately has become either the battleground or the playground, depending upon how you look at it for outside people who want to prove that they have clout. And it doesn't matter what might be their calling, they're trying to prove that, I presume, so that the leaders of those movements can prove to all the people that give money to them that they have some clout.
And there are not too many places to do this. Orrin Hatch's race out in Utah, for a while but nevertheless. Maybe Dean Heller out in Nevada in due course but that primary is six months away. So, unfortunately, that has concentrated all of the attention of the players on Indiana, and that is much of the campaign that most people see.