ChetChase 2010 -- GOP Candidates Debate

Too bad candidates never chuck the rules and debate without a net.

Candidates for governor Terry Branstad, Rod Roberts and Bob Vander Plaats debated for the first time in Sioux City Wednesday afternoon. It could only be seen live online, on an index-card-sized screen.

They seem much bigger in real life.

You can watch a replay here.

That tiny, webcast exchange was shown next to a robust, running online battle between rapid-fire chatterers talking/sparring in real time. “Branstad is a RINO” (Republican in name only.) “Roberts has momentum.” “Vander Plaats is the Buffalo Bills of gubernatorial candidates. “

And yet, others thought him more like “Lincoln.”

This passionate, freewheeling verbiage made me wish the forum sponsor, KTIV, had also pushed the candidates to mix it up. Instead, we got 30-second bites with little nutritional value.

“What you get ... is what you see,” said Roberts, a “new conservative leader” running for the first time against rivals with seven campaigns between them.

“Iowans know how to bring great things to light,” said Vander Plaats, showing how corporate influence is already affecting our politics. Very shrewd, GE.

Branstad, a former four-term governor, touted a “vision for the future,” but spent much of the forum saying “I've done that before.” And when he criticized Gov. Chet Culver for pushing gambling expansion, a 150-watt GE bulb lit up over Vander Plaats' head. I swear.

“That's what he did when he was governor when he instituted gambling ... 15 casinos and a state lottery and parimutuel betting,” Vander Plaats said while answering a question about medical marijuana. He couldn't wait to leave pot and criticize the kettle.

Vander Plaats spent much of the debate arguing that Branstad had his chance. Branstad slapped back, arguing that his results are more important than BVP's "rhetoric."  Roberts argued he's a reasonable alternative for a party split between Branstad pragmatists and Vander Plaats cutlure warriors.

Vander Plaats took lumps for - again - vowing to make gay marriage go away by executive order. Creating a super-sized governor, with a legislative and judicial veto, will somehow guarantee our “freedoms,” he said.

“I don't believe it's constitutional,” Roberts retorted. "I do think it will create conflict." Score one for the quiet guy from Carroll.

Hot new ideas were at a premium.

Vander Plaats released a meaty economic plan this week, with immigration and incubators, but for some reason he essentially boiled it down Wednesday to making Iowa “the startup capital of the world.”

We here in the food capital, energy capital and Silicon Valley of the Midwest have heard this line before.

Each hopeful wants cut corporate taxes to create jobs. They oppose medical marijuana and federal health care reform. Government is too big, but education is important.  They all agree Culver must go.

But to be fair, it was hard to fit much big vision between commercial breaks in an hourlong debate that was more like 48 minutes.

The next debate is in Cedar Rapids May 1. I say we misplace the net.