The Massachusetts senatorial race went high-tech--and highbrow--yesterday afternoon when candidates William F. Weld '66 and John F. Kerry spoke about issues facing the state's biotechnology industry at the Genetics Institute

In the presentation, coordinated by the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MBA), the candidates spoke for about half an hour each on issues ranging from government funding for biotechnology research to the importance of education to the state's high-tech industries.

Weld emphasized his fiscal success as governor of Massachusetts, and--continuing a familiar campaign theme--promised to carry his crusade to Washington.

"There is another beast yet to be conquered," the Republican governor said. "We've made progress, but the regulators--the politicians in Washington--don't get it here.... Biotechnology is moving at light speed."

Weld strongly criticized the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), deriding the organization as "Dr. [David] Kessler's Neighborhood" and "Feckless, Deficient and Arcane."

"Lately, the FDA has become a wet blanket that threatens to stifle the flame of biotech innovation," Weld said.

Weld said he strongly supported the reforms to the FDA proposed by Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum (R-Kan.), which include a faster drug approval process and greater organizational accountability.

During the question-and-answer period, Weld admitted that the FDA has done better in recent years, but credited the improvement to pressure from fellow critics.

Weld also emphasized his skills as a coalition-builder, citing examples of bipartisan cooperation with the likes of former senator Paul E. Tsongas and Senator Edward M. Kennedy '54-'56 (D-Mass.), who opposes Kassebaum's FDA reform proposal.

Of Kennedy, Weld said, "I can work with him like ham and eggs."

According to MBA spokesperson Brian Pace, Weld and Kerry wanted to avoid the appearance of a debate, so Kerry entered the forum after Weld's departure.

Kerry spoke on the importance of education to the biotechnology industry.

"What you earn is linked to what you learn," he said.

Kerry charged Congressional Republicans with cutting $5 billion from education funding and attempting to cut $5 billion more. In another theme now common to the campaign, Kerry warned that if Weld were elected, he would contribute the gutting of critical programs and regulations.

While Weld emphasized how Republican-led regulation reform would benefit biotech firms, Kerry argued that program cutting would hurt the delicate industry.

Kerry pointed to his support of such high-tech friendly programs as Small Business Investment Research (SBIR), the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) and export license reforms.

"All these programs have been under assault [from the right]," Kerry said.

Kerry said that he also supports FDA reform, and offered somewhat hesitant support to Kassebaum's proposals.

"We must move on FDA reform and bring reform to the House floor," Kerry said, without endorsing Kassebaum's bill.

Kerry reminded his audience that with several senators talking about retiring within the next two years, he is poised to become chair of the Commerce Committee's Science and Technology Subcommittee, a position from which the senator could aid greatly Massachusetts' high-tech industries.

Kerry finished his remarks with another oft-heard campaign theme, telling his audience that if they were impressed with governor, they should keep him in the statehouse