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March 28, 2006 09:00 AM UTC

Gubernatorial Candidate Debate on Saturday?

  • 65 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

We just got a press release from Marc Holtzman’s campaign saying that all three gubernatorial candidates are scheduled to debate at the Club 20 Gubernatorial Candidate Forum on Saturday, April 1 (unless it’s an April Fool’s joke).

We can’t confirm if Bob Beauprez and Bill Ritter have both agreed to attend, but if so, wouldn’t this be the first debate with all three candidates?

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65 thoughts on “Gubernatorial Candidate Debate on Saturday?”

  2. shhhhhhh.

    I’ve worked with Club 20 and they’re Republican and they’re good.  They know the counties’ interests (and needs)and they do a good job.

  3. (in jack’s office.)
    john: we really blew it this week, didn’t we, jack.
    jack: yes, it looks like our candidate is going to lose–again. I wish there were a way we could turn things around, make things come out the way we wanted them to.
    john: well, jack, ? don’t know if you know this, but I can do just that. you see, i know how to tell people that i’m winning when i’m actually losing–and sometimes they believe me. I think the pros call it ”spin” or something.
    jack: very interesting, john. tell me more.
    john: well, i tried spinning the other day–you know, with the debate we lost. well, because I have no media training it was really obvious what I was doing, so it didn’t work then, but maybe it’ll work this week. I picked up a book about it, and i really think I can pull it off.
    jack: well, it can’t be any worse than what we’re doing now. give it another shot, john.
    john: thanks, jack. we’re gonna win this time. aren’t we.
    jack: we sure are, john, we sure are.
    (john leaves jack’s office. jack picks up phone.)
    jack: hi, honey. yeah, I know. we’re getting our asses kicked. i’m going to lose, again. can I come back to california?

  5. “Odd, I thought it had been established that BB was the one losing at this juncture.”

    –
    WHAT? Established by who? Marc Holtzman and Dick Leggit? “Why yes, Marc, Beauprez is losing.” “Well, Dick, I concur! The polling figures show the complete opposite, as well as the caucus numbers, but, hey, who’s counting? Let’s make a press release refuting the numbers. I don’t care what you say, Dick. Just make up some numbers for the caucuses and make them big!”

    Yep, it must be established. After all, 2 out of 2 east coast imports agree!
    Give me a break.

  6. Beauprez will chicken out and get Shawn Mitchell or some other flunky to take his place, like he did at the Jeffco forum. With debate raging over whether beltway Republicans should be carrying Ted Kennedy’s water, he won’t want to risk debating Marc. But Club 20 is in his pocket already. The Referendum A debacle is old news and more than offset by his support of increased numbers of “guest worker” visas and amnesty for illegal immigrants.

  8. If I understand the lay of the land here, I’m not sure Both Ways Bob is going to have that easy of a time actually… Everyone I have met over the last year on the Slope considers Marc to be a native son of sorts.

    One thing for sure they are going to try to roast Ritter right off the bat.

  9. Gotta agree with My Bile.  I wonder how Both Ways Bob is going to handle quesstions about his support for Referendum A two years qgo?  Wtach the Club 20 folks quietly ignore that to stick a pin in Ritter.

  10. For the uninitiated, Club 20 is SUPPOSED to be a non-partisan group of business, civic and county leaders representing Western Slope interests.  In REALITY it has mostly become a thinly-veiled arm of the Colorado Republican party.  Wayne Allard’s staff (current and former) call the shots and Bill Ritter needs to watch his backside because the Club 20 good ole boys will do everything in their power to help Beauprez.

  12. Iron Mike,

    Forgive my ignorance. What is Club 20? I read the PDF invite but, truth be told, I’m too tired to go online and find out more.

    Where are they located?

    Thanks.

  13. I’m not 100% sure I know what Club 20 is myself… I’m a Northern Colorado boy.

    Far as I can tell Club 20 is a business alliance on the Western Slope. I’m under the impression that their charter is business development, but they always seem to play politics as well (both parties too… note how the brothers Salazar have been playing it very pro-business).

    M.O. for Club 20 if you are running on the Western Slope… Be their friends.

  14. I was at a meeting last week in Grand Junction and the President of Club 20 Reeves Brown confirmed that all three candidates were going to debate at their spring meeting this coming weekend and that it would be the first time that all three candidates would be sharing the stage together.

  15. Odd, I thought it had been established that BB was the one losing at this juncture.

    But he better show, all I ever hear about Club 20 is that those guys do not forget and hold grudges until the end of election cycles.

  16. Here is the Club 20 Newsletter (PDF) from a few weeks ago.  It shows Ritter as confirmed, Holtzman and Beauprez as invited, although obviously Holtzman has since accepted.

    Looks like it’s up to you, Bob.  Don’t chicken out.

  18. Why would Beauprez agree to a three-way debate? Two GOP Primary opponents squaring off and their Dem opponent egging them on while they destroy eachother… No good for BB, great for Ritter and a desperate grab at attention by a losing and desperate MH

  19. That’s right wow…, the polls are on Beauprez’s side. Polling shows Beauprez pulling %74 among Republicans who know about both candidates (i.e. delegates and caucus goers) that means Beauprez can count on at least %80 at the state convention.

  20. Hilarious. John and Jack makes fun of you guys for your pathetic attempts at spinning, then you come in anf try your hand at spinning again, blow it again, and end up proving John and Jack was right to make fun of you. You guys must be awful bruised from all the walking into things you do.

    Read Josh’s posts before you reference them, numskulls. He’s undecided. He didn’t go into the debate a Holtzman guy, then leave conceding defeat. He thought Marc needed some polishing, but that Marc’s message was better than Beauprez’s. (I’d argue Beauprez doesn’t even have a message. All he seems to be able to do say is, “I’m Bob Beauprez, and I want to be your 41st governor. I’ve been married to Claudia, I’ve milked cows, and I have lots of endorsements. Vote for me.”)

    Jack, you’ve been in this game for a long time, but you’ve never won. There’s a reason for that: You’re no good at campaigns. All your buddies at the RNC have helped you get your jobs, but you’ve consistently blown your chances and made them look stupid for vouching for you. If you want them to continue helping you, you better get it together fast so you don’t disappoint them again.

    John, you’re not going anywhere with this recycled Walcher campaign. No one believes Bob is a dairy farmer, just like no one believed Walcher was a peach farmer. You better find a new message for your guy, unless you want to lose and think Bill and Bruce will be around to save you again.

  21. Where are you folks getting your numbers?  Pulling them from that external oriface south of the border?  Prior to the Caucuses BB’s people were saying they had 85% of the Committee People.  If that is so, consider the following:

    1) The BB phone dialers have been flooding the phone lines in El Paso County.
    2) Holtzman’s people took more Committee Person and Delegate slots than anticipated.
    3) BB’s people have been flooding the e-mails with negative Holtzman materials (i.e Johnathan Bartha.
    4) Anonymous e-mails against Holtzman from the March 26th Denver Post being anonymously circulated by gubernatorial200674@yahoo.com.

    If the Beauprez people weren’t worried, why the nagative routines?  Unless, Beauprez and his El Paso County Field Director (Chuck Broerman) are feeling the heat.  Holtzman continues to gain momentum in El Paso County and they are spinning their wheels.

    P.S.: Bob, you might want to rethink your strategy.  Apparently its backfiring.

    P.S.S.:  Seems the BB people had people coaching the Division Leaders on how to run the meetings (meetings which they had no business being).  Knowing this, Holtzman camp flooded the meetings with their own people.  Much to the BB Camps surprise.

    P.S.S.S: Since when is Chuck Broerman, a BB operative, supposed to be working the computers at El Paso County REpublican Headquarters.  Ms. Kunkle, kick his ass out!!!

  22. Hilarious guy, maybe you didn’t read Joshua’s posts:

    From his post on the debate: “While my heart’s with Marc and his efforts, the campaign is starting to look a little like the Mike Miles-Ken Salazar matchup.” You’re right hilarious guy, that doesn’t sound at all like a concession of defeat. Anytime you compare your own candidate (“my heart’s with Marc”) to Mike Miles running against Ken Salazar (73.5% to 26.5% primary aprox.), I think you are pretty much conceding defeat.

    Sharf has gone from “my heart’s with Marc,” to “undecided.” If Marc was wiping up the floor with Bob, do you really think he would have all of the sudden changed?

  23. Bob never cared about pissing off the Western Slope before–he supported Referendums A, C, and D–so I don’t know why he’d care now. John Marshall, though, should know better. Club 20 meetings are not things serious politicians miss. I guess this will be another screw up John and Jack will try and fail to spin. This Bud’s for you, guys!

  24. Then it makes sense that Both Ways Bob would drop out of the debate… You’ll never get anything more out of the guys than “I know water” or “I know oil and gas”… We’re not sure what he knows… He’s not big on giving actual details you know.

    Here’s my question, will the Slope forgive him for punking out on Club 20? Is this his way of just writing off the West Slope?

  25. OK, OK… I’ll give in and tell you who I really am…

    I’m George Bush, President of the United States of America… but my friends call me POTUS.

    Tell you what kids, I own my own business, and spent the last five years of my life getting it so it mostly runs on its own, so until the sales guys call and I have to do the dog and pony show, I can post around the clock all I want. Or I can spend two weeks helping stack the caucuses in my area for Holtzman… Or I can play golf everyday with my kids and father in law, like I’m doing this week.

    …and no, I’m not Scott Shires.

    So do the above posts mean that BB is ducking out the Club 20 debate? It would be a smart move for him. His star is slipping, all it would take is one dumb comment (like Mexican Time) and it would be like a .45 cal slug going through his big toe.

  26. Club 20 is definitely Republican, but Western Slope interests usually come first.

    At the debate, expect questions on water diversion projects, oil shale, BLM gas leasing in watersheds, surface rights vs mineral rights, saving ag land, affordable housing, selling of federal forest land, boom and bust economic cycles and immigration. 

    If I were working for Ritter’s campaign, I’d make sure Bill knew his way around oil and gas jargon by spending a couple of hours with Rutt Bridges on this subject.

    Won’t matter if there is a D or R by your name, if you don’t know what fracking is, your candidacy will be starting off in the sewer on the West Slope.

    Plus, as a gov candidate, if you support more severance tax going to other projects other than energy impact mitigation, Club 20 members will string you up right then and there.

    Expect the boys from Williams, EnCana, Barrett, Shell, Exxon, Halliburton, CO Oil and Gas Assoc, etc to lead the Club 20 Hallway Schmooze since they are piloting West Slope politics these days.

  28. So where did everybody go? We bring up a theory as to who all blogs under the name Iron Mike, and “he” leaves?

    Oh, and don’t give us the “but I have a real job” excuse, b/c Iron Mike’s proven to be bloggin’ around the clock!

  32. “Everyone I have met over the last year on the Slope considers Marc to be a native son of sorts.”

    HA!!! Maybe in Aspen or Vail, where lots of people like Marc come to build big lodges and sip champagne.

    Does anyone else notice how Iron Mike’s writing style changes from time to time? Like today his language sounds very young, but sometimes it’s a much older tone.

    Almost as if… there’s more than one person posting as Iron Mike? Hmm…

  33. “Almost as if… there’s more than one person posting as Iron Mike? Hmm…”

    To use Iron Mike’s own assine reasoning (although this is probably TRUE): It has been established that Iron Mike is a psuedonym first used by Dick Leggit, which he has now passed on to be used by any 20 year-old intern in the campaign office whenever he or she chooses. 🙂

  34. Looks like a great op to have Bill debate Marc, then Bill has to debate Bob at the C20 fall classic after Bob wins the primary.  Meanwhile Bob’s peps take notes and prepare to hammer Bill in the fall.  Bob stays out of the debate – why, he works the C20 area anyway this week and Bill and Marc hammer each other silly.

  35. Have to admit, I have been flooded with a deluge of Holtzman Town Meeting calls, fundraising calls, and mailings.  The mailings are the most interesting as it seems Holtzman’s people have me listed 4 or 5 different ways.

    Though nary a peep from the Beauprez campaign.

    If that is remotely indicative, then the Holtzman campaign seems to be having a much greater market penetration than the Beauprez campaign.

  37. Hey Polling Wonk,

    Where are u getting these numbers?  From the Chuck Broerman school of Political Strategy (see http://www.coloradoconservatives.blogspot.com)?  Remember, BB has a record and Holtzman doesn’t.

    It is just that record that is coming back to bite BB in the butt.  Let’s assume he is polling at 74% (not that he is, just for the sake of argument), he is also tracking at 40% in his negatives.  Last time I studied my math, a 74% positive, offset by a 40% negative approval rating leads to 34% and Holtzman is ahead.

  40. A few idiots like Waning Western Slope may think it is smart strategy to write off the Western Slope.  To me, it’s stupidity personified, especially in a Republican bleeping Primary!  Colorado west voters are the salt of the earth but if you poke them in the eye with a sharp stick, they will not vote for you!  What’s so hard to understand about that.  If I was running for governor, I’d be there, save only an illness requiring hospitalization.  And even then, I’d try to get there by teleconference, if I was conscious.  To diss Club 20 is to tell the whole world that you don’t know how politics, especially Republican politics, is played in Colorado.

  41. Jefferson and Arapahoe Assemblies that morning,
    Broomfield and Elbert Lincoln Day Dinners,
    Central Committees in Alamosa, Gunnison, Lake, Las Animas, Phillips and Rio Blanco, too boot.

    Hello! You can’t just piss away all those delegates for a mock debate in GJ!  Bob is doing the right thing, and Josh Penry will speak well for Bob at the meetings, anyway.

  42. Didn’t realize Arapahoe and Jeffco Assemblies were that morning.  But the club 20 debate isn’t until 2.  Has the man never heard of the Wright brothers?  Go to Jeffco and Arapahoe that morning, fly to Grand Junction and speak to Club 20, fly home by charter plane to the Lincoln Day at Broomfield in the evening.  What’s the problem?  At a minimum, set up a teleconference appearance at Grand Junction.  I doubt very much that Holtzman is writing off Jeffco and Arapahoe, so he’s either pressing the flesh there before flying to Grand Junction or working them by teleconference in absentia.  Look, I’m a Bill Owens/Mike Coffman Republican who would very much like to vote for Beauprez, who is endorsed by both of them.  But he’s got to stop thinking the nomination is his by divine right and start fighting.  I can call Holtzman many things, most of them unflattering.  But I’d never call him overconfident.

  43. OK, so you’re saying Both Ways Bob is going to make it to the Gunnison AND Phillips Central Committees in ONE DAY?????????

    HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!

    Is he going to leap a couple tall buildings why he is at it?

    So he can make all of the stops mentioned above, but no way can he make the trip to GJ as well? Sounds pretty lame to me kids. I guess Holtzman must have done well out on the West Slope as well on Caucus night and Bob just doesn’t want to take a chance of stepping on his crank.

  44. “Jefferson and Arapahoe Assemblies that morning,
    Broomfield and Elbert Lincoln Day Dinners,
    Central Committees in Alamosa, Gunnison, Lake, Las Animas, Phillips and Rio Blanco, too boot.”
    Actually, if he goes to all those spas, Iron Mike, he is now “Ten Ways Bob.”  But no time for an 11th stop at Club 20, which actually represents, if memory serves, 22 counties.

  45. Yeah, great logic: “Let’s blow off Club 20 where we will just get out ass kicked and make sure we solidify those 5 or 6 delegates from Rio Blanco county”.

    Here’s the real funny part, I hear folks on the West Slope are still pissed off at “Little Jonnie” Marshall. Maybe that is why they aren’t heading out there, Marshall is afraid to face the music from his past life.

  46. Now, now Iron Mike. Both Ways Bob was a Phiz Ed Major. He may be able to leap over medium to small size buildings afterall. 😉
    “Jeffco and Arapahoe” what are you trying to say? That Bob is blowing off Club 20, but will be swinging thru Alamosa and/or Las Animas instead? Are you trying to be funny? It would take just as long to get to either of those than it would to go to GJ!
    Tell you what “Jeffco and Arapahoe” go back to working on your PoliSci Term paper and put the adults back on over there at Beauprez HQ.

  47. HA, ha! Good one Rock!

    We all need to cut Bob’s Camp a little slack. You get them outside of the Denver Metro Area and they’re just lost. Any second now one of them is going to get on and talk about how much time it would take to “go all the way down south to Elbert County”!

  48. This sucks! Beauprez is getting lazy and he is going to lose this one. He plays dice with the 7th, forces the party into a costly primary and then can’t even do what it takes to with the caucuses.

  49. Now, be fair, Iron Mike.  At least us guys in the Beauprez HQ know where Phillips County is.  It’s the heart of Ski Country, USA, cuz the county seat is Holyoke and heck, we all know where Mount Holyoke is!  And from Holyoke, it’s just a five minute drive to Gunnison.

  52. Idiots indeed, Idiots.  For your edification, Beauprez is in the House (not the Senate) and the immigration fight is taking place in the House.  If I am not mistaken, Beauprez will be back in Colorado as soon as the House finishes its business on Thursday, so he has at least 24 hours to work up a good answer for Club 20 on why he supported Referendum A’s water grab…

  54. Club 20 does not allow stand-ins for a debate, so either the candidates are there for themselves or they lose out on exposure. Most of the West Slope media will be covering Club 20, so that justifies skipping the smaller assemblies.

    It’s funny that the Republican dominated Club 20 really jammed up the R gov candidates with the timing of their debate on a big assembly day. Maybe Ritter will end up on stage by himself.

  55. it won’t just be ritter; marc is coming. the only question is, “what about bob?” will he hurt his back again or will he grow some balls. my guess is the former.

  58. The Rocky had an article this AM about the House considering a compromise on the Immigration issue. So it sounds to me like Bob will need to hang out in DC if the bill gets passed back to the house.
    Sounds like one more chance for Bob to betray a friend to me.

  59. I am occasionally confused Idiot, but on this one I can tell you that your facts are wrong.  If Bob Beauprez missed Club 20 it will NOT be because the House is considering immigration.  Watch C-Span or call your member of Congress.  There are no votes in the House on Friday or over the week-end.

  60. For the record:
    1)  CLUB 20 is NOT a singles bar for Western Slope conservatives. 
    We are a 50+ year old coalition of the individuals and businesses in Colorado’s 22 western counties working together to develop consensus recommendations on the policies that affect this region.
    Feel free to visit our website:  http://www.club20.org

    2)  YES, all three gubernatorial candidates are confirmed to participate in our “Candidate Forum” on Saturday @ 2:00, Two Rivers Convention Center, Grand Junction.  …that’s west of Golden.  It will be a Q&A format rather than a formal “debate” format.  Hope you can attend —  enjoy the Western Slope weather and wines… and spend lots of money.

    3)  History Quiz: 
    Q.  Which prior candidate for Governor said “The Western Slope vote is inconsequential and thus unnecessary to win a seat in the Governor’s mansion?”
    A.  ….Don’t feel bad.  No one else can remember the name of that “also ran” either.  😉

  61. For the record:
    1)  CLUB 20 is NOT a singles bar for Western Slope conservatives. 
    We are a 50+ year old coalition of the individuals and businesses in Colorado’s 22 western counties working together to develop consensus recommendations on the policies that affect this region.
    Feel free to visit our website:  http://www.club20.org

    2)  YES, all three gubernatorial candidates are confirmed to participate in our “Candidate Forum” on Saturday @ 2:00, Two Rivers Convention Center, Grand Junction.  …that’s west of Golden.  It will be a Q&A format rather than a formal “debate” format.  Hope you can attend —  enjoy the Western Slope weather and wines… and spend lots of money.

    3)  History Quiz: 
    Q.  Which prior candidate for Governor said “The Western Slope vote is inconsequential and thus unnecessary to win a seat in the Governor’s mansion?”
    A.  ….Don’t feel bad.  No one else can remember the name of that “also ran” either.  😉

  62. For the record:
    1) CLUB 20 is NOT a singles bar for Western Slope conservatives.
    We are a 50+ year old coalition of the individuals and businesses in Colorado’s 22 western counties working together to develop consensus recommendations on the policies that affect this region.
    Feel free to visit our website: http://www.club20.org

    2) YES, all three gubernatorial candidates are confirmed to participate in our “Candidate Forum” on Saturday @ 2:00, Two Rivers Convention Center, Grand Junction. …that’s west of Golden. It will be a Q&A format rather than a formal “debate” format. Hope you can attend — enjoy the Western Slope weather and wines… and spend lots of money.

    3) History Quiz:
    Q. Which prior candidate for Governor said “The Western Slope vote is inconsequential and thus unnecessary to win a seat in the Governor’s mansion?”
    A. ….Don’t feel bad. No one else can remember the name of that “also ran” either. 😉

  63. lol, Becky.  I once saw a Congressional candidate go down in flames before the cattlemen’s Assn. because he didn’t know the difference between a Hereford and a polled Hereford.  Painful to watch, that was!

  64. “At the debate, expect questions on water diversion projects, oil shale, BLM gas leasing in watersheds, surface rights vs mineral rights, saving ag land, affordable housing, selling of federal forest land, boom and bust economic cycles and immigration.”

    Spot on Westsloper.  I remember one House candidate who didn’t know what “basin of origin” meant, and the ensuing bluff was more than painful to watch.

  65. All 3 gubernatorial candidates showed up today for the CLUB 20 Q&A forum.  Holtzman tried his best to make it into a “debate” and he failed miserably.  He looked like the little whiney out of touch rich boy he is. Ritter and Beauprez handled themselves with class.  My bet is those two will be running next fall for Colorado’s governor.

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