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August 08, 2008 03:10 PM UTC

Open Line Friday!

  • 82 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

“The ethic of conservation is the explicit abnegation of man’s dominion over the Earth. The lower species are here for our use. God said so: Go forth, be fruitful, multiply, and rape the planet – it’s yours. That’s our job: drilling, mining and stripping.”

–Ann Coulter

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82 thoughts on “Open Line Friday!”

  2. Battling the clichГ© “Boulder liberal” label, Senate Candidate Mark Udall comes clean about his past and his voting record.

    It was 1972 in Arizona, and a longhaired Mark Udall, in his early twenties, was driving, when a police officer pulled him over. The officer searched his car, and Udall was arrested for possession of marijuana. Now a 57-year-old congressman, Udall recounts the episode inside his small office in the Denver suburb of Westminster.

    His car was seized, and he spent a year on probation after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor.

    Shaking her head, his spokeswoman, Heather Fox, says she sensed she should have cut off the interview earlier.

    “No, no,” Udall says, waving his hand to dismiss Fox, who interjects that she was only kidding. “It’s out. It’s in the record. … As George Bush put it, ‘When I was young and reckless, I was young and reckless.'”

    Excerpt from:

    UDALL IN THE FAMILY

    By MICHAEL DE YOANNA    

    Thursday, 31 January 2008

    1. Just before boarding a plane to the Mariana Islands in 1999, then-Congressman Bob Schaffer announced he was embarking on a fact-finding mission to get to the bottom of repeated allegations of labor abuse in the American protectorate.

      “I plan to walk right into those factories and living quarters to see for myself what conditions exist,” Schaffer said in a news release in August of that year.

      What he didn’t say was that the trip was partly arranged by the firm of now-

      jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who represented textile factory owners fighting congressional efforts to reform labor and immigration laws on the islands and who was being handsomely paid to keep the islands’ cherished exemptions.

      Schaffer and his wife stayed for free at a palm-studded beach resort and, besides factories, also toured historical sites and met with clients of Preston-

      Gates, Abramoff’s firm, according to a copy of the trip’s agenda archived in Schaffer’s congressional papers.

      Exerpt from:

      ABRAMOFF TIES CLOUD SCHAFFER’s ’99 FACT-FINDING TRIP

      by MICHAEL RILEY

      4/10/2008

        1. that he swears he never witnessed an actual abortion so that proves no employee there was ever coerced into having one, doesn’t it? Otherwise he’s sure to have seen one while shopping or lounging on the beach, if not on the floor of some factory that he might have visited. Or not.

    2. Busted for dope in his pocket some 35 years ago when he was in his 20’s, and freely admitting it.

      Stop the presses !

      Gimme a break.

      How about protecting sweatshops and slavery on US soil, being involved in a venture that defrauded the US government, cutting oil deals in Iraq that destabilize the country’s security ?  And all of these happened recently.

      Which do you think is more important in judging a candidate ?

    3. The Demon Weed is controlling the man you might elect to be your next Senator!  It’s so horrifying, in fact, that some conservatives might be more upset by the idea of Mark Udall with long hair.

      Personally, I’d rather have a Senator who smoked a bit of marijuana 35+ years ago (or for that matter still does today) than one who abuses power, drinks to get drunk, is addicted to money, or is a frequent gambler.

    2. Good post.

      In addition to my previous picks, Conservative Representative Glen Vaad will be defeated in his Republican primary.

      Vaad has run a lackluster campaign. It will be a nail biter that may be decided only after the provisional ballots are counted. It may be the only close primary in either party.  

  5. Udall — a drug abuser that was arrested and put on probation. That doesn’t make for a very postive candidacy.  

    “Elect me. I know what the inside of a jail cell looks like.” Mark Udall

    Is this really the type of CHANGE Udall and Obama are pushing for in Washington?  

      2. Next, those lying liberals will claim that George Bush had a DUI and used cocaine in college.  Shocked, shocked, am I.

        Let’s see, if everyone who once blew weed votes for Udall and those who never touched it even one and never used booze when underage vote for Schaffer, then Udall’s victory margin is what?

        A-two to one.

        B-three to one.

        C-unanimous.

        What’s your guess.

    2. It’s just so…what is the word I’m looking for?

      Relevant? No, that’s not it.

      Interesting? Not really, since it happened nearly 40 years ago.

      Effective? Well, no, but that never stopped a desperate Republican before and it sure as hell won’t stop Dicky.

      Lame? Yes! There’s the word I was looking for.

      Moving on…

    3. ..that you would waste your time trying to stir up some water in an empty glass.  For god’s sake, man, this is ancient history.  And at least he wasn’t driving drunk like a certain president.  And at least he didn’ have his Texas DL obliterated and receive a new one.

      You and yours are truly desparate!  

    4. disqualify President Bush from being President, it certainly shouldn’t disqualify Udall from being a senator.

      And…if part of the change that Obama and Udall would be pushing for is decrimininalization of Marijuana, then yes, that is a type of change I’d support.

      1. You guys are all funny.  When it was Bush you all were upset that a President would do that.  Bush was Not fit for office.

        Now that it is Udall you use Bush as the scape goat.

        As usual a Double Standard.

        People who read this you see what Liberals are like they turn everything around and make it good as long as it is good for a Liberal.  They Crucify Conservatives for the same thing they say is OK for Liberals.

        Watch out who you Vote for this year!

        1. given that Bush was elected it was apparent that the standard no longer applied.

          We are merely playing by the rules that are now acceptable.  No double standard…the standard is now removed and your side removed it!

        2. Two reasons…

          First, he’s still in at least partial denial about both his drinking and his cocaine use.  Bad sign for his ability to cope and recover, not to mention his ability to be honest.

          Second, he was seriously addicted, and his addiction appears to have affected his ability to serve his country in a time of war – for which he also has not been honest with his countrymen.

          I agree with Arvadonian – it seems that the standards have been lowered, and it is “values voter” Republicans that did the lowering.

          1. a few other previously held standards:

            First divorced President:  Ronald Reagan (R)–and “family values” were a cornerstone of his campaigns…once he flip flopped on the issue of abortion rights.

            Should John McCain be elected President, he’d be only the second divorced President–elected with the help of “values voters”.  I find it telling that none of the so-called “values voters” have raised any concerns over the fact that he was carrying on a public affair with the current Mrs. McCain while still married to his former wife who at the time was recovering from a devastating car accident.

            Sometimes I think that the only thing so-called “values voters” don’t have in their homes is a mirror.  

        3.      The fact that he may have snorted coke at a few frat parties 40 years does not disqualify him from office.  Incompetency, however, does.

  7.    On September 10, the Minnesota Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments (no pun intended) on Larry Craig’s appeal.

      It would have been more convenient if the case were to be heard a week earlier when most of the GOP big wigs would be in town and could take in the Supreme Court proceedings as a diversion from the boring convention.

  9. Doug Lamborn wins with 52%.

    Rayburn is second but it hardly matters.

    Coffman finishes at 45%. In an upset Harvey narrowly wins the silver. Steve Ward doesn’t break 10%. This race has narrowed. Coffman will win 50% of the mail in vote but a much lower percentage of election day votes.

    Jared Polis wins by five points.  Fitz-Gerald makes it close but her big lead is long gone. Shafroth breaks 10% but ends up below 15%. Shafroth and Fitz-Gerald do receive awards for the worst TV commercials. The new Shafroth spot with the kids fighting over a bike makes no sense, Fitz-Gerald looks tired and boring in her latest. The best spot this cycle was Jeff Crank’s but he had no money to air it.

    Newsome makes it close but El Paso County gets a new DA.

    Doug Bruce benefits from a big turnout for soul mate Lamborn and wins by twenty.

    Not as sure of the Democrat legislative primaries. Some wild guesses. Joyce Foster wins big and Cindy Carlisle wins by a surprisingly large margin. Would love to hear who others think will win on both sides.

    1. Does my friend Paul Rosenthal have a shot of beating party insider Joe Miklosi? If you go by yard signs, paul is right in the mix, but Miklosi has him nailed on money–mostly because Paul doesn’t take PAC money and Joe does.

        1. Currently the Rep. for HD-9 is Alice Borodkin, but she decided to run for Senate District 35 and is going to be horribly beaten by Joyce Foster (who despite taking no PAC money has a far more effective campaign than PAC-taking Borodkin.)

          I like Paul over Joe becuase his main issues are public transportation and prison reform–two of the biggest issues facing Colorado that are being largely ignored this election. They’re both great guys, and either one will do a fine job representing SE Denver. Paul is just saying what I’m thinking in my head.

    2. But I don’t see how you can call him and Bruce soulmates.  Bruce has never been a social conservative, he’s a narcissistic anarchist.  Bruce despises Lamborn (and everyone else.) Plus, Lamborn, whatever you think of his politics, is a genuinely witty and friendly guy, or at least he always has been with me.  Bruce is a lout with a long history of sexual harassment, going far beyond the incident in the legislature, who insults voters.  He loses by ten to a real Republican because veterans vote for a fellow veteran and against the lout who insulted veterans.

      I’ll go out on a limb and say Fitz-G wins by 4 points. Her organizational strength and union support add up to the GOTV effort it .

      takes to win this one, plus Shafroth, while finishing third, eats into Polis’ vote.

      Foster wins big, yes. Her son, David, is one of my ex students and if he doesn’t win this one for Mom, he’ll have nothing but bitter herbs at his next Passover. Not to worry, he’ll pull her through.

      Predicting Boulder is tough but I gotta say Heath.  Carlisle is such a loose canyon.

      in my own House District 6 Sharf wins the GOP primary, because I voted for him, dammit, and that settles it!  Actually, given GOP strength in my district, that crack may be too true to be funny.  I was once one of just two republicans to show at a combined caucus of four precincts.  The D wins in November.

      On the D side, probably Liz Adams but Lois Court has campaigned hard in my neighborhood. Lois is another one of my ex students, so I wish her well.

      Coffman gets Armstrong by 10 points.  Harvey wins Miss Congeniality.

      Harvey has actually waged a good campaign but Wil’s bucks earn second place, like that matters.

      1. The two Dougs are not close but share many of the same supporters.  If Lamborn were unopposed he would have likely endorsed Waller. Now, the very conservative voters who provide the Lamborn base will likely turn out in higher numbers and vote for both Dougs.

        I have seen no evidence of a Fitz-Gerald field operation. There are very few signs up for her in the Adams, Jefferson and Broomfield County portions of the District.  

    3. I think ColoradoPolitical nailed it, with the possible exception of Harvey – but I don’t know that district at all.

      I’m hopeful about Jared & Cindy because the BPE is very worried that both will win – and they generally know how their backyard will play out. (And are very upset they may not get their way for once.)

    4.    That’s O.Q.D.’s House District.  I have the good fortune to be represented by an openly gay man in the House and an openly lesbian woman in Senate.  

        That’s what I call a balanced ticket!

        1. Lots of folks mouth off on Pols. Put your predictions down and let’s see how they stand up on Tuesday.  I predicted that Andrew Romanoff would not get enough signatures to put his tax increase on the ballot. Looks like it barely qualified with only a cushion of 50,000 signatures to spare.

          Come on if you think lanky Will can pull it off say so. If you think Bill’s boy Wil can catch Coffman say so. What is a blog without predictions? Ewegen has guts what about the rest of you?

  10. Phoenix Rising and Arvadonian –   Bill Clinton said about the drugs he took, “I took a puff but I did not inhale!”   Do you remember?  Clinton set the standard not G.W.

    Wrong again Liberals.

    Talking about Lower Standards…Clinton also made people in America believe that oral sex is not sex.  Kids today now believe that oral sex is NOT sex.  

    Don’t go here with me!

        1. Or should I even ask ?

          By the way Bob, are you eating Olathe sweet corn and palisade peaches this time of year, like you are supposed to ?  Great stuff.

            1. ripening on the counter.

              Mitch was making some reasonable points, even if I don’t agree with them, in the Musgrave thread today. I’d say give him a week and if he’s still posting, write off yesterday’s bluster to first-day jitters.

    1.    It’s really cheesy given his wife’s serious health problems but I’m not sure it precludes him from being A.G.

        I’d rather have an A.G. who violated his marital vows (which would entitle his wife to a divorce but doesn’t have any impact on me), than one who violated the Fourth Amendment (like Speedy).

      1. I am very far from being an Edwards fan. In my book, he’s a populist Demagogue with a $400 haircut.  But to be fair, he is a damn good lawyer and might be a fine AG. And I guarangooddamntee you that John McCain is in no condition to criticize anyone for having an affair while his wife was ill.

        McCain was cheating on his first wife with Cindy long before their divorce, at a time when his wife was gravely ill.

        Face it, gentlemen, we’re all human and some of the things we do, especially men who let the little head do the thinking for the big one _ are pretty tacky.

        But McCain’s adultery doesn’t disqualify him to be president and Edwards’ doesn’t disqualify him as AG.

        Now, if someone proves Edwards was an Oakland Raiders fan, that WOULD put him beyond the pale.

          1. see my above comments.  If republicans feel that McCain can be the Attorney General’s boss after having an affair (while his own wife at the time was in a situation not too dissimilar from Elizabeth Edwards now), I don’t see how they can say JE’s affair DQ’s him from being AG.

            Having said that, I don’t think a President Obama would be willing to take on that battle so early in his presidency.  He’ll appoint someone else as AG.  Pick your battles, and frankly Edwards as AG isn’t worth the battle.

            1. floundered out of the box by, among a few other things, making an AG nomination that turned ugly. Obama can’t afford to make the same mistake. The comparisons with McCain’s affair while his wife was “in a situation not too dissimilar from Elizabeth Edwards now” (operative word “now”) won’t make a whit of difference if McCain loses, and 35-year-old caddish behavior doesn’t hold a candle to current scandal, especially if there are photos and video.

              1. that it won’t make any difference if McCain loses.

                I was merely pointing out the hypocricy of the Republicans who would make hay out of the Edwards affair when their annointed Presidential candidate has done the exact same thing.

      2. I don’t think is should DQ him from being AG or anything else in politics, but I think it will.

        Repubs would have a field day if President-elect Obama names his cabinet and Edwards’ name was included.  

        I’m not saying it’s right, it’s just politics…

  14. Amazingly enough! http://online.wsj.com/article/…

    He actually gets it, the so called Employee Free Choice Act is nothing more than the stripping of rights from the working man.  I expect him to soon be subjected to the “Joe Leiberman Treatment” and be soundly criticized as a right wing shill.

  16. …where a judge has ruled that former Gov. Jim McGreevy (affectionately referred to as the Love Guv by the N.Y. Post after coming out of the closet) will not have to pay any alimony to his estranged wife.

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