Ken Salazar

Following the news that longtime "Meet The Press" host Tim Russert died Friday, U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Denver) released a statement:

"I am shocked and saddened by Tim Russert's sudden death today. I have had the pleasure of being on his show and answering his tough questions. He had a pure passion for politics and brought an important perspective to politics in America. His voice on Sunday mornings and on election nights, and all his contributions to American politics and journalism, will be greatly missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his colleagues."

Initial news reports said Russert died of a heart attack, but an NBC spokesperson later said the cause of death was still being investigated.

The New York Times has set up a regularly updated blog on Russert's death.

A funny story about cows in Denver leads Wally to ponder some serious questions about conflict of interest. If Obama's vetter-of-veeps-in-chief can't get a loan from Countrywide, should the Denver Post be calling the shots about cattle drives during the DNC this summer? Better yet should any media be subsidizing any political convention? 

The enemies list that the Clintons keep, and never trim, gets longer according to several NY Times outlets. So in today's Inside Edge Wally takes a look at what a Colorado enemies list might look like.

In an interview with Aaron Harber, U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Denver) listed Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, Gen. Wesley Clark, and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson as potential Democratic vice-presidential candidates, PoliticsWest is reporting.

Salazar also said he would accept the VP nomination if presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama offers it to him, PoliticsWest reported -- though he added, "I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it."

The interview was taped on Monday and will soon be posted online at the Web site of Harber's  television show “Senate In Balance.”

Governor Bill Ritter and Senator Ken Salazar endorsed Barack Obama this week – after Obama had essentially clinched the Democratic presidential nomination.  By staying on the sidelines during the 2008 race, the state’s two senior Democratic officials will be at the lower end of the pecking order if Obama reaches the White House.

It's time once again for our monthly update of the Top Ten Power Positions by the Inside Edge's very own Wally Edge. This month we get a new player on the board and Dick moves up one spot!

Hillary Clinton might not be ready to concede the Democratic presidential race yet, but U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Denver) apparently thinks it's over.

Salazar said Wednesday in a statement that while Clinton "has run an extraordinary campaign," he is "very much looking forward to helping Senator (Barack) Obama become the next President of the United States."

Salazar has been working with U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) to get their fellow Democratic senators to choose either Clinton or Obama, according to the Denver Post.

Cody Wertz, U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar's (D-Denver) longtime communcations director, will be leaving Friday for a private sector job, Salazar's Senate office announced Monday.

Wertz, who was one of the first people hired by Salazar after announcing in March 2004 that he would run for Senate, is taking a job with GBSM, Inc., a Denver-based management, strategic communications and public affairs consulting firm.

As we do at the first of every month, today we update our Top Ten Power Positions in Colorado politics. Tom Wiens dropped off our board because he announced he won't be running for re-election. And the brother of another Top Ten politicker made our list for the first time.

Click more to hear an audio clip of Rush Limbaugh arguing with a caller over his remarks about "Operation Chaos."