Warm Up the Bus

It looks like Republicans are starting to find candidates to toss under the bus in the "Denver Three" incident. According to The Rocky Mountain News:

The chairman of the Colorado Young Republicans was one of the people involved in a March 21 incident in which three Denver residents were forcibly removed from a speech given by President Bush because of a bumper sticker. Jay Bob Klinkerman, leader of the state group for Republicans ages 18 to 40, admitted in an interview that he was at the gate of the Wings over the Rockies Museum when the three people were stopped.

Klinkerman also was identified as being involved in the incident by Karen Bauer, one of the three removed. She confronted him about it at a Young Republicans event Tuesday night. Two of the three who were removed, Bauer and Leslie Weise, said that Klinkerman is the event volunteer who was wearing a magenta shirt and smiley-face tie that night, and told them, "Secret Service is coming down to talk to your group."

Then a man who looked and acted like a Secret Service agent arrived and threatened them with arrest. He allowed them to enter but then found them 20 to 30 minutes later and forced them to leave. But Klinkerman, 31, of Thornton, told the Rocky Mountain News that he never said anything to Bauer and Weise about the Secret Service.

He declined to identify the man who threatened the trio with arrest.

The real Secret Service says the man who ousted Bauer, Weise and Alex Young from the president's speech was actually a Republican Party staffer. The Secret Service has told the three that the man admitted to an agent that he ousted them because they arrived in a car with a "No more blood for oil" bumper sticker. The service is investigating that man on possible criminal charges of impersonating a Secret Service agent. He was wearing a dark suit, earpiece and lapel pin.

It's interesting that Klinkerman apparently knows the person who tossed the three from the event but won't identify them. It would be a lot easier for Congressman Bob Beauprez and the White House if they could just point to an overzealous volunteer as the culprit, which they have tried to do before, but it doesn't look like Klinkerman is willing to be run over on this one.

The bigger question, however, is this: Why was he wearing magenta shirt and a smiley-face tie? Is it 1985? Now that we know it was him, shouldn't someone at least bring this up?

Comments

[ed]

Very interesting post ... I have been ignoring this story for some time b/c it didn't appear there was anything to this. But if a party staffer impersonated a secret service agent, there is more here than I previously thought. This sounds more like a personal issue though than an issue with the entire Republican party and certainly not anything at all that should reflect on Beauprez. At least I'll be surprised if there is anything here that could stick to him at all.

Who were the party staffers on payroll back then?

[heavenly]

Ha!!! I think this is great. My personal opinion of the Young Republicans in Colorado was already tarnished (I have no idea what they do to help the party except have parties, go skiing, and camping, and listen to speakers, and sometimes volunteer). Klinkerman should just tell them who did it so this whole thing can be over with.

[whoknows]

I would happen to agree with you Ed. It indeed looks as though this is much more of a ‎personal issue than a party or BB issue - it definitely screams zealot. Just hope the one ‎bad apple doesn’t spoil the whole barrel. I will have to hand it to the D’s. A few postings ‎on Colo Pol’s have said they are slowly learning how to give an otherwise story DOA ‎legs. ‎

[Marshall]

This would be easy to discount as the actions of a bad apple if this was an isolated incident but across the country people have been intimidated and limited from participating in these "town halls". Someone higher up decided to make a specific effort to remove dissenting voices from these "town halls". That is why this story has legs. I respect that the President needs to campaign for his plan to do nothing to solve Social Security but don't call it a "town hall " unless you truly want input from the people about this issue.

On a personal note I am so glad the President is taking two months off to push his plan to do nothing to solve Social Security instead of say working on the war on terrorism. It is so good to see the President has his priorities set.

Marshall

[Keith]

He was wearing a smiley-face tie because we hold the House, Senate and Executive mansion.

[ohwilleke]

I agree that Beauprez is probably going to come away pretty clean. After all, his office even passed out tickets to the people, and a young Republican and White House political operative ejected the Denver three. Moreover, this appears to be part of a national trend at Bush events, not a Denver peculiarity. It hurts Bush, not Beauprez.

As far as what the Young Republicans do, I think they collaborate with the College Republicans to try to bring down as many administrators (admittedly, often with cause), and professors (rarely with cause) as they can.

[whoknows]

ohwilleke - Now thats funny!

[heavenly]

Young Republicans and College Republicans are almost the same at being useless. There are a few out there who know how to get things going. George Culpepper did a good job at showing campuses for what they are and Brad Jones was good up at CU Boulder. However, that's about all their good for.

[YR]

The fact that he is the chairman of the Colorado Young Republicans is irrelevant. He was not there representing the Young Republicans. He was there as a volunteer. As a matter of fact, I can assure you that, even though this was an event of great importance to young people, the Young Republicans were not asked to participate.

As to what the Young Republicans do, perhaps you should go to a meeting and find out for yourself. I guarantee that they are more involved in the political process than a lot of people who post here.

[heavenly]

You don't know who I am, so don't assume that I haven't been to your meetings. I've been to a few around the state and have close ties within some counties. From what I have seen (and I never said that I saw it all) but from what I have seen there's a lot of skiing, parties, get togethers etc. Young Republicans do not matter until it comes to election time and the party needs volunteers. But that's only what I have seen.

[YR]

As with any organization, you get out of it what you put into it.

[heavenly]

Exactly what I'm saying. It's just that most YR's and CR's don't put enough into it. It's a shame too because they could do some great things if they really wanted to get invovled in the party.

[YR]

If you don't like what "they" are doing then join and change it instead of whining about it. The same goes to all people not actively involved in politics but who like to complain about things.

[heavenly]

I am actively involved in politics, just not the YR'S or CR's. Don't assume you know what I am involved in because you have no idea. I can complain even if I'm not involved in that specific organization, I am a Republican and I think that specific organization is unproductive and I have a right to say that. I get what I need to get done on my end of the line. I'm just saying I don't see the same (in most cases not all) on their end of the line.

[YR]

How would you change it? Give me solutions not unsubstantiated complaints.

[Ter Ducken]

I think the Young Dems are probably very similar. It's more like a club where people get together over a common theme more than it is a real benefit to overall goals of the party. I think the YDs are probably beneficial for people to get to meet others and start making connections, however.

[Realist]

Um, why is it that Republicans are throwing smiley-faced tie-guy under the bus when the article says that it was one of the Denver 3 who identified him?

[heavenly]

If I could change how the YR's worked I would, but I don't care to spell it out on this blog. The YR's show up for meetings and listen to people speak. Where does that get them? They go skiing, yah that's fun but what are they really doing for that party. Very few groups do fundraisers, or anything to help the party (some do). Like Ter Ducken said, it's about making connections, and meeting people, and probably could be considered a very good place to hook up with fellow Republicans. I'm just saying they aren't the most active group in the Republican party. I didn't say they where completely worthless. They do volunteer when election time comes around.

[Reality]

For that matter, what Republicans are throwing this guy under the bus? If anyone is, it's the White House. They had 100% control over that event. The Republican Party had no role in that event whatsoever. The guy just happened to have Republican ties (definitely not a pun).

[heavenly]

Reality -
I agree with you. I'm not saying the Republican party is at fault. If anything the White House has made a huge deal out of this thing, and their detective skills suck.

[lumberjack]

About this: what Republicans are throwing this guy under the bus? If anyone is, it's the White House. They had 100% control over that event. The Republican Party had no role in that event whatsoever. The guy just happened to have Republican ties (definitely not a pun).

The Secret Service apparently told the Rocky Mountain News that the person the Denver Three originally thought was a Secret Service agent IS A REPUBLICAN PARTY STAFFER -- and yet the party is allowing the Young Republicans' chairman to take the heat. I bet he feels as if he's been thrown under the bus. Or maybe a train.

(From http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_3732570,00.html):

The real Secret Service says the man who ousted Bauer, Weise and Alex Young from the president's speech was actually a Republican Party staffer. The Secret Service has told the three that the man admitted to an agent that he ousted them because they arrived in a car with a "No more blood for oil" bumper sticker.

[ed]

Who was the staffer? Surely someone here knows ...

[Realist]

Lumberjack, the secret service has since retracted that statement and the Republican party has repeatedly said that it was not a Republican party staffer. I have seen both of those quotes. I believe now they are saying it was someone with the "Host committe." Sounds about right to me. From what I understand - the White House is the host committee. If he feels like he is being thrown under the bus - he may be blaming the wrong people. Why is he even talking to the press? Does he realize that it is only making things worse for him? This lack of media savvy must certainly be entertaining for all those Democrats out there who are watching. Maybe someone should tell him to keep his mouth shut.

[Liars_Always_Figure]

Realist,

Face it - your side made a dumb *ssed mistake. Sounds like your trying to blame the "smiley" guy for covering his *ss which seems to be hanging in a sling.

If I were part of the Denver Three, I would invite him into the club and call it the Denver Four. It seems like he is getting sh!t on by the Good Ol' Boys from his side.

Typical Republicans - eating their young.

[Let_Freedom_Ring]

Heavenly,

Do you expect YR's to keep volunteering after this BS? You know, we would rather be drinking, camping, skiing and getting laid.

Get a date, life or a real job. You don't know jack.