Cara DeGette merits a nod for pointing out the grandstanding for votes by Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, with his media demonstrations surrounding the Boulder Library penis exhibit and his proposal to create a domestic violence U.S. postage stamp [Public Eye, Nov. 29]. I am also happy to see her, in the same column, immediately juxtapose Nighthorse Campbell's transparent media release with that of Rick Stanley, Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate, who plans to get himself arrested, on what he believes to be a constitutional principle, outside the state Capitol for carrying a loaded weapon.

After dressing down Nighthorse Campbell for his self-serving motive, DeGette reports on Stanley's media release which, in part, reads, "Please stay away if you are a coward, a psycho, a liberal whiner ... "

DeGette observes, "That's the kind of talk that really translates into votes." I'd like to commend her for contrasting the difference between Nighthorse Campbell and the obviously highly principled Stanley, who seems more interested, as a candidate communicating with the voter, in the integrity of the public expression of his conscience than in vote-getting. Whether or not one agrees with Stanley's stand, it's good to see a journalist placing such rare emphasis on candidates' character and virtue.

-- Dave Therault
Colorado Springs