Obama In Colorado Springs To Address "New Era Of Service"

By Cara DeGette

UPDATE: The Colorodao Independent will be blogging Obama's visit to Colorado Springs. We'll provide a link and updates here.

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama is set to appear in conservative Colorado Springs on Wednesday, where he is expected to deliver a speech highlighting a renewed call to national service.

The morning event, at the University of Colorado campus in northern Colorado Springs, is by invitation only. The audience will include active military personnel, as well as what campaign spokesman Matt Chandler described as those serving in the nation’s other essential services — the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps and ROTC.

The purpose of Obama's visit to Colorado Springs — first announced last Friday — was not detailed by his campaign until late Tuesday afternoon. Obama's visit reportedly also will include a $1,000-per-person fund-raiser and possibly a visit to one of the region’s five military bases, though any details of additional planned events have not been released to the media.

Obama's Colorado Springs stop comes less than a week after 1972 Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern stumped for him in the state's second-largest city — and a week after a Quinnipiac University poll put Obama in a five-point lead over Republican John McCain in Colorado, a battleground state.

The visit also comes a week after Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family founder James Dobson attacked Obama in a radio broadcast. Dobson accused the senator from Illinois — who has been reaching out to evangelicals — of "distorting" the Bible, of governing by the "lowest common denominator of morality" and having "a fruitcake interpretation of the Constitution."

Obama rejected Dobson's assertions as "making stuff up."

In the past Dobson has been considered a Republican presidential kingmaker — with many GOP hopefuls coming to Colorado Springs to seek his approval. The timing of Obama's visit this week led to some speculation that a meeting between Dobson and Obama might take place. One prominent Colorado Springs attorney, who asked not to be identified, said he was repulsed by the idea; Obama volunteer Bob Nemanich, meanwhile, said he'd "fall out of his bed" if he thought that was really in the cards.

However, John Morris, the chairman of the El Paso County Democratic Party, had a different take.

"I think that would be a great idea," Morris said, of the prospect that Obama would be willing to meet not just with Dobson but with other evangelical leaders in the traditionally Republican stronghold. "The more he can [confront] Dobson, and not let him live in his ivory tower, the better.

There's a lot of opportunity in this town," said Morris.

Obama's Wednesday speech at the CU-Colorado Springs campus is scheduled to start at 9 a.m.

The McCain campaign, meanwhile, has announced at least one upcoming Colorado event. On Aug. 14 the presumptive GOP presidential nominee will appear at an Aspen Institute-sponsored gathering in Aspen.

Read more at the Colorado Independent, where this piece originally appeared.

Comments

[izofmagritte]

I lived in Colorado Springs for 20+ years. Finally, couldn't take it anymore and moved. The Fundamentalists have taken over the whole city - own the newspaper, radio stations, etc, control the library and school curriculum by threatening to withhold votes for bonds to support them. The only thing that gets any voter attention are abortion, law and oder issues, and "turrists". It's an extreme microcosm of what the neocons would like to have happen everywhere.

Good for Obama - taking it into the "lions den". Also, good luck changing any alleged minds of the wackos that live there.

[Piatt]

I love that Senator Obama is taking it right to them. Good on you.

[Gma11]

I never ceased to be impressed by this man's savvy.

[Binx101]

I wonder what the real story is going to turn out to be after the spinning stops.

Corporate Media controls the conversation ... still

Binx101
The Almost Daily Binx
http://binx101.wordpress.com

[dontshootme]

Kinda or ironic. . .

Obama, who is denigrated by Dobson comes to Colorado Springs, but not to meet Dobson.

McCain who has been denigrated by Dobson comes to Denver, but refuses to come to Colorado Springs at Dobson's invitation.

This is probably making too much of it, but looks like both candidates have, in their own way, done their best to show that Dobson has become politically irrelevant.

Agree that it would be incredibly unlikely that Obama would meet Dobson, but I still could see Obama offering to meet with Dobson, if for no other reason, than because they know that Dobson would say, "no" and that it would make Dobson look even more like the out of touch idealogue that he is.

[mom2sons]

Great idea, we could have people who are truly concerned about our world leading and training on a continuous basis.

[MyersC]

Does anyone know why Sen. Obama doesn't support the idea to build a U.S. Public Service Academy? The Academy would be a civilian West Point -- students would get a free college education in return for a five year commitment to serve in public sector positions in areas of critical need. This idea was launched by two Teach For America alums two years ago, and it has gathered tremendous momentum on Capitol Hill (20 senators & 98 representatives have co-sponsored a bill to create the Academy). Sen. Clinton is a champion of the Academy and she talked about it on the campaign trail.

Now that she is out of the race, the Academy can (and should) be picked up by Sen. Obama. It could be for President Obama what the Peace Corps was for JFK -- a highly-visible national institution that attracts a new generation into public service.

Why doesn't he support this?

[Daly]

Sounds like a fine plan but goodness me how many things can the man tak on; h is commited to Health Care, needs to deal with wars Iran Afgan and now Colombia; wonder about the spin with tip to Cain. Unemployment, food, gas will e plenty todeal with in the first term; don't ya think.

[grumpygranny66]

Why dont you send him an e-mail and ask him yourself??????