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Robert Redford endorses RitterBut Republican gubernatorial candidate critical of alliancePeter Marcus, DDN Staff WriterWednesday, December 30, 2009 | |
Gov. Bill Ritter is “thrilled” with a recent campaign endorsement from actor and conservationist Robert Redford.
But his opponents say aligning with Redford’s ideology will damage Colorado by restricting access to the state’s natural resources and possibly eliminating jobs.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis criticized his opponent for accepting Redford’s endorsement, arguing that both Ritter and Redford are out of touch with what Coloradans are looking for.
“It’s easy for a multi-millionaire Hollywood actor to swoop in and make pronouncements about how we should live in Colorado. But Robert Redford is completely out of touch with the challenges and struggles of the average Colorado family and the needs of local communities,” McInnis, a former congressman, said in a statement.
He points to the Project New West three-day summit held over the summer at the Colorado History Museum, in which New Mexico Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Udall moderated an intimate discussion with Redford on the actor’s views of the direction of the “new West.”
Redford came down hard on the coal industry, arguing that if it can’t be proven that clean coal can be developed, production should cease. The liberal actor was also critical of dams, stating, “Dams, all dams, should go away Ń the faster the better.”
In defending his case, Redford pointed out that the Colorado River has only half the flow it had years ago.
Ritter campaign spokesman David Kenney said the governor is in agreement with Redford when it comes to the issues of protecting the environment, the beauty and sustainability of the West. Kenney pointed out that Ritter’s New Energy Economy is not only saving and creating jobs, but also protecting Colorado’s wilderness and natural resources.
“(Redford) and the governor share strong beliefs that innovation, clean technology, the New Energy Economy is where not only job growth is going to occur in the future, it’s also a combination of job growth in creating a sustainable future for our state and our country,” said Kenney.
In an endorsement e-mail blast, Redford said Ritter’s opponents “don’t understand that the New Energy Economy is our surest path to long-term growth and prosperity.” He called Ritter one of America’s “greenest governors.”
“Building a more sustainable future and curbing climate change can’t happen without leaders like Bill Ritter,” said Redford. “And it certainly can’t happen if his opponents, who boast they’d dismantle Colorado’s burgeoning New Energy Economy, start calling the shots.”
But McInnis believes both Redford and Ritter are too extreme, and argues that their policies are damaging to Colorado.
“We need a Colorado governor who understands and confronts the problems and concerns of average Coloradans, not the priorities of Robert Redford and national Democrats,” he said.
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