Posted on 01/23/2012 9:10:51 PM PST by Hunton Peck
Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., said on Monday he is boycotting President Obamas State of the Union address.
In a tersely worded statement released by his office, Lamborn said he decided instead to pass on attending the speech on Tuesday night, though he will watch it on television.
Congressman Lamborn does not support the policies of Barack Obama, the statement said.
A spokeswoman said Lamborn was about to board a flight and was not immediately available to elaborate. But his office has already prepared a further explanation for constituents if they want to know more about his decision.
That explanation states that Lamborn, who was first elected to represent Colorados 5th Congressional District in 2006, has never skipped a State of the Union before. But it said he believes this year the president is in full campaign mode and will use the address as an opportunity to bash his political opponents.
It also said that, as far as Lamborn knows, he is the only House Republican deciding to do this and that he did not make the decision in cooperation with any House GOP colleagues.
Lamborn serves as chairman of the Committee on Energy and Mineral Resources of the House Committee on Natural Resources, and is on the House Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs committees.
Here is Lamborns explanation to his constituents in its entirety:
This is the first SOTU speech Lamborn has passed on Congressman Lamborn has attended all the past SOTU addresses. As for what makes this years speech different, Congressman Lamborn but believes the President is in full campaign mode and will use the address as an opportunity to bash his political opponents.
As far as he knows, he is the only Republican who will pass on attending SOTU. He is doing this on his own and is not trying to coordinate this with any other Members. Congressman Lamborn is doing this to send a clear message that he does not support the policies of Barack Obama, that they have hurt our country.
Congressman Lamborn respects the President personally, and the office of the President.
Congressman Lamborn is protesting Obamas recent 'recess appointments' to the National Labor Relations Board and newly-created Consumer Protection Board. He is protesting Obamas decision to reject the job-creating Keystone Pipeline. He is protesting the Presidents draconian cuts to defense.
Lamborn wants to send a strong, clear message that President Obamas deficit spending cannot continue.
Congressman Lamborn plans to watch the speech on television.
The Congressman plans to watch it on tv?He has a stronger stomach than I do.
The Democrats did this to Bush too. So what. Actually they should use this guy as the guy they leave in Congress for in case the place blows up or whatever. They always have one left behind. Now when the congress critters boycotted the State of the Union with Bush, I thought they should not be paid that day or use a vacation day since they are not working. I feel the same way about this guy. When you are supposed to be at your appointed place of duty and you don’t want to then you should take vacation. Why should tax payers have to pay for a person to sit at home or wherever when they should perform their duty representing their voters in the district. Take a vacation day!
Ha, the whole damn republican side aught to go out and play night golf during the stupid SOTUS.
Yeah, I think it would be better if he’d just left it at respecting the office.
I will not be watching either, the FR live threads are much more informative.
“The Congressman plans to watch it on tv”
He HAD to say that. LOL
When Greta asked him if all of the other GOP Congressman did the same thing as him, he should have said, “That would be a magnificent event”.
I plan to watch my DVR’ed Downton Abbey and would say that is a fundamentally superior choice.
The constitution says the president is supposed to report to the congress once a year on the state of the union. As much as he dislikes President Obama he should still show up for the speech. Once he is there he doesn’t have to clap, cheer, or agree with anything the President says, But he should show up because that is his job. I personally think that none of the Republicans should clap during the State of the Union Address at all. Even if they agree with him. It just prolongs the speech and gives the President more face time. When they introduce the President they should sit on their hands until the President leaves the room when the speech is over.
He is my Representative. He is on the House Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs committees. He has the Air Force Academy, Fort Carson, Peterson Air Force Base, Schriever Air Force Base, NORAD, Cheyenne Mountain Air force Station, The United States Penitentiary, SUPERMAX for men also known as The Alcatraz of the Rockies. If He needs entertainment he can Watch President Obama’s State of the Union address: Tonight on YouTube at 9 pm ET. As for me, I’m gonna pass!
Good for him. I’m hoping Joe Wilson will yell “You lie” again as its even truer now than last time.
I think standing silently with his back turned would be more appropriate.
And where can we send our contributions to his re-election campaign?
The Constitution doesn’t require the report to be delivered as a speech, and I think the first ones were just letters delivered to the Capitol. Maybe Lamborn should’ve just said he’d read the transcript. :-)
He’s mine too, Cowgirl. Once you get out of the cesspool known as the Denver/Boulder area, Colorado is as self-reliant and conservative as you’ll find anywhere.
Mine too.
In other news...I saw an email from either Sen. Udall or Sen. Bennett the other day touting their push to have the Democrats and Republican sit together during the SOTU.
Prepare for the inevitable news stories about how the Dems are "striving" for cooperation and compromise, but the Republicans just won't go along.
I don’t respect him on a personal level nor as president.
>> Once you get out of the cesspool known as the Denver/Boulder area, Colorado is as self-reliant and conservative as youll find anywhere.
I was born and raised in the Denver area — *it* used to be conservative as well. (Boulder, not so much.)
Colorado got Californicated over the last three or four decades of the 20th century.
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