Early Sparring Continues in CD-7

Democrats Ed Perlmutter and Peggy Lamm continued their verbal sparring today in The Denver Post over accusations that Lamm supported Governor Bill Owens over Democrat Rollie Heath in the 2002 election.

This story came up a few weeks ago in a Rocky Mountain News column, and at the time we were critical of how poorly Lamm handled an attack that she should have known was coming. Now Perlmutter seems to have gotten another story out of this by wisely sending a letter, along with supporting information, to Lamm and the media asking her to defend her support of Owens.

From The Denver Post:

"You owe the Democrats of the 7th Congressional District a clear explanation of your actions and endorsements in the last gubernatorial campaign," Perlmutter, a Denver attorney and former Democratic state senator, wrote Lamm on Monday.

Lamm - a former Democratic state representative - denied backing Owens and accused Perlmutter of fabricating such an idea to "deflect from his own record" of straying from core Democratic values. She knocked Perlmutter for supporting a tuition tax-credit bill that, like school vouchers, proposed using public money for private education. She also questioned Perlmutter's environmental record and his 1997 vote against a gay-rights bill, which her campaign suggested may have been influenced by his affiliation with a fundamentalist Christian church.

You have to give Lamm credit for getting a little better at responding to these charges -- but only to a point. It was a good retort to bring up some questionable practices by Perlmutter as a way of saying, "If you come after me, I'm going to come after you."

Nevertheless, Lamm really needs a better response to the Owens accusation besides just flat denying the charge. It's too late for that. The Colorado Statesman has her on record, and reporter Jodi "Beef" Strogoff ferociously defends the story:

Statesman editor Jody Hope Strogoff said Lamm didn't deny backing Owens when interviewed in 2002 nor did she say she had been misrepresented after the story first ran. Now, as Lamm launches her congressional bid, Strogoff said she's asking for a retraction.

Perlmutter also has the original Owens campaign piece that lists Lamm as a supporter, which he has provided to the media (we received a copy of it as well, but it's too big of a PDF file to upload). You can't deny something that's already in print, and trying to take on the media was Lamm's first mistake in this regard. You're not going to win a battle with the media, so don't try. Reporters are always going to defend other reporters when they have a story on record, because all they have to do is go look it up. But Lamm's trying anyway:

In 2002, Lamm was one of Owens' appointees to Colorado's Commission on Higher Education. If she spoke favorably of the governor, she said, it was only about education issues. She noted she never authorized Owens to use her name as a supporter. "I never endorsed Bill Owens for governor. I voted for Rollie Heath," she said.

By denying it still, she's just giving more life to the story; everybody likes to point out the proof that you are lying. She needs to come up with a better explanation for this, though it might be too late now.

What will this all mean next August? Maybe not a lot, depending on how Democratic voters feel about it. This will have its greatest effect at the CD-7 Democratic Assembly, where die-hard Democrats will not appreciate the Owens endorsement. It also hurts a little now with fundraising, and it certainly slows any momentum Lamm might have had.

More than anything, this shows that in the battle between the two, early indications are that Perlmutter is a little better at playing politics. Perlmutter has done a good job in keeping the story alive, and Lamm has done a bad job at deflecting it (and where is Lamm's paid staff in all of this?) 

Comments

[Ed]

Perlmutter is savvier than I thought.

If these two keep this up, O'Donnell will be the only mainstream candidate in the race for this very mainstream district.

[Progressive Dem]

Perlmutter is simply trying to distract a not very (as of yet) tuned in electorate from his voting record. He knows that his record is susceptible to attack from progressives, and as a result he is trying to distract attention from that record by knowlingly promoting false accusations about Lamm. EP's days in this race are numbered.

[Jeffco Dem]

I agree Ed P. has reaffirmed what many of us thought when he first entered the race. He is all about himself first and the principals of the party last.
When will the 17th Street crowd get a clue and realize the people who walk the precincts, post the yard signs, do the phone calls, are the ones who shape the party not a bunch of elitists who are only worried about lining their own pockets.
When Democrats begin to examine old Eddie's voting record they will be hard pressed to find the Democrat platform anywhere in there.

[Charlene]

So I'm wondering about this 1997 vote about gay rights. Does anyone know the details about this bill?

[Ter Ducken]

What Perlmutter is doing is very smart. Politics is a game where winning matters, and he's playing the game better than Lamm right now. You can argue about whether it's nice of him to do this, but that's irrelevant because it's a good campaign move.

[skibum]

I believe the article referred to this bill, which was crafted by Dems as a "mild" response to a very anti-gay bill by Musgrave. The thought was to pass a bill that gave ALL unmarried couples certain rights -- not sure, but it looks like Perlmutter was the only Democrat to side with the GOP in opposing it.

Legal Rights Bill Dies in Colorado
By Michelle Dally Johnston

Denver, CO Feb. 6, 1997, Denver Post Capitol Bureau --- A bill to give gays, lesbians, and unmarried heterosexual couples legal rights in situations of illness, death, and dissolution of the relationship died in the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday.

Proponents testified that the measure was vital to forestall situations in which lifelong committed partners are unable to see each other when hospitalized or evicted by family members after the death of a loved one. But some committee members said it "went too far." No opponents testified, and SB 161 was killed on a 5-3 vote.

The bill by Sen. Pat Pascoe, D-Denver, would have given rights and responsibilities to individuals who entered into "Legal Domestic Partnerships." Such partners could help make medical decisions for each other, inherit intestate, and sue for wrongful death. They also would be subject to procedures for dividing property if the partnership dissolved.

"Last year, when the Musgrave bill was up, many of you said you wished you had an alternative," said Kathy Glass, a Jefferson County resident who had lived with her partner for 40 years. "This is that alternative."

She was referring to last year's bill by Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, RFort Morgan, which sought to ban same-sex marriages in Colorado, even those recognized in other states. Many legislators said they objected to homosexual relations being given the "sanctity" of marriage, but said they recognized the need for some legal structure for them. Gov. Roy Romer vetoed the bill.

But judiciary committee members remained unconvinced yesterday.

"After hearing the testimony, I am convinced there are other legal remedies," said Sen. Ken Arnold, R-Westminster, although two witnesses had testified that living wills, wills, and power-of-attorneys are often expensive, cumbersome and open to legal challenge.

"Call me a prude, but I'm just afraid that this will encourage heterosexual couples to remain unmarried," said Sen. Sally Hopper, R-Golden.

Sen. Ed Perlmutter, D-Wheat Ridge, was quiet for a long time before voting no. "Politically this is a difficult vote, morally this is a difficult vote," he said.

Michelle Dally Johnston can be reached at newsroom@denverpost.com.

[Call Me Simple]

From my view, it looks like Mr. Perlmutter is hoping to avoid a real campaign that needs to be based upon current issues for the voters in CD-7.

Look, Governor Owens is a non-issue...he won't be running for Governor again. You didn't see Perlmutter involved in trying to resolve the CU scandal. So what if Lamm said something positive about the Governor...they were both working on education issues.

The issues raised by Lamm in the Denver Post are real, active, and ongoing issues that will be of interest to the voters. I just don't see the average CD-7 voter giving Mr. Perlmutter a free pass because of one remark made by his opponent.

My suspicion is that Mr. Perlmutter is simply trying to get out in front of what he knows will be significant hurdles for him to overcome. I give him credit for recognizing how formidable an opponent he has in Ms. Lamm.

The bottom line still remains who can give the voters in CD-7 the representation they want...will it be an establishment insider (Perlmutter) who has rarely had to get in the trenches and make things happen or will it be a scrapper (Lamm) who knows you have to roll up your sleeves and get in the middle of the fray?

When all is said and done, this race is still going to be decided by who best matches the demographics of the CD-7 voter...it's Lamm by a country mile.

[Vladimir]

What amazes me is that Peggy Lamm has had the sage advice of Joltin Jim Merlino -- Rick -- If he stuck with me Howard Dean would be Prez - Reiter and what is she getting for her cash? Nothin! You think that they could come up with a little handout -- some political wisdom to get her out of the Owens mess? Nah, these high paid twits have long since decided Peggy is a loser and moved on to greener pastures -- at least they should have the good grace to not bad mouth her
Terry

[cotopaxi jo]

Vlad,
Seriously, you need to take some happy pills, get a life, or both. You may be the grumpiest person on this website.

Let's review some of the many, many, many errors you have made. First Jim Merlino is a full time staffer of the "Bridges for Colorado" campaign. He has not received a single dollar from Peggy Lamm. Next, Rick RIDDER is Peggy's one campaign consultant. (That's Ridder NOT Reiter who is busy running the "vote yes on C&D" campaign.)

What else from your past grouchy posts...oh yeah, Peggy has worked all her life and is not a "limo liberal" by an extremely long shot. Also, Peggy has worked her ass off on: 1) trying to get rid of the dysfunctional rape/alcohol/old boys system in the CU football system and beyond 2) as chair of CCHE and recently as the chair of the board of trustees at Adams State, on initiatives to reduce college tuition, increase higher ed. revenue, help minority students go to college 3) on all efforts to pass some sort of TABOR reform 4) election reform--she actually believes everyone should be able to vote 5) for the Colorado No Call list to curb telemarketers 6) to help stop the practice of commercial "charitable" solicitors from pocketing 90% or more of donations 7) to require disclosure of donors to what used to be called "education committees".

And that's only what comes immediately to mind of the things she has done in the past couple of years. In the same time period Ed has....earned lots of money. Nothing at all related to public policy.

What's your major disfunction? And, who is Terry?

[bfx]

Lamm's behavior completely mystifies me. Perlmutter may have to explain some "bad" votes, or admit mistakes, but at least he doesn't come off as a liar. She forgets what hurt Bill Clinton most. It wasn't sex with an intern so much as it was his lying about it. Unless someone can convince me that Jody Stroganoff is on Perlmutter's payroll, it looks to me like Peggy Lamm is a victim, not of Ed Perlmutter's attacks, but rather of her own inability to tell the truth.

[alan smitheee]

The same strain of rabid vitriol that ran (and still does at the CDP state party I guess) through the Mike Miles campaign appears to have infiltrated the Lamm camp.
Whatever her political accomplishments have been, there is no chance the Ds in 7 put up a candidate that lies, obfuscates, blames others - or as bfx points out - exhibits all the cliches of a bad politician. Ed may have some votes that he should answer for, but at least he will be honest.
I don't know, maybe Stroghoff misreported his votes too.

[Phoenix Rising]

Gotta get those Miles digs in...

Neither of these two candidates is clean; they both have history, and it isn't free of attack issues. Starting this early, at least the Dems will clean out anyone who can't stand the spotlight.

BTW, while there was more than a bit of anger at party politics in the Senate race last year, Miles and Salazar never lobbed heavy artilliary across the lines at each other - it was more of a paintball contest. This is looking like a real fire-fight, and that isn't good if it continues.

[StanM]

Alan,
I agree that Ed has some votes to explain, like every legislator, as the bills they vote on may have been amended with bad language in it or have a great bill title (The Clear Air Act) but really changes the environmental policy. Ed did a terrific job in the state legislature and did a great job in shaping the democratic agenda when the democrats first gained control of the senate in 2000. He will make a terrific Congressman.

[cotopaxi jo]

Alan,
What's worse, endorsing Owens--conceding for the sake of argument that she did (which she didn't)--or voting like him?

[Henry]

It would seem to me that if you really cared about education, the environment and equal rights for gays, you wouldn't endorse Bill Owens over Rollie Heath.

[cotopaxi jo]

Nor would you endorse Ed Perlmutter since he and Owens vote the same way on those issues.