It’s no mystery why Republicans keep losing the women’s vote in Colorado (personhood/abortion/birth control). But if you’re even slightly confused, come with me for a trip into the magical world of Karl Rove via his Crossroads GPS way-way-back machine.
The setting for Rove’s latest campaign ad is a suburban kitchen, presumably somewhere in Jefferson County, because all Colorado elections are decided in kitchens somewhere in Jefferson County.
www.youtube.com/embed/tn5GhW2ajpw
We zoom in on a coffee cup and then, strangely, on a woman’s, uh, profile — possibly to signal the viewer that this campaign ad is about women drinking coffee. And as the camera pulls back, it reveals four such women standing around one of those granite-top kitchen island things, doing what Jefferson County women presumably do — stand around and complain about Mark Udall’s Senate campaign’s insistence on talking about, you know, female stuff (personhood/abortion/birth control) instead of the real issues, which we’ll get to in a minute.
These are actors, you quickly realize. There are at least two giveaways.
One, real people don’t actually talk this way. Here’s a sample piece of caffeinated conversation in Rove’s world o’ kitchens: “Unfortunately, after 15 years in Washington, political scare tactics are all Mark Udall has left.”
“Political scare tactics” are, of course, words that have never been said consecutively in anyone’s kitchen, but they are a handy euphemism for personhood/abortion/birth control, which is all Udall talks about because, well, you know. Not surprisingly, “personhood/abortion/birth control” are words the Karl Rove stand-ins never utter.
And two, as the 30 seconds slip agonizingly by, you realize something else: that maybe too much caffeine is involved. These women are, well, miffed. No, they’re more than that. They’re angry. And it’s not just your everyday stressed-out anger at the world, it’s more like they are auditioning for a guest spot on Hannity.
If there’s anything you know about affable Mark Udall, the mountain-climbing senator, it’s that, whatever else, no one is mad at the guy. Except, I guess, Karl Rove, who imagines that Jefferson County women are — dare I, a reconstructed male, use the word in 21st century America? — this annoyingly, umm, shrill.
It’s not me who’s saying it (really, it’s not). It’s Karl Rove, who is betting Crossroad GPS millions that these are the kind of women that Jefferson County’s female voting population — or any other population — could relate to or even recognize.
This is less a coffee klatch than it is a desperate cry for an anger-management class. And what are the Jeffco Four so mad about? It’s not the Hobby Lobby kitchen decor. And it’s not the cookies and fruit put out with the coffee and cream. They’re tired, they say, of being treated as single-issue voters.
“Shouldn’t Mark Udall talk about the issues?” one woman asks.
“Udall voted against Keystone,” one replies.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the only issue discussed. I’m serious. One woman does say that Udall voted 99 percent of the time with Obama, as you may have heard Cory Gardner mention once or twice. But for issues in this kitchen, it’s Keystone and Keystone only. I guess Rove doesn’t know that if you hear people talking about Keystone in Colorado, they’re probably discussing next season’s ski package and not a proposed pipeline that would come nowhere near the state.
And yet, Karl Rove apparently envisions unaffiliated voters in kitchens across Colorado slamming their hands on their kitchen islands, even at risk of spilling the coffee, and screaming, “Dammit, when is Udall gonna come clean on Keystone??!!!!”
Yes, Keystone. Not immigration reform. Not Obamacare. Not over-the-counter birth control. Not ISIS. Not entitlements. Not the debt. Not guns. Not NSA. Not long-term unemployment. Not equal pay for women. Not same-sex marriage. Not the economy. Not income inequality. Not Broncos-Seahawks.
You get the feeling that somebody is ripping Rove off? The last Crossroads GPS commercial I remember starred a woman called “Richelle” asking Udall to repeal Obamacare because the program had forced her to go back to work. Except that simple fact-checking (by KDVR’s Eli Stokols) showed that she had gone back to work before there was an Obamacare because, she said, her family needed the money. Whatever financial problems her family had, they had nothing to do with Obamacare (or, just guessing, Keystone).
If you’re going to make the argument that Democrats won’t talk about anything but abortion rights and birth control, do you make it by talking about pipelines?
Michael Bennet beat Ken Buck by 17 points among women in the last Colorado Senate race. That number underlies the thinking in every Udall ad. What the strategists understand is that personhood is not just about personhood. The reason Gardner is desperate to change the subject is that personhood stands for every issue in which so many middle class suburban women find Colorado Republicans standing somewhere in the last century.
That’s why in Udall’s latest commercial, he asks people — including these same Rove-targeted women, who may not, in fact, spend their lives standing in a kitchen — to check their calendars. Let’s face it, that granite-top kitchen island is right out of the 1990s.
Mike Littwin writes for ColoradoIndependent.com
I have seen circular comments before, but you name all the subjects that Senators (or wannabe Senators) should be talking about, and yet Democrats are obsessed with sexuality of younger women. They cannot point to any other subject where we tax-payers are ahead, with reduced buying power and cost of everything going up. I read of 1682 Billionaires now, up 82% from 2003, meaning the Millionaires received big payoffs. But we lucky folks get to pay $3.50 a gallon for gasoline for car, that was $1.70 a gallon (?) in 2008. 17. 6 Trillion dollars in debt, with over 10 of that in last 6 years. And over half of citizens not paying income tax, with being on the dole, food stamps, free phones, and more abortions/children born out of wedlock. Yeah, Mike you really have your eye on the ball. I find it somewhat nuts for a 60 plus aged man, manifesting such interest in young women and their birth control. That used to get police actions.
Coffman is a birther. Doesn’t think the President was born in
Hawaii.
How does that float your boat? By the way, that is not what Coffman said. Read the exact quote: I will paraphrase, but you look it up to be exact.
“In his heart, he is not American”. And that is openly apparent to any thinker or reasonable person, which I have always tried to be. I give reasonable doubt, when earned. But what about this Potus do you find so great?
that’s even WORSE — stating that in our President’s heart, he is not an American. He should have kept
that evil comment to himself. Not everyone thinks the
same way as you do Frank — thank heavens.
Oh Really!!!! And how much did you sell your vote for, or are you also getting a tingle up your leg when he speaks, as the host on MSNBC does? I suspect many feel same as I do, or he would be above the 50% approval rating. Even the Democrats are staying away from him. Only Ed Perlmutter rode to Denver on Air Force One with him. Udall who had fund raiser that night in Denver, stayed in Washington to make a meaningless vote for member to Labor Board. Tell me again how many approve of him. I forget, and I am only criticizing the White half of him. Don’t want you to think I am racist, since I have friends among all I came in contact with in Service (26 years). Even couple who had been Hitler Youth Corps, and Japanese fellow whose family went back to Japan after WWII, from the camps, after losing property due to confinement.
I find your remarks to be terribly insensitive Frank, but
I’m positive that won’t stop you from attacking and
insulting anyone that disagrees with you.
Well, I have re-read my comment, and if you did not sell your vote, then why are you insulted? Don’t paint yourself into corners of own making. I don’t ask anyone to agree with me, only do some research on your own. That is what I do, and find it extremely educational. So much easier than the 3×5 cards I used to fill out, then wait 6 weeks or 2 months to receive book, periodical, magazine I asked for. Now it is so easy. Just type request in search engine and can print off entire item. Works for me, but I am slow learner. Of course, I had to work with computers and communications to make them available in military, and civilians followed soon after. Try it, you will like it.
Leroy. You were insensitive with defining Coffman as something he is not. I have known him for over 20 years on personal and political basis, and he is well chosen and positive in his speech, until faced with stupid questions that have no place in civil discussions. But we get the Candy Crowleys, and local radio or paper hosts with own agenda. Feeds those who are lazy and look for a reason in debate, to justify their vote. Are the ones who will not research or read to learn true facts or records. And DNC ads this year are loaded with that. Plus heavy spending from the coast people who know nothing about Colorado.
I have been considering this, and think I need to express my views on Keystone. Served 26 years 18 days of Honorable Service, to retirement in 1976. Keystone and its oil-gas is a National Security Issue. I am tired of seeing our military serving in middle east and on the seas to keep the oil-gas flowing for the world, while those countries use our funds to aid Jihadists, and attack our military. We take death and injury, for the world since USA and United Kingdom usually provide the muscle through NATO, U.N. and such allies as our Presidents can convince to assist us, when we must go to war. All of this time, we are setting on more gas and oil and coal than has ever been drilled, developed or used in the area north of Alaskan ANWR. That area along the Artic Ocean, from waters edge to beginning of Brooks Range, some 40 to 100 miles wide and 400 miles long was set aside decades ago as Oil-Gas Preserve, in case USA ever got into another World War, and needed energy. Canada has been working their area along the Artic, and the Alaskan Pipeline proved long ago it would not kill the animals or birds. In fact their numbers increased. But for some reason, politicians have resisted developing that when we need it.
————Keystone crosses the border with Canada already with 13 crossings, and the Shale combined with Fracking has exploded the supply of oil and gas, and coal from the north (Canada and USA). That has been coming south, splitting to the 5 PADDs of USA, and there is no reason not to believe the additional oil-gas flowing south will split to all 5 PADDs with additional capacity. There is no reason not to complete the last segment, and quit shipping by truck or train. This is much more dangerous, and environmentally unsafe. We also need to find out why BLM controlled areas are not being developed for oil-gas development at same rate as on private lands. Allowing environmental lawsuits to delay and hinder drilling after leases are signed, is not best action for USA. We don’t need to be funding countries who want to kill or injure us, while we have our own assets, within our borders or just off-shore along the coasts.