Even though the pay-to-play accusation was quickly dismissed as the errant actions of a rogue intern, Sen. Michael Bennet’s campaign fell right into the trap that primary opponent Andrew Romanoff has been setting. An intern for Bennet’s campaign sent an e-mail in June appearing to offer one-on-one conversations with the senator about specific legislation in exchange for large donations. Romanoff has been decrying corrupt corporate interests and politics in Congress throughout his campaign, and has rejected PAC and special-interest donations. The Bennet campaign dismissed the unpaid volunteer Thursday — the same day it became aware of the e-mail, which it called unathorized and wrong. Oh, it was wrong, all right, and it will look even worse after it’s splashed on TV for a few weeks.
If you give a pig a pancake … Memo to Ken Buck: If you give Tom Tancredo a spot on your stage, he’s going to want a microphone. And if you give Tom Tancredo a microphone, he’ll want a headline to go along with it. And chances are, if he gets the headline, you’re going to want some antacid.
Say what you will about his policies — and we do — Barack Obama is president of the United States and deserves respect, especially from former public servants. Instead, the former congressman, at a rally for Buck, called Obama the greatest threat to our country. Right up there with terrorists and the Great Depression. Buck rightly rebuffed Tancredo, but ought to leave him off his list of speakers in the future if he wants to be seen as a credible candidate.
Memo to Melo: Don’t even think about it. The spectacle of LeBron James bolting Cleveland for Miami was unsightly at best. So Nuggets, beware. Sign Carmelo Anthony before he bolts. And Carmelo, remember: All the true greats — Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson — finish what they start where they start it.
This can’t be good for Democratic candidates. Some 55 percent of likely voters think President Obama is a socialist, according to a poll by Democracy Corps, a group headed up by James Carville and Stan Greenberg.
Some 56 percent of likely voters polled consider Obama too liberal, but when asked whether Obama could be described as socialist, 33 percent of likely voters say it describes Obama “very well” and 22 percent say “well,” according to a National Review online story.
Vote early, but not often. Monday is the deadline to register to vote in the partisan primary elections. The official primary day is Aug. 10, but ballots go out a week from Monday and it’s expected most voters will vote by mail.
Short Takes is compiled by Denver Post editorial writers and expresses the view of the newspaper’s editorial board.
