Station: KCOL

Show: 600 KCOL Mornings

Guest: Cory Gardner

Link: http://www.600kcol.com/main.html

Date: 8/11/2010

Topics: Recession and Taxes.

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FALLEN: We are joined this morning by CD4 Republican candidate Cory Gardner. Cory congratulations

GARDNER: Thank you very much. Good morning Gail.

FALLEN: It is great to talk to you this morning.  It is absolutely fascinating because we have been watching here at the tip of the funnel the fireworks as the primary season unfolded.  And of course there were a lot of snide remarks that were made back and forth. Particularly when you look at the contested races between Ken Buck and Jane Norton.  It was kind of one of those instances for me where I said where in the world is Cory?  Because I know, Cory, you are doing all the necessary work. You have got the campaign going. But it was probably to your advantage just kind of stayed kind of low-profile and kind out of the fray.

GARDNER: We took our approach of getting out and meeting voters. Going door-to-door. Making contacts from businesses, delivery rooms and Main Streets. Really making sure that the voters of Colorado, that we had an opportunity to listen to the voters of Colorado, to find out what was on their mind how we can improve their lives and what we can go for this economy to get it moving forward.  You were exactly right, we took the opportunity between the contention in the primary to really work hard, get our message out and make sure that we really set the foundation for the next 82 days.

FALLEN: I think what is really important and I think that this will emerge over that time frame Cory, I’ve heard from so many of our listeners that they are really tired of all this childish bickering that again was a seemingly the hallmark of many of the campaigns as they unfolded. They were really more inclined to focus on the issues and they are hoping that the candidates will do the same. And that sounds like exactly what you have been doing and what you will continue to do over the next 82 days.

GARDNER: We have a country facing incredible trillions in trillions of dollars in debt. And yesterday Congress was reconvened to pass yet another bailout bill and 44 cents of every dollar that Congress is spending is on borrowed money, this country is facing very serious problems and name-calling and finger-pointing is not going to work. We have to get to work to address what is happening to Colorado’s working families.

FALLEN: Let’s talk about your platform and some of the issues that are uppermost on your mind.

GARDNER: Obviously the economy. What we can do to get government out of the way so that this country can once again start creating jobs and economic opportunities for everyone.  My wife and I have a 6 1/2-year-old daughter and I cannot imagine the kind of opportunities she’s going to have if we continue to bankrupt this nation.  If we continue to pass policies that make it impossible for businesses to do business in this country.  Yesterday yet another tax was passed on businesses in this nation and will make it more and more difficult for them to hire people.  So we have got some opportunities to create jobs and economic development but we also have to stop the spending in Washington DC.  Our children, our grandchildren, you and I are being saddled with debt that is simply incomprehensible and it is a shame that Congress continues to spend even more money as witnessed yesterday when Nancy Pelosi calls Congress back to spend even more money.

FALLEN: I know, it is just incredible.  Of course we had to sit through the Charlie Rangel diatribe as well, which was political theater at its worst at least in my opinion but I digress.  I understand…unless you would like to chime in on that Cory, it was absolutely amazing.

GARDNER: I think you could just see that that was the Democrats worst nightmare to have Charlie Rangel up their defending himself.

FALLEN: Yes exactly.  I understand that you have invited Betsy Markey to participate, and correct me if I am wrong, in a series of debates.  Is that correct?

GARDNER: That is correct.  Betsy Markey has stated that she believes the recession is over and that the stimulus worked.  She has failed to take positions on important matters that really matter to the 4th Congressional District and we decided that she’s going to be back from Washington for at least six weeks.  We didn’t know shoes going to be called back to spend even more money.  But what better opportunity to let the voters of the 4th Congressional District really get a chance to speak listen and here from the two candidates and how we would differently approach the economy and our different solutions for this nation.

FALLEN: Cory I want to go back to something that you brought up because it has kind of been the common thread of many of the discussions that we have had over the past weeks and months.  We came across a piece of one of my favorite commentators Peggy Noonan, and she wrote a piece in the Wall Street Journal over the weekend. I am paraphrasing, the headline it is “America at Risk.”  But the point she was making is that baby boomers increasingly are becoming more and more despondent to the point where many are just going to pull out whatever wealth they have left and move to the likes of Africa or Scotland or Mexico as the case may be.  But she said, and this really struck a chord with me, because she said I have a child and I am concerned about my child’s future.  Well, take that inlay that over the country because many of us are concerned from a generational standpoint. We have always believed. We have always been optimistic that our children’s lives will be better than our own.  Increasingly Americans are starting to become pessimistic.  And the way she closed that article was coupled with the fact that Washington seems to have turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to what the American people are clamoring for.  Her parting shot was pessimism and hopelessness are a dangerous combination.

GARDNER: Wow. You know Peggy Noonan nailed it on the head when she said that because if you go back to Ronald Reagan during the 1980s and listen to the way that he was able to inspire not only Republicans but Democrats and unaffiliated people of the nation.  Because he believed in this country.  Because he believed that this indeed was the best country on the face of this earth and really that is what we have focused so much on. Is how we can rally the people of this nation who again recognize that we’re not second-place to anybody or nor should we be.  This country is exceptional and we can together make sure that our children have greater opportunity than we did.  And shame on us if we failed to pass on a stronger and better nation to them than we act of ourselves have enjoyed.

FALLEN: Do you believe that this is a wake-up call for this nation?  I go back to a tried and true trait cliche that we get government we deserve.

GARDNER: This is absolutely a wake-up call.  This election is a very clear choice between two different directions.  A direction that this country continues to grow.  That we continue to provide opportunity.  That we continue to make progress. That we continue to expand businesses.  Or a nation that continues to follow the path of debt and entitlement.  Of regulation and an attitude that may be our best time has passed.  I prefer the first option.  The option that says we’re going to make this country even stronger and on November 3rd I hope that we all wake-up knowing that we did our part to take this country back for a better nation.

FALLEN: Absolutely. Cory, thanks so much for your thoughts and your time.  And again congratulations.