A November 1 New York Times article about potential Democratic gains in Colorado and other western states in the November 7 election reported that 7th Congressional District Republican candidate Rick O'Donnell “trumpeted an endorsement from Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, hoping the McCain name would resonate with independents." The Times, however, failed to note that O'Donnell's campaign has aired television ads condemning McCain's immigration plan, which the campaign says would “give illegal aliens amnesty.”

Describing Colorado's political climate, the Times reported, “The increasingly blue tinge of the formerly red region -- some say it gives new meaning to the phrase 'purple mountains' -- has the national [Democratic] party seriously considering holding its 2008 presidential convention here at the foot of the Rockies.” In its coverage of Democratic optimism in the Rocky Mountain region, the Times also noted McCain's endorsement of O'Donnell in his race against Democratic candidate Ed Perlmutter:

Republicans are hardly surrendering. Mr. O'Donnell is pushing ahead and on Monday [October 30] trumpeted an endorsement from Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, hoping the McCain name would resonate with independents.

Using a high-tech voter identification model, Mr. O'Donnell spent more than $30,000 to mail a letter of support from Mr. McCain along with his own 38-page platform to 20,000 independents and Democrats deemed receptive to the message.

“It was sent very strategically,” said Mr. O'Donnell, who believes he can pull off a victory, although he acknowledges a tough environment for Republicans.

However, as Colorado Media Matters has noted, O'Donnell's campaign has aired television ads condemning McCain's immigration plan, saying it would “give illegal aliens amnesty” -- a fact the Times failed to note.

According to the October 16 Rocky Mountain News, “O'Donnell calls immigration the 7th District's No. 1 issue.” An O'Donnell campaign ad, titled “Amnesty,” attacks Perlmutter and misleadingly attributes the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, which passed the U.S. Senate, solely to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA). In fact, Kennedy was the only Democrat to co-sponsor the bill. Republican Sen. Arlen Specter (PA) sponsored the final version of the Senate bill, and McCain was one of five Republican co-sponsors.

From the ad:

NARRATOR: Millions stream in over our broken border. Something needs to be done. But Ed Perlmutter supports Ted Kennedy's plan to give illegal aliens amnesty. It costs over 50 billion dollars. Perlmutter would give illegals welfare, Social Security, even in-state tuition rates at our colleges. Ted and Ed's plan? Illegal immigrants get handouts and amnesty. We get the bill. Rick O'Donnell says, “No handouts, no amnesty, secure the border.”

O'DONNELL: I'm Rick O'Donnell, and I approved this message.

On his website, McCain touted the legislation he and Kennedy co-sponsored, which would provide a “path to citizenship” for the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants currently in the United States:

The new policies as provided for under this legislation will increase border security and provide for a new, temporary worker program to enable foreign workers to work legally in this country when there are jobs that American workers won't fill. And, it will acknowledge and address in a humanitarian and compassionate way the current undocumented population.

An October 3 Denver Post "Ad Watch" analysis of O'Donnell's “Amnesty” ad reported McCain's co-sponsorship of the Senate bill and noted, “Perlmutter has said he supports the 'broad principles' of a bill that passed in the U.S. Senate but has not passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The ad fails to mention that the bill also is sponsored by a Republican, U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona.”

From the November 1 New York Times article, “Democrats Discover New Political Frontier,” by Carl Hulse:

The increasingly blue tinge of the formerly red region -- some say it gives new meaning to the phrase “purple mountains” -- has the national party seriously considering holding its 2008 presidential convention here at the foot of the Rockies.

Republicans are hardly surrendering. Mr. O'Donnell is pushing ahead and on Monday trumpeted an endorsement from Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, hoping the McCain name would resonate with independents.

Using a high-tech voter identification model, Mr. O'Donnell spent more than $30,000 to mail a letter of support from Mr. McCain along with his own 38-page platform to 20,000 independents and Democrats deemed receptive to the message.

“It was sent very strategically,” said Mr. O'Donnell, who believes he can pull off a victory, although he acknowledges a tough environment for Republicans. “I picked a heck of a year to run for Congress,” he said Tuesday as he led volunteers on a local cleanup campaign intended to send the message that he would also help clean up Congress.