A better debate

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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After the first televised gubernatorial debate in Sioux City last month, we gave the two major candidates low marks for not answering questions directly and spending too much time flinging verbal mud such as “dishonest” and “not telling the truth.”

Televised debate No. 2, held at Coe College last night, was an improvement. First-term Democratic Gov. Chet Culver and Republican challenger Terry Branstad, who won the job four times before retiring a decade ago, gave viewers and voters a clearer picture of where they stand on several major issues. Still, they couldn't totally resist dipping into their reservoirs of political platitudes.

The next-to-last question from the panel of KCRG-TV9 and Gazette journalists separated the candidates most sharply and drew loud, spontaneous response from their supporters in the packed Sinclair Auditorium.

Asked about the impact of the Iowa Supreme Court's 2009 ruling that struck down Iowa's Defense of Marriage Act and cleared the way for legal same-sex marriage, Culver thundered that it's had “no effect” other than allowing Iowans to make their own decisions. “I respect our independent judiciary, and Terry Branstad oversimplifies when he says we should let people vote. Should we vote on all the court's rulings? ... We don't want discrimination here.”

To which Branstad replied with equal conviction: “The people have the right to vote on an issue of this magnitude. I signed the Defense of Marriage Act ... and the people should have the final say. It was the Democratic leadership that has denied them the opportunity to vote.”

Leading up to that moment was a mixed bag - several reasonably direct responses, various claims about Cedar Rapids flood recovery assistance and pokes at each other's track record. And, yes, still some name calling - largely from Culver, who at one point called Branstad a “habitual promise breaker.”

Branstad didn't use the attack mode as often this time. In fact, he even gave Culver credit for building on a renewable energy initiative he signed into law before leaving office.

This debate had less animosity, more information. Iowans got a little more of what they need to hear before voting.

But keep improving, candidates. The final televised debate is less than two weeks away. We're not convinced that Iowans have seen your best offerings yet.