Denver Post editorial page editor Curtis Hubbard
Well, not exactly The Denver Post. Specifically, its editorial page editor, Curtis Hubbard. Yesterday, Hubbard wrote a scathing piece about Congressman Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs, titled “Lamborn’s boycott call the latest gaffe in a congressional career full of them.”
Hubbard went off after we revealed that Lamborn had been calling Republican candidates and telling them they should boycott our newest bit of brilliance: Gazette TV. Lamborn was unhappy last Friday after I wrote about former U.S. Rep. Joel Hefley calling Lamborn a “knucklehead,” and then called a pair of House Republican candidates to suggest they not appear on the show.
Both canceled.
Though Lamborn said afterward that his comments had been misinterpreted, the damage was done.
Hubbard pulled no punches.
U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs
“In calling for a boycott of the Colorado Springs Gazette, Rep. Doug Lamborn proved this week that, though he may be short on accomplishments in Congress, he is accomplished when it comes to bungling his way to a negative headline,” Hubbard wrote.
The Post editor attacked Lamborn for refusing to debate his opponent in the GOP primary, businessman Robert Blaha, though Blaha said he challenged Lamborn no less than 20 times.
“I’ve had a front-row seat to every one of Lamborn’s congressional bids, and his debate dodges are nothing new. Put another way, he’s as comfortable discussing issues in public as Barney Fife is reaching for his holster at a shooting range,” Hubbard wrote.
Then Hubbard handed out an enormous list of both Lamborn’s “accomplishments,” as he calls them, and “gaffes.”
From Hubbard’s piece (cut and pasted, along with links):
A look at the record shows Lamborn:
* Regularly picked fights with the Muppets via ongoing, yet unsuccessful attempts to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
* Took credit for bringing a veteran’s cemetery to southern Colorado — an effort started a decade ago by Hefley and supported by the entire delegation.
* Passed through the GOP-controlled House an oil shale subsidy plan that
A) was not wanted by many community leaders on Colorado’s Western Slope (aka Republican Rep. Scott Tipton’s Third Congressional District)
B) failed to generate money for transportation as initially claimed
C) failed to acknowledge that commercial shale development is years off and
D) had no shot of passing the Senate.
* Proudly taking credit for ranking among “the most conservative members” of Congress — as if voters in the age of hyper-partisanship and congressional ineffectiveness should laud that trait.
Now, when it comes to memorable gaffes, there’s plenty. Lamborn’s greatest misses include:
* Censoring a photo from being displayed at a hearing earlier this month for fear it was pornographic. One problem: Lamborn never looked at the image, leading one to wonder: How can you know pornography when you don’t see it? (And why was he so keen to see pictures of a dead Osama bin Laden but not of a young girl bathing in polluted water?)
* Introducing a new level of discourtesy to Congress by announcing in January he would not attend president Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address.
* Apologizing for comments likening the African-American president’s policies to “touching a tar baby”
* Being the only member of the state’s congressional delegation to withhold a signature from a letter calling for the extension of the wind energy production tax credit.
* Stepping forward to fight against clean energy, only to later back off upon learning that he was proposing cuts to the Golden’s wildly popular National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
* Opposing the federal stimulus, and then appealing to the administration to spend stimulus money in his district.
* Swearing off congressional earmarks while at the same time being been one of the state’s best earmarkers (and facing criticism for directing them toward campaign donors).
* And, warning a couple who wrote a letter to the editor criticizing Lamborn shortly after he took office in 2007 — another voicemail message — that there would be “consequences” if they failed to respond.
Bye, Doug. Can’t say I’m going to miss you.
The time has come to wave Lamborn goodbye.
Glad I voted for him. He is still holding onto my values. If that is all the gaffes and whining that Hubbard can come up with, he needs a new soapbox to shout his rhetoric. I am getting a little sick and tired of all the ultra conservatives trying to give away all my hard earned money.
Sal, you need to wake up. Name one thing Lambrain has accomplished in six years in the house. There isn’t any. I have written his office asking for help with a VA claim and I am still waiting for a answer. He didn’t look at the picture, because his energy buddies wouldn’t have liked it. TIME FOR HIM TO GO.
Amen! I am so excited that we might actually get rid of Lamborn. This feels like a dream!!
You know,I suspect Blaha is viewing this as a Sally Field “You like me! You really like me!” thing. Get over yourself, Blaha; they do not like you, they–the DP owners/editors–are uber-liberals who naturally get their Underoos all twisted whenever the name “Lamborn” is even whispered.
Sal, You don’t like the listed gaffes (which by the way barely scratch the surface) than perhaps you can give all of us a list of Lamborn’s accomplishments since he has been your Congressional representative.
Yes, I’d like to know what Lamborn has accomplished? Please do tell….
In case anyone has noticed this, there have been a handful of comments from time to time that have been blocked for no good reason. If this happens to you or anyone else, please shoot me an email and I’ll go back and approve the comments.
-John
john.schroyer@gazette.com
Natalie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SuznXWDOPio; http://www.mom4freedom.com/2012/06/01/3-reasons-why-i-support-congressman-doug-lambornr-co/. And what is Blaha’s record? Failed (dissolved) and under-performing/troubled businesses. (Not entirely his fault, perhaps, given the economy of the past few years, but many companies have managed to weather the downturn.) Sorry, but being married 30+ years and rearing seven kids, while commendable, doesn’t get him any points.
It’s unanimous neither liberals nor conservatives have anything positive to say about Doug Lamborn.
But have no doubt Robert Blaha knows the media is never a friend to conservative principles.
This will be a close race and every vote will count. I am just not sure what you get by sticking with Lamborn? What is his record? I know he gets angry when asked but I still see no positive reason to vote for Lamborn…
Hubbard sums it up quite nicely……we need to stop sending an empty suit to Congress: Vote Blaha
Personally, I’m ready for some people in Washington with little or no political experience. We’ve seen what these knuckleheads who’ve been in politics forever are capable of…$16 trillion in debt & more laws & regulations & taxation than you could possibly shake a stick at. So I’m not impressed by anyone’s “experience”. Let’s get some people in there who’ve spent the last 20 or 30 years running a business, falling down-getting up-falling down again, duking it out with the IRS, raising a family, shopping at Safeway, balancing a personal checkbook. I’m cool with that
Joan- always attacking Blaha cause you can’t defend Lamborn- ya ya ya- ‘he votes the party line, he’s the ‘most conservative’ but has done nothing to boost the economy in district 5 and ya got a 9% unemployment rate to prove it! He part of the political class that has brought America to her knees, time for all of them to go!
Oh by the way…I had a little money to blow and wanted to find out why you are so passionate about Lamborn, let’s just say I now know who you are, and I get why you defend him…..
Well, folks. It took me some time. And diligent research (mainly based on grammar and grammar style, cuz damn I am good). But I cracked who Joan G. really is. First hint- Real initials are J. R. Second hint-Not a girl.
Why on earth would any of you be complicit in the cover-up of Joan’s true identity? If she/he is on here pretending to be something/someone they are not – just blow their cover already. Why the secret code stuff? I don’t get it.
Because it is fun. Third clue-Works on Lamborn’s staff. This was a no-brainer.
Natalie, you asked what Lamborn has accomplished, and I gave you two sites to check out. I am not going to re-post what I have posted to other threads on this or other forums.
Blaha is in this for himself and his Lean Six Sigma pals. He’s had 18 years in the region (psst, Alibi Bob? That means you have not been here for “decades.” as you declared in your GTV interview, Man, you DO love to stretch the truth. hmm…Maybe I will alternate “Taffy Bob” with “Alibi Bob”…but I digress); eighteen years in which to get involved in public service (local and/or state politics) or with pro-business groups such as the EDC. Did he? Nope! I can imagine HCA, his LSS-consulting company, saw business plummet as the economy worsened. Where to find new/more clients? Aha! Light-bulb moment! THE GOVERNMENT! And what better way to get bureaucrats on board? Make the usage of LSS MANDATORY! And how to make it mandatory—how to impose its usage on the government? WITH A LAW! And how to get that law enacted? Ding-ding-ding-ding! Get elected and WRITE it! (Ignore, for the time being, pesky little details such as the fact that two bills calling for the use of LSS methodology have gone nowhere, and that even if the Oversight and Government Reform Committee and then the full House passed Latham’s bill, it wouldn’t stand chance of getting a hearing in Harry Reid’s Senate.) OBVIOUSLY the Representatives sponsoring those bills aren’t the “articulate leader” Blaha is.
This is not the time in our history for conservatives to compromise. We have pulled too far to the left, and we must pull HARD to the right to get back to even the middle. Yet here’s Blaha, saying he’d reach out to, and work with, Democrats. Sure; you scratch my back (support my bill to make the usage of LSS mandatory), and I’ll support your bill naming Bill Maher Comic Laureate.
I’ll stick with Lamborn, thanks. I know he works for his constituents, not himself, and he sure as heck won’t compromise on major issues. I’ll save arguments against term limits for another day.
If you spent even a nickel trying to find out who I am, you wasted your money, Natalie. I am who I say I am; I use my real name.
Like your boss, you lie- you are Not who you say you are! Lie lie lie!!! I guess that’s what you all do over there. Lamborn has blatantly lied about Blaha to try to win as he lied about his opponents in the last election primary, as he’s lied about earmarks, and his lavish trips, and taking down his negative attack ads (they’re still up on the web by the way) as he’s lied about being the guy to propose and get the Veteran Cemetary in Cospgs …..ummm did you read the article above????
The REASON our country has gone so far to the Left is BECAUSE of people like Dougie- weak, can’t debate- if he can’t stand up and debate Blaha how the hell is he gonna stand up to Pelosi or Reid???? Really- we are so far left because because he hasn’t stood up and debated them, cause he can’t! When Lamborn speaks he simply self destructs.
As for LSS….simply untrue- yes, it’s a process that was and has been very successful in getting rid of excess waste- if it works than please God let’s USE it! But Blaha doesn’t play like Lamborn- there is no ‘I scratch your back you scratch mine’ in his agenda- he’s not that kind of guy-so sorry, not All politicians are scum.
No, Joan. Your name is Jarred.
EricRG, I think Natalie and The 303 believe I am someone named “Jarrod.” (I was called that on another thread.) I use my real name, and I do not work for Lamborn (either as a paid staffer or a volunteer). If they are getting some amusement from their guessing game, good.. I sure am. Their lack of logic is certainly consistent with their supporting Blaha. Oh, and The 303? I doubt you could analyze syntax if Blaha winning the election depended on it.
Chill, Natalie; you’re prattling.
Damn, The 303, you’re gooood. No, I’m not a girl {sigh}; I am a woman.
You’re Jarred. Lexicon is identical. Ex: ???,
, CAPS and tight grammar. But that is not the real reason how I know.
Yes, your name is Jarred and go ahead and deny deny….time to hide behind a new screen name
Great Town Hall article on this topic. Thank God I’ve voted for Blaha…the incumbent and now his wife’s behavior is outrageous.
http://www.gazette.com/opinion/lamborn-140589-poll-effort.html
The 303: I do not use multiple exclamation points or question marks; that’s a “Natalie” and “jessica” quirk. You and Natalie go right ahead and believe whatever you want; my name is Joan Gresh, not “Jarred” or “Jarrod.” Question: If I were this “Jarred,” why would I use a real person’s name? Why wouldn’t I just make one–such as “The 303″–up? Stealing another person’s identity would be dangerous–even criminal–so if “Jarred” is smart, he wouldn’t do that, agree? That leaves only the possibility that “Joan Gresh” consented to letting “Jarred” “borrow” her name–i.e., that she is complicit. She seems to be a very successful, accomplished individual. (Yeah, I Googled myself.
) I seriously doubt she’d let anyone use her name. (Well, I might …DRAT! I mean SHE…*SHE* might, if the offer–$$$$–was high enough.
>>>>>>>>>End of an inane discussion<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Once elected these individual’s only goal is to be returned and they forget about their constituency. Blaha if elected will be no different.
Well, “Joan”, you certainly do seem to have a lot of time available & access to a lot of information (I’d use the word “facts”, but basically you just gurgitate & regurgitate the Lamborn talking points) Why don’t you just make that “Lean Six Sigma” rant a cut/paste so you can post it whenever it appears the need is there?
Just ignore Joan’s posts. She is verbally abusive, I have witnessed it first hand when she told me to go douche ……I still can’t believe a grown women would tell another, not matter if you like them or not to do that. Simply uncalled for
You need to develop some reading comprehension, Jessica. Now go put on your “ROBERT BLAHA’S #1 FAN” (or your “ROBERT BLAHA ROCKS,” if you prefer) t-shirt and wave at honking cars. As I have said, Lamborn can’t buy better advertising. Blaha actually has a chance of winning, if there are enough “Jessicas” out there (and if they take the time/money to vote).
EricRG: I’ll consider it. Thanks.
Joan- don’t even try to talk to me. I am so upset with what you called me.
People put their money where their priorities are. The roof leaks, you buy a new roof. It appears Mr. Blaha has invested his own money because it appears he’s passionate about working for our district and our country by working to implement some new ideas. Spending $20 to buy some nails for my new roof doesn’t hurt my pocket book. Some people have more money than others like Meg Whitmen who spent millions of her own money to run for the CA senate seat. Mr. Blaha spending 700k of his own money for this race is most likely not hurting him too much….so what? I don’t hold it against him or others who are successful in making their money and then spend it on those things that they believe in. Why is Joan framing him into this potential hard butt who wants to force his terrible quality enhancing ideas to our flawed governmental processess or claiming that all he wants is to make money from governmental contracts? That’s a cheap shot.
It’s just an opinion, Bring. I’d like to know why Blaha’s oblivious to the fact that other Representatives have tried to get legislation requiring Lean Six Sigma methodology passed and haven’t succeeded. I guess it’s because they don’t have Blaha’s prowess when it comes to articulation or leadership, eh? Oh, by the way, Blaha LIED, yet again, when he said Romney wants to “see Lean Six Sigma used. How ridiculous. Romney has NOT signed Michael George’s Strong America Now “pledge.” (Of course Gingrich did; we all know how fond that Pillsbury Doughboy is of pledges…except marital ones,) Someone please ask Blaha where he got the goofy notion that Romney, a GENUINE business expert, was on board.
Blaha can spend as much as he wants; I have no problem with that. It’s his money. (So far, it’s ~ 8-25% of his net worth.)
This says it all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP5i-Rw9zvM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP5i-Rw9zvM
Q&A With a Lamborn Supporter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-Dpu997Y8A&feature=related
Don’t know anything about a topic? No problem, just apply the Blaha solution! Bullshit like crazy…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-gutODoLK4&sns=em
Every stupid comment/action by Lamborn and his cronies is just a “misinterpretation” by everyone else……so you see, he doesn’t really do and say all these idiotic things….everyone else is just too dumb to really understand him. I bet “Mr Gresh” who hides behind the computer with a fake name gets him though.
It’s time for the final curtain call and all of this back and forth will finally end.
I’m so tired of reading all the mean spirited attack posts in these blogs, especially by Joan. My God, have you ever stumbled across anyone who just didn’t know when to shut up? It is obvious that “Joan” is a Lamborn family member or very close family friend. The real Joan K Gresh I know of used to be with Steve Gresh who was close to Douglas Bruce back in the day. Both Joan and Steve who aren’t together any longer from what I uncerstand are NOT Republican party sympathizers in the least so all the above pro Lamborn posts by Joan proves it’s someone else using Joan’s name as an alias.
Ending it today just so I don’t need to see all of her/his posts will be a prize in of itself. Thank God for that and yes, I voted for Mr. Blaha.