COSTA MESA - The campaigns of U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) and Democratic challenger Debbie Cook provided vastly different perspectives of Tuesday afternoon's heated debate.

Rohrabacher accused Cook of being evasive and "muddying the waters."

"Ms. Cook obfuscated the issues," Rohrabacher said. "She was evasive throughout the debate and neglected to give definitive answers on the biggest issues of our time."

In particular, said the nine-term incumbent, "Ms. Cook repeatedly avoided addressing her flip flop on the Wall Street bailout, which makes it clear she wants to play it both ways."

Cook spokesman Joe Shaw released a statement after the debate explaining Cook's position on the bailout plan.

"Mayor Cook's position was never in dispute," Shaw argued. "She opposed the first measure, as did the majority of Congress, because of a lack of oversight. The severity of the financial problem required action, and after exhaustively seeking advice from economic experts, Mayor Cook put aside some of her reservations and supported the rescue of our financial system in the final bill."

Shaw went on to accuse Rohrabacher of "pointing the finger elsewhere, instead of taking responsibility for the deregulation of the financial sector, which he cheered on."

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