MARK BENNETT: Reaching across the aisle not always as easy as it sounds

By Mark Bennett The Tribune-Star VINCENNES — Anyone who expected Tuesday’s 8th District congressional debate to turn into the Goode, the Brad and the Ugly probably left Vincennes University disappointed. The tone used by Rep. Brad Ellsworth and his Republican challenger, Greg Goode, remained relatively respectful, as political duels go. Still, some feistiness emerged. Goode tried to point out the bad in the first-term incumbent’s record, alleging that Ellsworth’s votes haven’t matched his reputation as a conservative Democrat. Ellsworth tried to refute that, accusing Goode of cherry-picking portions of his record to distort it, and defending his questioned votes. The congressman said Goode’s attacks were the “typical Washington type, what people are sick of. They take a portion of a vote or an amendment on a bill and they... [read full story]