The high heels came up, but the gloves came only partially off in the latest debate between Republican Senate candidates Jane Norton and Ken Buck.
Still answering national media questions on why he said voters should pick him because he doesn’t wear high heels, Buck said this afternoon in a 9News/Denver Post debate that he meant to be lighthearted and failed.
In response to a viewer saying she didn’t see the point of Buck’s remarks in a casual forum, Buck said: “It wasn’t very funny, so I can understand why she doesn’t get it.”
Asked by moderators if she was offended, Norton said, “No,” but added, “I think it begs the question is this befitting a United States Senator?”
“I’m glad Jane wasn’t offended,” Buck replied. “It wasn’t meant in an offensive way.”
Earlier today, the Norton campaign released a new ad featuring the remarks.
Buck and Norton then left personal disputes largely untouched until late in the half-hour session, when they exchanged sharper words over which one of them can control a budget.
Queried on whether voters can believe them on any subject, Norton lept forward to say politicians should “do what you say you’re going to do.” She repeated that she cut the budget she controlled as head of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, while Buck’s budget as Weld County prosecutor grew quickly.
“She continues to repeat those lines as if repeating them will make them true,” responded Buck, disputing Norton’s figures on how much his department expanded. In the end, he said, “it was a good investment” because of steep reductions in Weld County crime.
The candidates, facing off Aug. 10 for the right to battle Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet or challenger Andrew Romanoff, also differed on Afghanistan policy. Norton argued for the U.S. troop surge and keeping a large presence there to continue to “disrupt, dismantle and defeat” al Qaeda terrorism.
“You’re saying let’s pull the troops out,” she said to Buck. “I’m saying let’s get the job done.”
Buck said he is against nation-building and trying to turn chaotic Afghanistan into a Western-style democracy. In fighting terrorism, he said, “we can’t be bogged down in one country. We need to be as flexible as our opponent, and our opponent is all over the place.”
Both Buck and Norton reflected the Republican philosophy of extending Bush-era tax cuts rather than watching them expire at the end of this year.
“If it’s not extended, it becomes a de facto tax increase,” Norton said.
EDITOR’s NOTE: The 9 News/Denver Post debate was taped this afternoon and will broadcast on YourShow on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on MY20 and Comcast Channel 3.
A debate between Democratic U.S. Senate candidates Andrew Romanoff and Sen. Michael Bennet will be taped July 31 for broadcast on Aug. 1.
To submit a question, put SENATE QUESTIONS in the subject line of an email, include your name and hometown in the body, and send it to: newsroom@denverpost.com
Michael Booth: 303-954-1686 or mbooth@denverpost.com
