Greeley – Colorado Democrats railed against the national Republican Party as they nominated Bill Ritter for governor along with a slate of statewide candidates at the state party’s general assembly Saturday.
Ritter, who was unopposed, became the official nominee with a vigorous defense of Democratic principles and a humble plea.
“When I was in court, I would stand up and say, ‘I’m Bill Ritter, and I’m here for the people of Colorado,”‘ the former Denver district attorney said. “That was my responsibility then. It is my mission now.”
Ritter stormed the stage to “Born to Run” by Bruce Spring steen. His half-hour acceptance speech included a video of his personal story and a call for better teacher pay, health care for all Coloradans and punishment for employers of illegal immigrants.
Ritter, a Catholic who personally opposes abortion, drew a silent protest by five people holding signs.
One of the protesters, Jerri Hill, a Douglas County delegate, hoisted a placard that said “Own your Body” on one side and “Respect Women” on the other. She and another woman stood in the front row while Ritter gave his acceptance speech.
“I am old enough to remember when abortion was illegal,” Hill said while Ritter supporters swarmed around her with pro-Ritter placards.
Undeterred, Ritter plowed through his prepared remarks and eventually addressed abortion rights issues by promising to restore state funding to Planned Parenthood that was cut by Gov. Bill Owens and to support access to the so-called morning-after pill.
Before the assembly began, Dr. Warren Hern, director of the Boulder Abortion Clinic, challenged Ritter’s willingness to protect abortion rights from a table in the back of the hall.
“I can’t vote for him. If Bill Ritter can’t handle abortion, what else can’t he handle?” said Hern, a delegate from Gilpin County.
He cited Ritter’s unwillingness to say he would veto bills limiting access to abortion.
In an interview after his speech, Ritter said he refuses to answer “hypothetical” questions about legislation. He emphasizes prevention of unwanted pregnancies via access to birth control and emergency contraception.
Senate President Joan Fitz- Gerald, D-Jefferson County, said: “I wish he were someplace else, but he’s well grounded in the other issues where we have common ground – health care, educating people, taking care of older people.”
The abortion wrangling was one of the few instances of disagreement as about 4,000 people gathered at Island Grove Regional Park to pick candidates.
The assembly was mostly a pep rally with red-meat anti- Republican speeches, pop songs blaring on the loudspeakers and vendors selling T-shirts and bumper stickers emblazoned with fiery and funny messages.
“I want my president to be smarter than I am,” stated one kid’s T-shirt. Another said, “Guns Don’t Shoot People. Drunk Vice Presidents Do.”
The party’s faithful roared as U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, clad in bluejeans and a white cowboy hat, described the Bush administration as “captives of the oil giants of the world.”
And Jay Fawcett, the Democratic candidate for the 5th Congressional District, roused the crowd by vowing to put a scare into James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family.
“I believe in God,” Fawcett said. “I own a gun. And if you’re gay, you’re covered by the Constitution of the United States of America.”
