(UPDATED with Udall's response.)

GOP Senate candidate Bob Schaffer is challenging rival Democratic candidate Mark Udall to a series of seven “Lincoln-Douglas style debates around Colorado between Memorial Day and Labor Day,” according to a letter released today by Schaffer campaign manager Dick Wadhams.

In an e-mail, Wadhams said the “letter was "personally handed to Udall by Schaffer” at the Southeast Business Partnership luncheon today. [See the text of the letter below.]

A statement from Udall supported the concept of debates with Schaffer, but suggested that the debates "we do should allow us to answer questions from the people of Colorado about the issues that are most important to them, but Bob's proposed events do not." [See full statement from Udall below.]

Already, TV host Aaron Harber has announced a 24-part series on Colorado's U.S. Senate race. Udall and Schaffer will appear, but not at the same time.

The famed debates between Lincoln and Douglas of 1858 are echoing this political season. The style of debating has no moderator.

Hillary Clinton challenged Barack Obama to such debates last month before the Indiana and North Carolina primaries. Obama declined.

In February, Mike Huckabee challenged John McCain to a Lincoln-Douglas style debate during the GOP primaries. That didn’t happen, either.

“The Lincoln-Douglas debates were a series of formal political debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas in a campaign for one of Illinois' two United States Senate seats. Although Lincoln lost the election, these debates launched him into national prominence which eventually led to his election as President of the United States,” according to a National Parks Service Web site that documents the seven debates.

“When a man hears himself somewhat misrepresented, it provokes him - at least, I find it so with myself,” said Lincoln during the first debate. “But when misrepresentation becomes very gross and palpable, it is more apt to amuse him.”

*********************************

May 9, 2008

The Hon. Mark Udall
4346 Prado Dr.
Boulder, CO 80303

Dear Mark:

The election this November to decide who will serve as Colorado’s next U.S. Senator is extremely important. As such, I hereby propose to you the following:

You and I should engage in a series of seven Lincoln-Douglas style debates around Colorado between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

The intentions of so many outside and independent groups to have influence on the outcome of our contest have been well stated. I do not regard these outside efforts to be a healthy trend in America’s political system and I know you hold a similar
opinion.

These anticipated interferences demand you and I find bold ways to remain in charge of our campaigns and our contrasting messages. I think you’ll agree that holding our own debates, on our own terms, focusing on issues upon which we agree to debate is a sensible strategy. It is a strategy that will allow both of us to more thoroughly clarify our campaigns, but most of all it will benefit voting Coloradans.

You and I should discuss the issues important to voters in a series debates this summer. There will be many other traditional debates and forums in the fall sponsored by many organizations but I don’t think Colorado voters should have to wait.

Let’s start now by agreeing to a set of seven Lincoln-Douglas style debates around the state – one in every Congressional District – between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Let’s give voters in every part of the state a chance to hear directly from us on the issues important to them and to our state. We can agree on the topics in advance and then all we need is a time keeper for each debate. Our campaigns can work out the details.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the debates between U.S. Senate candidates Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas. In 1858, they debated seven times around the state of Illinois, two hours at a time.

In the spirit of those historic debates let’s have our own series of seven debates this summer across Colorado to discuss the issues important today. I think these debates could be the high-water mark of the campaign and perhaps renew a national and historic standard of campaign civility.

I hope you agree and I respectfully request that you consider this offer and respond by Friday, May 16th so we can get the ball rolling.

Very truly yours,

Bob Schaffer

**************************

[Response from U.S. Rep. Mark Udall on debate proposal.]

“I’m looking forward to a strong and substantive series of debates in this campaign. I firmly believe that the debates we do should allow us to answer questions from the people of Colorado about the issues that are most important to them, but Bob’s proposed events do not. I hope in the coming weeks that we can work together to develop a schedule of debates for the summer and fall that reaches every corner of the state and gives Coloradans an important role in the process. I’m pleased to see Bob taking an interest in discussing the issues with Coloradans; he could start by answering simple policy questions from reporters and putting information about his positions on his website.”

JOANNE OSTROW reporting...

What a great night for long-winded pundits! With hours and hours to fill while awaiting conclusive numbers, the media ran with speculation, possible long-term scenarios, interpretations of speeches, replays of body language and Bill Clinton background shots plus county by county prognostications.

All that and Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann singing "Gary, Indiana," too. (Not as strong as David Archuletta doing 'Stand By Me' on "Idol.)

When the cable stars exhausted the guessing game, they looked to the future. "Fast forward a week, what are we going to say then?" Brit Hume asked a Fox News panel.

No question, "American Idol" is having a dull season by comparison. (If I had to speculate, I'd say when the absentee votes in Lake County, IN, are counted, David Cook will seal the deal.)

The lawyers are going to be looking at it," an exhausted-seeming Wolf Blitzer concluded on CNN.

Wil Armstrong, one of four Republicans vying for Colorado’s Sixth Congressional District seat, is taking his campaign to the airwaves for the first time.

In a TV spot that debuted today, Armstrong notes: “Professional politicians have lost touch with our priorities – raising a family, a better education for our kids, a strong economy with good jobs and a secure future for our country. We can change Congress by changing some of the resumes. We need more business experience back there. Not more professional politicians.”

Armstrong, a mortgage banker and the son of former U.S. Senator Bill Armstrong, is running against three “politicians” in the race to replace Rep. Tom Tancredo: Secretary of State Mike Coffman and state Sens. Ted Harvey and Steve Ward.

Armstrong campaign spokesman Jack Stansbery said the ad was targeted specifically at the 6th CD race, and wasn’t meant as a critique of other Republicans seeking or holding office. It plays to his candidate’s strength, he said.

“If you have the option of voting for someone with real world experience - someone with more of a business background than a political background - that's a pretty compelling contrast and pretty compelling message,” he said.

Stansbery estimated the initial cost for production and air time - on TV channels that largely serve the district - at $40,000.

The Coffman campaign has produced its own video spot, in which he bills himself as “a proven conservative leader who led Marines in combat during the first Gulf War and volunteered to serve again in Iraq."

Highly influential James Dobson, founder of the Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family evangelical ministry, condemned Sen. John McCain in February, saying: “I am convinced Sen. McCain is not a conservative, and in fact, has gone out of his way to stick his thumb in the eyes of those who are.

“I cannot, and I will not vote for Sen. John McCain, as a matter of conscience,” Dobson said.

The religious leader continues to say he will not vote for the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.

“I understand that this is a very tough challenge that I’m facing and I know I’ve got a lot of work to do,” McCain told Denver Post reporter Chuck Plunkett on Friday, prior to McCain's town-hall meeting in Denver.

But that work doesn’t necessarily mean trying to mend fences.

When asked whether he would reach out to Dobson, McCain answered: “No. I’m always willing to talk to anybody that wants to talk to me. We’re just going to try to campaign all over this state and get as much support as we can.”

Dobson was unavailable for comment.

Told of McCain’s statement, Dobson’s spokesman, Tom Minnery, responded: “I would just say that if the senator is going to be in Colorado, we’d like to have him stop in. We’re always willing to talk.”

Below is Dobson's prior statement on McCain, read on the Laura Ingraham radio program, Feb. 5, 2008.

A political watchdog group today will unveil what it says is a $100,000 TV and radio campaign "regarding Repuplican Bob Schaffer's junket to the Northern Mariana Islands" in 1999.

Campaign Money Watch, which bills itself as a nonpartisan watchdog group that holds candidates accountable for the favors they do for political contributors, will discuss their ads this morning.

According to a release, the ads urge Schaffer to support legislation to clean up politics as well as the bill now on President George W. Bush's desk to address worker abuse in the islands.

The group's executive director, David Donnelly, penned an opinion piece on the topic last month in the Post.

Here is the group's TV spot:

Our pals at NewWest.net are reporting that Hillary Clinton's campaign is sending former President Clinton to Billings to speak at a Democratic fund-raiser on May 10.

Details are sketchy, but should be updated here when they become available.

 

The Barack Obama presidential campaign turned to supporter Federico Pena, the former Energy Secretary and Denver Mayor, to take on the gas-tax holiday being pushed by Hillary Clinton.

Here is his statement:

"Today we're seeing another example of Washington politics at its worst. Senator Clinton is running TV ads and launching repeated attacks on Barack Obama for not supporting the gas tax holiday she's supporting, but today her own aides told the Washington Post that they know that this is a questionable plan and that they are using it to make it appear they're against big oil. The Clinton gas tax gimmick does little to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and will actually increase oil prices. It is the kind of pandering that insults people's intelligence. With energy prices skyrocketing, we're looking for real solutions-not political posturing to get elected."

The liberal group ProgressNowAction has launched a $25,000 Internet ad campaign targeting Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer. The ads, running on Colorado newspaper and blog sites - including Denverpost.com - criticize Schaffer’s alleged ties with the oil and gas industry.

Sen. Ken Salazar won’t declare which Democratic presidential nominee he’s supporting any time soon, he said today.

Salazar is a superdelegate who has not yet decided between Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois.

“There are many voters in America who have not yet spoken and they need to be given an opportunity to do so,” Salazar said. “When it’s ready for some of us to make a decision we’ll make a decision.

"I’m very much at peace being in the position I’m in right now which is an uncommitted delegate,’’ Salazar added.

He’s getting pressure from both campaigns, some days having as many as 10 conversations between the two camps. Other days there are no calls, he said.

Salazar said it’s clear neither Obama nor Clinton will get to the required superdelegate total through the remaining elections. But he’s still hoping that he and the other superdelegates won’t have to make the final decision.

“Hopefully it is something that will come from the two candidates,’’ Salazar said. “Between the two campaigns at some point in time there will be a resolution.”

Pressed on why one of the two candidates would step aside if they haven’t already, Salazar said, “I don't have that belief. I think that is a possibility that that may happen. As both campaigns get additional data points with elections that they both have to go through here … they may have enough information to either, well to decide what they’re going to do.’’

COLORADO SPRINGS - Rep. Doug Lamborn will petition onto the ballot instead of going through the assembly process. Lamborn faces Jeff Crank, a former top aide to Rep. Joel Hefley, and retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Bentley Rayburn in the race for the 5th Congessional District.

In a letter to friends and supporters, Lamborn said the El Paso County Republican Party was overwelmed when six times the normal amount of Republicans showed up for caucuses.

“This overwhelmed the ability of the county party to adequately monitor and track delegate information ...’’ the letter said.

The El Paso County Republican Party, in a press release, siad: “There were accusations made in the Lamborn letter that are inaccurate regarding the El Paso County Republican Party and the data from the Caucuses. While no one could have anticipated the incredible volume of people that attended the Caucuses and there were definitely issues that came up, they were challenges that were overcome and we achieved success."

Each of the candidate’s campaigns received information about delegates and alternates on Feb. 25 - 20 days after the caucus.

“It should be noted that, because the 2008 Caucus was moved back more than a month to February 5th, the data for the 5th Congressional Candidates was available further in advance than in any previous election cycle,’’ according to the release.