Culminating a series of heated debates this week, the CD-7 candidates went head-to-head again last night – and it was possibly the most hostile encounter so far. In the wake of a poll Tuesday showing Democrat Ed Perlmutter leading Republican Rick O’Donnell by 17 points, the GOP candidate made some surprising statements. Most notably, he agreed with Perlmutter that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld should step down. Perlmutter has repeatedly called for Rumsfeld’s resignation, but as recently as Tuesday, O’Donnell has declined to join in. From a Denver Post report on Tuesday’s debate:
“Perlmutter said that if he’s elected, he’ll immediately push for Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s resignation. O’Donnell said he would defer to Bush on the issue.”
The candidates also clashed over Iraq and a proposed radioactive waste dump site. Near the end of the debate, O’Donnell went low and suggested Perlmutter’s lobbyist wife would present a conflict of interest. Perlmutter said his wife would not lobby him or the House if he is elected, and admonished O’Donnell for bringing his family into the debate:
“It’s clear when you start picking on my wife, who is a wonderful woman, that you’re getting desperate.”
The debate was sponsored by 9News/Aurora Channel 8. Supposedly, It will be streamed on the 9News Web site, but there’s no link up yet. The next debate will be taped Tuesday at KBDI Channel 12 and will air Wednesday at 8 p.m.
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