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CD8 debate blog and reader chat

Here's a transcript of the reader chat that accompanied the May 23 debate among candidates in Arizona's 8th Congressional District: Democrat Ron Barber, Republican Jesse Kelly, and Green Charlie Manolakis.

3rd & 7 37yd

Kelly chooses untruth

by kblanch 5/24/2012 3:14:25 AM
...but we won't have a government, will we Mr. Kelly? Thanks to you and other high school big thinkers.

by E. Kathy Suagee 5/24/2012 3:14:31 AM
For his closing remarks, Kelly goes back to God, Guns, Government but forgot the Gay part of the Republican message.

by Pamela 5/24/2012 3:14:37 AM
Arizona Wildcats softball: Taming familiar opponent's bats the task this time around tinyurl.com Mobile: tinyurl.com

by TucsonStar via twitter 5/24/2012 3:15:02 AM
Please join me in sending thanks to KVOI 1030 AM for providing the streaming audio during this live chat, with no commercial interruptions. It is much appreciated.

by John Bolton, StarNet night... 5/24/2012 3:15:08 AM
Note to justsaynotobho -- There's a slight delay in the audio. Reporters tweeting from the auditorium are hearing the debate faster than those of us outside are.

by Norma Coile, Arizona Daily... 5/24/2012 3:15:12 AM
We're out of time. Thanks to all who attended or tuned in to the #AZ08 debate tonite!

by TucsonStar via twitter 5/24/2012 3:15:29 AM
We choose freedom says Kelly ? So other than dismantle the fed govt what would you actually DO ??

by The Man 5/24/2012 3:16:24 AM
Manolakis is the clear choice for liberals.

by justsaynotobho 5/24/2012 3:16:25 AM
good grief!

by Diane Clor 5/24/2012 3:16:27 AM
hasn't there already been enough of blocking progress Jesse

by dsrtdwllrs 5/24/2012 3:16:33 AM
We need a very very small federal government, not the mammoth which is trying to rule every aspect of our lives.

by dandlac 5/24/2012 3:16:36 AM
Manolakis and Barber are the only two with brains on the podium.

by monkeyface 5/24/2012 3:16:39 AM
Phillip Phillips win American Idol! And Jesse wins CD8.

by AZ Greg 5/24/2012 3:16:43 AM
The debate is over, but we will leave the chat open for a bit longer.

by John Bolton, StarNet night... 5/24/2012 3:17:36 AM
Interested in why my post asking Kelly where he has ben since his last run was posted and then removed. Kelly has not contributed to Southern Arizona since his last run. He has been absent. I think that is relevant. He has not been seen since the last race. That gives me pause about his sincerity.

by ArizonaVoter 5/24/2012 3:17:50 AM
Thank you for putting this on!

by Diane Clor 5/24/2012 3:17:51 AM
I sure would like to konw what party you moderators support!

by dandlac 5/24/2012 3:17:54 AM
None of the candidates is great...but at least kelly appears genuine. i vote for him.

by arizonamerican 5/24/2012 3:17:57 AM
softball

by kblanch 5/24/2012 3:17:58 AM
Kelly asks Barber who he supports for president; Barber won't answer, saying he's focused on his own race. Kelly says "Obamacare" is the biggest issue and that Barber won't say how he stands on it or on President Obama. Kelly says his biggest fear fear is Obama's "job killing policies." Barber says his biggest fear is Kelly's "extreme positions."

by Norma Coile, Arizona Daily... 5/24/2012 3:17:59 AM
dismantling the federal govt would be a very good start

by dandlac 5/24/2012 3:18:00 AM
Senior Women for Jesse Kelly CD8!

by Diane Clor 5/24/2012 3:18:06 AM
@VoteJesseKelly maintained a positive message 2nite while @RonBarberAZ went negative and used scare tactics. Ron Barber = #EPICFAIL #AZ08

by AZ_Wraith via twitter 5/24/2012 3:18:37 AM
Im outta here the barber supporters are Koolaide drinking, pot smoking, blow snuffing addicts just like obama

by dandlac 5/24/2012 3:19:06 AM
My congrats to grandpa Kelly for his commercial lip synq

by kblanch 5/24/2012 3:19:13 AM
Yeah I know you liberals wont post that.

by dandlac 5/24/2012 3:19:27 AM
Kelly is a good example of the sad state of high school education--civics is apparently left out!

by thinkingliberally 5/24/2012 3:19:28 AM
AZ Wrath... do you work for Faux News? Kelly stuck to the Republican talking points and didn't waiver.

by Pamela 5/24/2012 3:19:47 AM
by John Bolton, StarNet night... 5/24/2012 3:20:11 AM
Reply to justsaynotobho -- Oh, OK, I misunderstood your question, then. Was there anything in particular you thought the Star got wrong in trying to post quotes in real time?

by Norma Coile, Arizona Daily... 5/24/2012 3:21:31 AM
Kelly not onlydidn't win, he didn't have an original thought

by kblanch 5/24/2012 3:21:52 AM
Thanks for providing the audio and the chat. Let's do it again.

by Pamela 5/24/2012 3:21:53 AM
@Pamela - We will most likely have a live chat on CD8 election night, June 12.

by John Bolton, StarNet night... 5/24/2012 3:22:38 AM
Thank you Norma, good job.

by AMom 5/24/2012 3:22:42 AM
Star didn't have a chance, The Jesse supporters were out in full force

by kblanch 5/24/2012 3:23:06 AM
Who won the debate? That is a tough question. Both Barber and Kelly repeated their party platforms. Kelly represented the Teapublicans. Barber represented the Blue Dog Democrats. The Green guy gave us some fresh ideas that the majority party candidates would not mention.

by Pamela 5/24/2012 3:23:27 AM
Agree. Norma good job

by kblanch 5/24/2012 3:23:29 AM
your moderator was far far better than the one in the last campaign who let the audience go nuts.

by thinkingliberally 5/24/2012 3:23:42 AM
To thinkingliberally: The moderator was Joe Burchell, the chief of the Star's downtown bureau.

by John Bolton, StarNet night... 5/24/2012 3:24:47 AM
Did everyone hear the same debate that I did? Doesn't take a rocket scientist to know who won that debate. Kelly. Good job!!

by Aaron M. 5/24/2012 3:24:50 AM
blue dog demcrat a code word for lieing socialists?

by dandlac 5/24/2012 3:24:53 AM
I would have asked that for all sides, make them back up what they say

by kblanch 5/24/2012 3:25:14 AM
thanks for the chance to exchange ideas

by dsrtdwllrs 5/24/2012 3:25:57 AM
Thanks much to all of you readers out there!

by Norma Coile, Arizona Daily... 5/24/2012 3:26:00 AM