McLEAN

Democrat Creigh Deeds repeatedly brought up Republican Bob McDonnell's 1989 law school thesis, in which McDonnell decried the detrimental effects on the family of abortion, gays and working women.

The thesis was the topic of the first question McDonnell received from moderator David Gregory of NBC.

McDonnell has said he feels differently now than when he wrote the thesis, and he has specifically pointed out that his wife and daughters are working women.

He appeared to grow angry after Deeds brought it up several times.

"Creigh, there you go again," McDonnell said. "I'm frankly pretty insulted that you would say to my daughter, who I've supported and loved and sent to Iraq, that I don't support working women."

For his part, McDonnell was sharply critical of Deeds' position on transportation reform, accusing Deeds of not having proposed any specifics.

"I'm the only candidate that actually has a transportation plan," McDonnell said.

Deeds said he has promised to work for a bipartisan plan that includes $1 billion in new revenue, although he said he would not raise general fund taxes--suggesting that taxes that don't go to the general fund, such as the gas tax, would be an option.

"No, I'm not going to raise taxes, but I am the only person on this dais that will sign a transportation plan that raises new money as long as it's a dedicated source of funding," Deeds said.

He also said "every funding proposal for me is on the table except one, taking money out of the general fund."

Deeds has criticized McDonnell's transportation plan as one that uses general fund money, which is also the fund that pays for such programs as education.

Deeds also issued an explicit denouncement of the federal "cap and trade" bill on energy and emissions, and accused McDonnell of outright lying about Deeds' position on the bill.

"I've said to Bob numerous times, I don't support the bill," Deeds said. "But he's still lying to people."

As in the previous debate, each sought to present himself as the one best suited to create new jobs and improve Virginia's economy.