Station:   KNUS, 710 AM

Show:      Kelley & Company

Guests:    Gardner, Cory

Link:        http://kelleyco.podbean.com/

Date:       April 16, 2014

Topics:     Affordable Care Act (ACA), Obamacare, Keystone XL Pipeline, Senator Mark Udall, Spokesperson Carly Robinson, Environmentalists, Voting Record, Senator Michael Bennet, Hydraulic Fracturing “Fracking” Bans, Job Killing Measure, Gun Control, Governor John Hickenlooper, President Barack Obama, Recalls of State Senators, Economy, Jobs, Energy, Geopolitical, “U-Turn Udall”, Fourth Congressional District (CD-4), Bundy Ranch, Private Property Rights, Cliven Bundy, Nevada, Department of the Interior, Leadership,

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HOST STEVE KELLEY:  We’ve missed you!

U.S. CONGRESSMAN & CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATE CORY GARDNER:  I – I’m glad to be back

KELLEY:  First question, out of the box, from Bill [Rogan].

CO-HOST BILL ROGAN:  Er, uh, Cory, thanks for joining us.  Uh, we’ve never had trouble getting ahold of you, but when this Personhood thing came out we couldn’t find you anywhere.  The question is, were you ducking us?

U.S. CONGRESSMAN & CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATE CORY GARDNER:  Ha!  We had a number of changes in the office as we started expanding the campaign operation and changed who was handling our communications in the personal office.  And I don’t think I was ducking anybody on that issue because, as you’re well aware, it was front page news in a lot of places.

KELLEY:  Have you taken heat for that, I’ve –in – in– in a way you that you didn’t expect?

GARDNER:  I think there’s a lot of people who have differences of opinion on this matter.  And it’s important that we have the ability to listen to those opinions, to hear those concerns, and then do our own work and study to figure out what the right position–in terms of the policy, is.  And that’s what we have done.

KELLEY:  All right.  Fair enough.   But, just for clarification purposes for those that do support you, um, your stance on abortion and the distinction between this ballot – or what will be on the ballot in terms of personhood.  Make that distinction.  Are you pro-choice? Are you pro-life?

GARDNER:  Well, if you look at my record, it is a pro-life record.  And that will always be on my record, and continue to be a part of it.  So, I think that that is something that we have not been trying to turn away from.

KELLEY:  So, no ambiguity, you’re still pro-life, but — and your votes support that.  But as senator, will you continue in that vein?

GARDNER:  Well, again, I’m not – I remain a pro-life legislator who believes that my record actually speaks for itself while I’ve been in Congress.

KELLEY:  So, does the Personhood Amendment, –and again, just to refresh folks’ memories, there was a change, not only you but Congressman Coffman, as well.  What was the turning point?  When you looked at it for what we’ll be voting on.  What changed your mind?

GARDNER:  Well, if you look at the number of people who do not support Personhood, I think it might even come as a surprise to many people who aren’t as studied on the issue as we have become, but groups like National Right to Life, groups like the Eagle Forum have raised serious questions if not outright opposing, uh, the effort. L0ok, I think there are things we can agree on, things we can disagree on.  But the bottom line is, how do we find those common areas where we can agree and, and, actually make policy — good policy choices that we can all work together on.

KELLEY:  It’s been suggested that that would be political – not political suicide, but it is a strategically wise move. Because it’s much different being a senator than a congressman, and that you’ve got to appeal to wider swath of people, here.  Was it strategic?

GARDNER:  Well, again, I think if you, if you – people who have brought that question up, we brought it up before the Republican assembly.  So, clearly we wanted to make sure that we were true to our record and true about our record, and not letting the, the opposition – Mark Udall, in this case – destroy my record.

KELLEY:  All right.  So, we’ll put personhood aside now.  I think we’ve settled that, and you weren’t dodging us or anything like that.  Indeed it was – I got a couple texts from the Congressman, and we had a little phone issues [chuckles] – we’ve all done it, right?  “Who is this coming from? Who is this?”  I had to laugh a little bit!

GARDNER:  Right.

KELLEY:  So, thank you very much for finally getting back in touch, and we’re happy to be talking to you under any circumstances.  So, let’s talk about a little more substance, here. XL Keystone pipeline:  you’ve been way out front on that since the very beginning – which, I want to give you all the credit in the world.  But Senator Mark Udall, now, if there was any ambiguity there, too, it was put to rest through his spokesperson, Carly Robinson, in the context of asking the direct question.  When Senator Udall was asked, “Will you support the building of the Keystone XL pipeline,” Senator Udall said – uh, Carly Robinson – it wasn’t Senator Udall, but Carly Robinson said that he is a—let me, — I want to quote correctly, here, Congressman.  “He is a staunch environmentalist – and he’s an environmentalist, and his views were incongruent with support of the Keystone XL.”  I would –.

[…]

KELLEY [@ 13:50]:  And yeah!  I mean, you know, it’s – [sigh] I trust Congressman Gardner.  I believe him and take him at his word that – you know, it was the personhood thing.  We had a little communication issue, but there was, you know – I’m glad that that’s behind us.

ROGAN:  Well, I’m glad he came on today.  It’s been a while since we’ve spoken to him.  [referring to a topic of discussion earlier in the interview, as to whether Gardner enjoys campaigning] If i were a politician, I think the campaign trail would be the least fun aspect of it.  I would not be a good campaigner.  […] I like people, but I also like being away from them.

KELLEY:  [laughing]

ROGAN:  I’m kind of a loner.  You know that!

KELLEY:  [laughing] No!  Really?  [sarcastically]  Yeah, I kind of – I picked that up!  I gathered that!

ROGAN:  But going before a large group of people and shaking hands and kissing babies and waving and just yelling into a microphone –.

KELLEY:  Ah, that would be fun!  It would be – It’s hard work.  Make no mistake!

ROGAN:  Sure, it is.

KELLEY:  It is absolutely hard work, but –.

ROGAN:  And you have to be on your toes all the time, because one minor, little verbal faux pas, and that’s going to be a campaign ad for your opponent.

KELLEY:  You bet it is!

ROGAN:  You can’t slip up.

KELLEY:  All right.  So, thanks again to Congressman Cory Gardner, here on Kelley and Company.

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