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Thursday night's Democratic primary debate between U.S. Senate candidates Elaine Marshall and Cal Cunningham had plenty of awkward exchanges.

Moderators David Crabtree and Pam Saulsby were intent on pinning the candidates down to "yes" or "no" answers during a "lightning round" segment. Sounds easy enough, right?

Well not so much. "Would you vote for a second stimulus package?" had both candidates trying to explain that you can't answer that question without knowing more about the bill: "It depends upon what's in it," a slightly exasperated Marshall said. 

The exchange got worse for everybody involved from there. And the day after the debate, the awkward silences and answers appeared to be turning into campaign issues.

DEBATE FALLOUT: The U.S. Senate debate between Democrats Cal Cunningham and Elaine Marshall may not have changed any minds, but it did reflect an increasingly sharp tone to the campaign. (N&O)

STILL NO COMMENT: Authorities remain tight-lipped on why a state trooper is being investigated by law enforcement agencies. (N&O)

AIN'T BORING: Tensions continue to mount in the 8th District race for the U.S. House. (Charlotte Observer)

Both candidates found themselves having to explain campaign contributions they received.

Elaine Marshall asked Cal Cunningham: 

"You have indicated you want to be a fresh voice in Washington and yet you have serious, over $100,000, maybe over $150,000, of Washington insider money. How are you going to stand up to them?"

Cunningham seemed ready for the question:

"I will exercise the independence that a United States Senator representing North Carolina should exercise, the same sort of independence that I exercised in the state senate voting my conscience, what my district wanted. The same sort of independence I have exercised in this campaign," he said.

Then it was Marshall's turn. Moderator David Crabtree brought up a report that she accepted $2,500 in campaign contributions from lobbyists. As secretary of state, Marshall regulates lobbying. 

Crabtree said that while the contributions were legal some might say they approached a line, a suggestion Marshall denied. She said the contributions, a small fraction of her campaign account, came from longtime friends and had no impact on her job.

"I took on special interests. I took on the lobbying reform," she said. "It has never tainted my judgment."

Cunningham used the opportunity to note that he doesn't have any authority over his contributors.

"I haven't held an office for 14 years, one of the chief responsibilities of which is to regulate the people she's been taking money from," he said. "I don't regulate anybody that I've taken money from."

Debate moderators David Crabtree and Pam Saulsby threw a bit of a curve ball at the candidates.

Each was given an opportunity to ask a question of the other. 

Cal Cunningham brought up an issue that has been dominating the campaign: The retirement age. Cunningham said he absolutely would not support raising the age for collecting Social Security benefits, and he asked Elaine Marshall whether she would raise it.

"I have never said that I would support raising it," Marshall said. "I'm going to work to protect it."

Cunningham's campaign has been referring to an April story by the Associated Press that reported that Marshall suggested that the government should examine raising the current retirement age of 67 or raising the income cap on levying Social Security taxes.

"With an aging electorate, some hard choices are going to have to be made on some of these programs," Marshall was quoted as saying. 

She emphasized Thursday that she does not support raising the age.

"I will stand firm to protect Social Security and raising the age is not something I would consider," she said.

During the candidate introductions, WRAL moderator Pam Saulsby said that Cal Cunningham has the "endorsement of the 'Democratic National Party.'"

Both candidates jumped on the moderators to correct that statement. The Democratic National Committee has endorsed neither candidate.

What Saulsby may have been thinking about is that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee recruited Cunningham to run for the seat. It's a fact Secretary of State Elaine Marshall alluded to later in the debate.

"It's clear I'm not the status quo Washington insider candidate in this race," she said.

Former state Sen. Cal Cunningham and Secretary of State Elaine Marshall are set to debate tonight on WRAL in the Democratic primary runoff for U.S. Senate.

The debate is set for 30 mintues so look for the candidates to score their points early. The campaign between Marshall and Cunningham has been heating up so watch for sparks.

We'll be watching and posting throughout. 

There will likely be at least two televised debates during the Democratic Senate primary runoff.

Cal Cunningham, the former state senator, announced that he had accepted an in invitation to participate in a debate sponsored by WRAL on June 10 and another debate sponsored by NBC-17 and the N.C. League of Women Voters on June 15th, Rob Christensen reports.

Cunningham also said he also calling on Marshall to join in three additional debates, possibly sponsored by the N.C. Democratic Party and held in various regions of the state.

"We are calling on Mrs. Marshall to join us in five debates across the state," Cunningham said during a telephone news conference Thursday afternoon. "I don’t know if she will agree with us, that North Carolinians deserve to hear from the two Democratic candidates that want to discuss the issues facing us."

Thomas Mills, spokesman for the campaign of Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, said that campaign had tentatively accepted both televised debates.

He said Marshall was open to additional debates as well, but wanted to check with scheduling.

"We will probably agree to more debates," Mills said. "Every time we get on the stage with Cal Cunningham we seem to gain a ton of support and money."

Marshall finished first in Tuesday’s primary winning 36 percent, less than the 40 percent needed to clinch the nomination. Cunningham was the second place finisher with 27 percent. The runoff will be held June 22nd.

ABOVE THE LAW: State Sen. Don Davis learned a little bit about public relations this week when he wondered aloud to a reporter whether lawmakers conducting public business should be exempt from speeding tickets. Davis, a Snow Hill Democrat, had been stopped in Zebulon and was concerned about the length of the traffic stop. Day after his comments were reported, Davis issued a statement in which he clarified that he does not believe lawmakers are above the law.

DEBATE CLUB: The Democrats running for U.S. Senate participated in a debate that featured some gentle nudging among the candidates and some less-than-gentle nudging of Republican Sen. Richard Burr. Memorable lines include little-known candidate Ann Worthy explaining that as a teacher, she couldn't possibly do any worse in Congress than the lawyers and politicians already there.

THE CHOICE: Speaker Joe Hackney signaled that during the campaign, Democrats intend to portray Republicans as a party that can't or won't govern. Meanwhile Republicans are gearing up for a campaign based on public discontent about Gov. Bev Perdue and President Barack Obama.

IN OTHER NEWS: Ruffin Poole, an aide to former Gov. Mike Easley, is set to face a trial on corruption charges May 3. Attorney General Roy Cooper named a new head of his office's Consumer Protection Division. Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin will headline the Democrats' Jefferson Jackson Dinner.

Cal Cunningham said in his closing statement that the nation's problems weren't an accident.

"We didn't get into these challenges accidentally and we won't get out accidentally," Cunningham said. "Richard Burr has been part of the problem.

"I'm optimistic about the future. Join me."