We discussed this during our Live Blog of last night's CO-6 debate between Rep. Mike Coffman and Democrat Andrew Romanoff, but you really need to see the video yourself as a visibly-uncomfortable Coffman rejects the issue of climate change outright. Coffman's answers came during the "Yes or No answer" segment of the debate:
Here's the transcript of the exchange:
MODERATOR #1 (Denver Post reporter Jon Murray): Mr. Coffman, do you believe humans are contributing significantly to Climate Change?
COFFMAN: Um…No.
MODERATOR #1: Mr. Romanoff?
ROMANOFF: Yes
MODERATOR #2 (Denver Post Politics Editor Chuck Plunkett): Mr. Romanoff, do you think we can reverse Climate Change?
ROMANOFF: Yes
MODERATOR #2: Mr. Coffman?
COFFMAN: Don't know.
MODERATOR #2: Um, what? Sir?
COFFMAN: [long pause] No.
Coffman's answers to these two questions were not entirely unpredictable, but the Congressman was definitely uneasy — and a bit unsure of himself — in giving his answers. It was a strange way to answer a couple of questions that any pre-debate preparation should have covered repeatedly, so why was Coffman caught so off-guard?
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maybe Coffman didn't think Right Winger Chuck Plunkett would ask him any tough questions………that's the kind of treatment Repub pols have come to expect from their media stenographers.
I wonder if he's formed an opinion on evolution or the true shape of the earth…..
400,00+ souls held a rather strong opinon on climate change Sunday in NYC… (the angry old white man club is in it's waning days)
Michael – I think these Republicans are caught in the middle of the river and don't know whether to turn around or go forward. Every molecule in Coffmans' body wanted to say "Hell No. Climate Change is a hoax" but the political animal in him knows that the majority of people have come to accept Climate Change as a new reality and that being a vocal Climate Change denier in a purple district is a sure way to end up as a rich lobbyist.
And it was pretty inexplicably under-reported.
As usual, you miss the point. Coffman is always like that. He was no more awkward, uneasy or off guard than usual.
It did remind me of his awkward robotic apologies for his apologies for his apologies concerning birtherism, Obama not being a real American and all that. But those were missing the long looking at his shoes pauses. This seemed more like someone who was actually ashamed of what he thought he needed to say. Would love to see this in an ad paid for by a Romanoff supporting group plastered all over. Looks really, really bad, lame, weak, guilty, cowardly.
…and there isn't an inch of daylight between Coffman and Gardner's position on climate change.