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TARGET: Tom Tancredo (Warned "never to darken the door of the White House again.")
Roll Call ^ | November 18, 2002 | Josh Kurtz

Posted on 11/18/2002 6:23:24 PM PST by Mark Felton

November 18, 2002

Target: Tom Tancredo

Some Say GOPPrimary Challenge Likely

By Josh Kurtz He represents one of the most conservative districts in the nation. He just trounced his Democratic challenger by 37 points. Yet Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) may be one of the most vulnerable incumbents in the 2004 election cycle.

Tancredo, a controversial, outspoken voice for the Republican right who is entering his third term, has angered leading Republicans back home and in the White House.

The House Member's criticisms of President Bush's immigration policy bought him a 40-minute rebuke earlier this year from Bush adviser Karl Rove, who, in the Congressman's own words, warned him "never to darken the door of the White House again." And his decision to renounce his pledge to serve only three terms has infuriated powerful Colorado Republicans, including his political patron, former Sen. Bill Armstrong (R).

"I'll be surprised if he doesn't have a primary [in 2004]," said Floyd Ciruli, an independent Colorado pollster.

Several Republicans, including popular state Treasurer Mike Coffman, who just won a landslide re-election of his own, are considering taking on Tancredo in the '04 primary.

Other potential candidates include state Sen. Jim Dyer (R) and former Arapahoe County Commissioner Steve Ward. "It's a given" that someone will run against the 56-year-old lawmaker, Coffman said. "There are questions about his term-limit pledge. When you have someone like Senator Armstrong, who was his mentor, backing away from him - I think that resonates."

Armstrong was instrumental in getting Tancredo elected in the first place, endorsing him over four strong opponents in a competitive GOP primary to replace retiring Rep. Dan Schaefer (R) in 1998. By Tancredo's reckoning, Armstrong's blessing was worth 3 points at the polls - which just happened to be his margin of victory in the primary.

Even though he may not seek re-election in 2004 - and would consider running for Senate if Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R) retires - he has chucked the term-limit promise nevertheless.

"The term-limit pledge in and of itself is not the deciding factor if he will run again," said Tancredo spokeswoman Lara Kennedy.

Like all Members who change their minds on term limits, Tancredo has cast his decision as being in the best interests of his district and pet causes. Tancredo wants to preserve his seniority for his suburban district south of Denver and angle for better committee assignments. Plus, he does not want to lose the momentum he has built fighting the government's open immigration policies, Kennedy said. Tancredo is the founder of the House Immigration Reform Caucus.

While plenty of politicians have broken their term-limit pledges before, including Rep. Scott McInnis (R-Colo.), Tancredo's decision is more noteworthy because he once headed Colorado's term-limit organization.

"All too often you have terrific candidates who come to Washington with the best of intentions, but they get too comfortable, and when the time comes, they don't want to go home," lamented Stacie Rumenap, a spokeswoman for U.S.Term Limits.

Whether Tancredo suffers any political damage remains to be seen. So far, the handful of Members who have broken their pledges, including McInnis, have not suffered any consequences at the polls, Rumenap conceded. And U.S.Term Limits is not in the business of recruiting challengers to incumbents who have broken the pledge.

Tancredo has promised to return campaign contributions to donors who are dismayed at his decision to ignore the term-limits pledge. But Armstrong - who did not respond to several messages left at his Denver law office - called the refund offer "hollow," according to The Rocky Mountain News.

Armstrong, meanwhile, has offered some kind words about Coffman.

"Mike Coffman is someone the Republican Party and the people of Colorado will rally around,"he told the News. "There is no doubt in my mind that he will be on the short list for whatever comes along - it could be governor, it could be Senator, it could be Congress."

Coffman, in fact, began running for Congress last year - in the new 7th district, which adjoins Tancredo's. But when the final district lines were drawn, Coffman found himself in Tancredo's 6th district, just a few blocks from the 7th, and chose not to move or run.

Coffman said that while he has not given much thought to the 2004 election yet, he believes that Tancredo will be vulnerable. The three Republicans most frequently mentioned as challengers are all military veterans, while Tancredo is not, and that could make a difference in a district that values military service, political insiders said.

Coffman, a 47-year-old Marine Corps vet who served in Operation Desert Storm, said Tancredo's military deferments during the Vietnam War would hurt him as America prepares to attack Iraq, and could be linked to his decision to ignore the term-limit pledge.

"Here's a guy ordering young men off to war and he himself didn't serve," he said. "I think in this conservative district, something like that could resonate."

Certainly, Tancredo's record would contrast with Coffman's, or Dyer's, who is an Air Force veteran, or Ward's, who is a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves and is on active duty in Florida.

Dyer called it "highly unlikely" that he would challenge Tancredo, but said somebody else might, and predicted that the term-limit issue would sting the incumbent.

"I think a number of people that support Tom are not going to support him if he breaks the term-limit pledge,"said Dyer, who was a surrogate for Tancredo at a candidate forum this fall. "We can't say that situational ethics is bad for party A but not for party B."

Ward, a former mayor of suburban Glendale, could not be reached for comment, but is expected to return to Colorado next year. In an interview with the News after completing his one term on the Arapahoe County Commission, Ward made his opinion of politicians who stay in office too long perfectly clear.

"Any politician who can't find the bathrooms in the first week doesn't deserve to be in public office," he said.

It is unclear whether the White House would try to get involved in a primary challenge to Tancredo.

But it is fair to say that Tancredo is not one of the president's favorite people. Earlier this year, the Congressman accused Bush of pandering to Hispanic voters and trying to prop up Mexican President Vicente Fox by offering amnesty to certain undocumented immigrants. That declaration brought an angry 40-minute phone call from Rove, and Bush pointedly failed to introduce Tancredo to the crowd during a political rally in Colorado in September.

With his hard-line views on immigration, Tancredo is no stranger to controversy. In 1999, he gained publicity for reaffirming his support for gun owners' rights just days after the massacre at Columbine High School, which is six blocks from his house.

The Southern Poverty Law Center released a report last summer linking Tancredo to extremist groups, which the Congressman dismissed as "McCarthyism."

And he was embarrassed earlier this year when it was revealed that undocumented workers had been hired to do some construction work on his Littleton home.

But pollster Ciruli said Tancredo's views on immigration are in line with his constituents'.

"Nobody who's going to argue the soft side of immigration is going to beat him in the Republican primary, or even in the general," he said.

After seeing two fairly viable opponents get wiped out by Tancredo in 1998 and 2000, Democrats appear to have abandoned the 6th district - leaving Republicans there to decide whether they want him to remain in office.


TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Colorado
KEYWORDS: immigrantlist
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To: hchutch
And if I don't? What are you going to do, hold your breath until you turn blue in the face? LOL!

No, if you don't then you will have proven me right--that you are nothing but a CINO and opponent of real conservatives like Bob Smith, Tom Tancredo, Bob Barr, Jesse Helms, etc. I thought you already would be blue in the face given the fact that you have been confronted with the facts of your opposition to conservatives.
1,061 posted on 11/20/2002 12:18:43 PM PST by rightwing2
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To: DoughtyOne
Sec. 502. - Enlistment oath: who may administer

Each person enlisting in an armed force shall take the following oath: ''I, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the

Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.'' This oath may be taken before any commissioned officer of any armed force

Oath of Office - "...support and defend the Constitution..."

§ 3331. Oath of office
An individual, except the President, elected or appointed to an office of honor or profit in the civil service or uniformed services, shall take the following oath:
''I, AB, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.''
This section does not affect other oaths required by law.

1,062 posted on 11/20/2002 12:25:08 PM PST by itsahoot
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To: justshe
hchutch, read this as the voice of the John Birch society. Sununu actually had a higher lifetime ACU rating than the (dis)honorable Senator Smith. Sununu: 94 Smith: 92 HERE Rightwing2......do you have a day off? Or are you posting on your work time yet again at the DoD...wasting my tax dollars? You have a strange sense of morality (for a self-professed conservative) that allows you to cheat your employer AND the taxpayers by posting on the internet during work hours. Is cheating allowed by YOUR brand of conservatism?

There are no rules against posting on the internet in your spare times here in this office as long as all of your work-related tasks are caught up. You and deport's crying about it doesn't mean there is something--anything wrong with it. I guess that's what happens when liberals can't respond rationally to factual arguments rendered by conservatives which they find discomforting. They have to resort to the politics of personal destruction and groundless allegations of wrongdoing. According to ACU, Smith has a perfect 100% conservative rating for the past three years while pro-terrorist CINO Sununu's conservative ratings have gone down lower and lower each year during the same period, but hey don't let the facts get in the way of your arguments.
1,063 posted on 11/20/2002 12:26:38 PM PST by rightwing2
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To: cyncooper
Oh, wait. I suppose you are going to say that President Bush
DOES support illegal immigration. Obviously false.

How are the end results any different, if he fails to enforce the current laws?

1,064 posted on 11/20/2002 12:31:02 PM PST by itsahoot
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To: rightwing2; Poohbah
I do support conservatives. I do not want them doing the movement more harm than good. I believe Smith crossed that line with his support of PETA - the Sinn Fein of the animal rights movement. I believe Tancredo is crossing that line as well.

I expect conservatives to solve the problems we face as a country, and to not let perfect be the enemy of good enough, which you have PROVEN you are willing to do - as evidenced by your disdain for good conservatives like Sununu, President Bush, and John Linder - who do not toe your line 100%.

Quite frankly, it's pretty obvious that those like you are, for the most part, a lot of talk and little substance. Some with your mentality took a shot at Sununu this last election - and they didn't bring him down. I expect some like you to try this again against the President - with what ever excuse you have - be it immigration, Iraq, what have you - and I do not think much of your chances.

Believe me, I'll trust this President, and the people working for him on these issues over you any time - Bush is getting results, and for the most part, I am satisfied with the job he is doing, and I hope that other conservatives will be smart enough to build on the efforts he is making, which are getting more conservatives elected and getting them in position to solve the problems.

And I do not appreciate it when those who insist on making perfect the enemy of good enough hinder those efforts.
1,065 posted on 11/20/2002 12:56:01 PM PST by hchutch
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To: archy
The Frazer program showed Frazer reciting Klingon at his son's barmitzfa a few weeks ago. This being fresh in my mind, I had also considered that a good candidate for the language you linked. Thanks for the creative offering. Pretty good.
1,066 posted on 11/20/2002 1:32:47 PM PST by DoughtyOne
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To: rightwing2
Heh heh heh, the facts do have a way of flushing out the riff-raff from the true conservatives don't they. You saw the reaction. Take heart, some of us understand what you're saying.
1,067 posted on 11/20/2002 1:34:47 PM PST by DoughtyOne
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To: itsahoot
Thank you for the oaths.
1,068 posted on 11/20/2002 1:37:55 PM PST by DoughtyOne
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To: nanny
Look, I'm with you on this. Spout statistics all you want, the reason I don't believe them is that I have seen an illegal population take over the chicken industry in my home state (GA), and can now go to the neighborhood grocery store in TN and feel like I'm a third world outsider.... Despite the fact that we have one of the highest sales taxes in the nation, human services in this state wants to make it clear (in Spanish) that one does not need a social security number to obtain medical care, or food stamps....or, for that matter, a driver's license...the grocery ads are now in TWO languages and I get a choice with my ATM card as to what language I want my transaction done in...

As an American citizen, I am required to have my social security number on my license, and have been told that medical care for citizens is beginning to suffer greatly under a crush of non-paying illegals who MUST be treated. The point is this, when it comes to the point that choices have to be made in this country concerning whose needs will be met, I believe that each and every decision should then be made on behalf of this nation's citizens. Whether born here, or LEGAL immigrants, we should not be penalized for observing this nation's laws so businesses who want hard workers at low pay can continue to be subsidized for what is tantamount to the encouragement of slave labor. The borders should be CLOSED for no less than the next two years (five would be better), all illegals deported....it won't happen, but it SHOULD happen, because our future existence depends on it.
1,069 posted on 11/20/2002 1:55:53 PM PST by snickeroon
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To: DoughtyOne; Scholastic
Heh heh heh, the facts do have a way of flushing out the riff-raff from the true conservatives don't they. You saw the reaction. Take heart, some of us understand what you're saying.

Yes, indeed. The truth does have away of flushing out the CINO rabble from the true blue conservatives. If we can't get our own people to support principled conservative Republicans now serving as elected officials, then the Republican Party will shortly be hopelessly lost in a sea of liberalism. As a lifelong conservative Republican activist, I refuse to accept this is the case. While I predicted the great Republican electoral victory of 2002. These kind of CINO attacks against our finest most principled conservative champions like Bob Smith, Tom Tancredo and Bob Barr do not give me much hope that the GOP leadership and the party's leftwing will embrace, let alone support a conservative agenda anytime soon. Thanks for the support.
1,070 posted on 11/20/2002 2:37:27 PM PST by rightwing2
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To: snickeroon
[Look, I'm with you on this. Spout statistics all you want, the reason I don't believe them is that I have seen an illegal population take over the chicken industry in my home state ]

This is the statistic that matters, isn't it?

AS I have said in several posts, everyone who hasn't been touched by this yet, should listen to those of us who are living it.

1,071 posted on 11/20/2002 4:12:23 PM PST by nanny
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To: nanny
"Now the only statistic I need, is the huge number of people who are here illegally."

That would be nice, post that stat, try using a reputable, unbiased source.

I know they are here, you don't need to convince me that there are illegal aliens here. But you said that several million got in in 2001, and that "open borders" stuff has been going on forever (it didn't begin after Bush took office), so I guess there must be thirty or forty million of them here. Hell, if your "statistics" hold true, and these illegals have been crossing for twenty years, there must be nearly one hundred million of them here by now!!!!.

Now, when you DO post that stat, ask yourself how the group or individual that you will be quoting could possibly know how many people we don't know about are here.

1,072 posted on 11/20/2002 8:57:32 PM PST by Luis Gonzalez
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To: sarasmom
Wow. Why are you beating around the shrub so much? Why not say what you REALLY feel? NICE post and well said!
1,073 posted on 11/20/2002 9:08:05 PM PST by dcwusmc
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To: 4Freedom
You called me a used car salesman, can you prove that?

Of course you can't, it's a lie. You can do little other than act the part of a cyber punk.

You entered this thread with nothing to add to the debate other than personal insults leveled at me. It's right there for all to see.

"How does lying, bloviating, bullshitter sound?"

Send me a recording of yourself and I'll tell you.

1,074 posted on 11/20/2002 9:14:42 PM PST by Luis Gonzalez
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To: 4Freedom
"Notice how Luis conveniently omits the INS's own admission that they allow at least 3 illegal aliens through for every 1 they apprehend..."

Post it.

"...and Marine Inspector says it's more like they let 9 through."

I have Marine Inspector live, on a call in to my FR Radio show saying they have no idea about the actual number of illegals getting by them, and at best, they are guessing.

He also called the "letting 90% through" claim too high an estimate.

1,075 posted on 11/20/2002 9:50:18 PM PST by Luis Gonzalez
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To: Luis Gonzalez; nanny; janetgreen; Marine Inspector
"...and at best, they are guessing."

I just visited Marine inspector's homepage.

Welcome to the home of Marine Inspector

It appears that MI has changed his estimates somewhat, but not a whole heck of a lot.

By his estimate:

"This is an average of over 5,000 illegal aliens entering the United States undetected daily.

"Center for Immigration Studies...suggests 700,000 to 800,000 new illegal aliens are settling each year."

It's as Nanny says, "The borders are sieves."

You're obfuscating again, Luis.

If you disagree with Marine Inspector and the Center for Immigration Studies, give us your numbers and their source.

How many illegal aliens do you claim are crossing the borders undetected yearly and how many of those settle or return in that same year?

1,076 posted on 11/21/2002 5:05:56 AM PST by 4Freedom
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To: Luis Gonzalez; nanny; janetgreen
"You called me a used car salesman, can you prove that?"

Anyone that reads your memoirs can see that your sales tactics are unworthy of even a used car salesman. I hereby apologize to the used car salesmen I inadvertently insulted with that unkind comparison to you.

Maybe you were an aluminum siding, replacement window or carpet salesman before you landed that job that then visited you on the unsuspecting population of Costa Rica like some kind of a plague.

Say what you want about my responses to your attacks on Tom Tancredo, but your posts to me were the ones that were pulled, Mr. 'Holier Than Thou'.

You calling anyone a liar is truly 'the pot calling the kettle black', if there ever was an illustration of that old adage on this Forum.

I'm still waiting for you to prove that I advocated killing babies on the Texas border.

Liar.

1,077 posted on 11/21/2002 5:21:32 AM PST by 4Freedom
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To: 4Freedom
"Anyone that reads your memoirs posts can see that your sales tactics plans for the borders are unworthy of even a used car salesman mass murderer. I hereby apologize to the used car salesmen mass murderers I inadvertently insulted with that unkind comparison to you."

1,078 posted on 11/21/2002 6:13:44 AM PST by Luis Gonzalez
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To: 4Freedom
In other words...you lie.
1,079 posted on 11/21/2002 6:14:18 AM PST by Luis Gonzalez
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To: Luis Gonzalez
That's 'Loopie Louie', no proof just more lies.

Let me take a guess, now. You're a professional, white-collar liar (what your idea of salesmanship is) for your father-in-law's company?

LOL!

1,080 posted on 11/21/2002 6:27:16 AM PST by 4Freedom
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