Smackdown #1: Ritter vs. Beauprez live (in a manner of speaking)
8:15 p.m. - Forty-five minutes until the debate comes on Channel 12. I consider the pointlessness of live-blogging a taped debate on broadcast television that has already been covered by Colorado Confidential. I decide to do it anyway.
9:00 p.m. - Ritter and Beauprez are joined by Libertarian Dawn Winkler, and American Constitution Party nominee Clyde Harkins. Panelists include CBS's Jim Benemann, PBS's Aaron Harber and The Rocky Mountain News' Stuart Steers.
9:05 p.m. - First question is about how the candidates are different from the current administration. Ritter criticizes Owens for not doing the things necessary to grow Colorado's economy - including marketing the state and improving transportation. Beauprez wastes no time bringing up his business experience. (Ritter 1, Beauprez 0)
9:09 p.m. - Benemann asks Ritter if it's fair to say he's spent too much time in politics. Ritter points out his career as a prosecutor and his work as a missionary.
9:10 p.m. - Referendum C time! Ritter speaks at length about the good it's done. He seems comfortable in the debate. Has the facts at his fingertips. Lots of specifics. Beauprez tries to get folksy (and buy time) by asking that everyone call him Bob. Then he admits the state needed the money, but claims he could have pulled it out of thin air because he's magic (or something like that). Ritter calls Beauprez for advocating short-term fixes instead of the sensible long-term plan that the voters approved last November. (Ritter 2, Beauprez 0)
9:16 p.m. - Winkler might be a better choice for many Republicans than Beauprez.
9:18 p.m. - Ritter mentions his recently released plan for the state budget. Beauprez promises he'll put out a budget plan soon. (Ritter 3, Beauprez 0)
9:29 p.m. - Beauprez claims that the illegal immigration crisis is one of the main reasons he "wanted to come home." Good line. But Ritter calls Beauprez for the hypocrisy. Why does a congressman want to become governor, just to turn around and ask congress to do something about illegal immigration? Beauprez mumbles something about Ritter having plea bargained immigrants when he was a D.A. This thing is becoming a walk. (Ritter 4, Beauprez 0)
9:31 p.m. - Ritter stumbles a bit over his support for the Democratic legislature's special session. Beauprez scores one accidentally. (Ritter 4, Beauprez 1)
9:33 p.m. - Beauprez gives a smooth defense of market-driven healthcare. Works his family into the debate very naturally. Ritter talks about how healthcare is a matter of both the hard numbers and of life and death. He scores by praising Republican Gov. Mitt Romney's comprehensive healthcare plan. Call it even. (Ritter 5, Beauprez 2)
9:40 p.m. - Prescription drugs. Ritter has done his homework, talking to all stakeholders. Says we should look at a multi-state drug purchasing plan. Beauprez disagrees, but doesn't have a plan of his own. (Ritter 6, Beauprez 2)
9:43 p.m. - Abortion. I have heard Ritter's speech on this four times now. He gives a very in-depth answer and knows the issue's nuances, but sometimes the more you talk, the worse you sound. Beauprez claims that Ritter can't be pro-life unless he's willing to legislate his morality statewide. Unbelievably, he seems to be trying to tar Ritter with the flip-flop image. Winkler is the only pro-choice candidate on the stage. I can't score this one. If you're deeply pro-life, add one to Beauprez's tally in your head.
9:51 p.m. - Transportation. Ritter is eager to talk about his transportation plan. Beauprez (Mr. Clean Energy!) wants to build a new corridor into the mountains. Not a popular stance, unless you're in the concrete industry. (Ritter 7, Beauprez 2)
9:55 p.m. - Closing statements. Winkler talks about how she's the only candidate who will get government out of the lives of Colorado citizens. Ritter seems very confident talking about his vision for Colorado's colleges, transportation and healthcare. Beauprez talks about his "life experience" and invites us to watch him deal with immigration, literacy and healthcare. Tie. (Ritter 8, Beauprez 3)
10:00 - Wrapping up. I'd say Ritter won the debate. But it was probably closer than my 8-3 (or 8-4, if you're pro-life) score would indicate. Ritter didn't press Beauprez enough on his habit of flip-flopping. Beauprez also came across as having a more inspiring life story than Ritter, which is insane. Consistency and morality are two of Ritter's strong suits. If he can press them even harder next time, he'll score a more decisive win.
6 Comments:
Dead on if the voters know the facts. Ritter wins hands down. Unfortunately most don't, get bored, and decide who they want to drink with. Ritter clearly has the better grasp of what has to be done but like you said, sometimes Ritter sounded Kerryesk giving correct but too nuanced responses. Give Both Ways 3 bonus points for being a plain spoken single sylable good old boy. This will be a tough race.
Give Ritter a point for staying positive while Beauprez tried to go negative on abortion.
If it was me, I would've been like, "You're one to talk, Both Ways Bob! You've made a freaking career out of saying one thing and doing another."
wow, now I don't have to watch the tape unless I need some laughs at both ways bob's expense (I decided a walk to the Tattered Cover was more important than watching the debate as it aired).
Yeah, well Ritter's life story is way more inspiring than Beauprez. Beauprez is manufactured like Bush. A Rasmussen Poll released today has Ritter up 9 over Beauprez. 48% to 39%.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_gubernatorial_election%2C_2006
And, then there was 'Both Ways' speaking of fiscal responsibility after he voted straight line in support of every big spending bill his party shoved through Congress that resulted in $10 Billion in no bid contracts for Halliburton, $780 Billion [over ten years] in non negotiable contracts to drug companies which immediately began raising prices, a 23% growth of the Fed. Gov't, and a crushing debt that weakens America and strengthens others such as our banker China [Coincidentally one of the winners in the Iraq war]. And 'Both Ways' is the best his party has to offer???? Would hate to see what second best stands for.
For somereason, I keep thinking about the Edwards/Cheney debate. On paper, Edwards creamed him. But very few observers called it that way. Keeping your mouth shut and looking confident can win over a lot of half-involved voters.
Healthcare, immigration and abortion should be Ritter's points, every time. The fact that the candidates were even close on these issues is keeping me up at night.
We need to keep taking the fight to Both Ways Bob. He smeared Ritter twice in the debate - as a politician and as a waffler. Neither of those things is close to true. We can't let him get away with it.
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