Sen. Bennet Goes On Air: Touts His Work Reforming Congress (VIDEO)

In his first television ad during a tight primary and Senate race, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) highlights his efforts to reform Congress institutionally as a rallying point for his reelection.

The Colorado Democrat points to legislation he introduced several weeks ago that would ban members of Congress from ever serving as lobbyists and freeze staffer salaries until the economy recovers.

"I've been in Washington for only a year," Bennet says in the spot. "But it didn't take that long to see the whole place is broken. It's time to give them a wake-up call. That's why I'm for freezing Congressional pay until we get our economy back on track. I think senators and [members of] Congress should lose their health insurance, until they can stop insurance company abuses. And I'd ban members of Congress from ever becoming lobbyists."

The ad is a clear effort to remove the rookie Senator from the taint of the institution in which he serves -- an anti-Washington message that seems likely to be repeated throughout the course of his campaign and those of other incumbents.

One thing not mentioned in the ad is Bennet's support for filibuster reform, which is likely too far in the weeds or too partisan an issue, to test well with voters. That said, the senator is making the pitch that he should stay in Washington for the purposes of reforming Washington. And it's telling that, for his first television spot, he focused on congressional reform rather than, say, health care legislation or the economic stimulus.

WATCH:

UPDATE: Bennet aide Craig Hughes relays the following information about the ad buy:

The initial ad buy is for two weeks on broadcast and cable, and the total cost will be in the range of $300,000.

Comments

[Icantbelieveher]

11:27 PM on 03/17/2010

Bennett voted against cramdown that would have stopped foreclosures because banks would have no choice!

This was posted here on HuffPo in January!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wade-norris/did-colorado-sen-michael_b_440960.html

In less then six months, Colorado Democrat has received $401,000 from campaign donors linked to a combination of hedge funds, securities firms, insurance companies and real estate interests. Bennet's take is bested only by four senators, including Harry Reid, the powerful Senate majority leader, and Banking Committee chairman Chris Dodd, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics.

Bennet, 44, sits on the Banking Committee as well, as the panel's most junior member. But he is also a millionaire former businessman familiar with the world of high-wire finance -- the kind of lawmaker donors may see as a potential ally as the committee rewrites the rules under which much of the financial sector will work.

But if those factors have combined to create a financial boon for Colorado's junior senator, they also present him with a political challenge: How to benefit from Wall Street's largess without appearing too cozy to his patrons.

[AprilinDenver]

07:11 PM on 03/17/2010

I find it extremely curious that Huff Post has not given any coverage to Romanoff's win last night. It isn't even on the Denver page. The only coverage they have is this article--promoting Bennett. Fair and Balanced- I think not.

Romanoff is not accepting any money from special interests. Bennet is bought and paid for by the big banks. It is as simple as that.

[AprilinDenver]

07:39 PM on 03/17/2010

Oh, i see a small line about Romanoff's win, with an article that was posted at 3:00 AM, but curously now not on any page. It says Romanoff won handily, but the only picture that is shown is that of Michael Bennet with Obama--even though he lost the race. This smells bad!

[alicante]

10:59 PM on 03/17/2010

Bennett is more of the same. At my caucus the majority felt the same way. It's great because we were all there two years ago supporting Obama. We all still feel Obama is great so this is not a referendum on him. Romanoff can work across the aisle and will be a great senator for Colorado.

[UrbanRevolution]

03:39 AM on 03/18/2010

I don't know. Benett doesn't need the job. Romanoff is a career politician and i don't trust career politicians. Look how Udall has been willy nilly this last year.

[daybranch]

06:08 PM on 03/17/2010

Bennet has been a good Senator lately and if Romanoff is believed better , I welcome Colorado picking him. But I can only vote in Ohio.

[Denver John]

03:46 PM on 03/17/2010

Seems to me that Senator Bennett is trying to jump on the band wagon, and little late I think.
I was happy with his letter to support reconciliation for health care, and this latest commitment for Senate reform seems a good idea - but I think he is simply being a populist.
My support leans toward Romanoff but I am still officially undecided. I very much like the campaign line that Romanoff is taking against accepting corporate and Pac monies, as I strongly believe that undue big money influence in Washington is the single biggest problem we face, and at the base of Washington being broken. Bennett seems to be trying to take advantage of the long running 'Washington is broken' sentiment - but let's see what he does....
We are supposed to be a government of, by and for the people - not the corporation.

[pd33bkagn]

11:36 AM on 03/17/2010

Bennett is toast. Matter of fact, I think I hear the toaster popping up even as we speak.

[Kiri sute gomen]

01:26 PM on 03/17/2010

Every comment you make sounds like a valley girl made it.

[kleighhoff]

11:06 AM on 03/17/2010

Mr. Bennet, you have my vote sir. Thank you for your hard work.

[Icantbelieveher]

11:28 PM on 03/17/2010

He's been a good senator since Romanoff announced his primary! If he wins, he'll go back to being the conservadem, corporatist he was when he entered Washington!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wade-norris/did-colorado-sen-michael_b_440960.html

I'd rethink my vote if I were you!

[kleighhoff]

12:38 AM on 03/18/2010

Thank you for posting this. I totally appreciate it. I indeed will rethink that.....

[Slapmewhenitsover]

04:04 AM on 03/17/2010

How could a smart guy like this get re-elected once he is outed as a "SMART GUY"? Fifty percent of the m0r0ns in the US have difficulty identifying with anyone who does not have one finger in their nose and the other one on a trigger!

[Denemator]

10:15 AM on 03/17/2010

Excellent point. Fanned

[MartyJo]

01:58 AM on 03/17/2010

Doesn't matter.... Colorado is another h8 filled state towards Obama. Sad but true!!

[FrictionSoul]

08:17 AM on 03/17/2010

You obviously don't live here. Romanoff beat the daylights out of Bennett in the caucus last night. We resent Obama tell us who to support in a primary campaign. It's the first time in Colorado's history that a sitting President swung his support to someone who doesn't even have the people's support. Bennett was picked by Ritter, angering his base. We're smart enough to see that Bennett represents them the corporations, same as Obama.

[kleighhoff]

11:08 AM on 03/17/2010

Although there are many right wingers in Colorado, you should know that there are also a substantial number of Obama supporters. We are not a state filled with hate.

[rougebaisers]

01:21 AM on 03/17/2010

Another one bites the dust.

[bparne]

01:11 AM on 03/17/2010

Bennett was a backdoor political appointee, who has changed his tune in the last month to appease the Colorado grassroots dems. He's going all out to get the primary vote and then most likely back to business as usual, as was the case last year. It's sad to see the DSCC discount the caucus and come out in a statement saying it means nothing. Hmmmmm....if memory serves us well Washington, Obama was spurred to victory in Colorado through the caucuse process whether the energy provided momentum for further grassroots political will. I'm disappointed to see the DSCC come out in an uninformed manner supporting Bennett who is polling ahead of Bennett against the Republican opponent. Andrew Romanoff is a valued and demonstrated leader who also appeals to independents. Washington either stay out of the election or support Romanoff who is the most likely to beat the Republican candidate. I don't Washington electing our next U.S. Senator...let the people decide, rather than your slanted ads and PAC money.

[kfreed]

04:49 AM on 03/17/2010

Bennet hasn't exactly been "doing business as usual"... he's supported every progressive effort on the Democratic wish list. He's the reason the supposed DOA public option made it back into the debate. I also remember him facing down the tea bag brigade during the town hall meetings last summer, defending the public option wihout a single flinch.

Coloradans will undoubtedly reward loyalty with loyalty, rather than covet the next pretty face down the line. Romanoff, by the way, is in lock-step with Bennet's views... there's hardly a centimetere of difference between them on the issues. We're sticking with Bennet. Romanoff will just have to wait his turn.

[FrictionSoul]

08:27 AM on 03/17/2010

And what did it cost Bennett to support the DOA public option?

This isn't about views or agendas, this is about Main St. vs. Wall St. Just watch: after Bennett's resounding defeat in the caucus last night - I was there, participated, and saw the shock on Bennett supporters faces - more corporate money will pour into Bennett's campaign and they will use it to justify why he should be voted for. That's why this isn't about views and agendas. It's all about money and how it determines legislation and government contracts.

More often than not, when a pol comes out for or against something, money from the opposing view comes in. Money talks. It's far easier to rep several hundred corporations than it it hundreds of thousands of people who want what they used to have: jobs, health care, a future, good food, clean water - the very things that corporations do not provide and in fact keep taking away from us Americans.

[Icantbelieveher]

11:33 PM on 03/17/2010

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wade-norris/did-colorado-sen-michael_b_440960.html

He only did that because he wants to get re-elected. He voted against cramdown that would have helped homeowners over the banks -- and he is #5 on the list of all senators receiving Wall Street money!

If he gets re-elected, he will go right back to being a conservadem and working for the banks!

And it is Bennet who is in lockstep with Romanoff's views, right after Romanoff states his views, Bennet has commercial coming out with those same views!. Romanoff has always worked for the people and didn't need a primary to do it!

[jwoww]

10:52 PM on 03/16/2010

dems should save their money and use it elsewhere CO is going to the GOP.

[FrictionSoul]

08:33 AM on 03/17/2010

That was true in the 1970s through 2005. My county went Democratic in 2008 for the first time since 1932. That's Jefferson County. It's not Democratic yet. We're about evenly split between Dems, GOP and Independents. Romanoff has what it takes to sway the indies, and he will do it because he's experienced, knows how to win and has stayed true to his beliefs and roots, plain and simple.

Bennett hasn't earned anything. The former head of the Denver Public School system presided over an appalling 46.8% graduation rate.

[Icantbelieveher]

11:34 PM on 03/17/2010

Sorry -- we have a democratic majority in the state house, state senate, a democratic governor (and will elect another one with Hickenlooper), and Romanoff is ahead in all of the polls!

[Ramirez]

10:39 PM on 03/16/2010

An incumbent Senator who is running as an outsider...

Yeah, that makes sense.

[polishlogician]

01:27 AM on 03/17/2010

I think you'll be seeing a lot of it....

[kfreed]

04:53 AM on 03/17/2010

Bennet's only been in office for a little over a year... his first political position, I might add, and has done remarkably well during his short time in office. Painting him as "a career politician"... as some are attempting to do... is more than dishonest. Romanoff, on the other hand, has been in the state legislature for quite a few years... not that I necessarily have anything against him. Just wanted to set the record straight.

[Icantbelieveher]

10:22 PM on 03/16/2010

If the democrats want to hold Colorado senate seat, they'd better nominate Romanoff the democratic nominee. Bennet didn't do too well with the Denver schools -- they weren't left in that great of shape!

[terragazelle60]

12:17 AM on 03/17/2010

He doesn't seem to have much of a back bone either.

[springsm]

12:46 AM on 03/17/2010

He has done alittle bit more on health reform than some others. But this is a red state...so it will be hard. I wish that Salazar would go back to Colorado and stay there too.

[VoteThemAllOut]

09:06 PM on 03/16/2010

Let's hear it for the Senator from Colorado elected by a vote of one - a Dem. Governor named Ritter that is trying so hard to hide from public scrutiny that he chose not to run for re-election due to fear of getting caught in felony charges. If you are interested in the basis of this statement checkout:

http://coloradopols.com/diary/10624/obama-stands-by-villafuerte

http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2009/01/wake-up_call_naming_names_for.php

[gsmp]

01:59 AM on 03/17/2010

Thank you for the links. I got caught up in following them so it took me a while to get back to you.

[den1953]

08:00 PM on 03/16/2010

Nothing is ever over in politics unless you want it to be a lot can happen between now and the elections!

[rr52]

11:36 PM on 03/16/2010

Said the same thing not long ago. It's too early to blow horns. Jobs start picking up, people will be happy campers. By November everyone will realize there are no death panels, middle America won't be taxed to death, and anyone who already had insurance will still have that insurance.

[polishlogician]

01:29 AM on 03/17/2010

...agreed, tomorrow will resemble today, and today looked quite a bit like yesterday...no bogey man under the bed, no demon in the closet (cept for that TX rep talkin' bout demons, still a gay demon in the closet doesn't have to hide anymore, unless he likes tickle fights)....