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October 24, 2005 08:00 AM UTC

O'Donnell Criticized for C&D Absence

  • 7 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

Republican Rick O’Donnell is taking heat today in advance of his fundraiser with Vice President Dick Cheney for disappearing in the midst of the campaign for Referenda C&D. O’Donnell has tried to avoid the discussion about C&D altogether, fearing perhaps that he might anger his Republican base by supporting the referenda out of obligation to Governor Bill Owens. In O’Donnell’s only public comments on C&D a month ago, he botched his response and ended up sounding weak-minded, which may be part of his reluctance to speak out again.

Today, the Rocky Mountain News has a story about O’Donnell returning to the U.S. for his Cheney fundraiser from a three-week trip in Europe:


Rick O’Donnell, a Republican candidate for Congress and head of Colorado’s colleges, is under fire from Democrats for going to Europe this month for a fellowship and returning for a fund-raiser tonight with Vice President Dick Cheney.

Critics questioned why O’Donnell, director of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, would leave the country during the peak of campaigning for Referendum C. Voters in one week will decide the fate of the tax measure, which is expected to boost funding for colleges.

O’Donnell said today he applied for and was accepted to the fellowship last year, before Referendum C was put on this year’s ballot and before he knew he would be running for Congress. “They’re whining,” he said of Democrats’ criticism. “That’s just politics.”

O’Donnell critics are smart to make noise about this, given his position as the director of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, and he should have come up with a better excuse for why he went into a hole on C&D. O’Donnell has proven to be a prodigious fundraiser, but his political instincts could use some work. He’ll probably get away with skirting the issue on C&D since the election is so far out, but he’ll have a hard time winning this seat if he continues to let himself get painted as spineless.

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7 thoughts on “O’Donnell Criticized for C&D Absence”

  1. Perlmutter is holding a media availability at Invesco related to this issue.

    Here is a quote from a press release sent out by the Perlmutter campaign:

    “I find it extremely curious that Rick would interrupt his European tour for one day to stand with Dick Cheney at a campaign fundraiser,” said Ed Perlmutter.  “I want to ask Rick, rather than return to Europe, stay in Colorado and campaign with me and others in support of referenda C&D, which are critical to the survival of the higher education system he was appointed to lead.”

  2. Rick O’Donnell is too afraid to take a firm stand on C & D … he might offend someone and lose a vote.
    Politics before principle.

    But he’ll stand next to and support a chickenhawk warmonger tonight if he can raise several thousand dollars in campaign contributions.
    Politics before principle.

    I am a Progressive … and I’ve taken a stand on C & D that might surprise some folks.
    For me, it is ‘Principle BEFORE Politics’. Take a read for yourself:

    http://www.davechandler.us/2005/10/2005_c_d.html

    or

    http://www.DaveChandler.us

  3. Guess what!
    On November 2 when C & D fail the sun will still come up. Ricky O has such a top team that he gets
    to pick up a bundle of cash while making calls from Europe. This guy is a winner. All Rick needs to do is issue a “shocked and saddened” statement and no one will blame him for anything that happens. But, he gets to keep the money either way.
    Besides the only indictment is likely to be for that feminist icon, Judith Miller.

  4. I don’t fault ROD on this… he’s just running the same camapign BB does in the 7th – take on no hard issues, make no one mad, and walk in the center (at least publically).

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