Why is Cory Gardner spreading lies about town halls ?

That's what happens

when you issue a press release criticizing before calling your opponents office and asking them about the thing you were about to say.

They probably saw no town halls scheduled on her web sites on the 12th, assumed she wasn't doing any, and then issued the statement anyway instead of calling and checking first.

They were probably too busy tip-toeing around whether or not Rep. Gardner thinks Obama is a citizen to pick up a phone and call Markey's office.

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by: redstateblues @ Fri Aug 21, 2009 at 22:47:23 PM UTC

Markey's office

announced her town hall "blitz" on Aug. 13, the day after Gardner's release. Up to that point, Markey's office wasn't saying whether, or how many, public forums she'd be having during the recess. Frankly, if Markey left a void like that, Gardner's people would be foolish not to pounce like they did.

A leader on the battlefield can be a leader in Congress. -- redstateblues

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by: RedGreen @ Fri Aug 21, 2009 at 23:53:03 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

That makes sense Red Green...

but I wonder why they haven't updated their website or at least pulled that release down, being that it's now August 21. Probably just an honest mistake.  

" I will always put Colorado families before the Washington special interests"

Cory Gardner (R-O&G)

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Sat Aug 22, 2009 at 03:48:39 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

They could update with another release

but everyone keeps old releases on their sites, even if they're later superseded by new ones. That's why the releases are dated. And, let's admit it, if he pulled this release and substituted something else, Progress Now would blast him for trying to cover his tracks.

A leader on the battlefield can be a leader in Congress. -- redstateblues

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by: RedGreen @ Sat Aug 22, 2009 at 05:12:21 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

OTOH

It takes a little time to set up a dozen town halls; they may have rushed the announcement because of Gardner's release but I'm willing to bet that the plans for the town halls were being worked on well in advance.

Market probably should have put something on her website stating "town halls to be announced."

The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits. Albert Einstein

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by: Awen @ Sat Aug 22, 2009 at 16:59:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Probably true that Markey should have put TBA...

but especially true that Gardner or someone on his campaign should've found out whether or not Markey was holding town halls before putting out a press release claiming she isn't holding any.

" I will always put Colorado families before the Washington special interests"

Cory Gardner (R-O&G)

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 16:35:14 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

whether or not Markey was holding town halls

This was Markey's fault. Her office resolutely refused to say whether she would be holding any town halls as late as Aug. 12. Then they released the sketchy schedule on Aug. 13 -- probably, in part, reacting to Gardner's release, because they hadn't nailed down most of the locations yet.

A leader on the battlefield can be a leader in Congress. -- redstateblues

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by: RedGreen @ Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 16:43:23 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

late announcements probably give teabaggers less time to organize..

I am guessing that had something to do with it.  Not tipping off a mob of loonies is something I can't really blame her for if that was her intent.  

CD-4 constituents can rest assured if an other potential "leadership void" comes up Cory is there to fill it.

" I will always put Colorado families before the Washington special interests"

Cory Gardner (R-O&G)

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 17:07:40 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'm not saying

she didn't have a good reason for keeping her schedule under wraps the way she did, but your contention Gardner's campaign "should've found out whether or not Markey was holding town halls" is misfounded. She wasn't telling anyone that she would be having town halls until the day after he issued his press release.

A leader on the battlefield can be a leader in Congress. -- redstateblues

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by: RedGreen @ Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 17:12:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I see RG

Looks like Gardners campaign took her silence to mean she wouldn't be holding town halls at all and ran with it, and then she comes back with the release the day after that which says oh, by the way, I'm holding town halls.

I like that. It's a good punking if it's intentional. We can all thank Musty for toughening Markey up.

" I will always put Colorado families before the Washington special interests"

Cory Gardner (R-O&G)

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 17:24:49 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

That's one way of looking at it

But people who weren't interested in punking Markey, just in finding out whether she planned to hold town halls, got the same refusal to answer or even suggest whether there would be town halls. Frankly, both sides did what they should have done, given the circumstances: Gardner took advantage of an opportunity, and Markey had a swift response.  

A leader on the battlefield can be a leader in Congress. -- redstateblues

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by: RedGreen @ Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 18:23:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Good analysis RG

That's why they pay you the big bucks.

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by: redstateblues @ Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 18:31:46 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

This is a problem right now

"But people who weren't interested in punking Markey, just in finding out whether she planned to hold town halls, got the same refusal to answer or even suggest whether there would be town halls"

People who just want real information about what is going on in Congress and honestly want to know where their rep stands on a particular issue (especially health care) cannot get this information.  They suffer at the hands of the crazies who disrupt town halls, drown out voices of reason, and push their reps to a point that they don't even want to let them know where they'll be during recess.

In light of this my personal view is that we should let Barney Frank run every single town hall in the US.  But that's just me : )

" I will always put Colorado families before the Washington special interests"

Cory Gardner (R-O&G)

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 19:41:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

In my years of dealing

with the Republican caucus, my experience has shown me that intimidation has always been one of their favorite tools.

If Congresswoman Markey was reluctant (or even justifiably afraid) to advertise her town halls because of "over the top" behavior by the Republicans and their wingmen, the Tea Partiers, she cannot be faulted for that. Hell, they even scare me.

This is an indictment of the tolerance the Republican leadership seems to have developed for the birthers, deathers, and gun nuts (notice I said "nuts", not owners), among others who are scaring our government officials instead of being the "loyal opposition". Isn't there a definition of terrorist in there somewhere?

Every thinking Republican (and there are plenty of them) needs to stop and ask themselves if the violence that almost inevitably lies down this trail is something they can defend. Then ask if they did anything to stop it, or just look the other way?

"A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy, or, perhaps, both."  James Madison

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by: dukeco1 @ Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 20:28:12 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

It seems completely hypocritical dukeco1

for them to use the tea partiers, gun nuts (hey, I am a gun owner too) and various crazies for their own benefit and then hold them at arms length at the same time. Eventually you can't put the genie back in the bottle.

" I will always put Colorado families before the Washington special interests"

Cory Gardner (R-O&G)

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 21:23:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

At the same time

Cory Gardner is busy hiding from the press (and blogosphere). If anyone is "relucent to meet" it's Cory, not Betsy.

No trees were destroyed in the posting of this comment. But a large number of electrons were horribly inconvenienced.

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by: DavidThi808 @ Sat Aug 22, 2009 at 02:21:48 AM UTC

Gardner's way of "filling the leadership gap..."

is to embrace conspiracy theories and lunatics? A leader is certainly one thing we can all agree Cory Gardner is NOT.

An amateur? Yes. A train wreck waiting to happen? Perhaps. A leader? Don't make me laugh.  

"Suddenly, it may be cool to be American again" - William J. Kole

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by: Go Blue @ Sat Aug 22, 2009 at 18:09:03 PM UTC