June 15, 2009 06:46 AM UTC

Everybody's Doing It

• 4 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

The Denver Post’s Dan Haley takes note of all the spontaneous loving going on:

Consider the ad in last week’s Post by a trade group, praising Ritter for supporting biotech industries and thus creating high-wage jobs. It had a huge photo of the guv under the heading “Bill Ritter understands Colorado’s economy.”

First, let me go on the record to say I am in favor of most any group that pays to put a large ad in the paper. But this one had campaign ad written all over it – without, of course, having “campaign ad” written all over it…

Then I heard Josh Penry, a GOP state senator from Grand Junction, in an ad on Denver radio this past week, telling listeners to spend more time with their kids or they might run off and do drugs or drink or run for public office. It was paid for by the American Beverage Association.

The West Slope politician seemed like an odd choice to be a spokesman on that topic in this market. That is, until you consider he may run for governor and needs to raise his name recognition with Front Range voters.

Haley concludes that campaign finance restrictions are responsible for these well timed Pete Coors style public service announcements and outpourings of affection from consultant-incestuous trade groups, and should either be lived with, loopholes and all, or (Haley’s preference) done away with entirely. We’d say the best example of such transparent campaign ads was last year’s “Thanks, Bob” spot of smiling kids thanking Bob Schaffer for their charter schools, but before the next election that knee-deep effluent record will probably get broken. Haley:

I imagine it’s only a matter of days before some group is buying ads for Scott McInnis, who’s also running for governor, to pitch the virtues of baseball or apple pie.