Coyote Gulch

Monday, May 24, 2004

2004 Presidential Election
Here's an analysis of President Bush's problems 5 months before the election from the Denver Post [May 24, 2004, "It's Iraq, stupid, that's hurting Bush"]. From the article, "(That leaves) the Bush administration's inability to bring stability and security to Iraq, as the central cause of his current problems. He has done all he can to pump the economy with deficit spending and tax cuts. Iraq is what he has to fix."
Transcript of General Zinni's appearance on 60 Minutes last night.
Update: The Wall Street Journal had the rundown for the battleground states. Check out the cool graphics (The WSJ seems to be Slashdotted, it took a few seconds to load the whole page). States that are in President Bush's column today (according to Zogby International), are Arkansas, Iowa, Tennessee and West Virginia. Senator Kerry leads in Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington (Go Will!), and Wisconsin. Thanks to the Daily Kos for the link.
Update: Meanwhile, BlogsForBush is pointing out that employment numbers from the battleground states is looking up.
Update: CBS: "Even though opinions of Bush's Democratic challenger, Senator John Kerry, haven't changed much, Bush's troubles have given Kerry a clear lead in the horserace -- if the November election were being held today. Independent voters seem to have been especially affected. Overall, 49 percent of registered voters now say they would vote for Kerry, 41 percent for Bush."
Update: Bob Whitson: "President George Bush's bid to stop international action to combat global warming faces failure this weekend, as he is left more isolated than ever before both at home and abroad. Russia's President Vladimir Putin - who will effectively decide whether the Kyoto Protocol stands or falls - announced on Friday that his country would 'rapidly move towards ratification' in the wake of a complex deal with the European Union." Whitson has the best header graphic on the web.
7:02:49 AM

Colorado Water
Here's a story about the complications around a new pipeline proposal for Colorado Spring from the Denver Post [May 24, 2004, "Aurora is water deal's valve"]. From the article, "After years of complicated water trades, legal maneuvers and government bureaucracy, Colorado Springs is poised to see a clear path for its Southern Delivery System, a $900 million pipeline to bring to the city water it already owns in Pueblo Reservoir 43 miles away. But to get the deal through, Colorado Springs must appease Pueblo and Aurora, both with water rights in the river - and the clout to tie up the deal in court."
There won't be a release of extra water for the Colorado River near Grand Junction for the 5th year in a row, according to the Rocky Mountain News [May 24, 2004, "Fish denied extra water for 5th year"]. From the article, "The additional flows, when available, help scour out new habitat for the fish in a crucial 15-mile stretch of river near Grand Junction. But this is the fifth year the fish will miss out on the surplus water, said George Smith with the Endangered Fish Recovery Program...When available, the voluntary water releases come from Lake Granby, Dillon Reservoir, Green Mountain Reservoir, Wolford Reservoir, Williams Fork Reservoir and Ruedi Reservoir. The flows primarily benefit two of the four federally protected fish in the Upper Colorado Basin - the razorback sucker and the Colorado pikeminnow."
6:33:23 AM

Denver November 2004 Election
Ken Salazar has agreed to debate Mike Miles following Salazar's loss of the topline ballot position at Saturday's Democratic State Assembly, according to the Rocky Mountain News [May 24, 2004, "Salazar will debate"]. From the article, "Miles, a school administrator from Fountain running on a liberal platform, topped Salazar by 100 votes among delegates at the state party convention in Pueblo on Saturday. The victory gives the first-time candidate top billing on the primary ballot. It was a big upset. Salazar is Colorado's attorney general, and many party officials believe his rural background and centrist positions give state Democrats their best chance in a decade to win a Senate seat. Salazar knocked out some big-name candidates when he entered the race to succeed the retiring Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell. He ran an aggressive early ad campaign and his campaign chairman said Thursday there was "no way" Miles would win at the convention. Miles cherished his stunner on Sunday."
Here's the coverage from the Denver Post [May 24, 2004, "Salazar, Miles embrace debates"]. From the article, "But Saturday's assembly did not represent Salazar's broader base, Carpenter said. Dennis Kucinich - the liberal Democrat holdout running for president - won 32 percent of the vote at the assembly, Carpenter noted." The Denver Post editorial staff writes about the Senate Race [May 24, 2004, "Democratic Senate race catches fire"].
Jim Spencer asks Has Goliath Stumbled? in his column in today's Denver Post [May 24, 2004, "Miles' upset wasn't in Dems' plans"].
The Rocky Mountain News editorial staff weighs in on the controversy around Roman Catholics, abortion, and their votes [May 24, 2004, "When do bishops cross the church-state line?"]. From the editorial, "Such criticism represents a misunderstanding of religious liberty as it has existed under the First Amendment. Chaput is a Catholic bishop who made his now controversial statements in a Catholic publication addressing fellow Catholics about moral issues of singular importance to his church. Is he supposed to whisper personally in each Catholic's ear so no one who might disagree with his message will notice and take offense? What kind of religious freedom is it where religious leaders aren't free to say that someone who professes certain views is no longer a member in good standing of that faith?"
From e-mail from Bob Schaffer's campaign:
Just a reminder, tonight is the first live debate, between Bob Schaffer and Pete Coors, Marriott at Hampden and I-25, 6:30-7:30pm
6:27:56 AM

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