Backbone Radio

Thud

Slated on Backbone Radio, February 10 Listen every Sunday, 5-8pm on 710 KNUS, Denver.. 1460 KZNT, Colorado Springs... and streaming live at 710knus.com.

"President McCain." Not sure about you, but I don't like the sound of that one bit. "President Obama" or "Madame President Hillary" sounds even worse to me, however. So I am not one of those threatening to desert the Republican Party in 2008 -- even if, as now seems inevitable after Romney's exit, the unconservative Arizona senator is our nominee. It hit me with a thud, though: Thursday's news that Mitt the Manager was quitting and Mac the Maverick is the last big contender standing. Huckabee will forge through a few more primaries, and Paul has money enough to run forever, but they're a sideshow.

Center ring now belongs to the snappish man who flirted with joining the Kerry ticket in 2004. That's the thud of the year for all us who honor the Reagan-Goldwater legacy. John McCain fits better with the Eisenhower-Nixon legacy, if that. Oof. Ugh. Ouch.

Your weekend conservative update on Backbone Radio will start with a hard look at how we got here and where we go from here. We'll be eager for your calls. This is a time to, first, vent, but then to get real and think hard. A time to tough it out for party and country. Together we can.

** Richard Allen, author of this week's "Reaganauts for McCain" open letter, will make the case for his man. I think highly of Dick and will be all ears.

** Bill Moloney, our regular contributor and a Bostonian turned Denverite, will reflect on why Romney faded. Mike Littwin of the Rocky Mountain News will check in from the Democrats' campaign trail.

** Plus Paul Chesser on secrets of the global warming lobby, and civil-rights champion Ward Connerly, lauded by Michelle Malkin as a hope of the right during this week of disappointment.

I can't help thinking of Mother Teresa -- who was no Karl Rove, yet a saint -- cheerfully remarking that our Maker hasn't called us to be successful in this life, but simply to be faithful. What that means for patriots and conservatives in the current, very imperfect, situation is Sunday's great question. Please join us!

Yours for self-government, JOHN ANDREWS

Final Four

Slated on Backbone Radio, February 3 Listen every Sunday, 5-8pm on 710 KNUS, Denver.. 1460 KZNT, Colorado Springs... and streaming live at 710knus.com.

I'm supporting Mitt Romney for President. He is Mr. Republican for this year, hands down. I respect John McCain a lot, agree with him frequently, and like him somewhat. He'd make a good commander-in-chief. Either is vastly preferable in the White House to that ball of ambition, Hillary Clinton, or that cloud of charisma, Barack Obama, both crusading for their scary European leftist ideas. These are the Final Four, and the madness will only escalate from here, even though March is still a month away. We'll talk about what January wrought in this fast-moving campaign, and what February may hold, this Sunday on Backbone Radio. I'm back after a week away, and I hope you'll be listening.

** State Republican chairman Dick Wadhams will preview the Feb. 5 caucuses for us. We'll discuss all the issues with David Harsanyi, Denver Post political columnist, and Marvin Hutchens of ThreatsWatch.org.

** Plus an update on CU's presidential selection process from Regent Tom Lucero, and a conversation with District Attorney Carol Chambers, the prosecutor that criminals love to hate. Poor misunderstood Carol!

Remember when Republicans and conservatives were all sore at each other over Senate 2004 and Ref C 2005 and Governor 2006? Sulking gains nothing and costs dearly. Don't you just know the Democrats hope we do it again over President 2008? This radio program will do all we can to prevent that. Will you help?

Yours for GOP unity, JOHN ANDREWS

Beauprez battles on

Slated on Backbone Radio, January 27 Listen every Sunday, 5-8pm on 710 KNUS, Denver.. 1460 KZNT, Colorado Springs... and streaming live at 710knus.com.

What if Colorado's governor were a conservative Republican, someone like former Congressman Bob Beauprez, instead of a liberal Democrat like Bill Ritter? Energy, jobs, education, health care, transportation, labor policy, and the values debate would all be on a different track if 2006 had gone the other way. Imagine the contrast. But you can't say "woulda, shoulda, coulda" in politics. You just pick yourself up, get your bearings, and battle on. That's what Bob Beauprez is doing. He's running a conservative website, heading a new foundation, and helping the Romney campaign. Plus subbing for radio talkers such as Rosen, Caplis, and now me.

Bob will host Backbone Radio this Sunday while I'm away on a secret mission. Matt Dunn and Kathleen LeCrone will be there as his amen chorus. He has some great guests and topics lined up. I hope you will plan to listen in and call in.

** Washington mailing us money, with a bipartisan blessing: too good to be true? It might be. We'll find out from economist David Jones, a seasoned observer of Wall Street and the Federal Reserve.

** As the President enters his final year, can he expect kinder verdict from history than from current polls and pundits? Robert Kaufman of Pepperdine University thinks so, according to his new book, "In Defense of the Bush Doctrine." Find out why.

** Plus Rick Cables of the US Forest Service on renewable energy and the pine beetle plague, along with columnist Jim Spencer on state issues and the presidential race.

It keeps happening. This week someone asked me again: where is Backbone Colorado USA on the map? I told him our little town exists only in the heart, but that's good, because it can be wherever you are. If you love America enough to do battle in her cause, you're there. Beauprez is a great example: tune in and see.

Yours for self-government, JOHN ANDREWS

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