Thirty-Five Years Ago This Week: Former speech writer for President Richard Nixon and founder of the Denver-based Independence Institute John Andrews was running for the Republican nomination for Colorado governor, and he was quickly learning what it was like to be in the hot seat as the candidate rather than behind the scenes. This week in history, Andrews was being forced to clarify his position on the GOP’s hot potato issue, abortion, after facing — and awkwardly answering — a barrage of questions on the topic during a campaign visit to Colorado Springs.

In a letter published the Gazette Telegraph Andrews insisted that he opposed legislation that would limit or severely restrict a woman’s right to make decisions regarding her body but that, “unlike Gov. Roy Romer, I support reasonable compromises regulating the indiscriminate availability of abortion on demand.”

But Andrews added that he did not support working such compromises out in the state legislature but rather through ballot initiatives in which all Coloradans had an equal opportunity to be involved.

Andrews did voice his support for the withdrawal of all public funding for abortion and said he had voted for the 1990 ballot proposal that would require parental notification before a minor could obtain and abortion.

Phil Harrison, a Republican from Monument, who’d been present when Andrews addressed supporters in Colorado Springs said, “Andrews was asked to clarify his stand on abortion and he stated he is ‘deeply opposed’ to abortion but also opposes prohibiting abortions.”

“Tell us what your opinion,” Harrison said, “not what you think the voters want to hear.”

In other news, a June 6 tornado tore through the small plains town of Limon nearly flattening the town’s central area. The damage caused was an estimated nearly $13 million.

Second Lady Marilyn Quayle, wife of Vice President Dan Quayle, visited Limon several days after the tragedy and was reportedly overheard by a bystander saying, “Colorado was very capable of taking care of itself.”

The Democratic Party wasted no opportunity at Quayle’s alleged remark.

“Second Lady Marilyn Quayle styles herself a leader in the cause of disaster relief yet she rolled through Colorado with her entourage and threw dirt at the people of Limon,” said Colorado Democratic Party Chairman Dick Freese. “That’s a fourth attack on a community already hit by a tornado, by President George Bush and by Colorado Republicans.”


Freese was referencing the Bush administration’s directive for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deny any relief to Limon to rebuild it’s flattened town center.

“Colorado Gov. Roy Romer hoped to help out, but Colorado Republicans spent the last 12 years tying the hands of the state executive and reducing the state’s reserve to 3%,” Freese said. “This left few dollars to help in an emergency; whether it’s West Slope fire fighting or Eastern Plains tornado clean up. Romer will have to wait for the next budget cycle to offer more relief. That’s next January.”

It was a terrible system, Freese argued, set up “by people who comfortably can walk away from the trouble to their limousines and secret service guards. That’s why they’re called ‘Limousine Republicans.’ It’s time for a change.”

Twenty-Five Years Ago: The Colorado Progressive Coalition had organized a diverse group of local and national organizations to announce their opposition to “price gouging” by the pharmaceutical drug industry and charged members of Colorado’s congressional delegation with blocking drug coverage for seniors.

“When seniors are forced … to pay hundreds of dollars each mother for prescriptions, they have to make the choice between putting food on the table or taking lifesaving drugs,” said Bill Vandenberg, co-director of the CPC. “ The pro-drug industry bill (U.S. House Resolution 4680) that recently passed the in the House … benefits the drug industry and insurance companies more than the seniors it purports to help.”

From 1993 to 2000 the pharmaceutical industry gave more than $33.4 million in campaign donations and hired 297 congressional lobbyists. The Colorado delegation received over $95,000 in contributions. Sen. Wayne Allard received $37,800, Sen. Ben Nighthorse-Campbell received $28,805 and Rep. Scott McInnis received $15,500. Reps. DeGette, Schaffer, Hefley and Tancredo received significantly less and Rep. Mark Udall none at all.

Rachael Wright is the author of several novels including The Twins of Strathnaver, with degrees in Political Science and History from Colorado Mesa University, and is a contributing writer to Colorado Politics, the Colorado Springs Gazette and the Denver Gazette.