White House Admission, Denver Three, and Beauprez

It sounds as if the White House may be closer to admitting that the removal of three people dubbed "The Denver Three" from a Social Security "town hall" meeting last month in Denver was indeed done by the President's advance team. Any admission would certainly help Congressman Bob Beauprez, whose office, along with Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave's office, distributed the tickets to the event. Beauprez has tried hard to distance himself from this controversy, something he surely doesn't need if he is going to be running for governor, but the White House may be doing it for him.

According to FOX News:

Even without a guaranteed audience of backers, the administration does have the right to try and prevent threats and disruptions from protesters, which is why people are often barred from Bush events, according to White House officials. The removal of individuals can occur before and after a disruption.

“There is an active campaign underway to try and disrupt and disturb his events in hopes of undermining his objective of fixing Social Security,” White House spokesman Trent Duffy told FOXNews.com. “If there is evidence there are people planning to disrupt the president at an event, then they have the right to exclude those people from those events.”

The White House later claimed the man who turned them away was a “volunteer” but did not identify him or his affiliation. Since the forum was considered an official event, neither the Colorado Republican Party nor its volunteers were involved, party officials said.

Duffy said the White House sends advance teams to deal with logistics for any official event. These teams typically handle the screening for speakers and audience members who will be sitting with or addressing the president during the event. They also keep an eye on the crowds for possible troublemakers.

He said he did not have further information on the Denver incident, but “from what I was told it was fairly obvious to them that they had plans to disrupt the event. ... It was a judgment call.”

That sounds awfully like a White House staffer who may have removed the three, which is a far cry from previous claims that it was a "volunteer" who may have acted overzealously. But as long as the blame is being cast on the White House, Beauprez can get around this one.

Meanwhile, Musgrave had plenty of strong words for Bush's "town hall" meetings...

“He is the president, and regardless of affiliation, everybody should have the opportunity to go and see the president,” said Aaron Johnson, spokesman for Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo. “It shouldn’t be the job of anybody to make sure the crowd is 100 percent sympathetic.”

Musgrave and Rep. Bob Beauprez, R-Colo., whose office had distributed the tickets to Young, Bauer and Weiss, both said the incident had been handled poorly and the three should have been allowed to attend. Democratic members had stronger words about the seeming exclusivity of Bush events.

Musgrave, wisely, doesn't want any part of this controversy either. She could have a tough re-election on her hands and doesn't need to give her opponents any more ammunition than they already have.

Comments

[Ter Ducken]

That's funny that FOX, of all networks, would have that story.

[Brian]

Wow, I think that's the first time I've ever agreed with my Congresswoman.

[Matt]

This must have been a slipup, I can't imagine the White House would want to deepen their involvement on this one. The notion that a group can be excluded from hearing their elected leader speak at a public event based on what they might do is completely undemocratic. Have we slid so far and are our ideas so bad that they can only be expressed at Politburo style gatherings of the converted?

[Strider]

Beauprez is going ot have a very hard time distancing himself from Bush. Regardless of the outcome of this County Club Meeting. BB's voting record is right in line with the administrations more than any other congressman in the state.

Veterans beware.

[moveon.org]

Move on, it's borrrrring ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Who cares? it's over! If this is all we got against B.B. we are done for, 99.9999999% of people don't even remember the President was here on a Social Security tour let alone care a few people were asked to leave by a guy in a smiley face tie. I think we have spent enough of our lives on this worthless subject time I remind everyone we will never get back!!!

[Maverick]

If BB's biggest worry is over Vets, he will break all statewide victory margins. Veterans were BB's biggest single block of coalition voters last year.

You (Strider), Irishstout, and TerDucken have all come up with a kick-a$$ plan to defeat BB in '04. Next you're going to threaten to hold the world hostage for "$1 Million Dollars."

In a big Democrat year in Colorado, in which the 7th lost most of its remaining GOP house and senate seats, in a district with a 4k Dem reg advantage, BB won by 12%. Oh, and the Denver Post continually printed headlines claiming BB was too conservative for his district and voted with Bush every time. (Read their half-hearted endorsement? for more proof).

Bob overperformed a million times over in the toughest (Dem lean) district in Colorado. He'll be fine.

[Ter Ducken]

I didn't say anything about Beauprez. Calm down, Maverick.

[Maverick]

I'm glad to see we agree on something! Thanks TD. Now if only the other recalcitrants would come to the light. The sky could be the limit for us!

[Red Lady]

Why would Beauprez have anything to worry about with this event? He is not even close to being involved with this incident. His office did what all other Congressional offices have done around the country for Presidential visits - distribute tickets. If political hacks want to try and associate that with the removal of the "denver three" they are REALLY stretching. And it is highly doubtful that this will continue to be an issue that voters care about next year during election-time anyway.

BB doesnt need to distance himself from the President to win next year - he is popular enough on his own, even with the association to GWB.

[Susan B]

If that's true, then why is Beauprez TRYING to distance himself from the White House? He's gone on record several times admonishing that anyone would be kicked out of the event in advance.

[Irishstout]

Mav,

Saying nothing bad about Beauprez, especially with this recent SS gathering, but talking about issues within his campaign for Gov. Very simple, for the conservatives, he championed the administration, not the issue - especially illegal immigration. To the Libs, he is too conservative. Basically, how people feel about Bush is how people feel about Beauprez.

[Unnamed]

The reason Beauprez won by 12% was because of Thomas's connection to Columbine. That and Thomas was not a very good campaigner. One must not underestimate Beauprez, but if Thomas didn't have that Columbine stink on him, Beauprez would not have won by 12%

[candyraver]

You couldn't be more wrong Irish. almost 1/2 the country dislikes GWB. I've never met a person (on either side of the aisle) that dislikes BB.

[Strider]

candyraver,

Allow me to introduce you to one.

[a]

Candyraver, You will have to forgive Strider for being bitter, he is a business owning Democrat who is obviously guilty that he makes money in a capitalist system while others suffer and the only way that he can not feel guilty is making sure that everyone else does feel guilty.

[Red Lady]

Susan B. - Beauprez is only responding to reporters who are trying to make a story out of the whole event by calling his office and forcing him to take a position. Of course he is going to position himself away from the incident with all the bad press it is getting locally. Its not like the White House doesn't understand local politics and the nature of playing to your own constituency. His office isn't actively TRYING to do anything. I think we are seeing the White House and his office working together on this media campaign. The WH is taking a hit and letting Beauprez be the good guy to his people.