Mayoral Hopefuls Debate, Question Each Other

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The candidates stepped out of their comfort zones Monday in Channel 4 News’ Mayoral Debate.

Video: Watch The Entire Debate

For the first time, they were free to pose questions to one another.

Most went after a competitor's previous record.

Bob Clement asked former Fire Chief Buck Dozier why half of Metro firefighters live outside the county.

Dozier questioned where Bob Clement would continue to get money for the mass transit system he envisions.

Howard Gentry asked Karl Dean why he chose to send his kids to private school.

Dean said that he and his wife made the decision to send their children to private schools based on their needs. He also said that he was a product of public schools and said that "committment" to public education should be the focus.

David Briley got Dozier to agree to a target of a $50 million endowment for Fisk University and criticized Clements’ continued call for more vocational education

Briley said that he wanted children to have the full educational experience and that no one will be turning lathes in 20 years in Nashville.

When asked about plans for the downtown thermal plant site, Clement, Dean and Gentry all left the door open to a possible baseball park.

Briley said whatever goes there must generate tax money, and Dozier said he's focused on more than downtown, citing the whole Riverfront from one edge of the county to the other.

Special Section: 2007 Mayor’s Race