Ken Salazar in Colorado Senate Debate

On Homeland Security: Implement the reforms recommended by the 9/11 Commission now

COORS: But Coors responded that the US had no plan to bring troops home when it went into World War II. He also said that while Americans don't feel as secure as they did four years ago, they feel more secure than they did last year. "We'll never have perfect security in the US," he added.

SALAZAR: Salazar said that wasn't good enough. "I believe we have not done enough, we have not acted with a sense of urgency. before 9/11 or after," he said, referring to reports that warned of terrorist attacks before the World Trade Center and Pentagon were hit. Salazar also said the reforms recommended by the 9/11 Commission should be implemented immediately.

On Immigration: Give benefits to children of longtime illegal immigrants

On Principles & Values: Kerry is somebody who I support

A: I'm not running away from John Kerry. John Kerry is a person who has done a lot for this country, who has served this country with distinction. He is somebody who I support.

I will campaign with him in Colorado when he comes, but I'm not going to change my schedule just because there happens to be a candidate that comes into the state of Colorado. You know, this race has been a seven-month race between Pete and me. We have a very, very heavy schedule.

On War & Peace: Bush was not for a Department of Homeland Security

A: I wouldn't have chosen those same words. The reality of it is that if you look at the time before 9/11, that we knew that we were involved in dealing with the greatest threat that America has seen in modern history, and that's the whole issue of terrorism. Look at the Hart-Rodman report that came out long before 9/11, and they said we were going to be attacked here at the homeland and that we needed to create a Department of Homeland Security. And yet what happened? The nation slept. Washington slept on that issue. I was in a meeting with Bush and with Secretary Ridge some six months after 9/11 occurred, and they were still in a position that we did not need to have a Department of Homeland Security. Washington has acted with the kind of urgency to deal with the issue of global terrorism in an effective way.

On War & Peace: We have a mess on our hands in Iraq

COORS: We have an enemy who is a horrific enemy. These are barbaric people who want to destroy our civilization. Every vote, you go with the best intelligence you have. I don't think it's appropriate today to second-guess what decision would be made today based on the information we have. I suspect that given what we know today, there would be a much different outcome than we had a couple of years ago.