We’re not going to take up too much time with it, but we wanted to provide a forum to discuss the Denver paper’s endorsements published in this weekend’s editions after a sneak preview Friday afternoon. Being the state’s newspaper of record, their endorsements can be significant (depending on the race), and will be used heavily by endorsed candidates in the election’s final weeks.
It’s really too bad, then, that the Denver paper decided to waste the opportunity with milquetoast “play it safe” endorsements of every single incumbent member of Congress in Colorado.
Now to be fairer than we probably should, that may not be as bad a cop-out as it seems. The methodology used (at least in theory) by the Denver paper’s editorial board, like many major papers, is to make endorsements based on the makeup of the district in question. In their mind, it doesn’t matter what the ideological positions of, say, Rep. Doug Lamborn are–what’s important is that Lamborn’s positions represent those of his constituents.
And by that yardstick, we concede the majority of these endorsements make sense.
Two still questionable, however: to a lesser extent the endorsement of Scott Tipton in CD-3, but especially Mike Coffman in the new CD-6. In both cases these are very closely-divided districts that call out for a moderate–either a moderate Republican or Democratic–representative, but are both presently represented by men significantly to the right of the political center.
In Coffman’s case, we’re talking about a representative who used to represent one of the most steadfastly conservative districts in Colorado–the district that happily re-elected the toxically hard-right Tom Tancredo to Congress term after term. From declaring Social Security a “Ponzi scheme” to a Todd Akin-like position on abortion to his recent disastrous foray into the realm of “birtherism,” Mike Coffman stands out among all of these races as a candidate fundamentally out of place in his newly diverse and competitive seat. If there’s an endorsement among these that the Denver paper just plain screwed up based on their own alleged methodology, this is it.
Of course, anything else would have rained on the milquetoast incumbency parade.
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endorses those who they think best represent their constituents they are saying that the constituents of CD3 and 5 are stupid and the constituents of CD6 just don’t give a shit
We just think that it’s only fair for billionaires to have their own Rep in Congress, just like every other constituency.
Their bleeding readers, too. My husband is probably the only person I know under 55 who still reads a paper newspaper. I can’t wait until it stops showing up at my door. What a waste of trees.
but now the special sections are getting pretty pathetic too. Book section never was their strong point but now it’s pretty much useless. New novels by important authors either get ignored or are reviewed so many weeks after they come out you wind up number gazillion on the library waiting list if you don’t remember to check out the NYT book section on line often enough.
I thought the very same thing when I saw these endorsements. Playing it perfectly safe, making no waves under the top line, even if that requires calling Coors too extreme for a mixed district and Tea Party Caucus, birther sympathizer Coffman just right for his mixed district, and then they’ll probably endorse Romney. Not too much flack there as Colorado polls are so close. Gee, how courageous.
Yet, the Denver Post endorses every single CO incumbent.
Dumbasses.
The scratch paper would never endorse Miklosi because he is pro-Labor. Joe has worked hard for Progressive and Labor issues for many years.
I endorse Miklosi.
Coloradan Conservative blog has given this post a shout out. However, I do wonder who they would want to be kicked out, as you gave reasons why Coffman is too far right for district six. However, I do wonder whether District 7 has become more favorable to republicans, although even if so, Coors doesn’t have the experience.
http://coloradopeakpolitics.co…