Notable Links

Denver Internet Marketing by Parallel Path

Knowledge Messenger

Arvada Boutique Clothing Store Stella B's

Musgrave Remains In Hiding Post-Defeat

by: Colorado Pols

Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 08:54:22 AM MST

You can understand a day or two, but now it's just getting weird--as the Denver Post reports:

Bitterness generated by the bruising battle between Betsy Markey and Marilyn Musgrave apparently lingers days after voters decided the winner of the 4th Congressional District.
Incumbent Republican Musgrave, who lost to Democrat Markey by a 56 to 44 percent margin Tuesday, has yet to call and congratulate Markey on her win.
Musgrave also hasn't conceded the race, said Markey spokesman Ben Marter. "She has yet to admit defeat," he said. "It's a little bizarre."
Calls to Musgrave's campaign and congressional office went unanswered Friday...
Not congratulating a political opponent has certainly happened in the past, but it's also "not the norm," said Bob Duffy, chairman of the Colorado State University political science department.
"There is no doubt that someone in that campaign is not happy about losing," said Duffy.

The tenor of Musgrave's always-shrill campaigns suggested she took them personally, but at the end of the day it's just business. Bob Beauprez went down much harder and was talking to the press the next day. For the sake of any viable political future she may hope to have, it's probably time to ease off on the pity party, step out on the farmhouse porch and take a few questions. A token gesture or two to help your erstwhile opponent's transition also wouldn't hurt.

On the other hand, maybe Musgrave will ransack the DC office, burn the files, and cut all the phone lines. Not the greatest career move, but it sure feels good.

Colorado Pols :: Musgrave Remains In Hiding Post-Defeat

Tags: (All Tags)

Print Friendly View

Send As Email

Musgrave Remains In Hiding Post-Defeat | 20 comments

Why bother to keep reporting this?

There isn't a lot of point to keep pointing out that Musgrave was a sore loser. She is past, time to move on.

by: mev @ Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 10:49:09 AM CST

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

If we do not remember the past

we might elect another Republican in that district. Or we might elect Musgrave to something else.

Both outcomes really need to be avoided.

"I am B.J. Wilson, and I am a troll."

by: sxp151 @ Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 11:16:40 AM CST

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

I'm sure Betsy will remind everyone...

...when she runs for re-election :)

My recommendations in the 2010 primary?

by: DavidThi808 @ Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 12:49:02 PM CST

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

There is the small matter

of the two months remaining in her term, and the likelihood of a lame-duck session later this month. She's still drawing a salary from taxpayers -- it's a bit disturbing her congressional office isn't even taking calls.

by: RedGreen @ Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 18:54:35 PM CST

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

As I said before

good riddance to bad rubbish. Musgrave will not be missed.

"Suddenly, it may be cool to be American again" - William J. Kole

by: Go Blue @ Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 12:10:17 PM CST

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

I'd be shocked, SHOCKED to learn that MM was a sore loser...

if it weren't for her being a bad winner, a bad person, a shitty state and federal legislator. Let's forget about her.

by: DemZorro @ Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 12:33:43 PM CST

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

Cheer Musgrave up by adopting an endangered species in her name...

The following folks will let you adopt an animal in her name and have a certificate and stuffed animal be sent: http://www.defenders.org/suppo...

Should it be an elephant or a polar bear or something else?

by: mev @ Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 13:48:21 PM CST

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

Doesn't MM stand for

Malodorous Manure?

by: davebarnes @ Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 21:35:31 PM CST

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

I'm delighted that she's so transparently ungracious.

The more extra nails she puts in her political coffin, the better.

Unfortunately, the public is often tragically prone to yank those nails out again: After Nixon's "Checkers Speech" in 1960 ("You won't have Richard Nixon to kick around any more"), the country elected him president in '68 and '72 (and look how well that turned out).

Personally, I always hoped that Tancredo and Musgrave would run away together to some desert island, and sire a race of chromosomally challenged little right-wing reactionaries.

by: Don Quijote @ Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 16:45:59 PM CST

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

sire a race

Their spouses might object to that, but there's always cloning ... which should be legal again on Jan. 21!

by: RedGreen @ Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 18:53:05 PM CST

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

error of fact, DQ, two actually

Nixon's Checkers speech was in 1952 and kept him on the ticket,

after his loss to JFK in 1960, Nixon returned to California and ran for governor of that state in 1962. But his efforts were once again met with disappointment. Nixon angrily announced his withdrawal from active politics, saying "You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore, because, gentleman, this is my last press conference."

by: bob ewegen @ Mon Nov 10, 2008 at 12:55:24 PM CST

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

What Committes for Betsy the Vampire Slayer?

Betsy has a background in computer network security. Does anyone have an inkling what congressional committes she will be assigned to?

"They send one of yours to the hospital
You send one of theirs to the morgue"
--Sean Connery

by: Gypsy Chief @ Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 20:15:35 PM CST

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

given the district she represents, she obviously should try to get on agriculture

by: One Queer Dude @ Mon Nov 10, 2008 at 18:54:40 PM CST

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

A seat on ag would be a tremendous lift for markey's

re-election chances. Weld County is one of the nation's ten richest agricultural counties and a foothold there would be huge for markey, besides the obvious appeal to the eastern counties.

by: bob ewegen @ Tue Nov 11, 2008 at 11:04:53 AM CST

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

Not bothering her to thank her own supporters is the big transgression

So she doesn't congratulate her opponent: not that big a deal, I guess, although pretty juvenile. I guess it's too late now, though.

But the fact that she didn't even stick around to thank her many supporters that was really childish, tacky and low rent. These people put in many, many hours and contributed lots of dough to MM, and her response was a big "F.U."

She was never really ready for prime time, and this shows it.

What was she doing before she was on the public trough, anyway?

by: Half Glass Full @ Mon Nov 10, 2008 at 13:37:40 PM CST

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

She was in the state senate

and before that in the state House and , iirc, before that on a school board. So she has a long, long, life in politics. I agree with you that it is strange she didn't thank the folks who worked so hard for here. I've known her a long time and I've never seen her be ungracious, (not counting the punches thrown at her foes) especially to those who worked for and with her.

by: bob ewegen @ Mon Nov 10, 2008 at 14:35:31 PM CST

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.

it is strange she didn't thank the folks who worked so hard for her

Maybe she thinks they didn't work hard enough, and she blames them for her defeat.

by: One Queer Dude @ Mon Nov 10, 2008 at 18:56:13 PM CST

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:

Otherwise click cancel.