STANDING-ROOM CROWD GREETS CONGRESSMAN UDALL

It's not like any new policy bombshells were dropped (or lobbed) or
anything, but a standing-room crowd of more than 70 local citizens greeted
Congressman Mark Udall (D-Boulder), who, as of 2002, is Summit County's
representative in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Udall (who carried Summit County handily in the 2002 mid-term elections),
making a "town hall meeting" stop at the Summit County Community Center in
Frisco Tuesday afternoon, was the picture of political decorum, accepting
on numerous occasions that he is open to views that are not traditionally
ascribed to left-leaning Democrats.

To wit: When asked about the federal government's repeated attempts to
counter state medical marijuana initiatives, he brought forth an argument
with roots growing back to Fort Sumpter.

Udall, who supports Colorado's medical marijuana initiative, passed two
elections ago by a wide margin, stated that he feels the federal government
does not have the right to side step, oppose or usurp the various
state-level medical marijuana initiatives, calling it a "states rights
issue" - wording usually reserved for conservative Republicans.

Udall also responded to several people who expressed serious concern about
the administration's proposed tax cuts.

"I don't think it's going to work [to stimulate the economy]," Udall said.
"If you could show me that giving a tax break to the top one percent of the
population worked, I'd look at it. Some projections have us doubling the
national debt if we pass the President's proposed tax cut. Serious
liabilities are going to present themselves. I don't see how the numbers
are going to add up. We had an enormous surplus two years ago. Now look
where we are. When you factor in sunset clauses, this latest tax cut will
end up costing us about $2 trillion. There are a lot of gimmicks involved.
I don't understand why we're driving our fiscal automobile into a ditch.
This tax cut not only will not stimulate our economy, but I think it will
hurt it."

Udall agreed with several audience members who said they were mortified by
the fact that, by cutting taxes now and increasing our national debt, that
we as a nation are mortgaging the future of our children.

He also added a comment that might seem to some to be particularly
un-Democratic: He said we ought to be spending more time looking at what
programs are funded.

"We have to look at our spending," Udall said, without being specific.

Udall definitely started getting amped when the point was brought up about
the supposed lack of a national-level Democratic message.

"I'm committed to never going into an election without a clear massage,
like we did last year," he said. "I am committed to providing a clear
alternative. I am really frustrated that much of the Democratic message is
not getting out because of the nature of the media and its relationship
with the White House. There is definitely a strong Democratic message. The
Founders wanted all ideas to surface, and, with one party controlling the
White House and both houses of Congress, I don't believe all our ideas are
surfacing. We are voting as a Democratic block in Congress, but we're not
getting the media attention, so many people believe, incorrectly, that
there is no Democratic message. That is not true. The media's calling the
announced candidates for the Presidency the Seven Dwarves or something. I
believe out of that group, someone will rise up through the political process."

At several points, Udall suggested to audience members that they direct
their questions to Republican Senator Wayne Allard, who will be at the
Silverthorne Town Hall at 1:30 p.m. today. The public is invited.