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November 14, 2018 03:40 PM UTC

MUST-HEAR AUDIO: Former Leader of Colo GOP Explodes In Talk-Radio Battle Over Gardner

  • 35 Comments
  • by: Jason Salzman

(Let it begin – Promoted by Colorado Pols)

Sen. Cory Gardner (R).

In a volcanic eruption and tsunami on KNUS radio Monday, Colorado’s former Republican leader defended U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner from accusations that the first-term senator is a “total [whore] for the Chamber of Commerce,” a “Mitch McConnell stooge,” and, “just like” U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, a “traitor to every [position] he held in 2010.”

“[Gardner] has been a chamber guy from day one, and he runs with Mitch McConnell,” shouted Chuck Bonniwell, a Republican talk radio host who’s also the publisher of the Cherry Creek/Glendale Chronicle.

“[Gardner] voted for, and was a day-in-day-out defender of the tax cuts,” responded Wadhams. “He has been a defender of deregulation. He’s been the defender of Trump’s foreign policy. So, tell me, where has Cory fallen down, as U. S. Senator for Trump?”

Wadhams continued to criticize Trump and try to convince Bonniwell that Gardner, while imperfect, is a good Republican who deserves GOP support.

WADHAMS: I’ve got to tell you, I am frankly tired of people crapping on Cory Gardner, because–

BONNIWELL: Of course you are! Because he deserves it!

WADHAMS: No, he doesn’t. He doesn’t.

BONNIWELL: And the truth hurts! The truth hurts.

WADHAMS: Is he a perfect perfect Senator? No. But you know what? He has been there time after time.

Wadhams tried to make the case that Republicans won’t find a better candidate than Gardner.

WADHAMS: Is there any other Republican who can win a general election in 2020 — other than Cory Gardner — for the United States Senate? [It’s a] very specific question. Answer it!

BONNIWELL: Is anybody going to have the money he’s going to have from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce?

WADHAMS: I ask again, do you think–?

BONNIWELL: If you give him the money — if you give somebody good the money of Cory Gardner–.

WADHAMS: And who is ‘somebody good?’ I mean, let me hear this wonderful candidate.

Bonniwell eventually suggested that Gardner be replaced GOP State House Minority Leader Patrick Neville of Castle Rock. Or his father, State Sen. Tim Neville (R- Littleton), who was trounced out of office on last week.

The conversation went up and down from there.

But to get a real understanding of it, you have to listen to the audio below.

Better than any book or TV show you can find, the audio exposes in 10 minutes the tinder-box state of the Republican Party both in Colorado and nationally.

Don’t miss it. (Don’t cheat and read the transcript below, because the audio is far superior.)

PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT OF WADHAMS’ APPEARANCE ON KNUS 710-AM’S CHUCK AND JULIE SHOW NOV. 12.

WADHAMS: I like Trump. I like the tax cuts. I like the judicial nominations. I like deregulation. I like his defense of Israel. I like so many things about Donald Trump.

BONNIWELL: What?

WADHAMS: But dammit! He is a liability here in Colorado, and if you want to stick your head in the sand, Chuck, and decide that we can somehow get around that in this election, you’re wrong!

BONNIWELL: So, what do you recommend for Cory Gardner? To do the Mike Coffman routine? [facetiously] Why doesn’t he do the Mike Coffman routine?

WADHAMS: No! No! Well, no! Let’s talk about Cory Gardner.

BONNIWELL: Yeah!

WADHAMS: What has Cory done as a U.S. Senator?

BONNIWELL: Nothing!

WADHAMS: [00:00:41] He voted [for] and publicly defended — day in, day out — the two nominations for the Supreme Court, Kavanaugh and Gorsuch. Yes, he did!

BONNIWELL: [00:00:47] [unintelligible] OK. Where was he? I saw where Lindsey Graham was! Here, this is Cory Gardner! [plays audio from “Meet the Press” with Chuck Todd].

AUDIO FROM ‘MEET THE PRESS’: [00:00:53] “Do you think it’s necessary — do you think Mueller needs protection? Mitch McConnell does not.” […]

WADHAMS: [00:00:58] That’s a whole different issue, Chuck! Shut that off! Shut it off, because it makes no difference. That is not –.

HAYDEN: [00:01:05] [laughs in the background].

HAYDEN: [00:01:07] Here, you can set it –. Here, I’m going to shut Chuck’s mic off and let–.

BONNIWELL: [00:01:08] No, you’re not.

WADHAMS: [00:01:08] May I continue? Or do you not want to hear what Cory Gardner has been doing for Donald Trump?

BONNIWELL: [00:01:13] Oh, yeah, tell us about Cory Gardner.

WADHAMS: [00:01:13] Okay, he voted for, and was a day in, day out defender of the tax cuts. He has been a defender of deregulation. He’s been the defender of Trump’s foreign policy. So, tell me, where has Cory fallen down, as U. S. Senator for Trump?

BONNIWELL: [00:01:28] Okay! Open borders! He’s a total [whore] for the Chamber of Commerce.

WADHAMS: [00:01:33] Oh, give me a break!

BONNIWELL: [00:01:34] He is owned and operated by the Chamber, and Mitch McConnell! He’s a Mitch McConnell stooge.

WADHAMS: [00:01:35] So, one issue. One issue?

BONNIWELL: [00:01:35] One issue?

WADHAMS: [00:01:35] And by the way, he’s not for open borders. He’s not for open–.

BONNIWELL: [00:01:35] How about tariffs? He is for open borders!

WADHAMS: [00:01:43] He has been critical of the tariffs.

BONNIWELL: [00:01:46] Yes! He has been a Chamber guy from day one and he runs with Mitch McConnell.

WADHAMS: [00:01:50] Well, why don’t you talk to all these small businesses and farmers and ranchers in Colorado who are being hurt by those tariffs?

BONNIWELL: [00:01:54] Well, okay! So, let’s screw the middle class! Let’s do a globalist agenda and destroy the middle class!

WADHAMS: [00:02:01] Yeah, well, — well, let’s keep–.

BONNIWELL: [00:02:01] What would you think about what they did to Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin?

WADHAMS: [00:02:07] Chuck, let’s keep talking about Cory Gardner. I want to ask right now. Are you going to oppose him for re-election?

BONNIWELL: [00:02:11] I hope somebody runs aga–. Am I going to oppose him? No, I’m going help him with the same enthusiasm I did Walker Stapleton, which is I’ll hold my nose, I’ll puke, because he is a traitor to everything he held with 2010. I remember,– just like Coffman! You know what Coffman did to me? He came up to me and said, “You know, Tom Tancredo–.” This is back when he first ran.

WADHAMS: [00:02:28] I don’t want to talk –.

BONNIWELL: [00:02:30] Oh, come on!

WADHAMS: [00:02:30] We’re talking about Gardner, for God’s sake!

BONNIWELL: [00:02:31] It’s the same person! It’s the same person!

WADHAMS: [00:02:34] No! Okay, so, if he’s opposed in the primary, are you going to vote for his opponent?

BONNIWELL: [00:02:38] Oh, God, yes! Oh, anybody!

WADHAMS: [00:02:39] Really? Do you think anybody else can win that seat, other than Cory Gardner?

BONNIWELL: [00:02:42] I think — no–

HAYDEN: [00:02:44] No.

BONNIWELL: [00:02:44] But I think he can give him a little bit of a scare, though. I think he can kind of go, “Oh, wait a minute, I can’t drive anybody out [to vote].”

WADHAMS: [00:02:49] No, no, no, no, no! Is there any other Republican who can win a general election in 2020 — other than Cory Gardner — for the United States Senate? [It’s a] very specific question. Answer it!

BONNIWELL: [00:02:56] Is anybody going to have the money he’s going to have from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce?

WADHAMS: [00:02:59] I ask again, do you think–?

BONNIWELL: [00:03:03] If you give him the money — if you give somebody good the money of Cory Gardner–.

WADHAMS: [00:03:05] And who is ‘somebody good?’ I mean, let me hear this wonderful candidate.

BONNIWELL: [00:03:09] Who is somebody good? I don’t know. You know the Republicans.

WADHAMS: [00:03:10] Yeah! Gee, isn’t that intertesting? You can’t name the candidate.

BONNIWELL: [00:03:11] You! You ought to–.

WADHAMS: [00:03:11] Let me tell you, the future of this Party —. And I’ve got to tell you, I am frankly tired of people crapping on Cory Gardner, because –.

BONNIWELL: [00:03:20] Of course you are! Because he deserves it!

WADHAMS: [00:03:22] No, he doesn’t. He doesn’t.

BONNIWELL: [00:03:23] And the truth hurts! The truth hurts.

WADHAMS: [00:03:24] Is he a perfect perfect Senator? No. But you know what? He has been there time after time. And if–.

BONNIWELL: [00:03:30] Was he there for the Republican Party in Alabama, when he threatened to take their vote and quash it?

WADHAMS: [00:03:33] Oh, for a guy who hits on young girls? Oh, you bet!

BONNIWELL: [00:03:33] Oh! [facetiously] Yeah, you don’t want that! No, you don’t want any heterosexuals anymore!

WADHAMS: [00:03:42] Geez! Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.

BONNIWELL: [00:03:44] Hits on younger women! Oh, my gosh! How about Elvis and everybody else?

WADHAMS: [00:03:47] Boy, I’m sure glad we’re we’re basing our decision on Cory Gardner on one state with a flawed Republican candidate.

BONNIWELL: [00:03:52] That he destroyed.

WADHAMS: [00:03:54] Thank God!

HAYDEN: [00:03:55] Let me — now — I get to talk!

BONNIWELL: [00:03:55] Well, thank God — that’s the Republican Party! The Establishment wants to destroy everybody that doesn’t go with their deal!

WADHAMS: [00:04:00] I want to know. You don’t like Cory. Tell me the person who would be a better candidate to win a U.S. Senate race in 2020. Who is it?

BONNIWELL: [00:04:08] I don’t know. Pick out some Nevilles!

WADHAMS: [00:04:09] Well, wait a minute! You have been trashing Cory Gardner for a year!

BONNIWELL: [00:04:09] Pick a Neville! Patrick Neville! Patrick Neville!

WADHAMS: Patrick Neville? Are you starting the Patrick Neville draft program now?

BONNIWELL: Yeah! He’d be great! You hate him, too?

WADHAMS: I like Patrick Neville.

BONNIWELL: No, you don’t!

WADHAMS: I do, too. I’ve known the family for years. They’re neighbors of mine!

BONNIWELL: [unintelligible] for you! You can’t stand him! You haven’t known the family for years!

WADHAMS: I have!

BONNIWELL: Tim has got lot’s of time on his hands. He’s a great conservative!

HAYDEN: Look at all the phones going!

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35 thoughts on “MUST-HEAR AUDIO: Former Leader of Colo GOP Explodes In Talk-Radio Battle Over Gardner”

  1. I wonder.  If they think (pick a Neville, any Neville) would be a good choice to replace Gardner as a US Senate candidate because Gardner would go down like Coffman for not being pure enough for them, why do they think Pa Neville got absolutely pasted in his reelection?

    1. I am sure the Tinfoil Hat crowd has an explanation for Pa Neville's fate

      (A) The liberals bought the election for Tammy Story with George Soros' money.

      (B)  Too many illegal immigrants voted in SD 16.

      (C)  Unspecified "fraud" occurred. (Check with Rick Scott for specifics.)

      (D)  All of the above. 

  2. Couldn't listen to the audio – the only voice worse in Denver radio is Craig Silverman. But to try and listen to second and third worse – nah.

    Besides, Boniwell is a tool. It doesn't help him that he's right on Gardner – who screwed him. I can't understand why he's surprised.

    Elway, Kroenke, Dealin Doug, and a dozen others would be better senators for Chuck.

    Of course, he loves the Nevilles. I'm a little surprised he doesn't want Tipton or Lamborn. 

  6. Goodness how stupid are Republicans??? 

    I will be supporting the D-candidate in 2020, but WADHAMS is right – Cory has carried as much water as he can for the GOP. I will also give Cory credit that he’s one of few US Senators who stood up for marijuana legalization. No R can raise as much as Cory in 2020, and few have the depth to navigate the Senate chamber with the precision he has done it with. To also be tasked with running the NRSC in just 4 years is a pretty large accomplishment and speaks to positive influence. 

    As usual – tea party morons want the guy with emotion, who yells a lot. Sometimes I don’t even know if they know what they really support, other than just brutal disagreement with progress. 

    My main point – Cory deserves a fierce general election. But any republican who is not pleased with his record right now needs their head examined. 

    1. Goodness how stupid are Republicans???

      That is like asking, "How high is up?"

      As for running the NRSC, both parties usually select a fairly new senator to run that committee. Remember, Michael Bennet was running the Democratic Party's counterpart to the NRSC during his first term.

  7. Ali is right.  Cory may not be much, but he's far and away the best the Republicans have right now.  The Nevilles and Buck are jokes — and bad jokes at that.

          1. Careful, Duke! You're liable to put them up to it. Who knows what lowlife GOPers might be lurking on this site? They sure can't seem to think of a credible candidate on their own.

            1. It's funny how that works, skinny. In the Republican party, cream has never risen to the top of the milk can. It defies laws of physics, actually.

              The really sharp thinkers in Republican politics are busy making money. They content themselves with elevating marginally literate, easily trainable, critters to elected office. The process of rising through a local Republican party weeds out all but the most malleable of knuckleheads. By the time they get to a position like state house speaker, they are ready to stink the place up. 

              Cory can only hope Penry would give it a shot. They used to be friends, so it is probably unlikely. And, I don't think Josh is interested. Politics beat him up pretty badly. He seems to be doing well in his lobbyist role.

              2. In the Republican party, cream has never risen to the top of the milk can

                True enough, but a turd will often float to the top.

                As for Penry, he was beaten up pretty badly. How does one get over being pushed aside for the likes of Scott McInnis?

                Ditto, Marc Holtzman, another up-and-coming next generation Republican pushed aside for the likes of Both Ways Bob.

  8. Gardner has been a strong supporter of re-authorization of the Land & Water Conservation Fund. If you have nice parks and playgrounds in your area; or some nice trails; chances are that LWCF money was used. Gardner also worked hard with Hickenlooper and Bennet to bring the Outdoor Retailer shows to Denver.

    Early in his term, he was the only Western Senate Republican to vote against a non-binding resolution to turn over our federal public lands to states, like Utah.

    And when Trump & Zinke were on their witch hunt early last year to gut any large national monument created by Clinton or Obama, Gardner stood up to them for keeping Canyons of the Ancients National Monument in SW Colorado away from the "hunt."

    Is Gardner perfect on my conservation issues? No. He went with the oil & gas interests in trying to gut Obama's methane release rule. Gardner also has yet to follow in the footsteps of former Republican senators Armstrong, Brown, Allard in supporting wilderness bills. So, yes, he has work to do in 2019. 

      1. Michael: can't be a Democrat. Remember my definition of a liberal: "someone who devises creative ways to spend other peoples' money.

        Hoping life is good out in “prairie stan.”

        1. It’s a mixed bag down on the farm these days. The effects of Trump’s trade war are real; we’re also looking at the possibility of fully de-scheduling hemp and finally unlocking the full potential of the plant. All this as we watch small towns struggle with survival, opioid crisis, etc. while drowning in the very natural resources that could build a 21st-century rural economy. 

          We’ll have to agree to disagree on which party’s agenda sucks from the many to give to the few. In the meantime I’m not going to insist you become a Democrat, just vote for them! 😎

        2. CHB:  And what is the GOP-generated trillion dollar deficit if not "creative ways to spend other peoples' money"?

          We need another Democrat in the White House (or an Eisenhower Republican, but I repeat myself) to rein in the deficits just like Clinton and Obama did.  Progressive tax hikes and infrastructure investments, just like Ike did 60 years ago, instead of waiting for billionaires and corporations to benevolently "trickle down" their trillion dollar tax gift.

          …the same logic applies to tax rates: There aren’t many potential business investments that will be worth doing with a 21 percent profits tax, the current rate, but weren’t worth doing at 35 percent, the rate before the Trump tax cut.

          Also, a substantial fraction of corporate profits really represents rewards to monopoly power, not returns on investment — and cutting taxes on monopoly profits is a pure giveaway, offering no reason to invest or hire.

          1. Davie: my base comment was about Cory Gardner's environmental record. My exchange with Michael was a bit of light hearted repartee. 

            You're essentially asking me if I am defending Trump. When have I ever defended the orange haired fool and Russian tool (notice the rhyme?)? If you want a conservative Trump defender, look to Moderatus or Powerful Pear.

            1. To jump to Banger's defense, I know he hates Trump and he is aghast at what much of his party has become.  Nothing he said with respect to Gardner is factually inaccurate, and honestly, if more GOPers today were like him, I'd sleep better at night.  Because I may have my differences with him on policy, but he's not an unhinged fascist or a religious zealot, nor is he an enabler of them. 

            2. Hi CHB – Apologies — I was just responding to your definition of a liberal.  I thought it ironic given the GOP's spendthriftness when given the slightest opening over the last 40 years.  I didn't mean it as an attack on you or your fiscal principles.  

        3. Then there's my definition of a conservative: a civil libertarian who hasn't been indicted yet.  Ask Ollie North how he feels about the fifth amendment these days.

  9. Who would ever guess that the publisher of that scurrilous rag The Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle, the person responsible for keeping Peter Broyles in ink, is a flaming lunatic? 

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