Hush, Hush and On the QT: Ears on High, Lips on Spin

    “Hush, Hush” roamed the halls at the recent Colorado Democratic Party Re-organization meeting for the latest in political gossip and observations.…Newly re-elected CDP chair, Pat Waak was beaming. “It’s our biggest Jefferson-Jackson dinner ever with 1,900 people!” she exclaimed. Hush, Hush loved your evening dinner dress, too, Pat. Classy. What!? Speaker Nancy Pelosi was wearing red.

    Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting…Biggest hit of the JJ Dinner was Colorado Speaker Andrew Romanoff’s auction special. This guy should have been in Aspen for the Comedy Fest instead. More than $10,000 was raised for the CDP. Loved that Cheney award ceremony, too. Representing the Republican Congressional team, Marilyn Musgrave received a runner-up for “Little Miss Sunshine” and Tom Tancredo was acknowleged for “Desperado.” Mesa County Commissioner, Janet Rowland placed in second for “BrokeBack Mountain.” The “envelope, please” went to President Bush for “Apocalypto.” This is his third Cheney award.

    …Heard that former Congressional candidate for the 6th, Bill Winter, is headed to Washington D.C. There will be a lot of disappointed single women in Colorado, Bill.

    …Here’s a new word for the Colorado dictionary: “Bi-slopal.”

    Ran into a political gal who splits her time in the Fort and Eagle Co. “Hey, so where are you today?” She replied, “It’s Eagle right now.”

    “Tough commuting back and forth, eh?” Hush, Hush commiserated after traveling hundreds of miles from Rifle to Denver for work and pleasure in the past two weeks.

    “Yeah,” she said. “It’s Bi-slopal living.”

    ….Former first vice-chair and chief rabble-rouser, Julia Hicks was in good form on Saturday. Her new kidney is working well and she’s back to her old self. As a John Edwards fan from way back forever, she gave him a peck before his speech in the Denver area the other day. “He wore my red lipstick on his cheek during his whole speech,” Julia  giggled.

    …Checked with Steve Griffith, who faithfully attends Democratic rah-rah’s selling buttons, bumper stickers and other political paraphernalia. “So what presidential candidates are hot?” Hush, Hush asked. “Hillary has been selling the best,” he said, “But she had her supplies out early. I can’t keep Obama stuff in and Edwards is popular, too,” he added. “There are still fans for Howard Dean, so I keep a supply of his political items, as well as Kucinich and Russ Feingold.”

    …JW Postal was spearheading the Bill Richardson table nearby where buttons and bumper stickers were handed out freely. Former US Senate candidate, Tom Strickland, is on the Richardson bandwagon, too. Surely, a Mike Stratton common denominator there.

    …Former CDP chair, Chris Gates will be getting married this summer somebody whispered in Hush, Hush’s ear.

    …Double darn! Snow in the mountains on Friday kept a certain person from collecting her $5.00 bet from Karl Rove, who spoke at the Republican “Repaint the State Red” (fat chance) party. Hey, why not send the IOU to Dick Wadhams instead?

    …Speaking of Wadhams, Pat Waak said she was not afraid of him. Hmmm. Hush, Hush hopes Pat doesn’t take a knife to a gun fight.

    …Here’s a juicy tidbit… Sources say U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave is going to quit as soon as she is eligible for retirement (end of this year) and Weld County DA, Ken Buck will be appointed to replace her. (CORRECTION: It would have to be by special election; then Buck may be the anoited R candidate.)  It’s an old, but effective, Republican trick to secure a seat. Kick out the old before their time to set up the newbie for name recognition and track record–and free Congressional mailings.

    …Bent County Commissioner Bill Long may soon make his candidacy for CD4 official.

    …Looks like a primary for HS 29 next year. Evie Hudak, State Board of Education, and John Giardino are interested in the seat now being held by Rep. Debbie Benefield, who is eyeing SD 19. Joe Miklosi of Progressive Majority is looking at HD 9.

    …The official line about the vice presidency from Ken Salazar’s office: “The Senator is happy being a Senator.”

    …Rep. Ray Rose, R-Montrose, is so trigger happy with the “No” button in the legislature that he is known as the “Red Rose.”

    …When Hush, Hush took a photo of the press taking photos of Speaker Pelosi, a MSM photographer came up and said, “You need to get a new hobby.”

    …In most Democratic affairs, the real business is held in the back of the room. It was so noisy last Saturday that at times, the speakers such as U.S. Senator Ken Salazar and Congressman Mark Udall were drowned out by the buzz. However, when Gov. Bill Ritter came on stage, the crowd kept still to listen. Interesting.

    …Are NW Dems in the 57th really calling Al White, R-who knows where, a “Carpet Bagger?” Last year, there was a rumor that White really spent most of his time at his supposed home near Denver and when he announced that he had bought a place in Hayden so that he would be residing in the 8th Senate District for his run in ’08, the “residence” is actually only land. Hush, Hush will look into this gossip further….

    …Can you guess who owns this legislative nickname, “Dennis the Menace?” Sen. Chris Romer. “I use up my allotted number of quotes to the press by Monday afternoon,” he said. “After that, I get the evil eye from Sen. Fitz-Gerald to keep my mouth shut.”

    …Long-time Democrat from Walden, Franklin Murphy, passed away in December. He had been involved with the party since Roosevelt days and was a favorite character in NW Colorado and the state. He never missed a Democratic Assembly until 2006. Here’s a toast to you, Franklin! May rain never fall on your hay bales in Heaven.

    Got any good gossip from the halls of the CDP meeting? Spill the beans below.

    Photo of Andrew Romanoff announcing the “Cheney Awards” by Leslie Robinson

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