March 27, 2008 01:05 AM UTC

If At First You Don't Succeed...

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• by: Colorado Pols

…Just keep having press conferences and hope someone eventually pays attention.

We wrote last week about Democrat Jared Polis joining a coalition of congressional candidates from across the country in proposing a new plan to end the war in Iraq. The plan, cleverly titled “The Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq,” was unveiled at a press conference in Washington D.C. that was basically ignored by national and local media despite heavy attempts by liberal bloggers to promote the event.

So what do you do when the media ignores your press conference? You hold another press conference, apparently:

Jared Polis, joined by thirty Democratic challengers from across the country, will participate in a press conference call tomorrow to discuss the recent breakthrough policy paper, The Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq, which has been endorsed by national security experts and retired generals.

The only coverage that Polis received locally for “The Plan” came last week when the campaign of fellow candidate Joan Fitz-Gerald foolishly attacked Polis for flip-flopping on Iraq. Had Fitz-Gerald’s campaign not said anything, nobody would have paid any attention to “The Plan” in Colorado.

We’re not blaming Polis for this second press conference, because this whole thing isn’t his baby, but it is a little embarrassing to try to hold a second press conference on the same exact proposal one week after it was ignored. If the press didn’t care last week, they’re not going to care this week.

Full press release follows.

***Telephone Press Conference Call THURSDAY at 10:00am MDT***

Polis Joins Democratic Congressional Challengers in

Issuing Joint Call for a Responsible End to Iraq War

Candidates Will Run on Common Platform Backed by National Security Experts and Retired Generals

           WASHINGTON, D.C. —  Jared Polis, joined by thirty Democratic challengers from across the country, will participate in a press conference call tomorrow to discuss the recent breakthrough policy paper, The Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq, which has been endorsed by national security experts and retired generals.

For a full list of the thirty candidates, other backers and further information on the plan, please go to: https://www.responsibleplan.com…  

WHO:             Jared Polis, candidate for U.S. House, Colorado, 2nd District

Darcy Burner, candidate for U.S. House, Washington, 8th District

                                                                                   Eric Massa, candidate for U.S House, New York, 29th District

                                                                                   Donna Edwards, winner of U.S House race, Maryland, 4th District

                                                                                   Tom Perriello, candidate for U.S  House, Virginia, 5th District

                                                                                   Chellie Pingree, candidate for U.S House, Maine, 1st District

Rand Beers, Director and Organizational Leader, National Security Network

                                                                                   Matt Stoller, OpenLeft.com blog

WHAT:          Telephone Press Conference  

WHEN:          THURSDAY, March 27th; 10:00am MDT

CALL:           1-800-894-5910, Conference ID: IRAQ WAR

The plan has also been endorsed by the following candidates, Generals and national security experts:

George Fearing candidate for U.S. House, Washington

Larry Byrnes candidate for U.S. House, Florida

Steve Harrison candidate for U.S. House, New York

Sam Bennett candidate for U.S. House, Pennsylvania

Harry Taylor candidate for U.S. House, North Carolina

Alan Grayson candidate for U.S. House, Florida

Dennis Shulman candidate for U.S. House, New Jersey

Larry Grant candidate for U.S. House, Idaho

Leslie Byrne candidate for U.S. House, Virginia

Bill O’Neill candidate for U.S. House, Ohio

Jill Derby candidate for U.S. House, Nevada

Steve Novick candidate for U.S. Senate, Oregon

Jeff Merkley candidate for U.S. Senate, Oregon

Major General Paul Eaton (U.S. Army ret.) former Security Transition Commanding General, Iraq

Dr. Lawrence Korb former Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Reagan Administration

Brigadier General John Johns (U.S. Army ret.) specialist in counterinsurgency and nation-building

Capt. Larry Seaquist (U.S. Navy ret.)former commander of the U.S.S. Iowa and former Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy Planning

Darius Shahinfar candidate for U.S. House, New York

Faye Armitage candidate for U.S. House, Florida

Jim Hunt candidate for U.S. House, Montana

Tom Wyka candidate for U.S. House, New Jersey

Cheryl Sabel candidate for U.S. House, Alabama

Greg Fisher candidate for U.S. Senate, Kentucky

Ed Fallon candidate for U.S. House, Iowa