Kimble: Bee, Kolbe part ways, won't say why
Photos & images All Slideshows »
Click thumbnails to view additional images
Click Photo to Enlarge
ADVERTISEMENT
- Most Commented Stories Today
- Most E-mailed Stories Today
This much is known: Jim Kolbe will no longer play a role in the campaign of Tim Bee who is running for Kolbe's former seat in the U.S. House.
Beyond that, speculation rules since neither Bee nor Kolbe will say much about Kolbe's decision to move from co-chairman of Bee's campaign to nonparticipant.
It may take an Enigma cipher machine to really figure out who is saying what.
An initiative on the November ballot to change the state constitution to ban gay marriage may or may not play a role in all of this. But either way, Bee must be regretting his involvement in this sticky, no-win mess.
Kolbe's decision to distance himself from fellow Republican Bee was a stunning six-month turnaround.
On Jan. 19, Kolbe stood at Bee's side as Bee announced he would run against Democratic incumbent Gabrielle Giffords for the U.S. House in District 8 - a seat that Kolbe held until he retired in 2006.
When Bee stressed his commitment to bipartisanship, Kolbe told reporters, "That's what we need in Washington."
Kolbe's support went beyond that. Just last month, Kolbe opened his Washington, D.C., townhome to host a fundraiser for Bee. And now Kolbe is out, with neither man saying why.
Tom Dunn, spokesman for Bee's campaign, said Kolbe sent Bee an e-mail last week saying he would no longer be active in the campaign. "We're thankful for his support," Dunn said, refusing to explain why Kolbe disassociated himself from Bee.
In a telephone interview, Kolbe was no more forthcoming, saying he would "not have a long, protracted discussion" about the matter.
Kolbe wouldn't even say if he still supports Bee. "I'm not going to get into playing that game," he said.
Kolbe did say that "certainly the campaign knows the reason I withdrew." Kolbe said he wouldn't disclose that reason but the Bee campaign "can talk about it as much as they wish."
Dunn didn't wish to talk about it at all. Why did Kolbe bow out? "For personal reasons." Did Kolbe give Bee a specific reason? "I won't say." Was there an attempt to persuade Kolbe to change his mind? "I can't disclose that." How much money did Kolbe raise for Bee at his townhouse fundraiser? "Those reports will be available next week."
Bee, in an interview this week, had a different take: "Jim has some personal things going on now that he needs to focus on."
But those "personal things" apparently aren't keeping Kolbe from being involved in other campaigns. "I'll be active, just not in that campaign," Kolbe said. In fact, Kolbe is hosting a fundraiser Thursday for Pete Hershberger, a moderate Republican running for the state Senate.
So let the speculation begin.
Kolbe sent his e-mail to Bee about a week after the Legislature voted to put on the ballot an initiative to amend the state constitution to say marriage is between only a man and a woman. Gay couples need not apply.
Kolbe is gay. The initiative passed the state Senate with 16 votes - the bare minimum needed. As Senate president, Bee voted last. It was his support that sent the measure to the ballot.
Coincidence? "You can speculate to that all you wish," Kolbe said.
The marriage constitutional amendment has been nothing but painful for Bee, who inexplicably introduced it in the Legislature this year.
Bee said he acted because he had "thousands" of calls and e-mails from people wanting a chance to vote on the amendment. "No issue had more communication to our office," he said.
But Bee hasn't given a lot of thought to the underlying issue. In a visit this week with the Tucson Citizen Editorial Board, Arnie Bermudez, the Citizen's cartoonist, asked Bee a logical question: Why shouldn't gay couples have the same rights as heterosexual couples?
Bee was speechless. He looked at his aide, Dunn, then back at Bermudez. For an uncomfortable 15 or 20 seconds, he said absolutely nothing hunting for an answer.
Then Bee said he "was not judgmental," "likes people of all persuasions" and feels "the core family is an important thing."
This is not an issue Bee wants in this campaign. But Kolbe's absence will not let it go away.
Mark Kimble appears at 6:30 p.m. and midnight Fridays on the Roundtable segment of "Arizona Illustrated" on KUAT-TV (Channel 6). He may be reached at mkimble@tucsoncitizen.com or 573-4662.
Gee, do you think that Tim Bee didn't answer the question about gay marraige because it had already been asked and he already answered it? He wants to let voters decide the matter, not the state legislature. Why should he have to answer the same question over and over again?
I wish we DIDN'T know Jim Kolbe was gay. I bet Jim Kolbe wishes we didn't know he was gay. He was content not telling the whole world about it. He had some sense of propriety about his personal life. It was a bunch of left wing nut jobs that tried to blackmail him that force him to disclose it to the world.
Hey Arnie, news flash: the citizens get to vote on that one. The constitutional ban is probably not going to win anyway and you know it. Another news flash: gay people forming unions and calling it marraige flies in the face of some people's sensibilities. For some people "marraige" is a religious sacrament that is defined a certain way. Sorry society and social mores are not changing fast enough for some people...I think we've come a long way in a pretty short period of time. I think many people who happen to be against gay marraige are perfectly accepting of gay people they know. Maybe in a generation people won't care as much. Some things take time. The "diversity" acceptance thing doesn't always go both ways I've noticed.
Meanwhile the Citizen has stretched the Kolbe/Bee story anonther few days. Morlock, Kimble, for God's sake let's get Corky out of retirement and have him pen a column on Kolbe backing away from Tim's campaign.
There are plenty of issues and you guys are really digging in on this. Is this the single most important issue in the country or in AZ-8? We've got $4+ a gallon gasoline that is going to impact everything in the economy--do we drill for oil or commit to solar?, we've got Iran itching to pick a fight with Israel, we've got a school system in Arizona that's broken and near the worst in the nation, and all you guys can do is ask a candidate why Steve and Bob can't get hitched. You're doing a big disservice to your readers who might want to know something about what each candidate stands for and wants to do if elected to represent them in Congress.
Marraige is a state issue anyway, the representative, Tim or Gabby, is not going to be voting on gay marraige in DC. They will be voting on things that we will be taxed to pay for and things that could have a positive or negative impact on our economy and our kids futures. But keep beating the drum on Kolbe and Bee and on gay marraige...and insinuating Republicans are speaking in Nazi code. That helps voters decide who will represent them in Congress.