President (To Win Colorado) See Full Big Line

(D) Kamala Harris

(R) Donald Trump

80%

20%

CO-01 (Denver) See Full Big Line

(D) Diana DeGette*

(R) V. Archuleta

98%

2%

CO-02 (Boulder-ish) See Full Big Line

(D) Joe Neguse*

(R) Marshall Dawson

95%

5%

CO-03 (West & Southern CO) See Full Big Line

(D) Adam Frisch

(R) Jeff Hurd

50%

50%

CO-04 (Northeast-ish Colorado) See Full Big Line

(R) Lauren Boebert

(D) Trisha Calvarese

90%

10%

CO-05 (Colorado Springs) See Full Big Line

(R) Jeff Crank

(D) River Gassen

80%

20%

CO-06 (Aurora) See Full Big Line

(D) Jason Crow*

(R) John Fabbricatore

90%

10%

CO-07 (Jefferson County) See Full Big Line

(D) B. Pettersen

(R) Sergei Matveyuk

90%

10%

CO-08 (Northern Colo.) See Full Big Line

(D) Yadira Caraveo

(R) Gabe Evans

70%↑

30%

State Senate Majority See Full Big Line

DEMOCRATS

REPUBLICANS

80%

20%

State House Majority See Full Big Line

DEMOCRATS

REPUBLICANS

95%

5%

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
July 31, 2008 03:18 AM UTC

Udall Screwed By...Pelosi?

  • 71 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

THURSDAY UPDATE: Coverage of this story in today’s Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News wasn’t very good for Udall. Although his side of the story did make it in, the articles as written focused overwhelmingly on Dick Wadhams’ gloating over the ‘missed’ vote, with Rocky correspondent Ed Sealover adding helpfully that “there are some political promises [Udall] shouldn’t make.” Do tell, Ed.

We think Udall’s best option at this point is to try to get yesterday’s motion to adjourn reconsidered some way, although success there isn’t likely–his own Democratic leadership was by all accounts responsible for unexpectedly rescheduling the vote. But the more noise he makes about being ‘thrown under the bus,’ and quickly, the better this will ultimately shake out for him. Unfortunately for Udall, though, the sound bite (spelled 527 TV spot) version of this incident doesn’t read charitably.

UPDATE: The Udall campaign just circulated copies of a letter he wrote to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi protesting her refusal to extend voting time, and a statement he read on the floor afterwards. Clearly written more politely than he would have preferred, you can almost hear the clenched teeth.

As the Denver Post reports:

Democratic Senate candidate Mark Udall missed a critical vote today that might have kept Congress from going into summer recess until it passed an energy bill, breaking a vow he made in a recent debate.

Udall spokeswoman Taylor West said the Boulder County lawmaker was on his way back to Washington at the time and that the vote was called with only 10 minutes’ notice. Udall asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to delay the vote without success, and the resolution passed by one vote, 213-212.

With gas prices the No. 1 financial worry of voters, promising to try to keep lawmakers in session until they took action was a bold stroke, but missing that vote could be an equally costly political mistake by the five-term congressman.

Udall’s staff said the Democrat stayed in Colorado to attend several campaign-related events, including a meeting with business leaders and a fundraising event – which Udall’s Republican opponent quickly jumped on.

“While Coloradans are paying $4 a gallon for gasoline, I guess it wasn’t important enough for (Udall) to show up for work this week,” said Dick Wadhams, the campaign manager for Republican Senate candidate Bob Schaffer. “He made a commitment Monday, he didn’t even show up for work Tuesday and then he missed the vote today.”

West said that her boss would send a letter to Pelosi today objecting to the fact that the vote wasn’t delayed long enough for him to make it from the Washington airport to the Capitol.

We hear there’s going to be a good deal more than just a letter to Pelosi–the Udall Senate campaign and congressional staff alike are bitterly upset about this, and rightly so. It’s quite rare to have one-vote margins like this in the House, and in the context of his debate pledge to Schaffer to oppose adjourning for the summer without an energy bill, this a nasty and ill-timed predicament for Udall. Check out the absolutely giddy press release we got from Camp Schaffer this afternoon if you don’t believe us (follows). You can be sure they are going milk this situation for every conceivable drop, and judging from this release they’re quite happy to do so entirely devoid of context.

Having said that, it also looks at first glance like it’s not Udall’s fault. If he’s smart he’ll absolutely freak out on everyone responsible for pulling/enabling/not stopping this, regardless of party affiliation.

More details to come…

For Immediate Release:

July 30, 2008

Contact: Dick Wadhams

Kelly Brady

(720) 377-1600

“U-TURN UDALL” DUCKS VOTE, RENEGES ON DEBATE PLEDGE

Had pledged to vote against adjournment for August recess until energy bill passed, fails to show up for vote today

ENGLEWOOD – Boulder Liberal Congressman Mark Udall reneged on a pledge to vote against an adjournment resolution until Congress passed an energy bill when he failed to show up for the vote today in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Udall’s vote could have killed the adjournment resolution since it passed by only one vote, 213-212.

“Boulder Liberal Mark Udall not only did not fulfill his pledge to vote against adjourning for the summer until an energy bill passed, he didn’t even bother to show up for the vote,” said Schaffer for Senate campaign manager Dick Wadhams.  “Boulder Liberal Udall’s u-turns are pretty common but this is extraordinarily low even by his standards.”

During a debate on Monday, July 28 at KDVR-TV Fox 31, Bob Schaffer challenged Udall to vote against adjourning for the summer recess until an energy bill was passed.  Udall agreed to the challenge.

Udall did not show up for any recorded votes yesterday, Tuesday, July 29 in the U.S. House of Representatives and failed to vote today on the adjournment resolution.  

“Apparently it wasn’t a priority for Boulder Liberal Udall to show up for the job he was elected to do this week before Congress goes on a month long vacation,” said Wadhams.  “While Coloradans continue to pay nearly $4 a gallon for gas, Boulder Liberal Udall didn’t think it was important enough this week to show up and fight for an increase in domestic oil exploration.”

“Boulder Liberal Udall decided to start his August vacation early by not showing up for work yesterday or this morning,” said Wadhams.

###

Tweet
Share

Comments

71 thoughts on “Udall Screwed By…Pelosi?”

  1. She has been an absolute disaster as Speaker.  Warrantless wiretapping, habeas corpus violations, generally giving BushCo a pass on their malfeasance.  And now this.  We need a new Speaker.

        1. was parasailing while underage girls were being forced to either have abortions or lose their sweatshop jobs.

          Somehow I just don’t think this is in the same league.

        1. …I’ll take anyone with a backbone.  For a former boxer, Harry seems to be wimp.

          I keep hearing that if McCain gets elected, it will be OK because the Democratic Congress will keep him under control.  They can’t stand up to the worst. pResident. ever., so I have my doubts they wouldn’t roll over for McCain too.  Especially with Harry and Nancy still running the show.

    3.    And who could forget Pelosi’s clutzy opening move (before she was even elected Speaker) to derail Hoyer’s election as Majority Leader with the notorious John Murtha (a man who just barely dodged a bullet in the Abscam scandal 28 years ago)?

        I’m assuming that Hoyer remembers and if the opportunity presents itself, he move against her.

  2. On a close vote, a politically important vote, to leave a Democrat running for a competitive statewide race twisting in the wind was Bush league.

    Tsk tsk Madame Speaker.

  3. But is Udall trying to give Schaffer’s campaign some legs on the one issue he’s vulnerable on?  

    What a nimrod . . .  He has all of August in front of him to raise some cash, why risk missing a vote he publicly promised to make to his opponent in a debate less than a week ago?  Why make the commitment in the first place?  

    Unbelievable.

      1. Being “enroute” is about the same as the old “getting caught in traffic” as far as DC goes.  What a tremendous load of fodder to hand 527s that can’t be disputed.  Promise in a debate two days ago broken, raising money instead of voting, not working on the one issue people are most pissed about.

        Seriously.  Nimrod.

        1. That this won’t be effective in ads and lit. It will be.

          The point remains, however, for those of us smart enough to look past the  lit and ads, that this isn’t necessarily Udall’s fault. And hey, at least he didn’t miss the vote because he wasn’t observing any forced abortions.

      1. ThillyRabbit, I’m not lapping up spin, I’m saying Udall has given the 527s at least one commercial that hits him on what is shaping up to be a potentially tough issue this cycle for Ds, gas prices.  

        I don’t personally give a shit if CD 2 gets its liberal vote in, I’m saying the masses are going to get commercials about the incident and Udall was stupid for making a gaffe when he’s coasting to the finish line.  Why give Schaffer legs he doesn’t have?

  4. ..you done screwed up.  Not enough to make me vote for your witless opponent, but….please.  This is amateurish.  Blame the whole world if you must, but don’t forget to look in the mirror (if only in soft lighting).

    1. But the secretary at the doctor’s office fails to inform you that she moved it to Wednesday, and forgets to tell the nurse as well (see Blunt, Roy), whose fault is it when you miss your appointment?

        1. deserves to be thrown under the bus. I doubt any Dem is going to waste money on ads, but expect her and Hoyer to be tarred and feathered in the Colorado press.

          Not that they will care. This is still flyover country for them. They think we’re a bunch of backwater hicks.

          1. to the Republicans.

            Haight-Ashbury scene … Nancy Pelosi fades in … “Mark Udall is mad as hell at Nancy Pelosi. Help him get out from under her thumb. Send him to the Senate.” (Sitar music fades out.)

      2. …or what, sweetness?

        None of your factual details is in the letter Udall wrote to Pelosi, other than the vote not being delayed in time for him to make to work from the airport.  His letter didn’t mention anything about the vote being rescheduled from Friday to Wednesday and any forgetful nurse or congressional aide.  Of course, these details may be true, but Udall either didn’t believe so or didn’t find them relevant enough to put in his whiny letter.

        1. That was an analogy, not a statement of fact (other than the fact that the minority whip also missed the vote). But then you knew that.

            1. Other votes were scheduled for Wednesday, but not until late afternoon. An adjournment vote was never on the schedule, it is generally brought up close to when they actually aim to adjourn, not several days beforehand as the first order of business.

              1. …at least according to you.  Once again I note that Udall didn’t mention that point in his letter to Pelosi…..which is strange given the obvious importance of that fact if true.

                1. and Udall’s not whining. The Speaker has the power to call votes whenever she wants, but members can also expect courtesy keeping the vote open if she knows they’re on their way from the airport.

                  1. …complaining about Pelosi’s calling the vote with essentially no notice and her not waiting for him to get to the office (which Udall did) is not whining, but complaining about her rescheduling the vote would’ve been whining?  These rarified distinctions elude my simpleton’s grasp.  

  5. Biggest political blunder of 2008 in Colorado.  One has to question whether he’s up for a campaign at this level.  Making a commitment to vote with his constituents and then not showing up?  Total disaster for Team Udall.  Score a couple touchdowns for Schaffer.  

    1. Something completely out of his control, like being on an AIRPLANE is the biggest blunder of 2008?

      Oh buddy the Schaffer campaign is desperately grasping for anything to distract voters from the issues that matter.

      This is more of the same lame gotcha politics from camp conservative.

      1. Is there any other kind this year?

        Making the vow in a televised debate, then not making sure he wouldn’t miss the vote (even with Pelosi’s erratic scheduling) was a blunder.

        But the biggest of 2008?

        How about citing the Mariana Islands as a “model” for U.S. immigration reform? Or compounding the stupidity by saying, “I did not observe a forced abortion”? Or proudly unveiling your first ad, only to discover Pikes Peak is really Mt. McKinley, and then burying the ad? Or beating up on the right-to-life crowd? Or lying to the press — repeatedly — about the circumstances surrounding the oil deal you brokered with the Kurds, in opposition to U.S. policy, thereby prolonging the war?

        There are bigger blunders out there than this.

          1. it’s the ad showing Udall making the promise in the debate, then their fancy graphics stamping MISSED THE VOTE, dissolve to montage of Boulder liberal fundraiser (sandals? white wine?), and a beleaguered soccer mom filling the tank while the kids cry in the minivan. “Can we trust Udall to keep his promises?”

            It’ll be effective, but not fatal.

            1. A secret cabal meeting behind closed doors– it’s Dick Cheney and the oil executives conspiring to make your gas prices $4, and then Schaffer voting for it. Then he voted for the Iraq war, just like Cheney asked, and then went there to prolong it by negotiating illegal oil contracts for profit.

              Then picture an ad with the planes hitting the twin towers. Dissolve to the towers collapsing. Voice over: the most important legislation Congress could pass to prevent another attack–strengthening cockpit doors to protect pilots from hijackers. Bob Schaffer was one of only nine members of Congress to vote against it. Bob Schaffer voted with the terrorists, and then voted to send over 4,000 Americans to die in Iraq for a war of choice. What kind of judgment is that?

              1. Just saying, Wadhams’s blustering press release isn’t the indicator whether this will have legs or be an effective attack. Udall needs to be ready to counter, not just blame Pelosi.  

                1. I am sure Schaffer or his big oil benefactors will have fun with this in debates and in ads. And I am sure Mark Udall will respond appropriately.

                  My guess is that Udall will take the bruises like a man–there’s no good way to unspill the milk on this. And then point out that there is no way Schaffer can unspill the milk on his dismal record when it comes to reducing our dependence on foreign oil or lowering gas prices, whereas Mark Udall has a well-established record of standing with consumers and writing and voting for legislation that would actually help reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

      2. To campaign in Colorado on Tuesday and part of Wednesday.  He skipped votes on Tuesday and didn’t get back in time.  How is this NOT Mark Udall’s fault?  

          1. True, she changed the time of the vote, but he should have had his sorry little butt in his Senate seat on Monday morning just so he wouldn’t miss the vote.  

          2. That’s why you sit in your DC office meeting with constituents when congress is in session.  Every single day congress is in session votes are changed in time and content.  They give you a good 20 minutes to walk from your office and vote.  Udall played with fire and got toasted on this one.  You can’t blame the Speaker for not accomodating his political schedule, she’s got 1,000 things more important on her mind than whether a single congressman can make a vote.  If she postpones it, she pisses off 10 other members who will then miss things.

              1. Now your just wearing your ignorance on your sleeve.  You’ve clearly never been in, or known someone, who has worked in congress.  Constituent meetings include every kind of person under the sun from all walks of life, not just lobbyists. They take up a good 70% of the staff’s time during a week when they are in session.

        2. And the first vote was not scheduled until late Wednesday afternoon. And it was not supposed to be a vote on adjournment, but a vote on an energy bill–which Mark Udall voted for, but Schaffer’s Republican buddies killed because they are far more interested in having $4 gas as a political football than actually helping America.

  6. Applies here as well. Wadhams is letting the crap flow, and for the media to regurgitate his sophomoric insults, is insulting to the voters.

    Let’s see if the press actually does their job, or just stenographs the Wadhams crap-release.  

  7. I am sorry my teenager knows better than to give me an excuse of, “Gee, I was late with my homework I just didn’t get it done in time.”

    As Judge Judy would say, Do I have stupid written on my forehead?”

    Udall is an adult if this was such an important vote for the people he represents he should have been there a day early!

    Is this the kind of man the people of Colorado want to represent them?  I think not.  

    None of your Liberal excuses and whining about how this will be used against Udall are unfounded.  

    Udall messed up, it was his fault and he should stand up like a man and admit his huge mistake.  

    If this had been a Republican that did this you all would be after his/her head on a platter.  So quit whining about Wadhams he is doing his job…getting rid of slacker Udall who did not do HIS JOB.

    And don’t blame Pelosi, she is not Udall’s mother and she is not responsible for Udall being where he should be… in Congress to Vote on behalf of the People of Colorado.

      1. It is obvious that cognitive reasoning, critical thinking and just plain ol’ common sense is not in the repertoire of sjintheknow.

        Back to the issue at hand, the actions of Pelosi are astounding and patently idiotic.  I know the Dems would like to dodge the energy issue until after the election, but by dodging it they only allow for additional fuel for GOP candidates campaigns and another 10 rounds of the same uninformed, incorrect and ignorant talkinng points of “Drill More” and other blatant lies like oil shale is the answer to our problems.  

        In addition to all of that, she threw a candidate for Senate under the bus on an issue that is his strong suit and the crux of his campaign.  This is just mind-blowingly stupid to me and shows the weakness of the Dems at the supposed top of the party.

        Oh, and as Judge Joe Brown would say, “Why the hell would you quote me, I am a television personality of no regard!”  

    2. That would be Thursday, since the vote was scheduled for Friday and changed while he was in the air.

      But I’ll be glad to compare who’s the “slacker.”

      Schaffer keeps finding himself on fact-finding missions, on the board of directors, or on trips to countries where American soldiers are fighting and dying. And he keeps missing what’s actually happening in any of those situations. His ineptitude leaves things worse than they were before he got involved, but his sponsors keep giving him more chances, because he follows orders without questioning them.

      Schaffer blames one after another — the nuns who didn’t show him abortions, the longtime crony who broke the law and snared Bob in a multimillion-dollar fraud, that pesky State Department. After enough of these mishaps, it’s clear: Schaffer himself is the common thread, and can’t be trusted to see what’s right in front of his eyes.

      Udall missed one vote. Schaffer keeps missing the boat — time and time again.  

  8. Whine, Whine, Whine, you know I am right…there is no excuse for missing a vote.  

    Answer this one what would you say if Schaffer had done this.  Try not to lie!  

    1. I’d say, why the hell is Schaffer trying to vote on the adjournment, he left Congress six years ago.

      Would you say anything different? Try not to lie!

    2. …why don’t you RUN for Congress on a platform of never missing a single vote and we’ll see how you manage to do if elected.  Mr. Sanctimonious.    

    4. Then who does Bob Schaffer blame for his missed votes in Congress? Activist nuns? Scott Shires?

      In the 107th Congress, the most recent of two Congresses when Udall and Schaffer served together, Schaffer missed 92 votes, or 9.2 percent — more than TWICE the Congressional average and nearly FOUR TIMES the 24 votes, or 2.4 percent, missed by Udall.

      Schaffer did better in the previous, 106th Congress, only missing 54 votes at 4.4 percent — but he still skipped almost FOUR TIMES as many votes as Udall, who missed 15 votes for 1.2 percent.

      If there’s no excuse for missing a vote, Schaffer has a lot more to answer for than Udall. What do you want to bet, though, he’ll come up with plenty of excuses.

  10. Pelosi and the rest of the dem leadership wanted this vote to pass exactly the way it did.  Not waiting for Udall was a great move…despite what Mark and the other 17 dems that wanted to thwart the adjournment res. wanted.

    That’s reality.  Deal with it.

  12. Is why the campaign is being so polite to Nancy Pelosi???  She screwed him, period.  He has nothing to lose by going ballistic on her and even swearing at her.  He isn’t going to be in the House next year and he probably won’t be in the Senate now.  He should just blow a gasket and tell us how he really feels about this.  And he must do it now and in TV commercials before The Little Penis has a chance to go up on the air.  He should look us all in the eye, tell us that he screwed up and that a screwed up system in Washington screwed him and us and then leave it be. It’s called innoculation.  Democrats don’t know how to do it, never have.  They’re too scared.  Udall, you have no choice now.  Man up and get this out of the way.  It’s your only hope.  But, I don’t think you have the balls to do it.

    1. I think you’re overstating the potential fallout from this. True, Udall missed a vote. Schaffer cast dozens of votes that put us in this situation. Does anyone think if he’d been in Congress this week, he wouldn’t have voted the same as he always has, against consumers and for oil companies?

      But you’re also right, Udall can do away with this quickly by admitting his blunder and getting on with it.

    1. …you can vote for McCain, who has missed a whole slew of votes because he had been campaigning and hobnobing with Big Wigs and probably playing a few rounds of golf.  Or maybe something else.  But hey, it’s OKIYAR.  

  14. When you boy Obama votes he says, “Present”!

    What does that mean?  Duh, someone need to tell Obama it is Yes or No…NOT Present!

    Gee, you all want Obama to be President vote “Present” in the write in portion of  your ballots follow your leader!  LOL,LOL,LOL

Leave a Comment

Recent Comments


Posts about

Donald Trump
SEE MORE

Posts about

Rep. Lauren Boebert
SEE MORE

Posts about

Rep. Yadira Caraveo
SEE MORE

Posts about

Colorado House
SEE MORE

Posts about

Colorado Senate
SEE MORE

69 readers online now

Newsletter

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay in the loop with regular updates!