What makes people think that colorado can't go DEM?

Obama plays well in some non-traditional swing-states(like the ones you mentioned, but throw in the Carolinas as vulnerable. NC even has a Dem governor) as well as more traditional swing-states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Virginia. The key to getting anywhere for us is to have back-up plans: yeah, if you pick 3 of 4 of those states, we win...but if we don't, we're toast. So we need to be competitive in lots of states and have more than just one winning combo if we expect to establish a lasting majority.