'Then I'll cut your benefits....'

The Coloradoan got to go to a GOP bigwig event at the Larimer County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner.

The clank of silverware echoed above the polite dinner conversation about topics such as fiscal discipline, permanent tax cuts and the war in Iraq when more than 250 Republicans gathered in Fort Collins on Friday night for the Larimer County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner.

That "politeness" must have included politely ignoring the gross contradictions between all three of those topics. Sheesh!

U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave said, despite the challenges set before it, the Republican party is strong.

"We should be very proud of the job the president has done on the war on terror," Musgrave said. "The economy has been doing well and national security is still a priority."

A priority for who, exactly? I know port security is a huge priority for the president. Just like deficit spending, energy security, and catching Osama bin Laden. We sure feel "secure" after Katrina, don't we? And we have to love someone who's got such a handle on Iraq, a mess of his own making. Puh-leeze!

Oh, and Musgrave introduced a uniformed Marine Sergeant. Good for the cameras. Too bad she votes to cut military benefits every chance you get.

Having soldiers as props at Republican events is pretty tacky, probably illegal, and is a White House-directed public relations strategy that has no shame. Josh Marshall explains.