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Bill Clinton stumps with Udall, guv

GOP labels stop a ‘rescue mission’
Former President Bill Clinton greets well-wishers as he works a rope line after his appearance at a high school in Aurora. Clinton is among many big-name Democrats who have traveled to Colorado recently to promote U.S. Sen. Mark Udall and Gov. John Hickenlooper.

DENVER – Former President Bill Clinton stumped for vulnerable Democratic candidates on Monday in Aurora, adding to the who’s who of Democrats landing in Colorado for get-out-the-vote efforts.

With eight days to the election, Democrats are aggressively working on their ground game. U.S. Sen. Mark Udall and Gov. John Hickenlooper – both in toss-up races – have been traveling the state on bus tours as part of the GOTV effort.

Meanwhile, independent interests also have been pushing for the Democratic candidates, including ProgressNow Colorado, the Colorado AFL-CIO, gay-rights groups and environmental organizations like NextGen Climate, funded by hedge-fund manager Tom Steyer.

Tied to the ground efforts are rallies with big names like Clinton, who spoke at Hinkley High School on Monday.

“You just have to decide what you want,” Clinton told the audience of about 1,800 inside the school’s gymnasium. “I think you should vote for the future. The future of shared opportunity and shared responsibility.”

Clinton is scheduled to speak again today in Jefferson County. Like Arapahoe County, where Clinton spoke Monday evening, Jefferson County is a swing district.

In recent weeks, Clinton’s wife, Hillary Clinton, made two stops in Colorado to stump for Democrats. First lady Michelle Obama also made two stops in Colorado last week for Udall.

Former President Clinton pointed to the significance of Colorado, where Udall is fighting for his political life against U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, a Republican from Yuma. The nation has its eyes set on the Centennial State because the power of the U.S. Senate could depend on Udall’s re-election.

But Clinton said he was disappointed by the special-interest attacks flying like missiles across Colorado.

The former president said those interests just want voters to vote “your fears and your anger.” He even joked that some of the ads would have voters believe that Udall is the “last surviving communist in America.”

Instead, Clinton called on voters to remain optimistic about the current direction of the state and nation.

“We have to decide whether we’re going into the future together with shared opportunities for everybody,” Clinton said.

He added that he enjoys the free Western spirit of Colorado.

“Colorado is one of those libertarian states, something I’ve always liked because of the ‘don’t tread on me’ mentality,” Clinton said.

Udall acknowledged the tight battle he remains engaged in, encouraging supporters to pound the streets in the last days of the election cycle.

“This race is going to be close, right through November 4th,” he said. “But you’re going to put us over the top. This is a historic get-out-the-vote effort.”

Republicans have not seen the same star-studded GOTV lineup as Democrats. But that will change on Wednesday when former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is scheduled to campaign for Gardner and Republican gubernatorial challenger Bob Beauprez in Douglas County. Bush is considered a potential Republican presidential candidate for 2016.

The Colorado Republican Party called Clinton’s stops in Colorado a rescue mission for Democrats.

“President Clinton can attempt to bailout Sen. Udall with lofty clichés and sound bites, but his record speaks louder than words,” said state GOP Chairman Ryan Call. “The fact remains that Sen. Udall has forgotten the priorities of Colorado and chosen to align his votes with the failed policies of President Obama.”

For his part, Hickenlooper is facing the most difficult election of his political career since starting as the mayor of Denver in 2003. But the governor was optimistic about his GOTV effort.

Hickenlooper said he would cast his ballot after the rally, writing “I voted” on his arm as part of a viral #RollUpYourSleeves social media campaign. He likened the campaign to the spirit of Colorado after an economic downturn and devastating natural disasters.

“We pulled together, we rolled up our sleeves.” said Hickenlooper. “We got it done.”

pmarcus@durangoherald.com

Oct 27, 2014
Udall postpones today’s campaign stop


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