Colorado Senator Ken Salzar visited Northern Colorado yesterday. He made four appearances. Some were concerned that the flap over his “anti-christ” comment in response to uber-evangelical James Dobson would dog him. It didn’t happen. Curiously, Republicans seem to be flocking towards him:

  • “Even Republican Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden, keeping an eye on the crowd, had a charitable word about Salazar, whose remark left the religious right speechless and then infuriated. “I’m one of those right-wing Republican radicals,” the sheriff said. “I don’t agree with his political positions, but he’s as decent a man as I’ve ever known.””
  • “I’m a lifelong Republican,” said Milt Boehm, 77, of Fort Morgan. “I came to congratulate him for standing up to that religious bunch. No one else is….. I was terribly disappointed when Salazar was elected. Now, I’ve done a 360-degree turn.”

The Senator announced a four-part agenda for his first term: “home security, jobs, health care, energy and transportation.”

No protesters showed up to criticize Salazar. At his lunchtime appearance in Fort Collins, many Democrats came by to offer support:

“I’ve already called to thank him for his act of bravery to respond to Dobson,” said Carolyn Taylor, of Loveland. “He’s really put himself out there.”

During an interview, Salazar reiterated his regret for his choice of words but not for tackling the issue.

“I misspoke,” Salazar said. “I had in mind the term unchristian, which means self-serving. I do believe the radical right-wing is self-serving. They cloak themselves in religion to promote their agenda.”