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'Both Ways Bob' - phrase may stick

Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News

Published June 23, 2006 at midnight

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Republican Marc Holtzman is gone from the governor's race, but he leaves behind a catchy legacy voters can expect to hear more of as the November election looms.

Holtzman's former campaign manager, Dick Leggitt, coined the phrase "Both Ways Bob" to describe GOP rival Bob Beauprez's position last year on Referendum C.

Holtzman and Beauprez fought bitterly on a number of fronts, but with Holtzman's departure the race now focuses on Beauprez and Democratic nominee Bill Ritter.

"Bill Ritter's had a really nice ride without someone taking shots at him," political consultant Katy Atkinson said Thursday.

"Now that's over."

The next step, she said, is both Beauprez and Ritter must define themselves to the public.

Beauprez has the edge, Atkinson believes, because he looks and sounds great on television and is known as Colorado's congressman from the 7th District.

But a concern, she and other politicos say, is the damage Holtzman inflicted on Beauprez before finally giving up his tortured, prolonged and sometimes bizarre attempt to get on the ballot.

"Holtzman kept Beauprez on the defensive for months and that's not where you want to be as a candidate," Atkinson said.

"And calling him 'Both Ways Bob.' I don't know if that's better than 'lawyer-lobbyist' but it's right up there," she said.

In the 1996 U.S. Senate Democratic primary, candidate Gene Nichol referred to his opponent, Tom Strickland, as a lawyer-lobbyist.

When Strickland won the primary and faced Republican Wayne Allard, Allard's campaign manager, Dick Wadhams, repeatedly used that phrase as the ultimate insult.

Pollster Floyd Ciruli also brought up the the impact of "Both Ways Bob."

"More than likely we're looking at the Strickland problem here," Ciruli said. "A lot of damage has been done to Bob Beauprez. It's not irreparable, but it's been done."Said former state Sen. Norma Anderson, R-Lakewood: "'Both Ways Bob' is Marc Holtzman's legacy."

Holtzman last year questioned whether Beauprez really opposed the tax measure Referendum C because Beauprez wasn't working to try to defeat it.

The phrase "Both Ways Bob" was used this year by the liberal group ProgressNow.org in its unflattering pieces on Beauprez.

Anderson noted that Beauprez, unlike Ritter, has not picked his running mate yet.

That, she said, will be crucial in helping shape his image.

"My thought is, he needs to pick someone who supported Ref C. The people spoke and that needs to be respected," Anderson said.

A slim majority of voters approved the controversial measure, which supporters such as Republican Gov. Bill Owens said was necessary to help the state recover from a recession.

Holtzman and Beauprez opposed the measure, which Ritter supported.

Ritter has had the field to himself since early this year, when one potential candidate after another, include Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, decided not to run.

He was looking forward to a Republican primary in part for financial reasons.

"We will not have that advantage of them spending money against each other," Ritter said.