Udall's DNC profile limited

By Ed Sealover, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 28, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mark Udall, who often speaks about bridging the partisan divide, has kept a low profile at his party's biggest gathering this week.

He was a no-show at the Democratic National Convention on Monday while campaigning on the eastern plains. He missed half of Tuesday.

After participating in two events Wednesday morning, Udall left to campaign in southwestern Colorado and won't return until speaking tonight at Invesco Field at Mile High.

Udall's remarks during the convention have been far less partisan than those of other Democrats. For example, Udall didn't attack his GOP opponent, Bob Schaffer, during an appearance Wednesday with five other Senate candidates.

When he addresses 75,000 people at Invesco, Udall said he will focus on the need to work with others to solve problems. He also will cover his favorite topic, the new energy economy.

Campaign spokeswoman Taylor West denied that the 10-year congressman was trying to avoid the partisan atmosphere in Denver, saying he preferred to talk directly to Coloradans this week.

Dick Wadhams, Schaffer's campaign manager, said he thinks Udall is staying away from the DNC to avoid being associated with the party's liberal ideology.

Schaffer will miss next week's Republican National Convention in Minnesota because his wife is undergoing surgery today to have a benign tumor removed.

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