The Intermountain Jewish News prefers running opposing candidates responses next to one another. However, Mayor John Hickenlooper (Democrat) and Dan Maes (Republican) have not yet responded to the IJN requests for interviews.
TOM Tancredo has been the enfant terrible of Colorado politics for so long that hes almost his own institution.
The acknowledged figurehead of the anti-illegal immigration movement in the US, Tancredos conservative approach to just about every social and fiscal issue were well-known in Colorado long before his failed 2008 run for the presidency brought him to the national spotlight.
As a political activist, statehouse legislator and finally US Congressman, Tancredo has consistently and defiantly kept his conservative torch burning brightly opposing any moves leaning toward increased taxation or bigger government, condemning abortion and advocating an aggressive US foreign policy, particularly toward states in the Middle East which harbor terrorists or express anti-American sentiments.
In the same vein, he has always been a stalwart supporter of Israel.
His outspoken stridency on many issues, however, and a penchant for occasionally making statements that many consider outrageous, has not only alienated Tancredo from his natural foes in the Democratic Party but many fellow Republicans.
His current grassroots campaign for Colorado governor on the American Constitution Party ticket provides perhaps the best illustration of Tancredos dual streams of anti-establishment politicking and populist appeal.
Convinced that Tea Party upstart Dan Maes the candidate who won the GOP primary after the implosion of former Cong. Scott McKinniss campaign had no chance of beating Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, the Democrats choice, Tancredo opted for a third party candidacy that, at least initially, outraged the Colorado Republican establishment.
Now, however, as Election Day grows ever nearer, many prominent state Republican leaders have come over to Tancredos side. The Maes campaign seems hopelessly mired in inertia and disinterest, and Tancredo has crept to within eight points of Hickenlooper, the assumed heir apparent to the gubernatorial throne.
In these 2010 midterm elections, when the Tea Party appears to be on a strong upward trajectory and anti-establishment anger seems the theme of the day, Tancredo seems to be finding a measure of credibility and acceptance that has so far eluded him.
Soft-spoken and relaxed in conversation yet just as unyielding and defiant as ever Tancredo advised the Intermountain Jewish News last week not to take his candidacy as a quixotic effort.
Q: Its three weeks from Election Day and youre eight points behind Hickenlooper. Is this a surmountable obstacle?
A: It absolutely is. Do you know what Big Mo is in politics? Momentum. I assure you we got it. Thats the great thing. Every day at the office you can see the kind of activity, the enthusiasm, the calls that come in, the money that comes in.
Q: Whats fueling it?
A: Its a number of factors. Its the collapse of the Maes campaign, the recognition of who Dan Maes is and that its not a viable candidacy. For a lot of people, its Oh thank G-d, theres somebody out there; we dont have to vote for Hickenlooper.
Theres a lot of recognition on the part of Republicans that there is a way to actually cast a vote for somebody who is [technically] not a Republican but who is essentially a Republican.
Weve gotten a lot of support Mike Coffman, Bob Beauprez, Bob Schaffer all these folks on board saying, OK, you can vote for a guy whos in the American Constitution Party but who is doing the right thing.
Q: I think our first interview with you was 10 or 12 years ago, when nobody had heard the phrase Tea Party. Were you a tea partier before there was a Tea Party?
A: Thats a great question. To a certain extant, certainly, because I was not part of the establishment, I can tell you that. The Republican Party and I have had a rocky relationship. You may remember a certain gentleman by the name of Karl Rove telling me never to darken the doorstep of the White House.
Its been a very interesting journey. Ive never thought of it that way, but I guess you could say that.
Q: Have the Republicans, in some ways and on some issues, come around to the positions that youve been holding onto since you were in Congress?
A: Thats true. There was never an organized effort to try to express positions on things like immigration. I know that when I went out and spoke on immigration, I was talking to America and my colleagues were talking to each other. And they had a totally different conversation than I did.
You should see the people out here, how they feel about this issue. Youre crazy if you think that this is just something that I personally am involved with or concerned about, or that its just a fringe group.
A large number of Hispanics are just as concerned about this as I am. I have 41% Hispanic support. Hickenlooper has 40%.
Q: What does the phrase Tea Party mean, in very general terms? What does this movement represent, both to Republicans and in American politics on a broader scale?
A: I think that has yet to be determined. No one really knows whats going to happen or how this is going to play out, whether it dissipates, whether it morphs into another party, whether its subsumed by the Republicans. Any of the above all that can happen. Its impossible for me to know.
It has not died out even though I think most people felt it would by now.
Q: Is the right-wing in this country literally breaking in half? If so, are you glad that that is happening?
A: No, Im not glad if it happens. Theres not enough of us to break in half and still be effective. I hope that doesnt occur.
What I hope occurs is what has happened many times in the past, and that is that the Republican Party will be influenced by the Tea Party movement to the extent that they become far more grounded in conservative principles.
That would be the best thing, because the nation is center-right, I believe. Colorado is center-right. The Republican Party has been center-nothing. Theres nothing there. As far as Im concerned, the party has not been, since Reagan, connected to any sort of principles.
A party is just a mechanism to get people to vote. Thats all. It isnt a thing to have a great deal of loyalty to. How can you be loyal to a mechanism?
Q: Theres also the risk, though, that this could split the Republican Party, the conservative wing, and give a lot of it to the Democrats.
A: Thats true. Thats worrisome. The best thing that could happen is that the Republican Party simply becomes more conservative as a result of the Tea Party influence.
Q: Do you feel, as many Republican candidates do this year and in recent years, that the United States is under threat of a socialistic assault from the left?
A: I think its from one guy in particular, and thats Barack Obama. He wants to create a European style socialist system here. Remember when he said during the campaign, I want to thoroughly transform America? What do you think that meant?
Q: It could be open to interpretation.
A: I suppose, but thoroughly transform? Not correct or get better, but thoroughly transform. I think I do know what he meant and hes doing just that.
Q: And thats big government?
A: Yes transform America into a European style socialist system.
Q: Bringing that to the local level, do you think that a Hickenlooper governorship would be dangerous for Colorado?
A: Yes. He is somebody who has exactly the same idea, I think, that Obama does. Even as a businessman I mean, even George Soros is a businessman. It doesnt mean that you are impervious to the philosophical streams that sometimes occur in that arena.
Hes a left-wing ideologue and I say that because of the groups he helps. You can tell a lot about a person by the people that they give money to and the organizations they give money to.
If I had contributed money to any organization that was as right-wing as his are left-wing, that would be the story of the campaign: Tancredo contributes to neo-Nazi groups, you know?
His are far more left-wing than anything Ive ever helped out on the right not just Acorn and Move-On.org and LaRaza and Recreate 68, but things that funnel money to Hamas, for crying out loud. These are radicals.
Q: Youre primarily known in Colorado for your stance on immigration. Assuming youre elected governor, what would be the first steps you would take on that issue?
A: To enforce the law would be the most important and the most immediate step we could take. We have Senate Bill 90 its been ignored. We have a requirement for the use of E-verify for state agencies its been ignored.
Then to get a process of auditing the Department of Labor and any sort of social service activity in the state to make sure that illegal aliens are not taking advantage of us, especially in the area of unemployment compensation. There would be changes in those areas to reflect that.
What else we can do is make it more difficult for someone to be here illegally so that they will either go to some other state or return to their country of origin.
The cost of illegal immigration in Colorado, according to the Federation of American Immigration Reform, is about $1.4 billion a year.
Q: I notice that you didnt mention Arizona in your answer.
A: Well look at it carefully, once we get there, but I think we have a pretty good law on the books right now. Its very similar in many ways, but its not enforced. Thats what we have to do.
Q: What would be the hallmark of your governorship of Colorado?
A: We will be, I think, the first administration that actually presides over a reduction in the size and scope of government in Colorado, as measured by budget and employees.
Q: Are you, through your candidacy, seeking to make a political statement over and above the goal of being elected governor?
A: No, Im not.
I have more of my life behind me than ahead of me. My big desire would be to leave the office and have a majority of Coloradoans feel that theyre better off than when I came in.
Copyright © 2010 by the Intermountain Jewish News
