August 16, 2009 02:13 PM UTC

Sen. Brophy's Aide Gets Press For "Student Obama Debate Challenge"

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• by: Colorado Pols

From ABC News’ Political Punch blog:

After a weekend of relatively tame town halls President Obama found one vocal skeptic in a college student who challenged the President to an Oxford debate over the public option at his Grand Junction, Colo., town hall this evening.

Zach Lahn, a 23-year-old student at the University of Colorado got the President’s attention after shouting out during the Q and A a few times. [Pols emphasis] The President finally called on him during the end of the town hall.

“I just want proof here that I’m happy to get a good debate going,” the President said, knowing that he could be wading into harsher waters than he is used to.

“I’d love to have a debate, just all out, anytime, Oxford-style, if you’d like,” Lahn said to President Obama and then proceeded on with his question. “How in the world can a private corporation providing insurance compete with an entity that does not have to worry about making a profit, does not have to pay local property taxes — they do not have to — they’re not subject to local regulations? How can a company compete with that?”

Lahn said he didn’t want any generalities, or philosophical arguments from the President as a response…

“It’s good to see a young person who’s very engaged and confident challenging the President to a Oxford-style debate, I think this is good,” he said. “You know, this is good. You know, I like that. You got to have a little chutzpah, you know.”

It also takes some “chutzpah” to fail to disclose to either the President or to reporters interviewing you afterward that you’re a staffer for one of the hardest-right Republicans in the Colorado Senate, Sen. Greg “Obama’s Gonna Take Yer Guns” Brophy, wouldn’t you say? It’s not like that should have disqualified him from asking the question–much like the infamous Brooks Brothers riot of Florida 2000 legend, though, it would have helped explain why he was so, um, “passionate.”