Coyote Gulch

Friday, January 23, 2004

2004 Presidential Election
The Daily Kos takes a look at the latest tracking poll numbers from New Hampshire.
TalkLeft and other members of the Technorati will be part of a live radio show, Sunday night, the Blogging of the President.
Josh Marshall: "I've always thought that the Internet funding model which Dean spearheaded and Clark picked up, changes the dynamic in a fundamental way. In the past the problem was always that longshot candidates would do well in New Hampshire and come out of the state with tons of momentum. But they just didn't have the time to translate newfound support into political giving and they got worn down over the following weeks by better funded and better organized candidates. That happened to Hart in 1984 and to an extent to McCain in 2000 ... With Internet fund-raising I don't think it works quite that way any more. I think it creates a much more frictionless universe of political giving where a big rush of support could be quickly harvested in the form of political cash."
Merlin, writing on The American Kestrel, wonders, are the conservatives re-thinking George Bush?
6:00:12 PM

Denver November 2004 Election
Voters can expect a media blitz from supporters of FasTracks, according to the Denver Post [January 23, 2004, "FasTracks sales pitch could cost $3 million"]. From the article, "An advertising and marketing campaign to win public support for RTD's $4.7 billion FasTracks transit expansion plan could cost up to $3 million, with at least half the money needed to buy costly television ads ... Businesses that support RTD's proposal will be asked to contribute money for a pro-FasTracks marketing campaign aimed at ensuring voter approval, political consultant Maria Garcia Berry told business and civic leaders on Thursday. Berry pegged the cost of the campaign at between $2.2 million and $3 million, with much of that going to TV advertising. She and her firm, CRL Associates Inc., have been hired by a nonprofit group, Citizens for FasTracks Success, to run the marketing campaign. Berry was a featured speaker at a FasTracks forum sponsored by the DIA Partnership, an economic development group in the northeast metro area ... Other panelists at Thursday's event included RTD Assistant General Manager Liz Rao, Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer, Brighton Mayor Jan Pawlowski, Commerce City economic development director Jason Melfi, Peter Chapman, senior aide to Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, and Bill Vidal, executive director of the Denver Regional Council of Governments."
Here's the coverage from the Rocky Mountain News.
Update: From e-mail from the Rocky Mountain News, "A three-judge federal panel rejected a GOP challenge over Colorado's congressional redistricting map today, upholding a state Supreme Court ruling." I don't know if the seals the deal but Denver voters know what Congressional District 1 looks like anyway. Here's a map from the State of Colorado that was upheld by the State Supreme court. This was the map used in the 2002 election and likely will be the one used this fall.
Here's the coverage from the Rocky Mountain News [january 23, 2004, "Judges reject GOP redistricting"].
Update: Lauren Gelman: "But let's not relegate the Internet's impact on American elections to a footnote just yet." Thanks to Dave Winer for the link.
6:07:18 AM

Colorado Water
The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and Club 20 met together Thursday in a joint session, according to the Denver Post [January 23, 2004, "Study: Area must find water sources - soon"]. They were told that delaying the construction of new storage facilities would escalate the cost (surprise?) and that continuing down the present path might lead to the Denver Aquifer's depletion within 30 years.
Here's the coverage of the meeting from the Rocky Mountain News [January 23, 2004, "Surplus water eyed"]. Chips Barry, Manager of Denver Water, is quoted as saying, "In wet years, Denver has more water than it can use, (but) Douglas County has to indicate that they will pay for the big upfront costs." Thanks Mr. Barry for looking out for the Denver Water rate payers.
Update: Colorado Luis: "The aftereffects of last year's Referendum A campaign are still being felt within the Republican Party, which showed itself to be divided between its Front Range and rural constituencies over water issues."
6:01:26 AM

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