Dan Caplis Show, Cory Gardner, May 23, 2014
Station: KNUS, 710 AM
Show: Dan Caplis Show
Guests: Gardner, Cory
Link: http://dancaplis.podbean.com/?source=pb
Date: May 23, 2014
Topics: Mark Udall, Tom Steyer, Hydraulic Fracturing, Fracking, Energy Development, Green Energy, Clean Energy, Solar, Wind, SuperPAC, NexGenClimate, San Francisco, Coal investments, Billionaire, Economy, Draconian Restrictions, extremists, Colorado Clean Energy Development Authority, Jobs, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Exports, Keystone XL Pipeline, Median Household Income, Desperation
HOST DAN CAPLIS: Really appreciate your time today, because we wanted to get your reaction to the news that this leftist billionaire, Tom Steyer, has jumped on the Udall bandwagon, apparently going to give his campaign $50 million. I’m not quite sure what vehicles they’re going to use to do that. Steyer’s super-PAC, as you know, NexGen Climate, only backing a handful of Democrats. So, what is your reaction to that?
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM COLORADO, CURRENT GOP CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATE, CORY GARDNER: Well, the Democrats have finally cut out the middle man. They’re going to allow the extremists just to run the campaign directly, instead of Senator Udall and the Democratic Party. And that’s what we’re seeing as millions and millions of dollars from these extemists, who are opposed to Colorado energy jobs, flood the state with money. But I think it’s also indicative of Senator Udall’s willingness to hold tryouts, like he did on the Senate floor to gain Tom Steyer’s attention several months ago when they had that faux all-nighter debate. And then, of course, he was at his house in San Francisco. So, the tryouts must have gone well, the audition worked, and he’s here with the money.
CAPLIS: Well said. Cory Gardner, our guest. Now, Congressman, isn’t this very likely to backfire on Mark Udall and Colorado? I take it, at least, as a sign of desperation, because I think of a lot of Coloradoans at this point, you know, are very protective of our ability to develop our energy resources. It’s critical to our economy. That they envision — even though many people share a concern about climate change, — envision all of these draconian restrictions that’ll undermine our economy and not make much of a difference. So, isn’t this going to backfire on Udall?
GARDNER: Well, it’s interesting, Dan. There was an investor meeting that Tom Steyer spoke at, here, several months ago, where he said, “Green energy represents an opportunity for us to make a lot of money.” And so he comes into Colorado trying to impose restrictions that apparently Senator Udall is okay with, on energy development here, because if he hurts our energy development in Colorado, then he can help his energy development, which of course would help his investments into green energy. I’ve supported green energy. I’ve supported clean energy. In fact, I created the Colorado Clean Energy Development Authority. But I believe we have room for it all at the table, unlike Senator Udall who voted against the Keystone XL pipeline, who has refused to take a position against a hydraulic fracturing ban that could cost 100,000 Colorado jobs. But instead, he’s lining up with the San Francisco billionaire, like Tom Steyer.
CAPLIS: Yeah, and again, to me it seems like a sign of desperation, because it seems likely to hurt Udall in Colorado, but maybe he needs the money that badly. It also seems to me, Congressman, that Udall is obviously desperate to change the channel, to change the subject away from Obamacare. Because if this race is decided on Obamacare, he loses big.
GARDNER: Well, and it’s an Interesting position for Udall to be in, too, because he has tried to say that he’s pro energy, but obviously Tom Steyer opposes hydraulic fracturing which could make LNG exports impossible if it were to be banned–LNG exports would be impossible if hydraulic fracturing were to be banned. You look at Senator Udall’s trying to position himself on the Keystone XL pipeline – Tom Steyer obviously opposes the Keystone XL pipeline. And more importantly, this is a guy who is against Colorado jobs. And for our senator to align himself with somebody who is opposing CO energy jobs, I think, is simply shameful. And it does show desperation. It does show somebody who’s willing to do anything they can for money to save his political career.
CAPLIS: Mmm. Beautifully said. Hey, update us on what you’re finding during your travels around the state, the state of the race, how everything is shaping up.
GARDNER: You know, people across Colorado continue to worry about the economy. They’re worried about their jobs. If you look at the median household income in Colorado, it has declined by almost six-and-a-half percent since 2007, 2008 time frame, beginning with to– today,– ending with today. You find people who continue to work harder and harder, only finding themselves further and further behind. The average work week hourly rate has gone down by a couple of hours in Colorado, so they’re getting paid less because they’re working less hours, thanks to Obamacare, which Mark Udall cast the deciding vote upon. And so, I think it continues to worry about the future. Look, Dan, you and I – all of us worry that our children will have a better starting point than the one that we had. And I think Coloradoans are worried that they’ll be able to do that or not. And so, it’s our job to make sure that they do.
CAPLIS: Right. Right. Well said. And how can people help the campaign?
GARDNER: Give us a call, look us up: CoryGardner.com. Give us a call at the campaign. The information is at CoryGardner.com—would love to have everybody. Look, the state is completely energized, ready to go in November. We’re going to win, because we’re going to work fearlessly and tirelessly to change the direction of this country.
CAPLIS: Keep fighting good fight, my friend! Appreciate your time.
GARDNER: Thanks, Dan!
CAPLIS: Thank you! That’s Congressman Cory Gardner, hopefully our next US senator. I fully expect that he will. I think it’s going to be a very tough race. He’s going to need your help. He’s going to need your help at every turn, because it’s going to be a hard race. Obviously, the left is going to throw everything they have at this –and the latest, this $50 million from this Tom Steyer. And listen, I haven’t sat around spending my free time figuring out who Tom Steyer is, but it doesn’t take long, looking into this, to see the many ways this should backfire on Udall in Colorado. If these reports are true, you’re talking about a guy who initially made a lot of money off of coal investments. That’s fine! That’s great! Hey, no shame in that! That’s all positive. But now, is heavily invested in solar. And as Cory said, the Dems are just cutting out the middle man and these leftist money people are just running their campaigns. And I’ve got to tell you, this has to be, in my humble opinion, a desperation move for Udall because it – this seems so likely to blow up in his face in Colorado. Colorado—one of the few areas now, where we’re prospering, because Democratic policies have undermined this state in so many ways, and deprived a lot of great people of a lot of jobs and opportunity. You know, one of the areas where we’re prospering is in energy development. And just the relationship with Steyer and his extremism, etc, it’s just – folks [who are] undecided who are going to decide this election have got to just, in their guts, be feelling that Udall is going to be way left […] of Colorado on this issue. […] But anyway, the point is, I think this is really going to hurt Udall in Colorado. Let’s hope so. Nice guy! Love to play golf with him, have a beer, whatever. But he shouldn’t be our U.S. Senator. He’s just far left of mainstream Colorado, and you know, Cory, I’m trying to think back, trying to think back to a candidate as talented as Cory. And we’ve had a lot of very smart, very talented candidates, but I think Cory is as fine as the GOP has put up in a lot of years. And he has the full skill set to be able to take Mark Udall on, face to face. And I look forward to that very much as well. I just hope there’s a debate format that really lets Cory be Cory, and really lets Cory and Udall go one on one at each other. And Cory will win that.
