Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak sent out a release today proposing a set of questions for U.S. Senate candidate Jane Norton, who will appear at a conservative or right-leaning Candidate Search 2010 forum tonight in Colorado Springs. Either Waak hasn’t attended any conservative candidate forums this year or her proposed questions are really just an excuse to jab at Norton. Her questions raise some serious points but imagining them in the mouth of an attendee at this forum is to imagine a different country altogether.
Waak’s list trades on the fact that Norton has taken heat lately for her lack of accessibility. She has been campaigning for six months but has rarely been personally quoted in news reports. Her spokespeople largely field questions from the press and her unscripted live stumping appearances have garnered attention mostly for the surprising things she has said to her audiences. Waak’s proposed questions ask her to elaborate on many of those comments.
Questions for “Not-Sayin’” Norton:
Many of us have been disappointed by your extreme rhetoric during this campaign, including your comments that you would now oppose Referendum C, which you helped pass in 2005. Will you tell Coloradans where you really stand, and why you’re changing your mind during a competitive primary?
The Denver Post praised Scott McInnis and John Hickenlooper for taking a position against Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101 – which would be catastrophic for our state’s already strained finances. Michael Bennet also opposes them. Will you finally tell Coloradans where you stand on these measures?
You directed the lobbying division of a large trade group, and the Rocky Mountain News in 2001 reported that you were “previously a medical lobbyist.” Will you come clean and admit that in between your jobs in government you were a lobbyist for five years?
You called for a 20% “across the board cut” in discretionary spending. What would you cut from the Defense budget? Body Armor? Troop Pay? How about the COPS program which provides vital funding for police departments in Colorado? Would you cut Cancer research programs?
Do you still favor abolishing the U.S. Department of Education?
At another forum, you said you’re “not convinced” global warming was caused by humans. Yes or no question Jane: Do you believe in global warming?
You said the federal government should have “no place” in health care. Do you still believe that? If so, will you pledge to repeal Medicare coverage for the 574,263 Colorado seniors and repealing Medicaid coverage for the 374,200 Coloradans who receive quality health care through government-run programs?
On Fox News you said the job creation bill passed by the Senate was “too small.” Then your spokesman offered a confusing clarification. Where do you really stand on jumpstarting job creation?
Questions at these forums usually are of the “How would you work to end big government overreaching?” variety.
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