October 07, 2014 05:47 PM UTC

Udall v. Gardner: LIVE BLOG!

• 25 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

The Election season rolls on, and so do we. It's time for another LIVE BLOG!!!

We're back at the auditorium of the Denver Post building for a debate for U.S. Senate between Sen. Mark Udall and Congressman Cory Gardner. The crowd is filling in, the coins are being tossed, and it's about to get all Senate-y in here. For those who want to watch the action themselves, check out DenverPost.com for the live feed.

*NOTE: The most current update appears at the top of the page. As always, unless it is in direct quotes, consider all statements paraphrased in the interest of time.

FINAL THOUGHTS
This felt very much like the end of Cory Gardner's campaign for Senate. Gardner came off as childish and petulant, smiling happily at himself whenever he thought of a new one-liner (though unaware that he was the only one laughing). Gardner also appeared ill-prepared and unsure of himself; his consistent refusal to answer questions — even Yes/No questions — absolutely stood out for everyone in the room and will no doubt continue to dog him for the remainder of the campaign. Gardner's ill-timed jokes and indecipherable answers made him look almost disinterested — like a teenager who has grown bored of this "Senate campaign thing."

On the other side, Udall was strong throughout the debate, but he didn't have to work very hard to outshine Gardner when the latter would offer only cliches and platitudes in response to every question. This was a cakewalk for Udall.

Gardner can only hope that the media coverage of this debate comes and goes quickly. If national media pick up on this horrendous performance, pundits around the country will be declaring that Udall has the race well in hand. Gardner entered the room with a shiny gray suit that seemed a little too big on his frame; he left much the same way.

7:00 pm
Closing arguments!

Gardner: Talks about family hardware store that will be 100 years old tomorrow. Gardner has a little more confidence now that he can get back to his stump speech. Talks of moral obligation to pass along a stronger nation to our children.

Udall: We've accomplished a lot over these last years, and we've endured a lot with fires and floods. There is more work to be done. Equal pay for women, lower costs for higher education. There are clear choices in this race. "The new generation doesn't stand with Congressman Gardner — he doesn't believe in those things."
 

6:58 pm
Second question for Gardner: You talk about paycheck fairness, but you don't pay women in your office the same amount as men.

Udall: You know that this is a strategy you see around the country. I am reminded about what Mark Twain said about statistics. You bring this up to avoid talking about your record.

Gardner: Leadership means leading by example.

Udall: I pay women on my staff the same as men.
 

6:56 pm
Question from Gardner: Talks about Udall missing hearings and meetings on international security. Where were you?

[If your opponent is reduced to complaining about meetings that you’ve missed, then you know you’re in pretty good shape.]

Udall: "We're in this together. ISIL is going to target us because we are Americans. Politics ought to end at the water's edge." Udall brings up old comment from Gardner about saying Syria is not a problem.
 

6:54 pm
Candidates now get to ask two questions of each other. Udall goes first.

Udall: Life at conception bill would ban abortion and most forms of contraception. What would happen if that became the law of the land?

Gardner: "That bill is a statement that I support life."

Udall: "If the life at conception act were introduced in the Senate, would you vote for it."

Gardner starts to dodge, and Udall interrupts. "This is an important question, and you owe Coloradans a clear answer."

Gardner is trying to figure out how to hide inside his podium.

Gardner: Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Absolutely will not even come close to answering this question.
 

6:51 pm
Udall back to reminding the audience that Gardner is running against him, not against President Obama.

Udall brings up Personhood, saying Gardner supports federal personhood bill.

Gardner doesn't say "There is no federal personhood bill," but he doesn't say anything else memorable.

Gardner is very flustered now and continues throwing out cliches and message-box phrases. It's almost like watching an actor forget his lines in a play.

6:48 pm
Question about gun violence.

Gardner: Talks about need to improve mental health. Says he is a staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment.

Udall: I strongly support the 2nd Amendment. My grandmother taught me how to shoot. It's unfortunate that you reject a common-sense proposal like universal background checks that a majority of Coloradans support.

Gardner: Jabs his finger at Udall and says he has a 'C' grade from the NRA.

That's not really a damaging attack, Congressman, but, whatever.
 

6:47 pm
Udall: "It takes real gumption to stand here and accuse me of not supporting Medicare when you voted to cut Medicare. Your votes matter, Congressman. You can't go around saying your votes don't matter."
 

6:45 pm
Question about specific entitlement programs that could/should be cut.

Udall: I support the Simpson-Bowles plan [we probably spelled that wrong, but we’re doing what we can here].

Gardner: Federal government must stop borrowing against social security and preserve Medicare.
 

6:42 pm
Question about national debt and specific cuts.

Gardner: "We can start reducing our national debt by repealing Obamacare."

Gardner is answering questions like it is February 2014 and his polling tells him to say "Obamacare" as often as possible.

Udall: We should keep Medicare in place.

Gardner: "I believe we should protect social security and Medicare…" That's not what he has said before.
 

6:39 pm
Next question: How can federal government help grow economy for middle class?

Udall: Increase minimum wage. Pass Lilly Ledbetter fair pay act. Keep jobs here, and don't ship them overseas. Lower cost of higher education. "Mr. Gardner opposes all of these," says Udall.

Gardner: "We must unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of this country…Mark Udall voting 99% of the time with President Obama has set this country back."

This is truly a bizarre thing to watch unfold. Gardner is rattling off old political cliches in whatever order they enter his head. Somebody teach this man about the segue [and teach us how to spell it correctly].
 

6:37 pm
Question about Climate Change and Cap and Trade. You can probably guess how each candidate answered.
 

6:35 pm
Now time for Yes or No questions, and Gardner makes an absolute ass of himself again.

Question: Do you believe humans are causing climate change to a significant degree?

Gardner REFUSES to answer Yes or No — literally refuses — and continues to ramble on despite catcalls from the audience and attempted interruptions from the moderators.

What is Garder doing? This is crazy.
 

6:31 pm
Question for Gardner: What is the difference between federal personhood and state personhood?

Gardner: I do not support the Personhood amendment…

Then Gardner does something that causes the entire crowd to groan. Turning to Udall, Gardner says, "Senator, you say you have a Colorado compass. Well maybe you need a GPS, because you're leading us down the wrong path." This would be quite a zinger if this were a student council debate.

Gardner seemed really pleased with his one-liner until it exited his mouth.

This is really uncomfortable.

Gardner is sweating.
 

6:30 pm
Question for Udall about how much he supports the President.

This is a weird question, because it's basically an open-ended opportunity to say whatever you want.

6:27 pm
Next question on immigration reform. There is a short discussion about which candidate should answer first. It turns out to be Udall.

Udall: "This is one of the most important steps we can take [to support immigration reform]."

Gardner: "We are in this mess today because of failed leadership. Failed leadership from the President. Failed leadership from Sen. Udall." Is Gardner earning $20 for every time he says one of his five favorite phrases? He literally talks about nothing else.

Udall: "When you talk about failed leadership, Congressman, you are an example of failed leadership…I've acted, you haven't." Gardner is not at all prepared for Udall's aggressiveness.

6:24 pm
Next question about flood relief and the government shutdown. Bartels says, "Congressman, you said you would never vote for a government shutdown, but you voted for at least three bills that led directly to the shutdown." She then asks Udall if he felt he politicized last year's floods, as Gardner has claimed.

Udall on shutdown: "It was irresponsible. It was reckless. And when you represent Colorado, you stand by Colorado."

Gardner continues to jab his finger at Udall while accusing him of "politicizing a tragedy."

6:21 pm
Gardner is visibly uncomfortable. He looks like Udall gave him a wedgie backstage and he never had a chance to fix it.

Gardner just said this: "We must replace Harry Reid!" The question was about why Congress is so dysfunctional, and Gardner just keeps talking about Harry Reid and voting with Obama 99% of the time. Gardner would have been better off just taping his five phrases and leaving them running on the podium.

6:19 pm
Questions about ISIS for each candidate.

Gardner: Mentions Obama, Obamacare, and a bunch of other stuff not related to ISIS.

Udall: "I'd like to remind Congressman Gardner that he is running against me. Not President Obama. Not against my father. Not against Harry Reid. Against me." Dang!

6:14 pm
Why is your record on women's issues better than your opponent?

Udall: Says it's obvious. Talks about Personhood issue that Gardner backed (we smell "There is no federal personhood bill" coming soon).

Gardner: Immediately goes to economy, Obamacare, and his 4-corners plan. Says NOTHING about women.

Udall: "Facts matter. We have the strongest economy in the country right now."

Gardner responds by asking three times for a 30-second rebuttal. He is refused. Gardner is completely imploding right before our eyes.

6:12 pm
Udall with a good zinger on Gardner: "We don't need any more filibustering in the Senate. As you can see, Congressman Gardner is already adept at that."

6:06 pm
Next question for Udall about Obamacare.

Udall: Says Obamacare is working. Talks about how Gardner has voted 50 times to defund Obamacare. "We are moving forward in the state of Colorado," says Udall. "The Colorado way is to work together."

Udall is going right at Gardner early and often.

Next question for Gardner: Why will you not come clean with information about your private health care plan?

You didn't really think Gardner was going to answer this question, did you? Gardner goes right to attacks on Udall and Obamacare repeals.

To his credit, Plunkett follows up and says that they were looking for a specific answer from Gardner. "Would you like to answer the specific question?"

This is not going well for Gardner, who is visibly rattled. "Sometimes if a candidate doesn't answer a question, that tells you something about the candidate, too," says Plunkett. Gardner's trademark smile and confidence have left the building.

6:03 pm
We are forgoing opening statements tonight, which is nice. Right to the questions:

First for Gardner is a birth control question.

Gardner: "It's simply outrageous to think that someone would ban birth control. It's simply outrageous." Well, that didn't take long.

For Udall: Would you support a late-term abortion ban?

Udall: Says this is a decision that should be left to a woman and her doctor. "We ought to respect the women of Colorado, and their point of view."

6:00 pm
The candidates enter the room to thunderous applause. Mark Udall is not wearing a bolo tie, but is decked out instead in a dark gray suit and purple tie. Gardner is wearing a gray suit and purplish tie as well. Maybe they called each other beforehand to coordinate outfits.

5:55 pm
Apparently there is an overflow crowd here tonight, so the Post set up a live-stream video screen in the lobby. We've been here at the Denver Post auditorium for all of their official debates this Election season, and the difference in excitement is obvious. The crowd is electric, or something.

5:54 pm
Will the bolo tie make an appearance for Udall? Will Gardner make sure his teeth are extra-white? We await anxiously.

5:45 pm
This is only the third "debate" between the candidates for U.S. Senate, but this is certainly the most high-profile of all. Our moderators tonight are Denver Post Politics Editor Chuck Plunkett and intrepid Post reporter Lynn Bartels, the queen of Colorado political reporting.