Former Governor Bill Owens (Denver Post file photo)
?Former Gov. Bill Owens called President Obama's planned tour of the Waldo Canyon fire area "ill-advised" today, saying it will divert resources from what should be the top priority ? fighting the fire.
Owens was governor during the 2002 Hayman fire, which is still the largest in Colorado history. When then-President Bush's staff called about a potential visit, he said, Owens respectfully asked them not to come.
"I know what goes into a presidential visit, and I have quite a bit of background knowledge on what goes into fighting these fires," Owens said. "And the two should rarely meet."
Owens also posted on his Facebook page that he considered the visit too distracting.
Obama is scheduled to
target="http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20951895/president-obama-tour-waldo-canyon-fire-friday">tour the fire area in Colorado Springs on Friday. A White House official said the president and his team are sensitive to ensuring his visits to any emergency response area do not impede the response, and that they will take the same precautions Friday.The official also said Obama looks forward to thanking first responders and seeing for himself if additional resources are necessary.
Gov. John Hickenlooper was not immediately available for comment.
He told CNN last night, however, that during a phone call with Obama the president asked if it would be useful if he came for a visit. Hickenlooper told the president that he had flown to the area Tuesday night and that "person after person told me how glad they were that I was there."
"If they're that glad I'm there, if the president could find the time to be able to come by and show the support of the nation for all of these folks that have been evacuated, lost their homes," Hickenlooper said.
Owens, a Republican who left office in 2006, said he rarely weighs in on political issues these days, and that he has great respect for the office of the president and the job Hickenlooper is doing.
So, asked if Obama may have political motivations to visit a battleground state in a tight election year, Owens kept his response short.
"I bet the White House hasn't failed to notice that," he said.
Sara Burnett: 303-954-1661 or sburnett@denverpost.com
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