YES, IT CLEARED HAZMAT

Republican Dick Wadhams, and Democrat Mike Stratton tangled in 2002 when they were on opposite sides of the U.S. Senate race between Wayne Allard and Tom Strickland.

So Wadhams got a big kick out of a gift basket he received this week from Stratton in honor of Wadhams' being elected Colorado Republican Party chairman. Stratton signed the card from "your former adversary."

"My chairmanship clearly inspires bipartisanship and good feelings," deadpanned Wadhams, who has a reputation for bare-knuckles politics.

FAMILY TRADITION

Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver, and his father, former Sen. Regis Groff, and their families were honored Wednesday by the Mountain States Anti-Defamation League.

The event hails those "passing the torch" from one generation to another. Regis Groff also passed the torch to his daughter, acclaimed writer Traci Jones.

OPPOSITE SIDES

"They're going to play Red Rover in a little bit."

House GOP spokesman Randy Hildreth joking about protesters on opposite sides of the Iraqi war squaring off on opposite sides of Lincoln Street