Michael Bennet in 2016 CO Senate race

On Abortion: Classify contraception as preventive care & no moral issue

Bennet: No

Glenn: Yes. Has pledged to ban abortions, with no exceptions. Recently has been more ambiguous. Has pledged to fight for personhood Constitutional amendment, which would effectively overturn Roe v. Wade, prohibit common forms of birth control, and ban abortions nationwide. More recently has hedged on some of these stands.

Q: On Contraception: Should employers be able to withhold contraceptive coverage from employees if they disagree with it morally?

Bennet: No. Classify contraception as preventive care so it is covered by all insurance plans.

Glenn: Unclear. Supports fetal personhood amendment, which might ban birth control pills & IUDs.

Q: On Healthcare: Should Planned Parenthood be eligible to receive public funds for non-abortion health services?

Bennet: Yes

Glenn: No

On Government Reform: Federal review voting of discriminatory state voting changes

Bennet: Yes

Glenn: No visible stand.

Q: On Campaign Finance: Support Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, which allows unlimited independent political expenditures by corporations and unions?

Bennet: No. Wants to overturn.

Glenn: No visible stand, but likely yes. Supports unlimited contributions by individuals.

Q: On Voting Rights: Support stricter voting rules such as voter ID requirements or reduced registration times, even if they prevent some people from voting?

Bennet: No. Co-sponsored Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore federal oversight of voting laws. Co-sponsored Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore federal courts' ability to review voting changes made at the state and local level and monitor for discriminatory practices.

Glenn: Unknown

On Social Security: Eliminate income cap for payroll taxes

Bennet: Mostly yes. Includes eliminating income cap for payroll taxes supporting Social Security & Medicare.

Glenn: No. Supports substantial tax decreases, including for the wealthy. Pledged to oppose any tax increases to raise revenue. Allow charities & community programs to do the work of alleviating poverty.[7]

On Foreign Policy: Diplomatic tools to invest in stability before crisis

Bennet: I support smart solutions to curb mass casualties abroad. Our goal should be to deploy diplomatic tools and invest in stability before a crisis breaks out. I've cosponsored the Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2016, which would increase our ability to detect atrocities and respond more quickly. It also designates prevention of mass atrocities and genocide as a core national security interest to the United States.

Q: What do you view as the biggest threat to national security?

Bennet: I believe there are several. ISIS is a threat to U.S. interests abroad and our security here at home. I have bills to close gaps in our visa waiver system and track people who overstay their visas so we know who's in our country. I passed legislation to address cybersecurity personnel shortages, so we can better protect ourselves from cyberattacks.

On Government Reform: Constitutional amendment tooverturn Citizens United

Bennet: cosponsored a constitutional amendment that would effectively overturn Citizens United and restore common-sense regulation to our campaign finance system. I've also long been a cosponsor of the DISCLOSE Act, legislation that would help bring transparency to political spending. And I've introduced legislation to prohibit solicitation of campaign contributions from lobbyists while Congress is in session, and eliminate lobbyist bundling.

On Health Care: Help seniors on Medicare; speed up drug approval

Michael Bennet: The first thing we need to address is the cost of care. I have a bipartisan bill that would help seniors on Medicare get to their appointments, get the medicine they need, focus on preventative care and coordinate their care between doctors and facilities. 15% of Medicare recipients account for $300 billion in Medicare spending. We could cut billions off that without affecting benefits. I've also cosponsored the Health Care Premium Reduction Act, which will help states fight big premium increases. We also need to do more to ensure people have access to lifesaving drugs they need. One of my proudest legislative accomplishments was working with Republicans to cut through red tape and speed up the approval process for potentially life-saving treatments and drugs. And we need to take serious steps towards transparency across the health care sector--drugs, hospitals, and insurance companies.

On Immigration: Path to citizenship for millions living in the shadows

Bennet: As a member of the Gang of Eight, I was part of a bipartisan team that collaborated to fix our broken immigration system. Our comprehensive immigration reform bill included a path to citizenship for millions living in the shadows, as well as measures to strengthen border security and reform our outdated visa system. It passed the Senate with 68 votes, but Washington dysfunction got in the way and House obstructionists blocked a vote.

On Homeland Security: Mixed history on transferring Gitmo prisoners to US prisons

Bennet protested, "The Department of Defense has no authority to transfer these prisoners or make such modifications and they have made no case that it makes sense to do so."

However, Bennet has not supported legislation that would have blocked the administration from transferring any Gitmo detainees, from 2009 through 2013. He voted [against] amendment in 2009 that would have blocked funding to "construct or modify a facility in the United States or its territories to permanently or temporarily hold any individual held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba."

On War & Peace: AdWatch: Supports Iranian nuclear deal

Truth Test: CLAIM: "Senator Michael Bennet supports the Iran deal."

VERDICT: TRUE. Sen. Bennet voted in favor of the deal.

CLAIM: "A nuclear Iran is a threat to the entire world" and "Michael Bennet is jeopardizing our safety."

VERDICT: OPINION. Both sides of the debate over the Iran deal have experts who'll argue the merits and detriments of the deal.

THE POLITICS BEHIND THE AD: It's hard to avoid comparisons to the 1964 "daisy ad" from President Johnson's campaign. Both ads feature children, countdowns and nuclear explosions--and both ads were meant to evoke the same emotional response.