Fiorina - Boxer Come Out Swinging In Moraga

Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer and Republican challenger Carly Fiorina faced off in a calculated slugfest which saw both women aggressively attacking the other, neither really landing any knockout punches and both dancing to avoid questions they didn't want to answer.

About 400 people gathered in LeFevre Theatre at St. Mary's College for the first, televised debate in what is sure to become a hotly contested race for Boxer's senate seat while a crowd of about 55 demonstrators clamored for access at the college's main entrance.

There were no reported incidents and one "Queen Carly" sighting as groups supporting and denouncing both candidates tried to out-shout the other, closely watched by police and private security. Their chants could not be heard from inside LeFevre.

Inside, Fiorina attacked Boxer's record and slammed her for her "bitter partisanship," while Boxer countered with the fact that she is co-sponsor of hundreds of Republican bills and has pressed President Obama for an exit strategy to get American troops out of Afghanistan.

Solid body punches were few and far between, with moderators prodding both women for more robust answers to pressing questions like their stance on climate change, immigration, and abortion.

Fiorina seemed to dodge a reporter's question on Proposition 23, a measure that would roll back climate change legislation in California until the state's unemployment rate stabilizes at 5.5 percent or below for a year or more.

Pressed and seemingly uncomfortable with the question, Fiorina said she had not yet finalized her position on Prop. 23, to which Boxer responded: "Well, if you can't take a stand on Prop. 23, I don't know what you will take a stand on."

KTVU-Channel 2, KQED Public Radio and the San Francisco Chronicle organized the night's debate, which was streamed live on the Internet at KTVU.com, and on KQED radio.