The showing at the healthcare rally today that I was told had almost 700 people before it had finished is extremely impressive given the fact that no politician in support of the plan was there to be questioned and the rally was essentially informational in texture.
I could tell the gathering was successful since the Dashboard Obama in my pocket was fairly bouncing on his spring in agitation.
One thing will be different next Saturday when the Organizer in Chief comes to Grand Junction and that will be a large number of organized and in some instances paid supporters that will flood into the area. I am certain that the groups supporting the president, his plan and the twin problem children of Governor Ritter and almost Senator Bennett will not let the President be in any way subjected to the actual feelings of Western slope citizens.
After all, it should be apparent to most that part of the reason for the President's visit to Colorado will be to shore up what is clearly wavering support for Ritter and Bennett.
Bennett is the especially troubling one for the president at this time since he is certainly going to need his vote on Cap and Trade and most certainly if he should even get a bill on health care through the House.
So far such a vote looks like it would signal a very rough time for any election possibilities that Bennett might hope for, even given his massive out-of-state fundraising.
It is in some ways a testament to the naivety of the Obama team that at this point they do not realize his presence will more likely be a galvanizing force for opponents then a rallying one for supporters.
The president managed to garner only about 35% of the vote here during the election. My guess is at this point he'd be lucky to pull 27% given his losses amongst the Independent's.
