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Actor Robert Redford saddles up for Udall

By Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 31, 2008 at 1:28 p.m.
Updated October 31, 2008 at 6:45 p.m.

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Actor producer Robert Redford shakes hands with Mark Udall supporters at a rally in Aurora on Friday.

Photo by Dennis Schroeder © The Rocky

Actor producer Robert Redford shakes hands with Mark Udall supporters at a rally in Aurora on Friday.

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Redford saddles up for Udall

By Lynn Bartels

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS

Actor Robert Redford, who cleaned horse stalls in Estes Park as a 15-year-old, returned to Colorado on Friday to urge voters to support Mark Udall for the U.S. Senate.

Redford praised Udall, whose family he has known for decades, as someone who can work well with both parties.

"I know who Mark is. I know what we need right now. What we need to do is get rid of this mean-spirited, deceitful, destructive thinking," Redford said to cheers.

The Redford rally, near the Aurora Municipal Center, was one of a number of "get out the vote" events organized by Udall's and Barack Obama's campaigns in the final days of the election season.

"I'm here to echo how important it is to get out that vote," Redford said. "We know from experience what the other side is capable of when they're desperate and angry, and they're both."

Redford came to Colorado in the 1950s as a teen-ager. "I fell in love with this state at an early age," he said.

He recalled his first major fundraiser in the state, in 1974, to help elect a "fabulous" slate of Democrats, including Tim Wirth to Congress, Dick Lamm as governor and Gary Hart as U.S. senator. They all won.

Udall was all smiles as he praised his friend, "Bob Redford," who wasn't the only actor in the crowd. Udall introduced his baby sister, Kate Udall, whose credits include Law & Order.

"I don't know if any of you have seen me on the TV," Mark Udall said, to much laughter, referring to the millions of dollars of ads attacking him.

"I think I've run a campaign based on optimism," Udall said, to cheers.

Lorene Jaurez of Centennial said she came to the rally to support the Democratic ticket.

"I want to show that Latinas are here, we vote and we volunteer," she said.

Gov. Bill Ritter introduced Redford to the crowd, which included Aurora Mayor Paul Tauer, and city council members from Denver and Aurora.

"We talk about change," Ritter said. "I think this is much bigger than change. I think it's transformative."

Comments

  • October 31, 2008

    3:59 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    fed_up_with_it writes:

    Gosh, if Robert Redford says to vote for Udall et al, then I'm gonna vote for them too! Then, I'll be just like all my Hollywood heros!

    Helping get Tim Wirth and Gary Hart elected doesn't speak much for his choise of candidates. Only thing worse would be if he helped Pat Schroeder as well.

  • October 31, 2008

    4:12 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    FCZ writes:

    Redford should convert his Sundance Operation into a designated federal wilderness as he forces onto to others.

    Pristine ?

  • October 31, 2008

    5:35 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Hope writes:

    He is a man that supports the people he likes. Whats wrong with that?? Did you all vote for everyone that got elected?? Did you make choices that didn't win?? So he is a "star".....he is just helping with the campaign. SHEESH!

  • October 31, 2008

    6:54 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    phoenix08 writes:

    Robert Redford like any other public figure has the right to support and endorse which ever candidate he chooses. It is no different than anyone else endorsing some candidate. If you do not agree with his politics then you can do one or both of the following actions: 1) don't see or buy his movies and or merchandise and 2) don't vote for the candidate he endorses. People get over it!

  • October 31, 2008

    7:06 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    carryBIGstick writes:

    He's rich. I thought he was supposed to be a Republican?

  • November 1, 2008

    5:49 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    roger44 writes:

    Redford must not have watched the latest debate, udall didn't do so well. it is amazing though, some will vote for Udall just because Redford is endorsing him. We're in for quite a ride if Obama gets elected, Reid & Pelosi are already plotting against us. wonder how many signatures it takes to order a recall election for President? :)

  • November 2, 2008

    7:33 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    mrpoizun writes:

    These same radical right wingnuts who attack Redford because he's an actor worship the ground that Reagan rots in. At least Redford never ran for office and never started the transfer of wealth to the two percent of the wealthiest Americans from the rest of us.