LIVE DEBATE COVERAGE: Caldara and Littwin on Clinton and Trump

What could we at The Colorado Independent possibly do to capture both the absolute absurdity and the critical importance of tonight’s opening-round debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton?

Live-blog it, of course. But not with just any bloggers. We’re bringing in the big guns, in the form of a pair of political deep thinkers who disagree on nearly everything except this: No issue, and certainly no politician, is too important not to be skewered.

We have on board, of course, our own political columnist, Mike Littwin, who has been skewering politicians for a living for approximately forever. And to line up against him, we brought in a ringer, Colorado’s own Jon Caldara, a well-known political prankster, who, remarkably, is also the head of an important think tank.

Littwin, from the left, and Caldara, from the right, have been friendly foils, in print, on radio, on TV, in cyberspace, for years and years and once again relish the opportunity to one-up the other for our readers’ amusement and, with any luck, edification.

No one doubts the importance of this debate, which may be the most-watched since Kennedy/Nixon. And while there were some doubts about how important it would be in Colorado, which briefly seemed to have strayed from the orbit of critical swing states, you can rest easy. We’re back. Nate Silver rates Colorado as the sixth most likely tipping-point state. The national polls are tight. On average, Clinton leads — narrowly.

So with the future of the Republic hanging in the balance, tune in to tonight’s debate broadcast on the station of your choice, but as you watch Trump vs. Clinton, keep an eye on the live blogging matchup of Littwin vs. Caldera right here. We guarantee at least as many insights, and almost certainly more intentional laughs.

See you at 6:45.

The Colorado Independent is a statewide online news source operating in a time when spin is plentiful, but factual, fair and unflinching news in the public interest is all too rare. Our award-winning team of veteran investigative and explanatory reporters and news columnists aims to amplify the voices of Coloradans whose stories are unheard, shine light on the relationships between people, power and policy, and hold public officials to account. We strive to report the news with context, social conscience, and soul, and to give Coloradans the insight they need to promote conversation, understanding and progress in this square, swing state we call home.