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COLORADO'S FRONTPAGE

Face the State

Content Index: Mark Udall

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During August recess, Congress should take Americans' pulse

August 3, 2009

The 'Patients First' rallies held last week in protest of Pres. Barack Obama's health care reform plan demonstrate a growing skepticism about the federal government's designs for a near complete overhaul of one-fifth of the nation's economy. The rapid collapse of the "cash for clunkers" program is also a reminder of politicians' continuing inability to predict the cost of public benefits, and their ready willingness to let populism drive the push for even more spending.

Political cartoon for 7/27: Schumer & Co.

Face The State Humor

July 27, 2009

Cartoon for 7/27/09

The Washington Post's Dana Milbank reports Colorado's appointed junior U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet sought permission from New York's Chuck Schumer before voting "yes" on a measure last week that would have strengthened rights to carry concealed weapons across state lines. Who's really calling the shots for Colorado's Senate delegation?

Mr. Ritter goes to Washington

Gov. Bill Ritter was in Washington, D.C. this week touting his "New Energy Economy," though not everyone is sold on the program and the heavy government subsidies it requires.

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Udall and Bennet name Habas to short list for federal bench

A Face the State Staff Report

July 2, 2009

U.S. Senators Mark Udall, D-Boulder, and Michael Bennet, D-Denver, have forwarded to Pres. Barack Obama their list of recommendations for two federal judicial vacancies in Colorado. Among the six names is Denver District Judge Christina Habas, known recently for her ruling that Ritter's mill levy freeze amounted to an unconstitutional property tax increase.

OpenSecrets launches Facebook application

June 22, 2009

At Face The State we're big fans of databases, government primary documents and open records. One of the best sources for information on political contributions and campaign finance is OpenSecrets.org, the nonpartisan online guide that tracks money’s influence on U.S. elections and public policy. Recently, the site launched a Facebook application that allows users to view top donors and donations to their U.S. Senators and Representatives, targeted by zip code.

Bennet failing to establish distinct voice in Washington

June 8, 2009

Last month, Colorado U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall sent out a total of nine joint press releases, a sign of teamwork or dependency, depending on your perspective. Former U.S. Sens. Wayne Allard, a Republican, and Ken Salazar, a Democrat, sent out the occasional joint press release, but they were nowhere on par with Bennet and Udall’s shared communications.

National media recognizes Bennet’s vulnerability

May 14, 2009

We know it. You know it. And now CNN is admitting it.

In an analysis of 2010 U.S. Senate races across the nation, CNN specifically cites Colorado’s freshman U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat, as someone who could face a tough race.

Segment 5 - Congressional staff bonuses

FTS staff writer Rachel Boxer analyzes congressional staff payroll data that shows Colorado's federal delegation doling out over $225,000 in bonuses at the close of 2008.

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Segment 1 - Breckenridge eyes a new tax; Janet Rowland vs. Mark Udall

FTS managing editor Brad Jones and staff writer Kate Melvin look at two stories that may have slipped under your news radar this week: Breckenridge considers a new sales tax on lift tickets, but business owners resist. Plus, Mesa Co. Commissioner Janet Rowland provides an unexpected response to U.S. Sen. Mark Udall's request for comments on federal stimulus spending.

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Colorado Reps dole out $225,000 for 2008 staff bonuses

A Face the State Staff Report

April 23, 2009

Capitol dome w money

Four members of Colorado's federal delegation paid their staffers year-end bonuses amounting to a collective taxpayer tab of over $225,000. Data for a fifth Representative is still unavailable.

Support slipping for Udall

April 21, 2009

"Favorability ratings for President Barack Obama and Sen. Mark Udall in Colorado have fallen beneath 50 percent in a new poll out this morning.

A survey from Raleigh, N.C.-based Public Policy Polling found 49 percent of Colorado voters approved of Obama's performance, compared to 41 percent who dissented. Udall found support from 41 percent of respondents, with 46 percent disapproving of his first three months in the U.S. Senate."

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4/14: Mark Udall has it both ways on 'card check'

Mark Udall the magician: he can vote "yes" while voting "no."

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Udall and Bennet join "moderate Dems"

March 20, 2009

"Colorado’s two Democratic U.S. senators, Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, have joined a new club comprised of the new moderates.

The Moderate Dems Working Group hopes to figure prominently in negotiations over the government’s role in stimulating the economy, but it has already become a target of the Democratic Party’s left wing. Rachel Maddow, the popular MSNBC television host, has dubbed Udall and Bennet part of the “conservadems” movement. But Udall and Bennet say they are trying to be brokers for Obama by getting Republican support."

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Bennet upsetting the far left

March 19, 2009

Michael Bennet - closeup

Liberal blogers are in a tizzy over a the recent news that a bloc of U.S. Senate Democrats have formed a group and are working to obstruct parts of President Barack Obama’s agenda, including climate change and health care reform.

Scent of scandal has Udall scrambling

March 14, 2009

"Does Senator Mark Udall read The American Contrarian?

One almost might think so, judging from the way the freshman senator is hurriedly distancing himself from the practice of earmarking, in the wake of this blog's connecting of dots between him and the next big lobbying scandal brewing in Washington, focused on the currently-under-investigation PMA Group. The firm has strong ties to Democrats, especially Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha -- one of the House's most prodigious porkers -- but it spread money around to Republicans as well (including local Rep. Doug Lamborn)."

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Giving Mark Udall his due

March 12, 2009

"...So, in the interest of fairness (and because it’s so rare), I want to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate Senator Udall for co-sponsoring, with Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Senate Resolution 63..."

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Udall, Lamborn linked to pay-for-pork probe

February 22, 2009

"The latest focus of investigators trying to untangle the pay-for-pork racket on Capitol Hill, and determine if any criminality is involved, is the lobbying shop PMA Group, which has strong ties to notorious Pennsylvania porker John Murtha but also spread around a lot of money to a bipartisan list of other members of Congress, including local Rep. Doug Lamborn and now-senator Mark Udall."

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Udall, Bennet split on stimulus amendment

February 9, 2009

"In case you were looking for the first vote that split U.S. Sens. Mark Udall, D-Colo., and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., it occurred late Friday night.

According to GovTrack, Udall and Bennet split over an amendment that would have temporarily raised the personal capital loss tax dedication.

Bennet voted against the provision. Udall voted for it."

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Udall squishes

February 6, 2009

"Previously I have been impressed with Mark Udall, now Senator for Colorado. As Congressman, he voted against the earlier bailout. Now that the Democrats are in charge, he's all for the new bailout. Apparently he's more interested in playing the role of Partisan Puke than in defending the rights of his Colorado constituents."

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Rossputin's letter to Udall and Bennet

February 5, 2009

"Dear Senators Udall and Bennett,

I am contacting you to urge you in the strongest possible way to oppose the current "stimulus" bill or anything vaguely resembling it.

The bill will not stimulate the economy. It will saddle my 3-year old daughter and 1-year old son with an even higher mountain of debt for the rest of their lives"...read the rest on Rossputin.com

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Colorado has two "junior" Senators

January 23, 2009

"Forty-four-year-old Michael Bennet is the youngest member of the U.S. Senate. Coupled with Colorado’s other new senator, Mark Udall, “you might say, the state of Colorado has two junior senators,” writes The Caucus, a New York Times blog."

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Bennet jumps ahead of Udall in office organization

January 23, 2009

Colorado’s junior U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat, was sworn in Thursday and The Denver Post is reporting he is keeping his predecessor Ken Salazar’s well-oiled machine — or, we mean, staff — in place.

Our anti-war Senator strikes again

January 14, 2009

"By imposing a willing seller requirement on the Army, Mark Udall and company have made the land priceless. My guess is that the Army will end up paying $3,000 an acre for land they should have been able to get for one tenth that amount.

Care to bet that the GAO won’t be so picky about the trillion dollar giveaway this year?

But, our new anti-war Senator doesn't want the Army to have the land until they explain to his satisfaction why they need it."

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A big day for the Udall clan

January 7, 2009

"He’s now officially Senator Mark Udall. The Democrat, who was often labeled “Boulder liberal” during his campaign, was greeted by an old friend yesterday in D.C., Republican Senator John McCain from Arizona, who knew Udall’s dad, Morris K. Udall, when he was a congressman in that state. That’s according to the Rocky Mountain News, which noted the changing of the political guard yesterday on Capitol Hill."

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Udall shouldn't take all of Allard's advice

December 16, 2008

"For the most part, Colorado Public Radio's recent conversation with Wayne Allard doesn't exactly qualify as scintillating: big surprise. But Mike Saccone of Grand Junction's Daily Sentinel, whose "Political Notebook" feature qualifies as one of the better political blogs in the state, zeroed in on some of his more telling comments. At one point, Allard said that he wound up on a 2006 Time list of the nation's worst legislators because he tends not to make a big deal about his victories.

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Online, Colorado lawmakers ask, 'will you be my friend?'

A Face the State Staff Report

December 9, 2008

Terrance Carroll - facebook

President-elect Barack Obama’s new media campaign revolutionized the use of the Web as a political tool, and now local lawmakers are following suit as a growing number create accounts with social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

12/8: Jay Marvin lashes out at Mark Udall

Radio host Jay Marvin has some strong words for U.S. Senator-elect Mark Udall. Well, he did until he pulled them back.

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Talker Jay Marvin scrubs his blog of anti-Udall screed

December 8, 2008

Jay Marvin blasted Senator-elect Mark Udall in a blog post dated December 6th, 2008. Less than 36 hours later, the blog post was removed. Here's the text.

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Liberal host Jay Marvin unloads on Udall

December 7, 2008

"Even before the election I dropped hints on the air I wasn’t happy with Congressman, now Senator elect Mark Udall.

So what’s the beef?

When I first got to AM760 most progressive pols ignored my show. The only two who would give of their time were Mark Udall and Bill Ritter, who later went on to be Governor."

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Slideshow: It's official, it's an Obama-nation

A Face the State Staff Report

November 5, 2008

Salazar, Hickenlooper, Romer


Democrats and their supporters gathered last night at Denver's downtown Sheraton Hotel to celebrate the turning of Colorado from a purple state into solid blue.