October 28, 2009 08:19 PM UTC

Penry: Let No Facts Stand In My Way

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• by: Colorado Pols

We’ve been talking about gubernatorial candidate Josh Penry’s problems recently with some of his central campaign themes being the subject of deconstructive media scrutiny. It’s worth pointing out that although we are the ones taking heat for zeroing in on some of the wider gaps between Penry’s rhetoric and the factual record, particularly with regard to this business about the state’s recent “hiring spree,” the actual assemblage of those facts has been carried out by the Denver Post, Grand Junction Sentinel, and other newspapers of record. You can’t really blame us.

But you would think that at some point, once the deconstruction had reached a certain inarguable level, that Penry would find new things to talk about. After all, it’s really no good to keep using talking points that get you laughed at. Reporters just start looking at you cock-eyed, and down you spiral. You’d think so, but as Fox31 reported uncritically last night:

“There just may have to be layoffs, is the unfortunate reality,” said Sen. Josh Penry, R-Fruita, who is one of three Republicans vying to challenge Ritter’s reelection next year. “Government has grown so expansively in the last few years — with literally thousands of new jobs. If we’re going to fund roads, schools, this may not be the end of it.”

Who wants to go first? We’re a little mystified–here we thought these canards had been factually bombarded into surrender by the state’s flagship media outlets, and then there’s Josh Penry sneering them at us on Fox last night. What gives, people?