Station:   KOA, 850 AM

Show:      Ross Kaminsky Show

Guests:    Gardner, Cory

Link:        http://www.850koa.com/media/podcast-the-ross-kaminsky-show-ross/

Date:       March 2, 2014

Topics:    U.S. Senate Race, Senator Mark Udall, Obamacare, Affordable Care Act (ACA), President Barak Obama, Colorado State Senator Owen Hill, Circular Firing Squad, Broken Promise, Keep Your Healthcare, If You Like Your Healthcare Plan, Cancellations, Back Room Deals, Colorado GOP, Harry Reid, Senate Majority, Jobs and Economy, Pro-Growth Policy, Regulations, Taxes, Stagnant Job Numbers, Second Amendment Rights, Military Pensions, Medicare Advantage, Cuts, Pinon Canyon

Click Here for Audio

 

HOST ROSS KAMINSKY:  Lots of questions, little time.  Do your best to give me short answers.  This big picture vision comes from a submitted question on Facebook:  “What do you love and why is it worth fighting for?”

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE AND CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATE, CORY GARDNER:

• It’s why I got in this race
• It’s this country and my family
  • My wife said to me, “The only way we’re going to change the direction of this country is if you make CO competitive and we can retire Harry Reid and Mark Udall
  • It’s what we’re doing for this country—
  • it’s what I love
  • And why it’s worth fighting for

KAMINSKY:  Why did you decide to get in now, instead of a few months ago.  And how can a guy  – from the edge of the state (rural) appeal to suburban Denver voters–Jeffco, Arapahoe –

GARDNER:

• If you look at CO, we elect from around the state
  • Wayne allard – northern
  • Ben Nighthorse Campbell – SW CO
  • Hank Brown from Greeeley
  • CO Springs
• What’s changed, is Udall
  • Votes with Obama 99% of the time.
• [Decision to enter the race now]:  It’s been a thought process that we have been going through
  • Insurance cancelled in August
  • We started to learn more and more about ppl around the country who were cancelled
  • And when we realized 335,000 in CO, millions around the nation had theirs cancelled too
  • And Dems inferred that these people are liars. –

KAMINSKY:  Yeah, Harry Reid basically said that directly

GARDNER:

• Said that they weren’t “cancelled”
• They couldn’t have had policies cancelled … it’s something else
  • We looked at the economy – it isn’t what it should be
• We’re not creating jobs — We’re not focused on pro-growth policy
• The Senate is holding up energy production
• The Senate is holding up jobs legislation
• Holding up opportunity for American ppl
•  They’re increasing taxes
• We could do so much by just getting government out of the way
  • It’s not happening
  • Because we have ppl (udall) that are in lockstep with the Senate direction of Harry Reid
  • Willingness to vote for a bill (obamacare) that was sold on you being able to keep your policy if you like it.
    • lawmakers knew it wasn’t true
    • What else are they willing to do?
    • If they know that that also is not true

KAMINSKY:  Dems are already out with their usual extremist charges of war on women playbook that has worked for them— not just in CO.  They’re already targeting you with this language.  You don’t shy away from your conservative stand on social issues.  How are you going to deal with when they try to make you fit a kind of caricature of being anti-woman.  How are you going to appeal to women voters – especially unaffiliated women?

GARDNER:

• Same old tired tricks that they have tried
• Ppl of CO have found that that has worn out… worn out tired thing of the past
• State has pushed back as seen in the recalls
  • Same tired rhetoric against the R candidates
  • And yet the Dems were recalled
  • I think you’ll see – it’s not going to work
    • What’s happening as a result of the Obama economy and Udall’s support
      • Ppl don’t have the jobs they need
      • Don’t have income to meet bills
      • Don’t have income to send kids to college
      • It shouldn’t be so hard to make life easier
      • Unfortunately it is more difficult
      • Because of the failed policies of this administration

KAMINSKY:  What’s the one vote in your career that you’re proudest of?  Which vote would you change?

GARDNER:

• You can’t look at any one vote in any context
• Have to look at the bigger picture.
• Vote most proud of.
  • Pinon Canyon ppl have certainty – can live easier now
  • We’ve been able to help ppl with needs
    • Veteran needs
    • Medical needs
    • Incredible honor of calling up young people to tell them they’ve been appointed to military academies
    • Votes I’d change—things we wish we could have done better
      • Have to start several years ago
      • Recognizing that pres. Obama was never going to build relationships with Congress
      • And we should have made our case to the American ppl that there really is no ability to get help from the White House

KAMINSKY:  But specific votes you’d change?  — I know lawmakers all have ONE bill they’d take back

GARDNER:

• You can’t look at any one vote in any context.
• There’s always going to be bills we would wish could;ve been written better
• And I’m happy to talk about those bills
• This election is a chance to undo the harm of this President and particularly his healthcare bill
• This is not a bill that was passed in 2011, 2012, 2013

KAMINSKY:  You’re obviously the front-runner in this race, Owen hill is relatively high profile challenger.  The Udall camp is saying youre too conservative while fundamentalist conservatives are saying you’re not conservative enough…  I’m sure you like Owen well enough outside of these circumstances.

KAMINSKY:  How do we avoid the circular firing squad from the primary season?

GARDNER:

• This election has never been about one person, one candidate
• It’s been about Mark Udall
• That’s why we’re all focused on beating him in November
• I like owen hill
  • I consider him to be a friend
  • I think he’s done a good job
  • I expect to continue to be a fan
  • But in this situation, we need to do the best thing we can do to beat Udall, that’s what we’re focused on.

KAMINSKY:  One particular tea party group charges you with forcing him out of the race. Do you want to respond to this charge?

GARDNER:

• I had conversations to make sure that ppl knew I was reconsidering this
• I’m sure ppl are disappointed that I’m running
• But that’s what we did
• I think everyone has a right to run, and continue pursuing what they want to do
• But for me, it’s never been about one person, it’s been about beating Udall in November

KAMINSKY:  2014 could represent as close to a one-issue election as we’ve seen in a long time – in terms of Obamacare.  But what are the other focuses of your campaign

GARDNER:

• Focus on Udall’s record
  • Supporting lockstep Harry Reids direction for this country
  • And with the president
  • Healthcare bill of course
  • But more importantly, it’s what that bill represents.
  • They made promises they knew were not true, and they couldn’t pay up on.
  • What they sold it on, wasn’t right
    • What else are they willing to do?
    • What policies are they willing to put in place, knowing that their selling points aren’t true eithter
    • We’ll be talking about:
      • Economy
      • Stagnant job numbers
      • Opportunity for young ppl to have the jobs they’ve always wanted
      • To be free
        • That gov,. isn’t constantly looking over their shoulder
        • That there are jobs for anyone looking for work
        • This is an incredible opportunity in 2014
          • Focus on record of Udall
            • Who has pushed for higher taxes
            • He has hurt our second amendment rights
            • Votes for cuts to medicare advantage and then complains to WH
            • Votes for cuts to military pensions and then complains about the cuts he voted for
            •  I don’t think the ppl of CO have seen Udall’s real record, but we’re going to make sure that they do.

KAMINSKY:  I think that summarizes what we should expect from you, Cory Gardner.  Thanks