Winger radio host Hewitt brings ‘Boycott GM’ message to Colorado

Radio talker Hugh Hewitt — fresh off his call for American consumers to boycott General Motors — arrives in Colorado on Friday for a congressional fund raiser in Denver and the chance to mingle with up-and-coming conservatives in Parker.

Hewitt will get to share his boycott message with “the largest gathering of free-market, pro-capitalism, pro-defense, pro-liberty activists” in the state Friday night as Bob Schaffer’s conservative boot camp, the Leadership Program of the Rockies, graduates its latest class of future leaders Friday night at The Wildlife Experience in Parker.

A veritable who’s who of Colorado conservatives have passed through the 20-year-old training program, which changed its name from the Republican Leadership Program four years ago.

Republican Tom Lucero, one of a host of candidates hoping to take on Democrat Betsy Markey in the 4th Congressional District, sits down with Hewitt and some supporters for a $100-a-plate lunch at Maggiano’s Little Italy in downtown Denver.

It could be an uncomfortable meal. Lucero, who counts Hewitt at the top of his list of advisors, told Fort Collins Coloradoan editor Bob Moore earlier this week he disagrees with Hewitt’s conclusion that what’s good for General Motors is bad for the country. While he shares Hewitt’s concern about the federal government’s role in the iconic automobile company, Moore writes in his blog, “Lucero thinks it’s important for American businesses to succeed, so he draws the line at a boycott.”

“In order for those companies to succeed, Americans are going to have to do business with those companies,” he said.

Distancing himself from Hewitt on the boycott call probably is good politics for Lucero. The 4th Congressional District is home to more than a dozen GM dealerships employing hundreds – people who would be deeply impacted by a boycott.

As the Hewitt fundraiser was set to start at 11 a.m. Friday, only two guests — Lucero and his wife — had confirmed they’d be attending on the event’s Facebook page, but it must be said Lucero’s supporters are still grappling with “a Tweeter” and not all are yet “on a computer at this point.”

As for Hewitt’s plan to boycott GM, echoed by fellow conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh? The Detroit News got this reaction:

“While it’s not surprising that Rush Limbaugh would root for the failure of a national institution for partisan political gain, it is surprising that the other so-called leaders of the Republican party are silently going along with him given how many hard working Americans rely on GM for a living,” said [Democratic National Committee] spokesman Hari Sevugan.

And liberal MSNBC talker Ed Schultz asks, “Conservatives, are you out of your mind?”

What do you say we just kick the American worker in the teeth. What do you say we just give all the money to Wall Street. Let’s just take their health care, let’s take their education, let’s take their jobs. Let’s just genuflect to the Hugh Hewitts of the world.

Let’s watch:

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