The higher-ups in the national and Colorado state democratic party are urging former Senator Gary Hart to run for U.S. Senate against Republican Ben Nighthorse Campbell. We're all in favor of it. When Campbell first ran, he was a Democrat. He switched parties some years after being elected. We'd love to see the seat returned to the Democrats and think Hart is the one who could do it.

But what is up with the difference in the articles between the print version that arrived on our doorstep this morning and the internet edition? Check this out. From the online edition:

Hart, a Denver lawyer, refused to say Friday how seriously, if at all, he's considering another stint on Capitol Hill. "He won't be commenting on that," his assistant said.

Cinamon Watson, a campaign aide to Campbell, scoffed at the possibility of a Hart candidacy. "It's as simple as this," she said. "It's all monkey business."

Hart's 1988 bid for the presidency was derailed by his dalliance with model Donna Rice - with whom he was photographed sitting dockside in front of a pleasure boat named Monkey Business.

Here's how that part of the article in the print edition reads:

Hart, a Denver lawyer, refused to say Friday how seriously, if at all, he's considering another stint on Capitol Hill. "He won't be commenting on that," his assistant said.

Campbell, in Pueblo on Saturday to participate in events at the Colorado State Fari, said he wasn't aware of efforts to recruit Hart. "I don't think Gary will do it," Campbell said. "It's not prestigious enough. He wants to be President and that's not going to happen."

Hart's 1988 bid for the presidency was derailed by his dalliance with model Donna Rice. Campbell said he expected others would raise questions about the affair should Hart enter the race, but pledged that he would not. "I'm not running for pope. I'm running for Senate."

Why was Campbell's direct quote (and pledge) omitted from the online edition of the article? Why was it replaced by a campaign aide's negative, mocking comment? Do Campbell's advisors want to leave him open to attack Hart on the issue, just in case Hart enters and starts beating Campbell in the polls? And why would the two reporters go with a campaign aide's quote when he they have a first-hand quote from the Senator?

It may be that the online article was written earlier, before Campbell was personally interviewed, but in that case, why hasn't the paper updated the online version?