During a September 9 News at Nine O'Clock segment about upcoming “Democrat and Republican caucuses,” KDVR Fox 31 reported that state Republican Party chairman Dick Wadhams -- whom reporter Charlie Brennan called “one of Colorado's most astute political observers” -- “would not offer a prediction as to which way Republicans will go for president,” but that “he had a very clear opinion about what Democrats will do and what the fate of their candidate will be in Colorado.” Fox 31 then quoted Wadhams' assertion that he thinks Democrats “will be nominating Hillary Clinton ... who I believe is very unpopular in Colorado.” The report, however, failed to provide predictions or comments from any Democrats regarding who might win the Republican nomination or how popular the Republican candidates are in Colorado.

As Fox 31 anchor Leland Vittert reported, “The day was once called Super Tuesday; now it's Tsunami Tuesday. February 5th, 2008: that's when the Democrat [sic] and Republican caucuses will happen in 20 states." After Brennan noted that "[t]he state GOP voted this week to move their caucus up to February 5th just as state Democrats did earlier this year," Fox 31 aired Wadhams' quote that "[b]eing part of Tsunami Tuesday ... I will guarantee you that we will have increased activity by the candidates in Colorado" and later aired Wadhams' opinion on the possible Democratic nominee and his remark about Clinton being “very unpopular.”

The report did not include a Democratic response about the popularity of any Republican candidate for president. Instead, after uncritically quoting Wadhams, Brennan reported, “The eventual Democratic nominee gained a long-expected rival this week ... [a]ctor and former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson made it official during a visit with [Tonight Show host] Jay Leno.” Brennan further reported that “front-runner Rudy Giuliani welcomed” Thompson “to the fray.”

Fox 31's report was the latest example of a Colorado media outlet offering Wadhams an uncontested platform for making political statements or criticizing Democrats without providing a Democratic perspective or response, a trend Colorado Media Matters has documented (here, here, here, and here).

From the September 9 broadcast of KDVR Fox 31's News at Nine O'Clock:

VITTERT: Back here at home, we turn to You Decide 2008. The day was once called Super Tuesday; now it's Tsunami Tuesday. February 5th, 2008: that's when the Democrat and Republican caucuses will happen in 20 states. Fox 31's Charlie Brennan has an in-depth look at Tsunami Tuesday.

[begin video clip]

BRENNAN: Everybody into the pool.

WADHAMS: Everybody wants to be first.

BRENNAN: They're calling it Tsunami Tuesday, a day of decision for more than 20 states across the country.

WADHAMS: Everybody wants to be the first because the, the brutal truth in modern-day presidential campaigning is that you win an early state or two and you have momentum to go through the rest of them.

BRENNAN: The state GOP voted this week to move their caucus up to February 5th just as state Democrats did earlier this year.

WADHAMS: Being part of Tsunami Tuesday -- which it's kind of been dubbed, 'cause about 22 or 24 states will be having caucuses or primaries on that date -- I will guarantee you that we will have increased activity by the candidates in Colorado.

BRENNAN: Wadhams, one of Colorado's most astute political observers, would not offer a prediction as to which way Republicans will go for president. However, he had a very clear opinion about what Democrats will do and what the fate of their candidate will be in Colorado.

WADHAMS: I think they will be nominating Hillary Clinton ...

CLINTON: Wow, hello!

WADHAMS: ... who I believe is very unpopular in Colorado. In fact, the Associated Press had a story that said she had 16 points higher negative ratings than positive in Colorado.

BRENNAN: The eventual Democratic nominee gained a long-expected rival this week.

THOMPSON: I'm running for president of the United States.

LENO: All right!

BRENNAN: Actor and former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson made it official during a visit with Jay Leno.

THOMPSON: A lot of people have been, of course, running for some time. Everybody kind of changed the rules. Usually you don't announce until after Labor Day.

BRENNAN: And front-runner Rudy Giuliani welcomed him to the fray.

GIULIANI: And I think he's done a pretty good job of playing my part on Law & Order. I personally prefer the real thing.

BRENNAN: Charlie Brennan, Fox 31 News.