Coyote Gulch

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Elected county clerk for Denver?
Jan Tyler (former Denver Election Commissioner) makes her case against the charter change we'll all be voting on in the January 30th special election in today's Rocky Mountain News. She writes, "Surprise! Denver is hosting an emergency election on Jan. 30. Why so fast? City leaders are hoping to capitalize on voter anger about the Election Day debacle of 2006. And they don't want to give voters time to consider fully the merits of their so-called solution. For instance, they don't want voters to dwell on the fact that the city has hired Sequoia Voting Systems to provide ballots and other services for this election. Sequoia was responsible for the shoddy e-pollbook software that broke down last November, making voters wait for up to three hours at the polls. Sequoia was responsible for incorrectly printing and mailing 44,000 absentee ballots with the 'yes' and 'no' boxes transposed. Sequoia was responsible for misprinting bar codes on absentee ballots, delaying the vote count for weeks after the election. Sequoia was responsible, but city leaders refuse to hold Sequoia accountable."

Be sure to read the whole article. Here's the link to NoCharterChange.org, Ms. Tyler's website.

9:13:37 AM

Tancredo for president?
U.S. Congressman Tom Tancredo is still testing the waters for a presidential run in 2008, according to the Denver Post. From the article, "Rep. Tom Tancredo is in Iowa this weekend assessing whether he should formally announce a plan to run for president. 'What comes out of this weekend will determine whether or not he sets up an exploratory committee,' Tancredo spokesman Carlos Espinosa said. Tancredo, R-Littleton, is in the state to publicize his book, 'In Mortal Danger.' But while he's there, he's talking to Republican leaders in the state. Tancredo often talks about running for president to publicize the immigration issue. If he decides to announce, Espinosa said, it's because he cares so much about the cause, and not because he thinks he can win election. 'Any bid that Tom would put up, it would be fighting for third place,' Espinosa said. 'Third place would be a huge victory for Tom Tancredo.' He's eyeing Iowa because, in his view, there are only two Republican front-runners who plan to compete in the caucus there: Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney."
"2008 pres"
9:05:58 AM

Allard for U.S. Senate?
Will U.S. Senator Wayne Allard run for another term? That's a big question right now in Colorado politics, according to the Denver Post. From the article, "Sen. Wayne Allard has made up his mind about whether he will seek a third term in 2008, but he's keeping his decision secret a bit longer. Only Allard and his wife know his plans, press secretary Steve Wymer said Friday, confirming a report posted Thursday on Congressional Quarterly's website, CQPolitics.com. Allard has not said when he will announce his choice. His decision has major implications for Colorado, the Senate and the Republican Party. 'It's a big deal for the Republican Party because they're facing another tough election cycle and they want all their incumbents running,' said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. 'And it's Colorado, which has been rapidly moving from the Republican column into the Democratic column.' Allard's seat has been called one of the nation's most competitive for 2008, regardless of whether he runs again. Jennifer Duffy, an analyst with the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, puts it in the three most closely contested Senate races nationwide."
"denver 2008"
9:03:11 AM

Richardson for president?

Here's an article about New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson from The Albuquerque Tribune. They write, "It's just 450 miles and 20 months until the big shindig for the Dems. As in, the Democratic National Convention. As in, the convention at which Richardson could be crowned as the party's nominee in the 2008 race for the White House. 'This isn't just a win for Denver and Colorado, but for the whole mountain west,' Richardson said in a statement. 'From Montana to New Mexico, the West is the most fertile ground for Democrats. The Denver convention in 2008 will only further these efforts.' Richardson pushed for Denver to be the host city, and for Washington Democrats to recognize the West as a key area for the party. Democrats in recent years have gained ground in western states, historically seen as a conservative area."
"2008 pres"
8:50:12 AM

McCain for president?
James Dobson has come out against a John McCain Candidacy, according to the WorldNetDaily. From the article, "A prominent Christian leader whose radio and magazine outreaches are solidly in support of biblically-based marriages - and keep in touch with millions of constituents daily - says he cannot consider Arizona Sen. John McCain a viable candidate for president. 'Speaking as a private individual, I would not vote for John McCain under any circumstances,' said James Dobson, founder of the Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family as well as the Focus Action cultural action organization set up specifically to provide a platform for informing and rallying constituents."
"2008 pres"
8:40:45 AM

Governor Ritter: I believe the days of the transmountain diversion are over

Here's an article about Governor Ritter and issues important to the rainy side of Colorado, from the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. From the article, "Gov. Bill Ritter said in a Friday interview with The Daily Sentinel's editorial board that he will strive to make his metro-centric Cabinet more geographically diverse as he progresses through his four or eight years in office...

"He said, based on his experiences campaigning on the Western Slope, he made an understanding of watershed drilling a requirement for the top-level positions that deal with those areas...

"Ritter said the failure of Referendum A, which would have given the green light to $2 billion in unspecified water projects, sparked a rethinking of water issues in Colorado. He said the focus has been on encouraging reuse, water-storage projects and conservation methods and not transmountain diversions. 'I believe the days of the transmountain diversion are over,' Ritter said."
"colorado water"
8:37:11 AM

Coyote Gulch hits the big time

Coyote Gulch received a shout out this morning in Dave Kopel's column in the Rocky Mountain News. Mr. Kopel writes, "CoyoteGulch.net is a left-leaning blog with a special focus on Colorado water issues. By collecting water news from sources all over the state, CoyoteGulch proves a great resource on a critical Colorado issue, even if you disagree with CoyoteGulch's water policy viewpoint." Thanks!.

We're wondering if this'll help us get that press credential for the 2008 Democratic National Convention? It can't hurt.
"colorado water"
8:18:43 AM

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