Feeling Bad for Barack Obama

As we here in Denver are preparing for the Democratic National Convention, I got to thinking about poor Senator Barack Obama. This man is running for President of the United States. Why would I be feeling bad for him?

1. He has to live in Washington D. C. I know Washington D. C. is a beautiful city, as a matter of fact, I've visited a couple of times and would love to go back. But, it is not Denver. (Here is where the disclosure comes in. I'm a Colorado native so I may be a bit biased.)

2. If Mr. Obama ends up living in the White House, he has an amazing lawn and will host large picnics, but it still isn't Washington Park. Denver has a number of premier parks, but Washington Park has always been one of my favorites with it's diverse and fun-loving crowd of people. Up for a volleyball game? I'm not sure they host volleyball games on the White House Lawn. Just let us know Mr. Obama if you'd like us to hold you a spot in one of our games.

3. While we've been having a warmer summer than usual this year, our weather has still been fantastic. We have more than 300 days of sunshine that melt away the snow usually within 24 hours. I'm sure with the White House driveway, someone has to be ready with the shovel when the first snowflake hits. Here, we check the next day's weather to decide whether to shovel or not. It gives us more time for skiing instead of shoveling. How many ski slopes are within driving distance of Washington D. C.? I'm betting we have lots more.

4. No 14ers. Colorado has 54 peaks that are more than 14,000 feet in elevation. Talk about places to clear your head. These are good spots to contemplate the energy crisis, health care, social security and other key issues impacting our country. I wonder if the key leaders of our country would benefit from having to debate issues while in hiking boots at the top of mountains? Since there isn't quite as much oxygen, it might require using fewer and more focused words to get your point across. Regardless, I know there aren't 14ers in the Washington D. C. area. Let us know if we can schedule a trip for you while you are in town, Senator Obama. It will change your perspective.

5. You can never be alone. It is too bad in this day and age that our highest leaders require constant security. Here in Colorado, we value our solitude. There is nothing like sitting on a rock in the middle of one of our Colorado streams just enjoying the scenery. The rush of water, the mountain wildflowers and the amazing wildlife keep us balanced when life gets crazy. We have some fabulous wildflower drives if your black vehicles are 4WD.  I will  insist, though, that you open the windows so you can enjoy the view during the drive. I'll even bring the picnic and a wonderful bottle of Colorado wine.

I'm sorry Senator Obama that you can't just pick up and move to Colorado. We'd love to have you visit more of our beautiful state beyond just the Pepsi Center and Invesco Field at Mile High. They are definitely both wonderful Colorado venues, but you'll still be missing the bigger Colorado picture. Give me a call after things get settled in November. I'm sure we could arrange at least a taste of what Colorado has to offer and if you are looking for a "western" White House, I'm your gal. By the way, Senator McCain, ditto!

Don't forget to vote.