PUEBLO — Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet and Republican Ken Buck traded much quicker jabs and landed much harder punches in their debate Thursday night, going straight at each other over health care reform, Social Security and new energy jobs.

Bennet said he would not vote to repeal health care reform, though he wants to improve it. He said the public would not want to give up basic new rights such as stopping health care companies from denying insurance to those with pre-existing medical conditions or the new ability to include adult children on family policies.

"I would repeal the health care bill," Buck responded during the debate at Pueblo's Centennial High School. He cited two main reasons, including the buying of votes from senators in Nebraska and Louisiana by promising higher Medicaid payments to their states, and the lack of transparency in the huge bill.

"The American people do not have faith this health care bill was passed on its merits," said Buck, who accused Bennet and Democrats of "nationalizing" health care.

Bennet's researchers after the debate unearthed a quote from a Longmont newspaper in which Buck had said it would be "irresponsible" to seek wholesale repeal of the health care bill passed in March.

Buck's campaign said afterward that their candidate favors repeal and then replacement with a more market-oriented set of reforms.

Bennet attacked Buck during the debate for multiple changes in positions since his primary contest against Jane Norton. Bennet pointed to Buck changing his statements on Social Security privatization, a new national sales tax and other issues.


"You may have changed your mind, and that's OK," Bennet taunted. "But don't pretend you've said one thing in one place and say something else someplace else. It's important that we say the same things in red parts of the state and blue parts of the state, in primary elections and general elections."

Buck thundered back that Bennet's TV ads distort his Social Security proposal and added that he's had the courage to put entitlement-reform plans on the table rather than waiting for a commission to file a report after the election.

"It's an absolute lie you have put in the commercials," Buck said, saying the full context of his words shows he wants to ensure the program's future. "You have scared so many seniors, and it's absolutely despicable."

"You're right seniors are scared; it's because of what you said," Bennet said. He read various quotes where he said Buck was advocating privatization.

"I don't know what 'out of context' means, unless it means 'during the Republican primary,' " Bennet added.

Michael Booth: 303-954-1686 or mbooth@denverpost.com