Sixty Years Ago This Week: Colorado Democratic Party Chairman Fred M. Betz Sr. spoke at the Colorado Young Democrats’ annual convention in Pueblo, warning his young colleagues that “the fallout from the carping, creeping conservatism of Republican Party oratory can cause hardening of the political arteries.”

Betz urged the Young Dems to be on the lookout for criticism that “only finds fault and offers no solutions” and to put their fullest possible support behind President John F. Kennedy and Gov. Steve McNichols.

“These two young men are providing real leadership for those people who believe that we can reshape the course of our national life to bring new strength to our nation and the democratic world,” Betz said. “By supporting and reelecting these men we can continue to develop the programs for progress, which mean so much in terms of our nation’s domestic strength and international position.”

Betz praised the consistent hard work of McNichols and Sen. John Carroll, which had been evident to Betz in his meeting with administration officials on a recent trip to Washington D.C. He said they that had earned Colorado national acclaim.

“Sen. Carroll has won the admiration of all administration leaders and his Democratic colleagues in the Senate for his effective support of the Kennedy administration,” Betz said, “as has Congressman Byron Rogers and Congressman Wayne Aspinall.”

Thirty-Five Years Ago: State Sen. Dennis Gallagher, D-Denver, held a press conference to announce both his withdrawal from the Denver Mayoral race and his refusal to endorse either of his challengers, Federico Peña or Don Bain.

Gallagher seemed unafraid to lay heavy criticism on media coverage of the race, accusing Denver newspapers of turning the election into a two-man contest between Peña and Bain.

“I’m also disturbed because the vast majority of the people who supported me have been angered and insulted by elected officials telling them how to vote,” Gallagher said.

There was also plenty of gossip surrounding a letter that had been sent by U.S. Rep. Pat Schroeder. According to Press Secretary Kip Cheroots, it was a nice little note expressing condolences over Gallagher’s loss and congratulating him for having been a candidate.

The letter arrived back at Schroeder’s office, ripped into four pieces with the original envelope enclosed. Gallagher said right away that he didn’t receive the letter, his wife, Joann, had and she had ripped it into shreds.

“The letter mentioned something about how he ought to take a vacation,” Gallagher said, “but I can’t discuss the details because I never saw it.”

Joann Gallagher was unable to be reached for comment and it seemed as though she had been playing the role of gatekeeper quite seriously. Both Miller Hudson, one-time mayoral candidate, and former U.S. Rep. Ray Kogosvek had separately gone to the Gallagher residence to convince him to toss his support toward a fellow Democrat, but they had found Joann, in particular, unwilling to answer the door.

In other news, although state Sen. Martha Ezzard, R-Englewood, had yet to formally announce that she wouldn’t seek reelection, a slew of hopeful Republicans had already tossed their hats into the ring.

State Rep. Phil Pankey, R-Littleton, was the foremost of these early birds, and readily admitted that he expected Ezzard’s seat to be vacant in time for the next election. Pankey had already been noted to be quietly meeting with district captains and precinct committee people along with party regulars.

Another potentially strong candidate, Terry Considine, was playing his cards close to the chest, admittedly meeting with Ezzard and saying only that he was “merely mulling over the idea of running and hadn’t definitely made a commitment to be a candidate.”

Not quite true, Terry. It was found by eagle-eyed reporters that Considine had been wooing potential supporters for several months and had already told a plethora of Republican insiders that he planned to run.

Republican National Committeeman Jim Nicholson had met with both Considine and Packey and had written to Packey that Considine had “asked for my support in his run for the state senate seat. I agreed to give it to him.”

Packey said he didn’t ask Nicholson for his support during their meeting as he didn’t think it was appropriate for Nicholson to get involved.”

Rachael Wright is the author of the Captain Savva Mystery series, with degrees in Political Science and History from Colorado Mesa University and is a contributing writer to Colorado Politics and The Gazette.