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June 22, 2007 06:19 PM UTC

"New Angie" Good Enough for "New Marilyn"?

  • 80 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols


We’ve seen the “new Marilyn Musgrave” in recent months, as the GOP congresswoman tries to revamp her image before the national Republican Party finally tires of her act in CD-4. In the meantime, it seems we’re also seeing the “new Angie Paccione” as her former Democratic opponent makes changes of her own. But while Musgrave may be making changes at the right time, Paccione may be altering her style a little too late.

The Rocky Mountain Chronicle has a long article about how longtime Democrats are openly supporting Democrat Betsy Markey over Paccione in a primary, and curiously, they aren’t pulling many punches:

“I think Angie Paccione has some baggage issues,” says [Stan] Matsunaka, referring to the personal finance and bankruptcy problems that Musgrave featured in attack ads last fall…

…“I don’t know if anything is going to change by throwing all that money in there again,” Matsunaka adds. “People want to ride a different horse to victory.”

Others claim nothing personal against Paccione. Yet they simultaneously express a desire to “move on” and support a candidate they hope will finally color the district blue for the first time since 1972.

“Angie ran a really good campaign and worked very hard at it, but it didn’t appear as though she had the necessary qualities in order to get a majority of the votes,” [Bob] Bacon says. “I’m hoping that perhaps with a new face and different characteristics, [Democrats] will be more successful this time.”

“I’m not sure that Angie could have done anything differently,” [Pam] Shaddock adds. When Paccione lost, “my feeling was maybe she’s not the candidate for this particular race.”

The confidence in another Paccione candidacy was so eroded that Sen. Ken Salazar personally asked her not to run in a conversation held about two months ago. Paccione obviously ignored that request, and since then Salazar’s Northern Colorado Director, Betsy Markey, has formally entered the race.

After coming close to defeating Musgrave last fall, Paccione has tried to make changes to a campaign structure that may have made her as many enemies as friends among Democrats. Former campaign manager Gary Chandler alienated virtually everyone he came into contact with and was roundly criticized during and after the campaign. For this race, Paccione has brought on longtime operative Steve Welchert as her general consultant. Paccione addressed the need to make changes in an email sent to supporters last week:

I am fully committed to give 100% of my time and effort to work harder and smarter to give the people the victory they deserve.

I too have grown as a candidate. In 2006, we had a novice campaign that had to learn on the fly. But as we gained strength and confidence you and the voters showed confidence in our message and our mission. While we came up just two percent short of our goal-closer than any Dem in 34 years-we also had some remarkable accomplishments…

…I am assembling a professional team, and with a much stronger turnout generated by a Presidential election in 2008, I am confident we can erase those two points and make this a Victory for America!

In the immediate future, the key for Paccione will be whether she can raise money amid strong Democratic competition. Supporters point to the fact that she raised a lot of money in 2006, but much of that money came because she had no Democratic opponent; Musgrave is so reviled by many Democratic activists that anybody who ran against her would be able to raise a good deal of cash just by being “not Marilyn.”

Paccione may have organized a more professional campaign staff than she had last year, but it may prove to be too little, too late. We’ll find out in a couple of weeks, when Q2 reports are revealed, whether she still has enough support to make another run.

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80 thoughts on ““New Angie” Good Enough for “New Marilyn”?”

  1. Stan ‘Missed it by THIS MUCH’ Matsunaka should sit down and STFU. He lost the election by tacitly approving the attack ads portraying Musgrave stealing from soldiers. Many people told him to stand up and denounce them. He didn’t. He lost.

    As for Betsy Markey – um… WHO?

    Angie’s ‘baggage’ is the usual trumped-up GOP bullshit and a very large number of voters were -not- swayed by it.

    1. So Stan didn’t denounce a couple of 527 ads and that cost him the election but Angie’s bankruptcy’s and financial troubles are somehow “trumped-up GOP bullshit”?

      I really don’t even know how to respond to those statements they are so detached from reality.

      Reality is Angie’s personal financial issues are real issues and they are very hard to defend. Angie alienated a lot of people in her last campaign thanks to Gary Chandler, then after sticking with him and forcing other candidates and staffers to defend her personal financial situation throughtout the campaign she still lost.

      I like Angie personally but she ran a mediocre campaign against a very vulnerable incumbent. Now that incumbent is running to the center, making her less vulnerable. What is different about Angie the candidate in 2008 as compared to 2006? Im open to arguments about how she can win against a less vulnerable incumbent but I personally don’t see how she is viable.

      1. Angie’s personal finance’s actually aren’t that hard to defend.  C0-4 is not a rich district if she just owns it, says yes I’ve been through hard times and I got through, paid back the money I owed and that’s why I now support xzy program it really isn’t a big deal.  The big deal was she didn’t answer the charge and her ads were to soft.  When she spoke in person she was very fired up and passionate and TV never caught that spark.  I think she can still do it and having Steve in her camp is a big plus!

          2. Steve Welchert, and his partner John Britz, are two of the biggest hatchet job artists in the democratic consulting field in Colorado.  Want to destroy the printing press of a printer who is not a union member?  Hire these two bozos!  Wanna falsify documents on fake GOP chair letterhead?  Hire these guys.  Need to hire a private detective to snoop around the opposition?  Yup- hire these guys!

            They hold the distinction of winning the dirty trick of the year award in Campaigns and Elections magazine!

            Nice job, Angie!

            1. Musgrave is one of the dirtiest campaigners around.  Most Democrats try to be nice, but when it comes Musgrave–No quarter, no surender.

              Anyone endorsed by the KKK needs to be destroyed.

            1. Britz run the No campaigns on Amendment 31 (to sustain Bilingual Education) and Amendment 17 (No on School Vouchers), this might be the finest tandum of consultants in Colorado.

      1. that Stan’s talking smack after he got smeared with his own tax problems and votes, and that he won’t stand up for someone who was smeared with their personal finances from the 1980s. It just goes to show it doesn’t matter what the negative is. They’ll make it up if they have to.

        So is Betsy Markey going to model her campaign on Musgrave’s? That seems to be what it is shaping up for.

      2. He is afriad a woman can out perform him.  Angie knows how to play the game.  She had a young team last time, sounds like she is not making that mistake again with Welchert.

    3. You don’t know what your talking about those ads were run by Pat Strykers 527 and Stan wasn’t allowed to talk to them at all.  Candidates are barred from talking to 527s

  2. Ken Salazar playing kingmaker in CD-4 will probably backfire. Forcing a primary just increases Musgrave’s viability, and most of the party base that has worked hard to unseat Musgrave is probably not too thrilled with Salazar trying to set Betsy Markey on top of Angie Paccione’s shoulders.

    It’s too bad. Musgrave is one of the most vulnerable incumbents in the country. Looks like an opportunity is being squandered by powerful insiders.

  3. As for Angie raising money, sure would have been nice last time if the National Dems hadn’t decided to shaft her right when she needed the cash for television ads. That was classic. Take money that WOULD have WON an election and piss it away trying desperately to win in CO Springs. Best thing you can do for that town is pull back to the perimeter and wait till they turn cannibal. Won’t take much longer either.

    1. Gary had a big hand in alienating the national money folks. Their issues with Gary were made clear very early on and Angie stuck by his side.

    2. F*%&k you if you don’t like our great city.
      We don’t want or need any limp wristed bleeding heart liberals like you or Angie here.
      Strangely enough we are doing just fine without them.

      2. Bigoted-blindly and obstinately attached to some creed or opinion and intolerant toward others.

        you said “We don’t want or need any limp wristed bleeding heart liberals like you or Angie here.”

        irony

        “piss it away trying desperately to win in CO Springs.”

        I disagreed with Wray’s sentiment, but he was basically agreeing with you.

        irony

      3. ..what an ass you appear to be? 

        CS is a nice city, but it isn’t because of the politics or the polemics. 

        Go ahead an rot in your little uber-conservative circle jerk.

    3. Let me start by saying I love Angie. I volunteered for her and reached out to donors all over the US to get cash to fund her campaign. But Chandler was a disaster and there’s a point where loyalty to your friends/colleagues crosses the line and becomes bad management. Angie crossed this line early in the campaign when many Democratic notables tried to help her understand the Chandler liability. The national Dems saw the weakness of the campaign and pulled their cash. Unfortunate timing? Sure. Big surprise? Not at all.

      Could Angie still win? Yes, but only if she does more than give lip service to changing her campaign. Pulling her (mostly recycled) old web site–good sign. Having nothing but a one-page Web placeholder at this late date–bad sign. Campaign unresponsive to emails–same old story, bad sign.

      I want to beat Musgrave. And I’ll back the candidate who shows she understands how important a campaign is to the candidate. Angie starts from behind in this race because she’s fettered by her 2006 campaign, but the jury’s still out.

  4. Keep in mind that Ken Salazar LOST in CD-4 to Pete Coors. Salazar lost by 5,761 votes. Paccione lost to Musgrave by 7,106 votes

    People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

    1. Eric Eidsness.  He made the race close because he peeled off a lot of votes from Musgrave.  Some of those might have gone to Angie if Eric hadn’t been there, but most of them came from Musgrave.  If you look at the internal numbers Matsunaka did better in 2004 than Angie in 2006.  Angie is loved up in Larimer and respected by everyone I’ve talked to, but her campaign was poorly executed IMO.  Its not like we don’t know musgrave is going to dirty.

      does anyoneelse remember that ad with matsunaka and the japanese battle flag ccomparing him to osama bin laden.

    2. your point is that Salazar, in a worse national climate for Dems lost by fewer votes than Angie did in the best national climate in decades?

    3. As mentionaed above: they were different climates. You also have to admit running against Coors (read generic Republican) is quite a bit harder in CD4 than running against someone as hated as Musgrave.

      1. Right now in the Southern and maybe all of CD 4, her actions in regard to the opposition of the expansion of Pinon Canyon is greatly appreciated by both Republicans and Democrats. Many in both parties are disappointed with Ken Salazar. It will be a tough battle for anyone opposing Musgrave, especially supported by the Senator, if he does not follow his brother’s and Musgraves amendment.

  6. Lets face it folks AP is a little rough around the edges, has some baggage and is really not that appealing-MM would not have won the election if there had been a more polished and appealing dem candidate.

  7. Now I remember why I didn’t donate an ounce of time or a single dime to either of your unsuccessful runs for Congress.

    From what I recall, he was zero help to Angie’s campaign in 2006. I wonder if this is his way of covering his ass, since there were a whole lot of Larimer County Dems wondering why he wasn’t doing a damn thing to help Angie get elected.

    Frankly, a whole lot of us thought he didn’t want her to win because it would have personally embarrassed him that Angie could win in a district that he ran in twice and lost both times. Sour grapes is so unattractive in a middle-aged man.

    1. I knocked on doors with him and helped both Stan’s races as much as I could.  Stan doesn’t have the killer instinct, and it was always a chore to get him to do the “dialing for dollars” that sadly candidates must do.  But he would have been an excellent Representative.

      Angie’s campaign, even with its problems, was an order of magnitude better than either of Stan’s.  Not to say it couldn’t be improved, and basically that’s exactly what Angie addressed here.  Not getting the DCCC money after being led to believe it was coming, and having amateurish volunteer coordinators in Weld and Larimer was what killed it in 2006.  I think Paccione wins this time, if Ms. Markey doesn’t manage to screw things up.

      Oh, and shame on you, Stan.

      1. its stunning how much time it takes.  What do you think was weak in stan’s campaign, aside from his lack of fund raising skill?  Not disagreeing with you, just want to know your opinion. 

        I agree the lack of DCCC money hurt her, but she lost the money because of her own stumbles and the fact the Rahm Emannuel’s view of supporting candidates is quite lazy, but that was predictable. 

        1. Stan didn’t respond to Marilyn’s ads well, nor to the backlash over his own late attack ad.  He also didn’t raise nearly as much money as Paccione did, which made it hard.  I wasn’t as plugged in to his campaign people as I was with Angie’s, so I can’t say much about organization.

          But mostly, he didn’t have the Democratic wind at his back as Angie did.  I think that wind blows even harder today, and I fear that we can’t afford a combatative primary here.  But I just hope one of our two candidates crushes the Muskrat in the end, of course.

          1. but his county numbers in 2004 actually looked a little better than angies in 2006.  I agree about the wind in general, but muskrat has polished herself up a little which could make it tougher. then again how much can you polish a turd.

            To win in this district you need someone willing to hit hard, hit early and not look like a bully doing it.  You don’t play college/professional sports without learning how to smack somebody, but the visuals make it hard for Angie (her voice, size)to nail muskrat without looking like a bully.

            Fair or not, Betsey’s visuals are better.  I’m don’t know her so I don’t know if she can play the smashmouth necessary to win the CD-4.

            1. I didn’t see Stan campaign the first time around but he came out our way a couple of times for fund raisers and I attended.  He just wasn’t into it.  I think he is a good democrat that ran because no one else would and the fire wasn’t there. 

              It is a testament to how vulnerable Musgrave is that he came as close as he did.

      2. Don’t blame this on Stan.  Besides Stan Markey’s endorsments include all the people in hte know in Larimer and some in Weld: 
        Bob Bacon
        Stan Matsunaka
        Peggy Reeves
        John Kefalas
        Bryan Jameson
        Bernie Strom
        Pam Shaddock
        ML Johnson
        John Gascoyne
        Char McDaniel
        Allison Cortner

        Why do you think this is???  It is because they know Angie can’t win and she has alienated half of them.  She doesn’t know how to manage and hire and get the best out of people.

        1. If she has brought in the big guns of Steve Welchert and John Britz people should stay tunned.  These guys are tough in primaries.  Just ask Peggy Lamm.  If Stan would have hired them he might be in congress now as opposed to sitting in his office (picture from paper) doing nothing and insulting others.

        2. If Betsy is going to be such a great campaigner and if you think Angie was such a lousy one, it’s not a good sign when Betsy is claiming she’s so “positive” while one of her most prominent supporters tells everyone what her campaign is really about: Bitterness.

          Don’t blame Stan because Betsy’s campaign manager can’t keep certain people under control.

    2. Stan did nothing for us Dems in Larimer.  Talk about sour grapes.  If his endorsement of BM is at all like his endorsement of AP, it should not matter.  I mean he (Stan) does not matter. Nice form Stan, attacking a woman.

      1. Everyone is going after Stan here what about Bacon, Kafalas and everyone else that knows Angie can’t win?  Are they all bitter?  Are you all hiding your heads in the sand? 

        You don’t back out on student loans, get sued by Arapahoe County, file for chapter 7 bankruptcy, stiff small businesses, have your wages garnished, run a terribly disorganized campaign then beat the republicans.

        She is an easy easy easy target.  It is foolish to think otherwise.

          1. We’re 17 months out from the election and this is how it’s going to be? Betsy plays the sweet innocent and her minions rev up the muckraker machinery.

            And people wonder why I’m sticking with Angie. Paccione has already said publicly that she would like to give folks a rest from politics–they earned it, they deserve it–and is keeping a low profile, very much on purpose.

            I’m still fatigued from 2006 and I LOVE politics. I cannot imagine, for the life of me, that the average voter is ready for the mudslinging from Betsy’s camp that is already off and running.

            Oh and in answer to a question above, look at that list of endorsements again–everyone of those folks, with the exception of one, is from Fort Collins or Larimer County. Almost all are insiders, former chairs of the Party, current or former state Representatives or Senators. Considering Betsy is the former chair of Larimer County, I don’t think these endorsements are anything to brag about or write home to mama over.

            I’d be stunned if they didn’t come out publicly for her. She is the party insider and rightfully has loyalty from those that she helped get elected. Where’s the surprise in these?

            1. These are not ads from one of the political camps.  This is an honest analysis of each candidates strengths and weaknesses.  I’m not registered with either party, live out east and am not part of anyones “camp”.  People here look at an individuals actions and make judgements about them based on those actions.  The facts are the facts ie  Angie did file for bankrupcy et.  She needs to answer queastions about that or moderates and conservatives will not vote for her. That is what this is about.

              I want someone to beat Musgrave and don’t care who it is. Who knows what will come out about Markey over the next few months.  If she ends up with holes I look elsewhere. 

              I want someone to emerge from the campaigns that the republicans can’t pin with dirt that will stick. 

              1. Do you think we are all idiots on this blog? You have a shiny new user id, you have past comments that talk about Angie’s original primary race in 2002, you know allllllllll about the inner workings of that one (and don’t try to kid a kidder–outside of those of us that actually hold positions within the Larimer County Dems, that story is practically unknown,) and you seem to be quite the ardent Betsy fan.

                As for Angie, yep, she sure did file for bankruptcy and as of today, June 24, 2007, I bet there aren’t 10 people in this district that are unaware of that fact. Another fact–that bankruptcy was nearly 15 years ago. I do love how you bring it up like it happened yesterday. That’s cute.  I don’t think it holds quite the shock factor that you purport it does.

                Politics 101–never let the other side define your candidate. I think Angie learned that lesson the hard way and it won’t happen again. Angie is a teacher and a coach–she’s a quick learner and she doesn’t make the same mistakes twice. In other words, she’ll be addressing it, you can bet on it.

                If you want someone who can beat Musgrave, vote for Paccione because she’s the only candidate that can do it. If you are so fond of Betsy, ask her to run for Larimer County Commissioner since we desperately need good candidates for that race. Considering she has never served in public office, it might be a good place for her to get her feet wet.

                Experience matters. She doesn’t quite have enough yet to be running for Congress. 

                1. I didn’t say I’m an outsider, I was a registered Dem, I use to volunteer and we probably know each other. I am not registered as a Dem now but that being said, I want Musgrave out, I have stong opinions and I’m not any different then you.  I’ve been exposed to both of these candidates and I just think one can’t win and the other may have a chance. My reason for thinking that go right to your point; you can’t let the other side define your candidate.  If you let that happen it is extremely difficult to recover.  I respectfully think that is the situation for Angie. 

          2. go back to DINO land Markey trolls, if Betsy is following in her boss’s footsteps we will get another Repub who happens to have a D beside their name.  we need someone who is a true progressive who wont have Ken leading them around on a leash telling them how to vote.  simply put we need Angie.

            2. Why rip on other people’s opinions and make accusations? And to MountainDem… you, like I, both started accounts as of recent. No need for you to talk… especially when everything I have ever seen you post is pro-Angie… and that’s an understatement. Your welcome to your opinion but perhaps you should take to waxing your ears… if not hearing something of the realities working against Angie in this district, then accepting that other people may have a different perspective then your own rather limited one. Not trying to be rude… but really your rather harsh comments are unnecessary.

              1. No need for me to talk?  Does this site have a time limit  before you are allowed to comment?  If you dont like Angie then thats fine but I wont allow one or maybe two different Markey supporters who use different aliases to tear her down.  She got the Dems closer than they ever have been before, she also raised more money than a Dem has here either.  Why jump ship on her now, not when we are so close.  The “realities” you speak of are failure to talk about Angie’s bankruptcy?  What else?

                1. First, the “no need to talk” was in reference to your agreement with the above statement on so called BM “trolls” coming out with brand spanking new user ids… you could very well be doing the same for Angie… no need for accusations. We all get it; you think Angie is a better. Personally I am considering choosing to “jump ship” on Angie after seeing her financial history drag her down, her personal appearance be less then appealing to voters, and the fact that she LOST. And now that evidence has surfaced that EE took votes away from Musgrave, not Angie, I’m just not all too convinced she can pull out a win. Coupled with the new and improved Musgrave… these are the realties. NOT saying she can’t find a way around those issues… but they are there.

            3. I want to win.

              Unfortunately a true progressive can’t win.  Anyone D that challenges in this district needs to define themselves as moderate to conservative.  A D may be allowed to stake out progressive positions on an issue or 2, but that is it.

              I think angie would balk at being called a true progressive–a self avowed liberal would not win the CD4

              1. Eric Eidsness’ Values and Principles
                June 6, 2007

                These values and principles which are abiding in me, represent the sum total of my life’s experiences, of my many life’s failures, disappointments, trials, successes and joys of being an American citizen for 62 years – of my taking personal responsibility for my decisions and actions and learning from them.

                1. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILIY – I believe that the strength of our nation is derived from people taking responsibility for their lives, for their decisions and actions. This means also being willing to be held accountable and to acknowledge, learn and grow from past mistakes and to make amends.

                2. HELPING OUR NEIGHBORS – We are a generous society and it is our duty to help those who for whatever reason are disadvantaged and are unable to live the America dream. However, in giving this help whether it is a personal gift or creating a social safety net, we must take care neither to disable nor enable those who need help; rather we must empower them to take their own responsibility. That is a fine line to walk indeed.

                3. FAIRNESS – Fairness means to me that our government has a duty to ensure that the benefits and protections of the Constitution are afforded to all Americans no matter their ethnicity, color, creed, country of origin, gender or sexual orientation or economic status. We are not living in a fair America today.

                4. A GOVERNMENT OF, BY AND FOR THE PEOPLE – I believe that a government that does not serve the people is a government that rules the people. To guard against this, our government must be transparent and accountable – this is a responsibility of our elected representatives under the Constitution.

                When we have issues tearing at the fabric of our society like dependency on foreign oil or a broken health care system, government must act decisively. We must do so with legislative initiatives that have the same force of commitment as putting a man on the moon.

                But in taking federal initiative, we must not always default to a federal government solution; rather pass legislation that seeks the best alignment of resources at all levels of government and the private sector. Otherwise, we create bureaucracies who stifle creativity, initiative, entrepreneurialship and the free market system – bureaucracies that smother our diversity and dumb down the otherwise noble initiatives like No Child Left Behind.

                5. FREE MARKET SYSTEM – I believe in the free market system because it is the engine that drives our economy; but not a free market system that is unrestrained; that is blind to our social needs; that no longer vests in the American worker; that is not “fair” in its business practices; that peddles influence so that Corporations have “favored nation’s status” with our national government. 

                Today, we have energy, health care and vertically integrated agribusiness cartels that are growing monopolies. Market competition is stifled. From time to time, our legislators need to check these excesses, enforce anti-trust laws, and renegotiate trade agreements to achieve a fair market system in order to expand our economy, create jobs for Americans and for the greater good of our society – not just for the bottom line. Now is such a time.

                6. OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE TO SHARE IN THE AMERICAN DREAM – Tax policy and social spending decisions (like education) should be made to give every American a chance at the American Dream.

                We must never again allow the mass accumulation of wealth and political influence by a very few as occurred during the turn of the 19th Century when the Robber Barons controlled our political system – otherwise we move dangerously close to a patriarchal society like Mexico, where the very wealthy and influential few decide what is good for the masses. That is not democracy. Such imbalance invites instability and social unrest. This condition would be “taxation without representation”.

                In the same sense, rural America, its agricultural economy and heritage, must be protected. Rural America is where there is connectedness; where everyone shares in the pain and joy of the community. It is from whence the values came upon which our great nation was founded in 1776.

                Rural interests must be addressed as we become an urban society where wealth and political power are accumulated. This is because one day, again in our history, we will rely on rural America for our very survival.

                7. PRIVACY AND PERSONAL FREEDOMS – I learned from my experience on the battlefield of Vietnam, that my privacy and personal freedom and that of my family, is the greatest gift of God and our democracy.  Our government must ensure, not erode this principle. This principle is worth fighting and dieing for.

                8. OUR CHILDREN HAVE A RIGHT TO BREATHE CLEAN AIR AND DRINK CLEAN WATER – We must be better stewards of our environment and always invest in a “margin of safety” if we don’t understand the fate and effects of pollutants – such as the impact of man on global climate change. Our survival as a species depends on this.

                9. BIGOTRY AND INTOLERANCE IN ALL ITS FORMS MUST BE ERADICATED FROM THE AMERICAN LANDSCAPE – I learned as a young boy growing up in the racially divided Deep South and schooled for a short time in an elite, private and all-white New England preparatory school, that intolerance and bigotry is pernicious throughout the United States. I have personally experience bigotry.

                Discrimination is rearing its ugly head and must be eliminated from our thinking, from our policies containing religious arrogance and intolerance, on the war on terror, immigration, and the rights of two consenting adults of the same sex to live their lives and enjoy the freedoms and privacy afforded in our Constitution.

                10. DEMOCRACY AND AMERICA’S ROLE IN THE WORLD – I believe that America’s gift to the world is the ideal of democracy to which we aspire, not our capacity to bring democracy to other societies, other cultures at gunpoint.

                Democracy is a work in progress here at home. We have an enormous responsibility to do what we say, to place into check the erosion of our Constitutional protections and freedoms that have taken place since 9/11. We must never condone or support torture – the ultimate violation of personal freedom and privacy.

                America should never again invade a sovereign nation with use of our military force unless and until all diplomatic efforts have been expended, and unless we are attacked or there is an imminent verifiable threat of attack. Only under these circumstances will Americans understand our objectives and sustain the effort, and share in the burden, until those objectives are met.

                Never again should America embark on another Vietnam or Iraq and it is Congress’ duty to jealously guard its sole power to declare war under Section 8, Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution.

                Never again should our leaders lead us into war without asking us to share in the sacrifice and the cost.

  8. The point is that Bill Ritter won CD-4 in 2006 — it’s the first time a Dem has won a CD-4-wide contest in decades. Salazar or Matsunaka didn’t.

    Angie or Betsy or Eric…which one looks the most like Bill Ritter?

    1. I don’t have a dog in this race, but the Bill Ritter race was an anomaly and it really isn’t a valuable comparison for how to win CD 4.

        1. But Ritter was definitely the right kind of candidate to take advantage.  Plenty of those who voted for Ritter would have settled for BWB over someone more liberal, less Colorado.

      4. I am not sure I know what it is if it isn’t a candidate being investigated by CBI, calling all black women sluttish abortion havers…need I go on?

  9. 2007 year to date fundraising predictions, excluding money the candidates put in themselves.

    Love to hear comments from those who have better information.

    Angie Paccione $50,000
    Betsey Markey $25,000
    Betsey had no idea how hard it would be
    Marilyn Musgrave $475,000. Marilyn’s right wing base is writing big checks while she poses for pictures with Democrats

    Ed Perlmutter $600,000 this guy has been raising money every day. Ed may even outraise Udall.

    Doug Lamborn $400,000
    Bring it on Jeff Crank

    Joan Fitz-Gerald $575,000
    Only question is will she raise more than Perlmutter. Even raising bib money from the environmental community
    Will Shafroth $60,000
    Jared Polis $85,000

    Mark Udall $650,000
    Bob Schaffer $700,000
    Buzz will be that Schaffer raises more this quarter than Udall

  10. Here’s Betsy’s problem: Angie thrives on overcoming the odds. This little out-of-the-gate hickup is just the kind of thing Angie needed.

    “Many things have fallen only to rise higher.” Seneca

    We shall see…

    1. That’s part of it. All the people supporting Betsy now opposed Angie running for the state house in 2002, so I doubt she’s too worried about an insider’s endorsement list.

      Betsy’s real problem is that she is a total unknown outside a relatively small circle of insiders, and everyone in CD-4 already knows who Angie Paccione is.

        2. Perhaps you should move to CD4 and share your Boulderlite wisdom with those of us that actually live in this district.

          Oh and FYI, she came within 2.5 points of taking this seat for the first time in almost 40 years, so I’m guessing there were at least a few folks that liked her. In fact, they liked her enough to donate 2 million dollars to her campaign.

          Seriously, David, I know you don’t like her but it’s a shame that you can’t put aside your deep dislike of her long enough to be objective.

          I won’t hold my breath waiting for that to happen.

          1. And I donated to her campaign in ’06.

            However, I don’t think she can win. The ’06 election was a perfect storm in that it sucked horribly to be a Repub and MM ran from the right. And she lost in that.

            For whatever reason AP will not fully address her bankruptcy and puts lots of effort into ineffectual plattitudes trying to defend herself.

            We need a candidate who can win.

              1. I doubt anyone will be able to beat Musgrave, but Angie is liked in SE and has the best chance. People have actually met her! Right now Pinon Canyon is the ISSUE. Ken Salazar is doing a great job of delivering CD4 to Musgrave by wanting to “trade Ranchers for Troops”. This should give Markey a reality check on her top supporter.

  11. I hadn’t noticed it the first time I read the article. Wow, what nerve… calling Angie and Betsy “city girls”.

    So what’s he think… we will all forget that he worked in D.C. for the Reagan Administration if he dons a new cowboy hat and boots? I wish we had some before and after pictures… Eric circa 2005 v. Eric circa 2007. He’s trying to mold himself into a real cowboy… a Democrat like Salazar. How transparent.

    All three candidates live in Fort Collins. Come on Eric… play nice! First the whole “let’s pretend to be a Dem” bit. Now this. What low card will he play next?

  12. I would have really had to hold my nose last election. I learned to dislike them both after all the attack ads and not the way the ad sponsors wanted! One thing that almost turned me pro AP was the fact that she did have financial problems. Up till then I viewed her as an east coast liberal (which she is) but the ad MM’s team put out about it really pissed me off! People have problems. AP had issues, worked though them and went on to put her self up for public service knowing full well that this would come out. I almost learned to respect her for it, unforunately her later attack ads turned me back the other way and I gave up on her once and for all as another east coast lib. My point is that the things that turn people are not always what the campaign managers think. MM missed the mark with me and my family that time for sure.

  13. I think people need a reality check. AP got closer than any democrat has in that district in 40 years. You can complain about her as a candidate all you want but the organization was GREAT!!!! They had more people excited, volunteering, and donating money than anyone in CD 4 ever has.

    I don’t know if AP can win with her bio but get off the back of the 2006 campaign. They did an amazing job!!!!!

    1. …there were some huge problems with the campaign, especially in responding to MM.  MM defined Angie.  Don’t get me wrong, I wanted her to win, and she came THAT close.  If a few things went differently – including the Dem money that got pulled – Angie would be in Congress.

      Her 2006 campaign could be a text book study on what not to do.

      1. You said it yourself. The Dem money getting pulled was not Angie’s campaign. The Dem 527s not getting into action until the last few weeks, again not Angie’s campaign. I still think Angie’s campaign was well run. The tutorial should be written on how not to run a 527 (example: an ad on drinking water and Eric Eidsness).

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