Greeley Tribune puff piece on Allard let GOP figures slam Dems with no Dem comment

Summary: Reporting on Weld County Republicans reliving their "glory days" at a dinner honoring U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, the Greeley Tribune quoted several Colorado GOP figures denigrating or ridiculing state Democrats -- including former Allard opponent Tom Strickland -- but provided no response from Democrats. Additionally, the Tribune failed to mention that Time magazine in 2006 ranked Allard as one of the nation's "least influential" U.S. senators, despite reporting Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer's claim that "no one has ever questioned" Allard's role as "the voice of Colorado on the floor of the United States Senate."

In a March 8 article reporting on a Weld County Republican dinner honoring U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, the Greeley Tribune noted no Democratic perspectives regarding several prominent Colorado Republicans disparaging Democrats, including Allard's 1996 and 2002 opponent Tom Strickland, or any Democrats' observations on Allard's career. The Tribune also omitted that Time magazine in 2006 ranked Allard as one of the five worst U.S. senators.

Having served two terms, Allard is not running for re-election this year.

The Tribune's Andrew Villegas reported that "Weld County's Republicans relived their glory days Friday night as they honored Sen. Wayne Allard for his contributions to the Colorado Republican Party at the annual Lincoln Day Dinner." The article quoted U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer saying of Allard, "He's the voice of Colorado on the floor of the United States Senate, and no one has ever questioned that."

However, the article made no mention of Time's April 2006 widely reported assessment of Allard as one of the five "Worst Senators," as Colorado Media Matters noted. According to Time's article, "Wayne Allard: The Invisible Man":

Now in his 10th year, Allard almost never plays a role in major legislation, even though he's on two key Senate committees, Budget and Appropriations. The veterinarian rarely speaks on the floor or holds press conferences to push his ideas. Few of the bills he has introduced over the past year have passed; in fact, since Colorado Democrat Ken Salazar entered the Senate last year, Salazar's legislative output has dwarfed Allard's, even though Allard has the advantages of seniority and of being a Republican in a G.O.P.-dominated Congress.

From the March 8 Greeley Tribune article by Andrew Villegas, "Republicans honor Wayne Allard, relive Senate victories over Strickland":

Among the attendees at the dinner were Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Fort Morgan; U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer; Weld District Attorney Ken Buck; Former U.S. Sen. Hank Brown; Colorado Republican Party Chairman Dick Wadhams; Greeley Mayor Ed Clark and a host of state legislators and Weld Republican party officials.

[...]

"I have been a follower of Wayne Allard literally and figuratively for a long time," Schaffer said. "He's the voice of Colorado on the floor of the United States Senate, and no one has ever questioned that."

Wadhams echoed Musgrave's sentiment that Allard's victories over Strickland were turning points in the recent history of the Colorado Republican party.

"You know why I want to honor you?" Wadhams asked. "You drove the Democrats crazy in Colorado."

Allard himself brought his wife Joan with him to the podium when he thanked the speakers and the Weld Republicans for honoring him. He also commented on his former opponent Strickland.

"I'm convinced Dick Wadhams ran him out of the state of Colorado," said Allard, who also turned serious, thanking many by name at the dinner.

In 2007, Strickland relocated to Minnesota after accepting a job as chief legal officer for UnitedHealth Group. According to an April 2007 report in The Denver Post, "Strickland said he and his wife, Beth, will buy a house in the Minneapolis area but will keep their Colorado homes. They will return to Denver on most weekends and remain involved in local politics and community affairs, Strickland said."

The Tribune reported no comments from Democrats about the Republicans' assessment of Allard's Senate career.

—C.H.