Kicking off a brief roundup of coverage from watch parties around the state organized by Colorado Republicans to celebrate the kickoff of President Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign, FOX 31’s Joe St. George lays the scene:
President Donald Trump is officially launching his reelection campaign in Orlando, Florida Tuesday evening.
While the president lost Colorado by more than 136,000 votes in 2016, Colorado Republicans still see the state as a possible “pickup” state in 2020…
Sources tell FOX31 political reporter Joe St. George that Trump has already hired several major staffers for the state and that Trump is expected to have more staffers in Colorado than in 2016.
Sen. Cory Gardner told FOX31 last week he believes Trump “certainly can” win the state.
We’ll start by saying what many of you are thinking, which is the last thing Democrats should be going into the 2020 election cycle is complacent. Here in Colorado, though, the math is very much not looking good for Trump or Republicans down the ballot, after Trump lost the state in 2016 and GOP losing margins grew dramatically in 2018 largely as a referendum on Trump’s presidency. Nonetheless hope springs eternal among the GOP faithful, and Colorado Public Radio’s Sam Brasch caught up with Steve Barlock, the diehard Trump campaign staffer from 2016 who ran for governor in 2018–and got some memorable quotes on the record:
There were at least nine county Republican watch parties across the state. In deep blue Denver, dozens of the president’s supporters, decked out in American flag hoodies and MAGA hats, packed a sports bar in the tony Washington Park neighborhood…
Steven Barlock, who worked on Trump’s 2016 Colorado campaign and unsuccessfully challenged Walker Stapleton for the Republican governor’s nomination last year, suggested Colorado’s left turn in the last midterm election could end up helping Trump…
“I would like to see him [Trump] be tough on Nancy Pelosi. He’s been very inviting to work with Nancy and Nancy has been such a stubborn b—h,” [Pols emphasis] [Barlock] said. “I would like to see Donald Trump really stand up to Nancy and slap her around a little harder. [Pols emphasis] It’s really sad.”
While you’re picking your jaw up off the floor from that moment of extreme classiness, the Phil Anschutz-owned Colorado Springs Gazette assigned three different reporters for a “team coverage” tour de force featuring its own fascinating moments of Republican candor:
Weston Imer, a teenager who is part of the Trump Victory Campaign for Jefferson County, read off a list of the president’s accomplishments on jobs, trade and foreign affairs.
“One of the things we want to focus on in this 2020 campaign is talking to your neighbors and saying, ‘The president isn’t that bad,'” [Pols emphasis] Imer told the crowd of about 150 at the church.
Got that, swing voters of America? “The president isn’t that bad.” Go forth and conquer!
And if that wasn’t gratifying enough for Democrats,
Colorado GOP Chairman Ken Buck issued a statement Tuesday evening that took a dig at former President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, a 2020 presidential contender, calling their time in office “eight years of stagnation.”
“Our nation’s economy was dragging, health care costs were skyrocketing, our immigration system was crumbling, and the rule of law was not respected,” Buck said in the statement. “Thanks to President Trump, we are finally turning our country around. Colorado Republicans are proud to stand with the president in 2020.”
Folks, by any objective measure there is not a single truthful statement in the above quote. You can look at any GDP chart and see that President Barack Obama pulled the nation out of recession and grew the economy Trump then inherited. The Affordable Care Act reduced the rate of uninsured to historic lows. Obama deported so many undocumented immigrants it outraged the left. As for the “rule of law” not being “respected?”
Seriously, what planet was this statement written on?
Like we said above, complacency going into this pivotal election would be disastrous for Democrats nationally and in Colorado. Traditionally, unseating an incumbent President during a time of economic growth is a difficult prospect. But with respect to Colorado’s electoral votes, there is absolutely no evidence that the state is in play next year. Every metric of support for Trump has declined since he lost Colorado in 2016, and the results of both the 2016 and 2018 elections indicate a growing buffer of strength for Democrats in Colorado even when Republicans do well nationally.
We’re not so naive as to suggest there is no path for Trump to win re-election. But we feel pretty confident asserting that Trump’s path to victory does not lead through Colorado. Especially given the distasteful Trump-style crassness and delusional thinking on display from local Republican leaders yesterday, more time in the political wilderness awaits.
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KAG makes me want to gag.
Kag: Down With Acronyms?
KAG? What's that?
Internet sez Keep America Great (by putting Trump in Prison?)
It's right there in the pic on this page with the caption "The new slogan".
Stop being so obvious.
If they need that much help – leave them be.
LSMFT, Madco.
Colorado can't thrive as a sea of reason in a Trumpian desert.
1. Donate to the ultimate Democratic nominee — even if its biden or Sanders, joyously if its Amy, Kamela or Elizabeth.
2. Unite behind the U.S. Senate candidate in Colorado. Send money to good Democrats in close states.
3. Defeat Tipton, Trump's succubus. Support Diane Mitsch Bush.
4. Outlaw the designated hitter rule.
Joyously if it is Jay Inslee too
I need to see one of the women if I'm going for joy. Inslee, satisfaction, maybe, if he gives us Amy or Kamela as veep.
Tough to look at the Denver Post this morning with his ugly mug on the front page. I don't think anyone on either side is going to be complacent in 2020 but Colorado Dems have an ace in the hole. They passed a slew of bills this last legislative session making voting easier. Repubs are in for a shock when they find out that rural, white racists aren't the only ones casting ballots. Repubs could get wiped out in 2020 if the economy dives and Trump tries to start a bogus war with Iran. 580 days and counting.
I skidded right past the front page this morning; straight to the metro page.
Hope (and I don’t mean Hicks) springs eternal for the CO GOP. With shills like Gardner, Buck and Roger Edwards, how can they not close 136,000 vote deficit?
Will these three amigos and the rest of the CO GOP stand with the Fuhrer if he refuses to leave office when he is constitutionally mandated to do so, whether by losing reelection or term limits?
In fairness to Roger, he's no shill. He's a true believer. When Trump's Brownshirts seize power, he'll be eliminated in the Roehm purge.
Hell, soon Imer might step way out on a limb and say "really, the President is pretty okay on a few things…"
These folks all either live in an alternate reality bubble or are charged with creating/maintaining it. Imer has a lot of training ahead of him if he wants to join the crowd.
A touch of statistical reality to splash against the Republican optimism. Secretary of State tally of Active Voter Registrations:
11-1-2018 D 1,038,975 Green 9,857 Lib 39,979 R 996,492 U 1,282,743
6-1-2019 D 1,038,991 Green 9,301 Lib 39,019 R 991,462 U 1,337,593
Difference: D . . . . . +16 Green -556 Lib -960 R -5,030 U…+54,850
Unaffiliated's are on the upswing for sure. Repubs not so much.
Meaningless.
With uns allowed to vote in primaries what is the point of being a party member?
Signalling your relative happiness/unhappiness with the various parties.
Well, . . .
. . . you still get your secret decoder ring,†
. . . and there’s still those craazzy special party-member markdowns and discounts on your favorite party member apparel and swimwear, at all PartyMember Outlet Store locations,*†
. . . exclusive party member only mailings and e-mails giving you all the party insider news, before it becomes available to the general public,*
. . . quarterly party member only discounts for purchases at fine retailers, including: Elitch’s, Hooters, Golden Corral, and many others soon to be announced,*†
. . . and, tote bags† ????
*Some restrictions may apply
† May require additional fees or purchases
Dio, you idiot!
You told them about the decoder ring!
what part of "Secret" don't you understand?
You can expect a visit from the agency.
Damn, man. The first rule of members-only discounts at Elitch Gardens, Hooters and Golden Corral is never talk about members-only discounts at Elitch Gardens, Hooters and Golden Corral.
To you and Vger,
1. I’m an unaffiliated, not a party member. No rules were broken.
2. All of that secret members-only stuff was just rumor or speculation, and unconfirmed. (I mean, it was until you two geniuses just confirmed it . . .)
3. A = 1, B = 2, C = 3 . . . That’s your “secret” code??? . . .
Fuxsakes, podestaemailseratus could’ve probably cracked that one , given a couple of two or three months, and a little Pfruit ABCs tutoring??? (Hell, even Sandy correctly broke that “secret” code, in the second episode, using only a single paw.)
4. 14-9-3-5 10-15-2, 7-21-25-19!
You get to associate with people who share your perspective of the world and work with them to elect your preferred candidates. Gilpin has a strong central committee and a weak disorganized opponent so have been very successful at the local level. Never underestimate the power of organizing. Unaffiliated voters might get to cherry pick which primary to vote in but they are isolated individuals like an single cell ameba. Complex organisms are created from individual cells but have much greater capability. Being a member of a political party is something to enjoy and be a part of. The energy in 2020 among Dems is going to be off the charts. Absolutely I want to be a part of that action.
The Orlando Sentinel, paper of record where $rump chose to launch his re-election campaign, had a brutal “un-endorsement” of the President. The paper has endorsed most Republican Presidential nominees for the last 50 years, but this time, the editorial board is endorsing “Not Donald Trump”.
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/18/orlando-sentinel-2020-endorsement-donald-trump-1367031
That wasn't the only bad news Orlando gave our deadbeat Prez:
That’s merely change under Washington’s sofa cushion . . .
https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2019/06/15/us/politics/15reuters-usa-trump-inauguration.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
Not a single Democrat candidate could generate the crowd that Trump draws, unless they were paid. I know it pains the Polcats to see the energy of patriots who support Trump policy. I’m sure there is a thinking Polcat out there. If Joe Biden said that Hillary Clinton was more qualified then him to be President…..which he did say, why is Hillary not running again? Maybe it will be Biden/Clinton ticket. What a ticket, a stoked out President and a Vice President who can’t stand upright.
Oh… please tell Duke the reason I don’t respond to him is that is low class to make fun of the mentality ill.
You want to talk crowd size, Pear? Here are some of the verified crowd sizes at recent campaign launch speeches and town halls:
Kamala Harris: 20,000 (Newsweek)
Donald Trump: 20,000 ( Heavy, via NBC news)
Bernie Sanders: 13,000 (Newsweek) 28,000 in 2015 (MSNBC)
Elizabeth Warren: 6,500 (Mercury News, CNN)
Joe Biden: 6,000 (Politico)
Pete Buttigieg ~ 6,000 (Washington Examiner via Politico)
Beto O'Rourke: 55,000 (for Senate in TX, 2018 – Wall St Journal)
So yes, quite a few Democrats have generated crowd sizes as large or larger than Trump's, including a woman of color, an elderly Democratic Socialist, and a charismatic young Texas congressman. Now I'll wait for you to declare that "Fake News!!"
And….the "mentality ill"? I'm sure Duke got a chuckle out of that one.
You are right, mama.
There have been some intellectually challenged RWNJs on this site, but this clown wins the prize. What a hoot.
In the annals of debate, that is perhaps the weakest response I have ever received…asking another to deliver your ad hominem is incredibly bad form.
Of course that isn't the reason. You have no valid response. If you had it, you would make it.
The fact is..your support of the Orange Destruction is a result of your innate racism, greed, and your primary illiteracy. You haven't the intellect nor the vocabulary to create a compelling argument. Your ethics are as bankrupt as your morals.
I think that is a little closer to an explanation of why you won't discuss your plans to institute the Rule of Trump as a replacement for the U.S. Constitution. You know that is his plan…and you are helping him overthrow the rule of law.
No wonder no one voted for you.
Pear, I've been in the Nuremberg stadium where Hitler held his rallies. It's huge and held much bigger crowds than any Trump has yet assembled.
Maybe he needs to try those searchlights?
They could also maybe borrow Goebels trick of having the same group of maybe a thousand Stormers march around continuously in a large circle for fifteen hours, filming from multiple angles . . .
. . . looks very impressive for the
ReifenstahlFOX cameras! Hannity and Pfruit will be duly wowed . . .Didn't the Nazis pick that trick up from Mussolini?
Hitler was in Rome and Il Duce wanted to impress him with a military parade but didn't have enough men so he used the same guys going around the block.
Could be. Wouldn’t surprise me.
. . . I’ve yet to ever meet a fascist, white supremacist, or a trumpster who anyone could plausibly accuse of having an original thought.
See also: Hannity, Sean; Pfruit, P
Orlando Sentinel had some pretty interesting accounts of vanishing lines to get in and blocks of empty seats. The outside "overflow" area apparently was pretty sparse, too. Photos were pretty clear in confirming the reporting.
I read that earlier today. So, did they pay people to queue up for media photos outside the event, or did people decide they really didn't want to be there after all?
Oh, they do pay “linestanders”, who probably all fled the scene as soon as the gig was done.
Paid “linestanders,” coincidentally, are how tRump “fills” his administration. . .
https://newrepublic.com/article/154243/trump-administration-cabinet-acting-department-secretaries
Meanwhile. Not Colorado.
More States Are Up for Grabs in 2020
The GOP must not take Georgia, North Carolina, Texas or Florida for granted.
Karl Rove – June 19, 2019
https://www.wsj.com/articles/more-states-are-up-for-grabs-in-2020-11560985088
"Florida and North Carolina are purple states, battlegrounds that won’t be a sure thing for either party for the foreseeable future. Georgia’s demographics are shifting, and in 2018 Peach State Republicans eked out their closest gubernatorial victory in 16 years, energizing Democrats. The Texas population is exploding with new residents, and in last year’s midterm election Texas Republicans had their narrowest U.S. Senate win since 1978. They also lost two congressmen and 14 state legislators. These trends suggest that Republicans can’t afford to be complacent, no matter how enthusiastic the president’s Orlando, Fla., rally was Tuesday."
One thing that puzzles me….
Whenever he comes out on stage, he is applauding. Is that for the crowd or for himself?