Colorado Tour 2005 

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• While in Cortez, Colorado, I interviewed Vietnam Veteran Roland Alksnis.  He was in the Army and saw a significant amount of fighting.  He said he eventually asked to be discharged.  I asked why?  He said:  "I didn't want to kill people anymore."  Note: Our administration's position on the military includes an "Exit Plan" for those who have, say, completed boot camp and realize they aren't going to be able to "kill people" either.
•    In Durango, Colorado, I talked with Kathy Darnell who had just returned from a humanitarian aid mission to Uganda.  She said many people in the rural villages now have AIDS, little food or medicine and they sleep on dirt floors with burlap bags as their beds.  I told reporter Jim Greenhill of The Durango Herald that "as president" I'd sell the big bed in the Lincoln "Bedroom, sleep on a mat (which I already do) and send the savings to the people in Uganda.
•    A front page article in the Cortez (CO) Journal noted I was opposed to gay marriage:  "A father brings varying traits to parenting, as does a mother," Schriner said.  "For a healthy, well rounded individual, you need both..."
•    While in Alamosa, Colorado, I interviewed Brian Benke.  He participates in a Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) project here in connection with El Sagrado Farms.  People in the area buy "shares" at the beginning of the season ($450 a share).  This entitles them to weekly produce from the farm, which is delivered to a cental location in Alamosa every week.  Brian said the farm is totally off the grid with it's use of wind and solar generated energy.  In addition, El Sagrado grows everything organically.
•    A front page story ran in Colorado's Valley Courier newspaper about our campaign.  The story noted that I thought the increased gas prices were actually a "good thing."  (There goes a few votes, huh.)  The reason I believe it's a good thing is because it might get people to drive less -- which, ultimately, will help reverse global warming.