Kos endorses pretty much everybody

Thanks to Square State's johne for pointing me to this post in which Kos endorses not just CD5 Democratic nominee Jay Fawcett, but our whole damn state:

I'm not sure what's in the water in Colorado, but that state has given us one of the two most rejuvinated Democratic parties in the country... Colorado is truly blessed this cycle with such great candidates. Coloradoans have no excuse to slack. None.

Fawcett to crash VFW debate

Shortly after I launched Coloradolib, I decided to concentrate on Colorado politics. Shortly after that, I narrowed my focus even further to the governors race, CD1, CD6 and CD7. But I have to detour into CD5 this morning to express my admiration for Democratic nominee Jay Fawcett, who intends to crash the VFW debate. From a press release:

"We were shocked to find the Veterans of Foreign Wars did not invite Jay to the debate they are hosting for the Republicans," states Fawcett's campaign manager, Wanda James, "Jay is the only candidate to have actual combat time and is a Bronze Star recipient. He is also a veteran of foreign wars having served in Iraq during Desert Storm and Desert Shield. Making the oversight worse, Jay has been a member of the American Legion for over 10 years and has been endorsed by the Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Hugh Shelton and the Former Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Wes Clark."

Yeah, if you're going to have a VFW debate, you may want to include a combat veteran in there somewhere.

Photo of Fawcett and Sen. John Kerry courtesy of Fawcett for Congress.

Winter wins; Tancredo caught lying

Thanks to all of you, CD6 Democratic nominee Bill Winter finished in third place in the western division at Map Changers. This is a resounding message to the DNC establishment that they better pay attention to politics in the Centennial State.

But there is even bigger CD6 news. Winter's opponent, Tom "I Hate Everything" Tancredo, got caught lying on a radio show. Tancredo Watch has the full story, transcripts and all. But the gist of it is this:

When Tancredo took office, he pledged to adhere to self-imposed term limits. At some point, he reneged. In his second term, he told the Rocky Mountain News that he still planned to step down after three terms. But yesterday he told a radio audience that he had already decided to break his promise halfway through his first term.

Maybe Tancredo was lying on the radio. But my money says he was lying to the Rocky. If the paper has a shred of pride, it should endorse Winter in 2006.

Winter moves up to fourth at Map Changers

As of 4:07 p.m., CD6 Democratic nominee Bill Winter had moved up to fourth place at Map Changers. Keep those votes coming. Just a few hours to go.

Rocky Mountain News misses the point entirely

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill Ritter's campaign manager, Greg Kolomitz, backed Republican gubernatorial nominee Bob Beauprez for congress in 2004.

Now, any reasonable person would assume that Kolomitz switched sides because he was saddened by Both Ways Bob's failures and impressed by Ritter's vision. But not the GOP stenographers at The Rocky Mountain News. Apparently they're going to spin the news the way Both Ways Bob tells them to.

And then there's this nauseating and misleading quote from Beauprez spokesperson John Marshall:

"I'm glad he could find it in himself to hold his nose and get through a Bill Ritter campaign despite his true convictions," said Marshall. "Hopefully after November he can go back to being a Bob Beauprez supporter."

Ugh. (No, I really mean that. Ugh.)

Kolomitz's support for Ritter is further evidence of Ritter's ability to appeal to a wide range of voters. But the Rocky missed that entirely. Is this the sort of coverage we can expect for the rest of the election?

Winter falling at Map Changers: Send a message to America

CD6 Democratic nominee Bill Winter has dropped out of the money at Map Changers. This is unacceptable. A win here would send a giant message to the Democratic establishment that they need to take Colorado seriously in '06 and '08. So get your mouses clicking, people. Winter, our party and our nation will thank you.

Photo courtesy of Winter for Congress.

Drinking Liberally in the same room as Joe Rice

Yeah, so here's the thing about Drinking Liberally with HD38 Democratic nominee Lt. Col. Joe Rice. I got there late and missed the Joe Rice part of the evening. I was there for the drinking part, though. And for the CD6 Democratic nominee Bill Winter endorsing Joe Rice part, too.

When I read through johne and TakeBackTheHouse's recaps at Square State, I saw that Rice didn't spend the night talking about his three tours of duty in the Middle East. His response to a question about healthcare strikes me as one of the most well-reasoned things I've ever heard on the topic:

We already have universal health care. We already have it. We aren't letting a lot of people die in the streets. It is a question of point of access. We see people when they show up in the emergrency room, but we could be getting to them at a lower financial cost, and a lower human cost.

I banged on a lot of doors in Denver's rightwing southern 'burbs in 2004. And I can tell you that they're winnable. Especially given that the term-limited Republican incumbent is leaving his office in disgrace, after filing his per diem reports, er, liberally. Rice is the right candidate to turn that part of Colorado blue.

Drinking Liberally with Joe Rice

Tonight at Double Daughters, Fighting Dem Joe Rice explains how Democrats can take HD38.

What's in my email inbox this morning?

CD7 Democratic candidate Herb Rubenstein pledges that if he's elected, he'll vote to bring our troops home from Iraq by July 1, 2007. If he doesn't, he pledges he won't seek re-election.

CD7 Democratic candidate Peggy Lamm apparently had a great time marching in the Gay Pride parade last weekend. Lamm also came out in support of net neutrality.

Former Governor Roy Romer sent an impassioned plea on behalf of CD7 Democratic candidate Ed Perlmutter, citing in particular Ed's commitment to early childhood education.

Is there a world outside of CD7 Democratic candidates? Well, there's CD4, where Roll Call reports that Democratic nominee Angie Paccione is "essentially tied" with Marilyn Musgrave.

And the Governing newsletter (among about 18 others) told me that Colorado is about to spend $14,000 a day on a special session to deal with an issue our Democratic legislature already dealt with. My personal feelings aside, I'm glad to see Dick Lamm and Federico Pena playing nice. From The Denver Post:

The compromise, modeled after a Georgia law, blends aspects of the proposed constitutional amendment that was wiped off the November ballot earlier this month by the Colorado Supreme Court and a Democratic-backed proposal to get tougher on employers who don't verify the legal status of their workers.

After wading through all that, I found an email with a link to the new site Bob is Lost. It's almost funny enough to make checking my email worthwhile.

Bill Ritter in Africa, Part One

Sometimes people ask me if I ever get sick of bashing Both Ways Bob Beauprez. And I answer, "Um, not really. It's easy. And fun. But thanks for caring."

I must admit, however, that it's nice to be reminded that in November, I won't just vote against Both Ways Bob. I'll vote for Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill Ritter.

I'll vote that way because of where Ritter stands on healthcare and energy. But I'll also cast my vote because of who Ritter is. He's a man who lifted himself from poverty, raised a family, and spent his career locking up criminals. He's a leader who appeals to Democrats and Republicans alike. And he's a Catholic who devoted three years of his life to missionary work in Zambia. A video about his time there has debuted on the Ritter for Governor website:

[Bill and Jeannie Ritter] trucked 60 tons of food a month 400 miles from the capital city to their depot in Mongu. They then distributed the food deep into the bush. Bill and Jeannie also added poultry and fishery programs. They taught women the importance of good nutrition and food preparation for their families. And in a country ravaged not just by drought, but also by AIDS, malaria, leprosy and chronic malnourishment, Bill and Jeannie taught basic health care.

A couple of months ago, I wrote that an appropriate nickname for Ritter might be "Choirboy." That might just stick.

In a state where partisan bickering is standard operating procedure, we need a governor who cares more about people than about political posturing. It will be a shame if we pass up the chance to elect Bill Ritter.

Tancredo thinks the Democrats are right?

The Denver Post reports that:

[CD6 Republican wingnut Tom] Tancredo on Monday highlighted the case of [Iraqi national] Gavan Alkadi in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff asking why the United States is letting foreign criminals go free...

This is pretty much what Colorado Democrats, who passed a comprehensive immigration reform package during the 2006 legislative season, have been saying. The federal government needs to enforce existing laws.

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill Ritter has even said that we should "pressure INS/ICE to pick up for deportation illegal immigrants who have been convicted of crimes in Colorado and are now released back onto the streets."

It's always nice when your enemies make your case for you. Next thing you know, Tancredo will endorse his Democratic CD6 opponent, Bill Winter.

Winter for Congress HQ grand opening

I always miss the good parties. But Square State's TakeBackTheHouse and They Get Letters' Julie O. don't.

UPDATE: Do yourself a favor and go listen to the podcast of Bill's recent Sirius Radio Young Turks interview. Great stuff.

Photo courtesy of They Get Letters.

Military leaders rally behind Jay Fawcett

Let's see the righties spin this one:

Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Henry Hugh Shelton endorsed [Democratic CD5 nominee] Jay Fawcett today. General Shelton served as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs from 1997 to 2001. The General stated, "Jay is an outstanding man. I served with him in both Desert Storm and Desert Shield. Jay will serve the people of Colorado's Fifth Congressional District in the same outstanding manner he served the United States Military."

Closer to home, Fawcett received the endorsement of Brigadier General Owen Lentz... Jay has also been endorsed by General Wesley K. Clark, the former Supreme Allied Commander Europe and the Commander-in-Chief, United States European Command.

Tancredo vs. just about everybody

The Winter for CD6 campaign's polling shows that Winter's big hurdle is name recognition. Without it, the Republican-leaning district may re-elect the incumbent, Mad Tom Tancredo, by default.

Fortunately Tancredo, who is already disliked by liberals and independents, seems bent on destroying his reputation among Republicans as well. Coloradopols pointed me to this story in The Rocky Mountain News, about how Tancredo is trying to oust a Republican House representative in Utah:

...The political action committee Tancredo founded, the Team America PAC, has been running ads targeting [Rep. Chris] Cannon... Cannon blames Tancredo for trying to "engender fear" and meddle in his district... Cannon is one of President Bush's closest allies on immigration issues - a longtime backer of a "comprehensive" reform package...

Perhaps Tancredo ought to start focusing on his own district. You know, we have issues that need attention out here in Colorado, too.

Coloradolib being willfully cryptic

First I was a lobbyist. Now I'm a fan. And, yes, that is CD7 candidate Ed Perlmutter and his daughter in the foreground. For more clues as to what the heck I'm talking about, you can stay tuned to Coloradolib or check out TakeBackTheHouse's post at Square State.

Maybe I ought to pay attention to that regent's race

Just when I convince myself that Steve Ludwig's campaign for CU regent is unimportant, The Rocky Mountain News reports something like this:

The CU School of Medicine - the only med school in a 500-mile radius and which educates about 70 percent of Colorado's doctors - received fewer state dollars per student last year than all but four of the 79 public medical schools nationwide, according to the American Association of Medical Colleges... If the situation doesn't improve, CU leaders say Colorado could lose nationally recognized faculty, have trouble recruiting top students and be unable to meet a growing demand for doctors, particularly in rural areas and lower-paying specialties such as family medicine.

We need to elect Ludwig. And I need to consider selecting a new primary care physician.

Winter fourth at Forward Together?

CD6 Democratic nominee Bill Winter is only fourth in the voting at Forward Together. And at the risk of being unpopular, this blogger places the blame squarely on you, the readers. Follow me or perish, sweater monkeys.

Photo courtesy of Winter for Congress.

Why do we call him Both Ways Bob?

On June 23, 2006 The Rocky Mountain News reported that Both Ways Bob Beauprez's nickname was (wait for it...) Both Ways Bob. Why did former GOP candidate Marc Holtzman invent this nickname? And why did liberal activists pick it up? Let's recap.

Immigration - Both Ways Bob is publicly blasting illegal immigration, but has done little to oppose it in his years in congress.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter. Update here.

Water - Both Ways Bob has played both sides of the transmountain transfers issue.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Energy - Both Ways Bob voted to cut and then restore funding for the NREL in Golden.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

The military - Both Ways Bob publicly supports our troops, but in DC, his voting record has earned him Disabled American Veterans' lowest rating. And his own military non-record is extremely suspect.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Fiscal responsibility - Both Ways Bob privately told business leaders he supported Referendum C, and then tried to publicly oppose it. And he has voted for Washington DC spending that has increased our country's debt. On the campaign trail, Beauprez makes appearances at the very youth clubs, community colleges and senior centers that may have faced closure if C had failed.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Healthcare - Both Ways Bob stated that "we need to let doctors and patients make medical decisions rather than lawyers and insurance companies." But he accepted tens of thousands of dollars from insurance PACS and voted to restrict damages aginst insurance companies.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Amendment 38 - Both Ways Bob signed a statement of "unequivocal support" for Amendment 38. He changed his position on June 30.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Western Slope voters - Both Ways Bob claims to support the local governments on the Western Slope. But he'll quickly reverse his stand if voters stand in the way of oil drilling, as was the instance with the Deep Ocean Energy Resource Act.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Gun control - Both Ways Bob supported Amendment 22, which required background checks at gun shows. But in The Denver Post, he blasted Bill Ritter for supporting background checks at gun shows. (This flip-flop is in dispute. Please read my post here.)

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Community college - Both Ways Bob stressed his commitment to Colorado's community colleges in The Pueblo Chieftain. "The beauty of the community colleges is that kids don't have to leave town to get a quality education... This is a system we need to continue to strengthen," he said. But Beauprez opposed Referendum C, without which community colleges would have faced their fifth straight year of budget cuts. Community colleges received more than $16 million dollars in state funding because voters passed the legislation which Beauprez attempted to defeat.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Corruption - Both Ways Bob attacked Bill Ritter for having a sometime-lobbyist as one of his fundraisers. But Beauprez has spent the last several years chumming around Washington DC with Steve Durham, Duke Cunnigham and Tom DeLay.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

527's - Both Ways Bob refused to condemn the first series of 527 attack ads against Ritter. But as soon as a 527 launched a series of ads about Beauprez, he rushed to the microphone to demand Ritter renounce the ads.

Same sex unions - The Denver Post reports Both Ways Bob told 5280 that he does not oppose same-sex unions. But he opposes a ballot measure that supports them.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Matricula consular - Both Ways Bob claims to be a crusader against illegal immigration, but the former banker voted to allow banks to accept a form of immigrant ID that, as Evan Dreyer of the Ritter campaign points out, "the state of Colorado does not recognize and the FBI says is unreliable."

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Wildlife and the environment - Both Ways Bob tried to go green. But in Washington DC, he has consistently voted for anti-environment interests.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Defensive medicine - Both Ways Bob claimed that 80% of doctors practice defensive medicine, and then said that Colorado's laws effectively thwart it.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Severance taxes - Both Ways Bob said "Hell no" when asked if he'd consider raising severance taxes. Just two days later, he told a conservation group he'd consider it.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

In-state tuition for illegal immigrants - Both Ways Bob supported giving in-state tuition to an illegal immigrant in 2002. But on the campaign trail, he speaks out against it.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Illegal campaign advertising - In a Fox debate, Both Ways Bob pledged to reveal whether he illegally tapped the NCIC database to hunt for ways to smear Bill Ritter. Moments later, the Beauprez campaign told the Post it would not reveal its sources.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Misuse of federal crimefighting data - Both Ways Bob voted to strengthen protections for a national crime database, and then portrayed a Republican crony who violated them as "heroic".

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

This post was updated on June 26, 2006 to include information about healthcare from bothwaysbob.org. It was updated again on July 1, 2006 with information about Amendment 38. It was updated again on July 5, 2006 with information about the Deep Ocean Energy Resource Act. It was updated again on July 27, 2006 with information about gun control. it was updated again on August 3, 2006 with expanded information about fiscal responsibility. It was updated again on August 5 with information about community colleges. It was updated again on August 7 with information about lobbyists and corruption. It was updated again on August 14, 2006 with information about 527's. It was updated again on August 15, 2006 with information about same sex unions and matricula consular. It was updated again on August 24, 2006 with information about the environment. It was updated again on September 8, 2006 with information about defensive meedicine. It was updated again on October 7, 2006 with information about the severance tax. It was updated again on October 10, 2006 with information about in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. It was updated again on October 16, 2006 with information about illegal campaign advertising. It was updated again on October 23, 2006 with information about Beauprez's NCIC database voting record.

The ghost of Christopher Hitchens

If you listed our language's 10 finest sentences, you would find half had been crafted by Christopher Hitchens.

Hitchens' works are so transcendent that remembering them inspires genius in his lessers. Examine my first sentence. The alliterative beginning. The assonantal end. Would I have written so well without Hitchens' ghost hovering over my keyboard? I doubt it. Which is why it has been difficult for me to watch him fall apart.

Hitchens' move from socialist to neocon is the stuff of legend. It began with his hatred of Bill Clinton and accelerated after 9/11. He even "slightly" endorsed George Bush in 2004. I remember reading that piece in The Nation. It was the first time that I simply could not follow one of his arguments. He wrote that liberals faced a prisoner's dilemma, forced to choose between a Democrat they despised and a third-party candidate who couldn't win:

...[Kerry] is offering you the worst of both worlds. Myself, I have made my own escape from your self-imposed quandary. Believe me when I say that once you have done it, there's no going back. I have met a few other ex-hostages, and they all agree that the relief is unbelievable.

Kerry isn't liberal enough, and he can't win, so liberals will feel better if they vote for Bush? Hm.

At first, I believed that my biases were getting in the way of my reason. But Hitchens' reviews in The Atlantic have also gone south. (I recall his willfully combative reading of The Waste Land, in particular.)

Last night, the remaining respect I had for Hitchens evaporated. NPR broadcast a segment in which Hitchens attempted to defend his new career as a neocon apologist after four double Scotches and three glasses of merlot. "I thought the United States should be defended from nihilistic Islamism and [left-wing thinkers] thought... it brought [9/11] on itself."

There are two errors in that sentence. First there's the false choice between defending our country and criticizing it. And then there's the implication that knocking over a secular dictatorship was the best way to destroy Islamic fascism. Hitchens' thought process is the same as your garden-variety Bush voter: He can't distinguish between the need for a hawkish foreign policy and the decision to invade Iraq.

The rational left's opposition to the Iraq War is built on the war's opportunity cost. If you'd given a President Al Gore $300 billion dollars and 130,000 troops on Sept. 12, 2001, Osama Bin Laden would be dead today. But we didn't have a President Al Gore. We had Bush. And so we find ourselves the babysitter of a deteriorating Iraq, our military stretched thin, our debt unmanageable, and our borders porous.

Unfortunately, it seems that Hitchens is no longer interested in debating the rational left. The NPR interview portrayed a man busy sparring with a small cadre of radical pacifists, churning out wordy reviews, and lubricating his liver.

The loss to our letters is incalculable.

Holtzman off GOP ballot

So long, Marc. And, uh, you too, Bob.

Guest post from CD6 nominee Bill Winter

Due to a technical glitch, the machines at the Winter for CD6 campaign started dialing phone numbers late last night. Real late. Like, last-call late.

This sort of thing is hardly the cadidate's fault. But Bill Winter isn't pointing fingers. He's stepping up. He asked Coloradolib, along with some other blogs, to post this apology:

I want to formally and sincerely apologize to anyone who received a robo-call from my campaign at an inappropriate time. I know no one likes to get robo-calls under the best of circumstances, but unfortunately, we had a technical problem that allowed some calls to go out at inappropriate times. This is NOT an indication of what is going on with my campaign. This is a one time technical problem that we will resolve immediately!

I take personal responsibility for this. I deeply and sincerely apologize. We will find out why this happened. We will get it fixed. And it WILL NOT happen again.

I understand your anger and I only ask that you not take it out on my staff. When things go wrong in this campaign, the only person responsible is me! I will be at a variety of public functions this weekend and will be available to apologize to you in person. You can find those events on our website and I invite you to come talk to me.

Again, I apologize most sincerely,
Bill Winter

I don't like capital letters. Or the punctuation mark I refer to as a slammer. But I do like candidates who confront even minor problems with speed and honesty. Nice going, Bill.

Congressional Republicans block immigration reform

Think the GOP cares about illegal immigration? Think again. Republican gubernatorial nominee Both Ways Bob Beauprez's Beltway buddies have blocked reform until after the election. Apparently, they don't want to lose their precious wedge issue.

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill Ritter isn't waiting around for DC. A press release from Bill Ritter for Governor states, in part:

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter today condemned Congressman Beauprez and Washington for again delaying action on comprehensive illegal immigration reform. "One of the biggest issues facing this country and this state is illegal immigration," said Ritter, Denver's former District Attorney. "The congressman claims he’ll lead Colorado to a solution. Yet he and congressional leaders find excuse after excuse to delay action... Federal law gives states little room to enact substantive reform, but we must do what we can, as Washington has left us no choice and no leadership."

Under federal law, states already are restricted from providing many benefits to undocumented immigrants, such as welfare and unemployment benefits. Ritter supports those federal rules.

Ritter said Colorado must:

1. Have a functional identification verification system that ensures undocumented immigrants are not receiving state-funded benefits.

2. Require state contractors to certify that they do not employ any undocumented immigrants, as spelled out in a new state law. Federal law limits states' ability to impose sanctions against employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers.

3. Enforce legislation signed into law this year cracking down on human smuggling and trafficking.

4. Pressure INS/ICE to pick up for deportation illegal immigrants who have been convicted of crimes in Colorado and are now released back onto the streets...

So have you voted for Ritter at Russ Feingold's PAC yet? You can find the link in the handy Presidential PACs section I added to Coloradolib. And don't go looking for George Allen's PAC on my site. You should know better.

Republicans: "Privacy is overrated"

Most disgraced politicians find a way to fade gracefully into private life. But not Loveland Republican Jim Welker. In fact, he's planning on making sure nobody has a private life at all. The Rocky Mountain News reports:

State Rep. Jim Welker has been subpoenaed to testify at a congressional hearing today about the sale of private phone records but is expected to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

Hm, maybe we do need a privacy czar, after all.

Suthers pish-poshes judicial oversight

Hey, if you don't like the laws, tell everybody that they aren't really laws, but the evil ramblings of phantom activist judges. That's what the Colorado Republicans do.

Shoot, I promised something funny this afternoon. And that wasn't funny at all. So, uh, here's Fatmouse.

Action alerts: Ritter, Winter and all the fuzzy little animals

1. Before June 26, vote for Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill Ritter at Russ Feingold's PAC.

2. Before June 29, vote for CD6 Democratic candidate Bill Winter at Mark Warner's PAC.

3. Before June 23, write an email to wildlife.comm@state.co.us to tell the Wildlife Commission to reject the CTA's pathetic bid to trap and kill minks, martens, long and short-tailed weasels, swift and gray foxes, opossums, ringtails and western spotted skunks in violation of the Colorado constitution.

I can hear you yelling at me through your monitor. "Matt, I turn to Coloradolib to hear you say rude things about Republicans. Not to have items added to my to-do list."

Well, there's work to be done. So quit whining and get to it. And I'll come up with something funny by this evening, I promise.

Winter wins first round at Forward Together

CD6 Democratic nominee Bill Winter is through the first round at Mark Warner's Forward Together PAC. Now everybody needs to get back over there and vote for him in the second round. I cast my ballot just now and it looks a little like this:

My MapChangers

WEST

CO-06 Bill Winter

Bill Winter is inspiring in person. A Fighting Dem. A real progressive. And he's up against Mad Tom Tancredo. So we get a great candidate and we get rid of a loudmouth, single issue malcontent. Winter for CO-6!

CO-05 Jay Fawcett

NM-01 Patricia Madrid

TX-Gov Chris Bell

MN-01 Tim Walz

EAST

VA-Sen James Webb

NY-29 Eric Massa

PA-06 Lois Murphy

CT-04 Diane Farrell

MI-09 Nancy Skinner

Want to choose your own MapChangers?

Cast Your Vote

Forward Together PAC

Anti-immigrant crowd: "Lying is fun."

First Both Ways Bob Beauprez tries to tell us that Democratic candidate Bill Ritter doesn't have a clear position on immigration. (He does.) Then Defend Colorado Now tries to tell us that it is a bipartisan organization. (It's not.)

Next up, Both Ways Bob claims he's the Easter Bunny!

Tancredo vs.... Rubenstein?

Somebody explain this one to me. CD7 Democratic candidate Herb Rubenstein's website claims that he will debate CD6 Republican Tom Tancredo after the election:

Today, in Watkins, Tancredo said he "would commit to a debate on immigration." He then added, "It is difficult during a campaign since you are running in another district, but right the campaign is over, we will do it."

I have no idea why Rubenstein would want to debate an unemployed malcontent. Because after November, that's what Mad Tom will be. Vote Bill Winter for CD6.

UPDATE: Today, Herb released a detailed position paper on immigration. You can read it in his latest newsletter.

Beauprez blogger supports Holtzman?

Channel 7 has broken the news that the phantom Beauprez blogger who recently announced his support for Democratic candidate Bill Ritter is actually a fan of GOP non-contender Marc Holtzman.

Who's hurt most by the news? Well, Beauprez looks like a dweeb for falling for the scam. As do liberal bloggers like yours truly, who were foolish enough to believe that a Republican was actually thinking independently. (Memo to self: That never happens.)

But the real loser here is Marc Holtzman. The Colorado GOP has long considered Holtzman an annoying gnat. The news that his supporters are also annoying gnats only reinforces that perception.

Illegal immigration: Democrats lead while Beauprez waffles

Both Ways Bob Beauprez and his cronies are trying to smear the Colorado Democratic Party on the subject of immigration. Let's look at the facts.

The Democrats

In 2006, the Democratic Colorado legislature passed seven bills that addressed the problem of illegal immigration. Democratic House Speaker Andrew Romanoff wrote that the House "...targeted illegal immigration, crafting the most comprehensive set of reforms in the history of Colorado. We turned human smuggling and human trafficking into felonies, toughened the enforcement of existing laws, cracked down on forgery, and prohibited the government from doing business with companies that hire undocumented workers. By a vote of 95-2, we sent Congress a blueprint for national border security and immigration reform."

Bob Beauprez

Throughout his legislative career, Both Ways Bob has waffled on immigration. He was the only Colorado Republican to oppose an amendment that prohibited federal funding for sanctuary cities. He flip-flopped the next year and voted for a nearly identical measure. He put his own banking interests ahead of his concern for illegal immigration, supporting an amendment that allows banking institutions to accept Mexican matricula consular documents in lieu of U.S.-issued IDs. And he opposed a measure that would have required hospitals to report undocumented immigrants in order to receive Medicare reimbursements and held employers liable for knowingly hiring undocumented workers.

If Colorado voters want preening, politicking, posturing and paranoia, Both Ways Bob is the man to provide it. But if they want real solutions for illegal immigration, they should elect Democrats.

Forward Together PAC voting extended

The deadline at Mark Warner's PAC has been extended. Which means you have another two days to tell the world that CD6 needs Bill Winter. Russ Feingold's PAC has already endorsed Winter. Perhaps Evan Bayh's PAC, which launched a spiffy new website yesterday, will soon do the same.

Now, I'm not saying I'm going to judge the 2008 presidential candidates purely by whether or not they support Winter in 2006. But, seriously, Hillary, make with the dough.

Ritter strikes back at Beauprez on immigration

Have you checked out Both Ways Bob Beauprez's latest podcast? No? I don't blame you. It's full of eye-roll inducing remarks like, "Illegal immigration is illegal, isn't it?" and vague rhetoric like, "My Democrat (sic) opponent Bill Ritter and I disagree on this, but I oppose taxpayer funded benefits for illegal immigrants."

Apparently the Ritter team has learned from the mistakes that John Kerry made in '04. They're not going to let the Republicans spread this rubbish without striking back. A press release from Ritter states, in part:

Congressman Beauprez has spent the last four years in Washington and has done nothing to fix the illegal immigration crisis. Now it's suddenly an issue for him because he's running for governor. I will not allow the Congressman to misrepresent my position. I oppose providing welfare benefits to undocumented immigrants. I oppose issuing driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants. I oppose providing any benefit that is prohibited by state or federal law.

Beauprez blogger switches sides. (And other dispatches from the netroots.)

Over the last day, four things happened that got me excited about being part of the Colorado netroots.

First, the bloggers who went to Yearly Kos came back with stars in their eyes and photos on their iMacs.

Second, CD6 Democratic nominee Bill Winter posted another inspiring diary on Daily Kos.

Third, dozens of us waited with baited breath to learn that Soapblox's new name is Square State. (An announcement that I'm sure would leave most Coloradans yawning in apathy.)

And fourth, Dan Slater at Dem Notes pointed out that the blogger at Students for Beauprez has decided to support Democratic nominee Bill Ritter.

This last development is news. Not because one college student changed his mind. But because he (or she?) took such a risk to stand up for what he thought was right. The comments from his fellow Republicans have been harsh. And the GOP isn't known for forgiving independent thinking.

The Beauprez campaign blog has mysteriously gone missing. But I remember Beauprez's team excitedly welcoming their new student blogger into the fold. I wonder how they feel now. A bit like the band on the Titanic, I assume.

It takes intelligence to see past party affiliation. It takes strength to publicly admit your mistakes. And it's going to take a lot of hard work to put Colorado on the path to energy independence and fiscal responsibility. But if Mr. Students for Beuaprez can do it, so can you.

Drinking Liberally with Steve Ludwig

Here's what I know about Democratic candidate for C.U regent at-large Steve Ludwig:

1. He's campaigning his butt off. I see Steve everywhere I go. County assemblies. Fundraisers. Campaign kickoffs. I'm pretty sure I saw him at 7-11 the other day. And a couple hours ago, I saw him at Drinking Liberally.

2. He's campaigning his butt off for an unpaid position. Politics is a thankless business. Candidates put their life on hold, campaign tirelessly, and endure vicious personal attacks for jobs that pay about what you'd make slinging pancakes at IHOP. For C.U. regents, the deal is even worse. Because there's no pay. At all. So Steve's speech began by explaining why he wanted the job. He talked about how our state is obsessed with Ward Churchill and the C.U. football program when it should be focused on creating a higher education system that stimulates innovation and economic growth. And Steve also talked about how C.U. can drive public education in general, creating a culture of academic excellence around our state. It's a very compelling speech. And it's a bit different - a bit better - every time I hear it.

3. He's campaigning his butt off for an unpaid position at Colorado's second best university. Because everybody knows C.S.U. kicks C.U.'s ass. Sorry. Someone had to say it.

My good buddy TakeBackTheHouse pointed out that I owe him a hat-tip. So here it comes. Ready? Go read his take on the evening at Soapblox.

Ritter touts New Energy Economy

While the Colorado Republicans waste taxpayer dollars trying to prove that Pedro Sanchez is foreclosing on Screech's house (or something to that effect), Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill Ritter is demonstrating what real leadership is all about. From a press release:

Gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter will launch a statewide Energy Tour this Saturday, visiting three pioneers in the field of alternative energy and promoting his New Energy Economy plan, which was originally released in April. The tour will highlight the groundbreaking work being done around the state by private companies, public enterprises, utilities and individuals to end our reliance on foreign oil.

"We all know from the astronomical price of gas for our cars and energy for our homes that we are at a tipping point... My plan for a New Energy Economy will make Colorado a national leader in the field of alternative energy. We will create new jobs, protect our environment and establish a secure and sustainable energy future for our children and our grandchildren."

Ritter is actively promoting his ideas for Colorado. Republican nominee Both Ways Bob Beauprez won't even tell us what his ideas are. The choice couldn't be clearer.

Hat-tip to the Rocky for the Screech story.

Republicans waste taxpayer money. Shocker.

In 2006, Colorado's Democratic legislature passed a comprehensive immigration reform package. But Republicans need a wedge issue to rile up voters in November. So they trumped up a Constitutional amendment to deny most state services to illegal immigrants. A judge ruled that the initiative language violated state law. So the GOP is trying keep their precious wedge issue alive the only way they know how.

Wasting taxpayer money.

That's right. The Rocky Mountain News reports that the Colorado GOP is demanding that taxpayers spring for a special legislative session so a few rightwing legislators can preen for the cameras for a few weeks longer. Apparently, these sessions run around $14,000 a day.

Republicans, is this really what you voted for?

Two countdowns. One day.

You have only one more day to vote for Bill Winter at Mark Warner's PAC.

You only have a couple of months to call Colorado senators Wayne Allard and Ken Salazar and tell them to save the Internet.

What are you waiting for?

Denver Post profile raises major questions about Beauprez: Part 3

Thanks to Colorado Pols, Dem Notes, 5280 and Soapblox for linking to my post on The Denver Post's profile of Bob Beauprez. Two more thoughts before I leave the story.

First, candidates' personal lives should remain personal. I have no idea why Beauprez and his wife shared the details of their relationship with the Post. I have no idea why the Post printed them. And I have no idea why anybody would care. Beauprez seems to have a loving, committed marriage. I applaud him for it. In fact, it's the only thing about him that I like.

Second, where the heck was the Colorado conservative blogosphere on this one? Many of the rightwing bloggers posted today. But I saw no responses to the allegations in the Post. If Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill Ritter had been under fire, you better believe that I would've used my blogging time to defend him. Apparently, Beauprez simply doesn't have the backing of Republican activists. That says a lot about his campaign.

Only two more days to vote for Winter

Have you cast your vote for CD6 Democratic nominee Bill Winter at Mark Warner's PAC?

If not, you better do it now. The first round of voting ends tomorrow.

Photo courtesy of Winter for Congress.

Denver Post profile raises major questions about Beauprez: Part 2

So, given that nobody who gives a damn about Colorado can, in good conscience, vote for Both Ways Bob Beauprez, what are Republican voters going to do? Here are three ideas.

1. Support Republican candidate Marc Holtzman.

A judge has decided that Marc Holtzman belongs on the GOP ballot. So Republicans who are upset about Beauprez's big-spending ways have an option. Now, don't get me wrong. I think Holtzman borders on batty. But at least he seems to have the courage of his convictions.

2. Support Libertarian candidate Dawn Winkler-Kinateder.

The Colorado Libertarians are fielding Ms. Winkler-Kinateder. Apparently. I know nothing about her.

3. Support Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Don't laugh. Ritter is hardly your garden-variety liberal. He's pro-business. Tough on crime. And deeply religious. His message is not about welfare handouts; it's about efficient investment in our state. Several Republican business groups threw their support to Ritter after the C & D campaign.

So there you go. Three ways for GOP voters to leave the ballot box with their souls - and state - intact.

Denver Post profile raises major questions about Beauprez: Part 1

Today was supposed to mark the end of All Positive, All the Time Week. And I was going to celebrate with a rousing attack on Both Ways Bob Beauprez. But The Denver Post beat me to it. Some highlights:

Both Ways Bob's personal story is largely for show.

...so carefully crafted is his folksy image that, in a recent portrait of the candidate photographed in a barn, his campaign digitally erased the emblem of his company, Heritage Bank, from his denim work shirt.

Both Ways Bob puts his party above our state.

During testimony in a redistricting case Beauprez brought on behalf of the party, an attorney for the Democrats asked him, "Over and above what's in the best interest of the state, you're more interested in getting Republicans elected, correct?" "Yes," [Beauprez] replied.

Both Ways Bob is corrupt as all get out.

Public Campaign Action Fund, a nonpartisan group dedicated to reforming campaign fundraising, has ranked Beauprez first among members of Congress for overall ties to [Tom] DeLay.

Both Ways Bob has the ethics of Eddie Haskell.

Records show he accepted more in contributions - $163,371 - from commercial banks in 2004 than all but two other members of Congress. Last year he co