Colorado Democratic Debate Faceplants Before Cameras

CBS Colorado says it had planned to record a Democratic gubernatorial debate between Michael Bennet and Phil Weiser on Monday, June 15, after both campaigns had agreed to the date. Then it did not happen. CBS reports the Weiser campaign emailed four days before the debate saying “something has come up,” offered an alternate date that did not work for Bennet, and then told CBS, “I don’t think so. Apologies,” when asked if any other date would work.

So here we are. The two polished ruling-party front-runners want the governor’s mansion, but somehow cannot manage to sit in the same room and answer questions on camera. Maybe it gets rescheduled. Fine. But the first public impression is still a faceplant. Colorado voters are staring at another high-stakes governor race while the Democratic machine acts like public scrutiny is an optional luxury item, right up there with TABOR refunds and affordable rent.

The Bullet Point Brief

CBS says both campaigns agreed to record the debate June 15, and then it did not happen. That is not the end of democracy. It is, however, a pretty embarrassing opening act for two men asking to run Colorado.
The Weiser campaign reportedly said “something has come up” four days before the scheduled recording. That is the kind of explanation you give when dodging a dentist appointment, not when asking voters for executive power.
CBS notes it aired a story the night before the cancellation raising questions about some Weiser campaign contributions, but says it does not know whether that played any role. Good. Don’t overclaim. Just notice the timing sitting there like a raccoon on the porch.
Bennet and Weiser are both long-resume institutional Democrats with every incentive to keep this primary controlled, scripted, and consultant-sanitized. Press releases are safer than questions. Soft-focus bios do not interrupt.
Debates are not gifts from candidates to the peasants. They are civic job interviews. If you want to run Colorado, you can answer questions about Colorado.

My Bottom Line

This is about voter disrespect.

Colorado Democrats have run this state for years. The next applicants for the throne should have to explain what they will continue, what they will fix, and which disasters they are still pretending are national trends instead of local policy wreckage.

Housing costs. Taxes. Fees. Crime. Energy costs. Homelessness. The migrant mess. The state budget. The affordability squeeze. The Front Range pressure cooker. These are not theoretical seminar prompts. They are what Coloradans are living through while campaign staffers play calendar chicken like debate logistics are a delicate hostage negotiation between people with lanyards and anxiety disorders.

Maybe the debate happens later. Good. It should. But candidates do not get credit for eventually doing the basic thing after making everyone wonder why the basic thing became hard.

Voters deserve more than donor-approved talking points, glossy mailers, softball videos, and campaigns treating scrutiny like a communicable disease. If Bennet and Weiser cannot handle CBS asking normal candidate questions, what exactly are they going to do when Colorado’s real problems come through the front door swinging a tire iron?

Source: CBS Colorado