Michael Capuano in 2009 MA Senate Primary Debate

On Government Reform: If meetings are made public, people will not visit Senators

Coakley said the campaign information was already on the Federal Election Commission Web site, while Capuano told Khazei he would not post his schedule because many people with personal problems want to meet with him. "If that's what you want to do, I will tell you, you will have a lot of people who will not come to see you," the congressman said.

On a matter of current events, the candidates were asked whether public figures should have an expectation to privacy. Capuano, Pagliuca and Khazei expressly said they personally had nothing to hide; but all said an examination of their lives was fair game. Coakley warned, however, that an excessive focus would deter people from running for political office.

On War & Peace: No funding for Afghan surge; no funding for Iraq war

Martha Coakley also said she would consider it, but Rep. Michael Capuano said he would not. "I would vote for a tax for a moral war, if I thought it was right," said Capuano. "I will not vote, not only for taxes, I will not vote for funding for this surge, either, as I have not voted for the funding in Iraq, either."

On Principles & Values: Proud to say I'm a liberal

Coakley did not call herself a liberal in her speech, but she told reporters outside that she considers herself a liberal. Then she qualified it. "I think that these labels in Massachusetts particularly don't mean as much as they might," she said. "I think you have to look at people's records."