After Tancredo, who?

Slated on Backbone Radio, July 13 Listen every Sunday, 5-8pm on 710 KNUS, Denver... 1460 KZNT, Colorado Springs... and streaming live at 710knus.com.

These are the times that try Republican souls. GOP morale isn't good as Democrats swoon over Obama and take aim on House and Senate gains. Opportunity awaits, though, with Congress holding a dismal 9% approval rating and the public realizing how Dems' obstructionism has pushed up gas prices. For conservatives with fire and backbone, 2008 can be a good year and 2009 a better one.

Suburban Denver is witnessing a dandy primary fight set off by the retirement of one such conservative, Congressman Tom Tancredo, and the aspiration of several others to succeed him. The primary on Aug. 12 probably matters more in this safe Republican district than the general election on Nov. 4. Ballots go in the mail next week, so this is the home stretch.

** Backbone Radio this Sunday will host a forum (not a debate) among these four contenders. I'll have a quarter-hour each with Secretary of State Mike Coffman, State Sen. Steve Ward, State Sen. Ted Harvey, and businessman Wil Armstrong. You'll know more about each man's qualifications and beliefs when we're done.

** I'll talk with commentator, author, and activist Floyd Brown, whose independent TV ads have stirred national politics since 1988. Some say Brown's plans for this year are what made Obama break his promise on public campaign funds.

** Turning to our Colorado brain trust, we'll also hear from former education commissioner Bill Moloney about the political view from Cape Cod, Kennedy country -- and from CU classics professor Christian Kopff about his new book on Western civilization.

"We should seek to be more influencing than influenced," urges BackboneAmerica.net contributor Jim Ritchie. "Be a thermostat, not a thermometer," is another way I've heard it put. Good advice for conservatives in a summer when even the summer soldiers seem ready to wilt. No wilting here -- we can stand the heat, we've got spine. Please stand with us.

Yours for victory, JOHN ANDREWS