Eric Eidsness

MINNEAPOLIS--U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-Fort Morgan) told the Colorado delegation to the Republican National Convention on Thursday that like GOP vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin, she has a degree of immunity from attacks by male opponents.

"I think when (Barack) Obama picked (running mate) Joe Biden he thought he had his scrapper -- somebody who would get him there," Musgrave said. "But you know, one thing that I've found: no matter what kind of opponent I have and no matter what kind of outside groups are going to come in and attack me, when I've had a man for an opponent, they have to treat you like a lady."

MarkeyThis year's  4th Congressional District race between incumbent U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-Fort Morgan) and Democratic challenger Betsy Markey may well turn out to be the only competitive two-party race in Colorado.

Though they've come somewhat close to toppling Musgrave the past two elections, the Democrats this time are relying on Markey, a Fort Collins businesswoman and State Department official with no prior political experience, to deliver the knockout blow.

In this week's Monday Morning Politicking, Markey talks about why she thinks 2008 is a good year for CD-4 to go blue, her strategy for upsetting Musgrave, and her top-secret work for the State Department in the 1980s.