Republicans for Ritter?
For the last 36 hours, I've been wrestling with how to describe the 2006 kickoff meeting that I attended on November 15. Listening to DNC Chair Howard Dean outline the party's plan for winning all 50 states was inspiring. And meeting up with Denver Dems was encouraging. Every one was smart, involved and passionate.
For the first half of the meeting, there was amazingly little backbiting and whining. Then we were joined by someone who apparently just happened to be in the coffeeshop fundraising for Democrat Bill Ritter. He was a Republican, but a devout Catholic first and an ardent pro-lifer second. So he had decided to break ranks with his party to volunteer for Ritter. And he very much wanted to tell us what was wrong with Democrats in general.
Political people in general (and Democrats in specific) love to argue. So what had been a smart strategizing session quickly became a free for all. Al Gore-like heavy sighs and Chuck Schumer-like incredulous laughter were used liberally, no pun intended. Pretty soon it was late and we left Common Grounds without any sort of action plan.
Dean had used Colorado as an example of Democratic efficiency. In fact he specifically said, "I don't think I have anything to teach Colorado." But our state still a lesson to learn. There need to be forums for debate and forums for action. And we can't afford to let them spill together.
I also took away a mixed view of the Ritter campaign, which I'd been inclined to view positively. On one hand, I am glad it is attracting voters across party lines. On the other, I've met exactly one person from the campaign and that person was a strident Republican who was intent on telling every Democrat he met that he found them foolish. That's no way to build a campaign team.
Maybe I'll get on the Romanoff bandwagon after all.
UPDATE: I talked to someone from the Ritter campaign. He said he planned to talk to his volunteers and then he asked me to put a link to ritterforgovernor.com on coloradolib. Now that is how you run a campaign!
For the first half of the meeting, there was amazingly little backbiting and whining. Then we were joined by someone who apparently just happened to be in the coffeeshop fundraising for Democrat Bill Ritter. He was a Republican, but a devout Catholic first and an ardent pro-lifer second. So he had decided to break ranks with his party to volunteer for Ritter. And he very much wanted to tell us what was wrong with Democrats in general.
Political people in general (and Democrats in specific) love to argue. So what had been a smart strategizing session quickly became a free for all. Al Gore-like heavy sighs and Chuck Schumer-like incredulous laughter were used liberally, no pun intended. Pretty soon it was late and we left Common Grounds without any sort of action plan.
Dean had used Colorado as an example of Democratic efficiency. In fact he specifically said, "I don't think I have anything to teach Colorado." But our state still a lesson to learn. There need to be forums for debate and forums for action. And we can't afford to let them spill together.
I also took away a mixed view of the Ritter campaign, which I'd been inclined to view positively. On one hand, I am glad it is attracting voters across party lines. On the other, I've met exactly one person from the campaign and that person was a strident Republican who was intent on telling every Democrat he met that he found them foolish. That's no way to build a campaign team.
Maybe I'll get on the Romanoff bandwagon after all.
UPDATE: I talked to someone from the Ritter campaign. He said he planned to talk to his volunteers and then he asked me to put a link to ritterforgovernor.com on coloradolib. Now that is how you run a campaign!
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Meanwhile, Ritter continues to pull in endorsements from prominent Denver Dems like Denver City Council President Rosemary Rodriguez and CU Regent Michael Carrigan.
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