Bush Gets Mixed Message From G.O.P.'s Colorado Candidate
By CARL HULSE - NYT
President Bush gave a Senate candidate for Colorado, Pete Coors, a hearty endorsement Monday, telling a lunch crowd in Denver that he liked the brewing company executive's values.
"I like the fact that he will bring some common sense to the halls of the United States Senate," said Mr. Bush. "Oh, I might not get him to vote every time the way I want him to — he's kind of an independent fellow. But I know I'll be able to count on him on the big issues."
Or will he? This weekend on "Meet the Press," Mr. Coors told the host, Tim Russert, that he is not sure that he would vote now to give Mr. Bush the go-ahead on Iraq if he knew Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction — a break with the Bush administration's view that the invasion would be justified today.
"I suspect that given what we know today, there would be a much different outcome than we had a couple of years ago," he said.
His opponent, the Democratic attorney general, Ken Salazar, appeared along with Mr. Coors and said he would have voted for the resolution. He also went after Mr. Coors for not supporting the execution of Osama bin Laden were he to be captured, because of his opposition to the death penalty.
"I think that the death penalty is an appropriate sanction for cop killers and for people who terrorize Americans and who kill innocent civilian life," said Mr. Salazar.
Their statements and those of Mr. Bush reflect some realities of the Colorado race — Mr. Coors has been labeled a potential "rubber stamp" for Bush policies and Mr. Bush is putting a little daylight between them. Mr. Salazar needs to reach out to Republicans and is running to the right of Mr. Coors on some issues. Polls have Mr. Salazar ahead for the most part.
In their nationally televised appearance, Mr. Coors did add a new spoke to the axis of evil, saying the United States clearly "should be more worried today, actually, about Iran and North Dakota" when it comes to nuclear capabilities.
Well, they did have all those missiles there for years.
Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company |
