Mark Udall Attempts to Run (or Hide?) from Weak Record on National Defense

Boulder liberal Rep. Mark Udall's new ad "Worth" tries to portray the candidate as tough on national defense (H/T Best Destiny). Seriously?

As we reminded readers when Mark Udall made his first show trip to Afghanistan in January, here are the facts about Udall's voting record on national defense:

* Udall voted against authorizing nearly $289 billion in Fiscal Year 2000 defense funding -- including funds for six F-22 fighters -- twice (RCV#424, 9/15/99; RCV#241, 6/7/00)
* Udall voted to cut $3 billion in Fiscal Year 2001 defense spending (RCV#194, 5/18/00)
* In 2003, Udall voted against $87 billion in supplemental funding for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan including funds for body armor, armored humvees, and health care for National Guard members and reservists (RCV#601, 10/31/03; CQ Weekly, 11/8/03)
* Udall voted against a bill intended to expedite the delivery of armor to troops on the ground in 2004 (RCV#234, 6/14/04)
* Udall voted against $453.5 billion in defense spending in 2005 (RCV#669, 12/19/05)
* In 2005, Mark Udall voted against $50 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan (RCV#669, 12/19/05)
* And last year, Udall voted against protecting funding for homeless and disabled veterans from cuts, against increasing military housing funding by $275 million, against lowering college loan rates for graduates serving in the military or National Guard, and to prevent senior military officers from working at major defense contractors for a year after retiring. (RCV#714, 7/24/07; RCV#71, 1/31/07; RCV#421, 5/24/07)

Boulder liberal Mark Udall is trying to run to the middle on national security and military issues (note the ad's complete silence on Udall's support of cutting and running from Iraq at all costs), but the facts show he has nowhere to run - or hide.