In Congress there are 435 representatives in the House and 100 in the Senate. I’m betting none of them know who T-Bone Burnett is, let alone recognize him if he was sitting right next to them. Trump would say, "sure, T-Bone Burnett, that’s a really big steak with bur-naise sauce." Pence would prob think T-Bone is a homosexual reference, like a verb, to be "T-boned." The T-Bone recognition caught me eye more than anything in your missive, Bob. So I’ll bite, why not Hickenlooper? Of course, Trump will intentionally mispronounce his name as "Pooper Scooper," but every other potential Dem candidate to date, other than Bloomberg, who unfortunately can’t possible win, is frankly just “meh.”

Stuart K. Marvin

_____________________________________

I love this Bob! ...and I love Hick. We all love him here, he's our buddy! Each year I do an event called Sing It To Me Santa (i'm Santa) where we raise money for music education for schools in Colorado, we've raised over a million in the last 4 years. He told me the story this year of how he once met Janis Joplin when he was 18. He went to the Holding Company show and got to close to the stage and she told him, "you bet watch out boy" ..and they had a conversation. I am very left as well, and I can tell you I've never met any politician ever that's as good a guy as Hick. I, we, really hope he runs for President. We NEED a PERSON who is not a fake fuck, ....Hick is our bro!!
-Ryan Chrys

_____________________________________

Hey, Bob -- I'm a centrist. Well, actually a "social liberal & fiscal conservative" -- Jimmy Carter's description of himself, I believe. That's me.

The neoliberal centrists sold it all down the road -- Bill, Hillary, Al, et al -- with the deregulation of the financial industry. I think we could have survived some of the other shit: NAFTA (had it been tweaked), workfare, etc. But sucking up to the wealthy (and wanting so desperately to become wealthy) pulled the Clintons and so many others away from the lives of "regular people" and into the abyss of elitism. Kissing the middle class goodbye was their sad coda.

If John Hickenlooper is a genuine moderate-centrist-problem-solver -- I'm in.

Thanks, as always.
Kevin Ritchie

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Way cool. Great post, Bob.

Happy 2019!

Jon Regen

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'Can millennials get excited about a centrist?'
Absolutely not He's dead on arrival

Ben Jolly

_____________________________________

Very interesting commentary- I lived in Colorado 1991-2006.
Through my involvement on Swallow Hill Music Association- Board-multi- venue presenter/ school, etc
I met John several times and observed his gradual but steady rise.
We shall see re Presidency.
Someone needs to take on and defeat Trump and undo the regressive policies and attitudes that have engulfed our country in last 10 or so years . No more de-evolution please.
As you I love my country but know it can be a whole lot better for one and all.
Thanks Bob.

Stephen Bond Garvan

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Six degrees of separation — John Hickenlooper’s cousin, George, who passed away in 2010, was an accomplished movie director, worked all the time, probably best known for Dogtown, but also directed The Man From Elysian Fields, with a pretty good cast, including Mick Jagger.

Jim Charne

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You heard it here first...
Bob Lefstez the political sage!

Vijay Thakur

_____________________________________

This is great news
Thanks bob!

Anne Buckley

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My fondest Hickenlooper (means hedge jumper in German, I seem to remember) story involves a set of gorgeous red Czech stemware. Years ago, John knew I had been to Prague and he asked for my recommendations on where to stay, where to eat, etc. (This was way before TripAdvisor, but I served the same purpose.) To thank me on his return, he gave me those beautiful red wine glasses, which I still have and use. It shows his thoughtfulness and his caring.

John asked me to come tour a building he and his business partner, Charlie Woolley, were thinking about buying, a big warehouse near downtown Denver. We discussed options, tossed around ideas on how the space could possibly be used, how the flow could go, etc., but I think it was one he ultimately passed on. The point is: He loved the creative process, and he listened. Nor was it all about him, or his ego.
In those days, everyone knew everyone in Denver. John opened the Wynkoop in 1988, the same year we opened Dudley's, the restaurant I was part-owner of until 1983. A few years down the road, I gave him a business plan I'd written for a nightclub/restaurant idea I had for a place to be called Red. It never took off, but John flattered me by opening a place called Red Room--not exactly the same but we both knew where he came up with the concept. In other words, he knew a good thing when he saw it and had a good memory.

Oh, and John isn't just a big music fan: he likes and knows and supports ALL the arts. He doesn't just talk about it, but he shows up! (By the way, his cousin was George Hickenlooper, the filmmaker who died way too young. John had a small part in one of his movies.) And his son, Teddy, has grown up to be a smart, super likable, engaging kid, which says something. John's first wife, Helen, is an incredible author, by the way.
Like everyone, especially politicians, John has his detractors. Colorado is a purple state, but he seemed to win over the righties along with the lefties. And isn't it a well-proven fact that Governors make good Presidents?

Could he? Just maybe.

Thom Wise

_____________________________________

I read this pretty carefully but I never did read an answer to your question "WHY". And I assume your question isn't why do you think you have a chance to win but why do you think you should be President?

By the way, job increases at the state level can be reflective of some governing skill, but the policies that get that result have nothing to do with job growth on the national level. At the state and local level, job growth is basically about competing with other states for existing jobs or for jobs to be created by private companies in the future. At the national level, it's not about competing, it's about adopting policies to encourage growth.

And, in case you hadn't noticed, centrism is dead.

Don Friedman

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John’s the real deal. I have gotten to know him over the years and he is EXACTLY what our country needs. Someone who is genuine, who knows how to unite people rather than divide them, and who is a servant leader—the best kind of leader. He would be in it to make our country and people’s lives better. Not for self-aggrandizement. And Robin is the real deal. I think she could accomplish more than any first lady in history.

Roger Lynch

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Never heard of him.
Problem #1 - lacking name recognition
Problem #2 - his presence ... he comes across as meek (I watched some videos)
We need someone who can BEAT TRUMP, winning the rust belt and all those critical electoral votes
Biden had his share of gaffes, for sure ... yet he is a character with a personality large enough to take on Trump.
I would love a Biden/Beto ticket.
My more shrill lib friends answer "more white men!" They are also still pissed at Biden over his treatment of Anita Hill
But that is ancient history ... he can and will apologize. And none of the women on the field right now are electable. Sad but true.
We must win, we must get the orange Demogorgon the F outta there!!!!

Colleen Kenny

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I heard Hickenlooper speak on a speaking tour he did with Kasich at the Brookings Institution in DC. He seemed like the real deal and he also seemed to smell like a potential candidate. Perhaps getting his feet wet or dipping a toe in the water.

He had me at “forgotten Americans”.

Thanks for your words,

Bonny Mcclain

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Possibly, but I’m hoping for Andrew Yang. Check his interview on Freakonomics a few episodes back - he’s pretty on point.

www.yang2020.com/

freakonomics.com/podcast/andrew-yang/

William Curtis

_____________________________________

I'm open to hearing about him, even though I really want Sherrod Brown in the race, too. So go for it, Gov! May the best person win.
Sandy Jones
Nashville

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Someone. Anyone. Just not Drumpf.

Rik Shafer

_____________________________________

Pretty interesting read...

KP Obrien

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Just what America needs, another white rich dude.

Elizabeth Warren 2020. It's time for the dudes to get out of the way for once.

-Gerry Bayne

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Thanks for this one, Bob. Hickenlooper was at the Lauryn Hill show here at Belly Up Aspen a few weeks ago.

Andrew Travers
Arts Editor
The Aspen Times

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Bob, I'm glad you like this guy. Maybe he's cool to hang out with. But the Democrat energy has shifted massively to the left, and a no-name, generic lab-grown centrist isn't going to make it out of Iowa, let alone take down Trump.

It's Bernie, Bitch: thebaffler.com/all-tomorrows-parties/its-bernie-bitch-frost

PS. If Franken wanted to keep his job, maybe he shouldn't have been a sleaze.

PPS. I'm also a bit concerned about your references to money. If you think the "monied" people are going to factor heavily in 2020, you haven't been paying attention.

John Potter

_____________________________________

Sure, why not? All the candidates have baggage. So let’s see how they "handle" it; the more the merrier. Let the process play out. But I’m also a no on Gillibrand; can’t forgive her for railroading Al. And I’m a little in love with Klobuchar. Let the best (wo)man win. When they do, I’m confident they will be up to the challenge.

Randi Swindel

_____________________________________

Ugh!! Gag me with a spoon...John Hickenlooper is the relative of George Hickenlooper (RIP),who made the film Mayor of the Sunset Strip. I ought to know--I was in that film with Rodney Bingenheimer!

George Hickenlooper died,of course,because of cocaine use (age 50).

Give me Bernie.

Sincerely,
Ronald Vaughan

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Amen and i agree from Nashville! I say I will vote for a Black republican or a white ceo.Hickenlooper checks that box. As an independent it is quite clear that if the Dems want to win last thing they need to put up is a left DT. A centrist is their (our) best hope. Plus imagine the inaugural parties :)

John Huie

_____________________________________

Too bad he does not rank in the top 10 Power Rankings: www.cnn.com/2019/01/17/politics/2020-democrats/index.html. Perhaps his problem is that he is a centrist and neither party weants to give the voters a choice to move toward the middle, but continue to have to choose an extreme they consider the lesser of evils.

William Frey

_____________________________________

You have your finger on the pulse of what's important to people of several different generations. Not sure how you do that, but you do.

Keep advising Hickenlooper - he just might win with you talking in his ear!

Count me in!!

Lynn Manning

_____________________________________

I’ve lived in Colorado almost my whole life, and I think Hick is great. One of the reasons is because I didn’t even know whether he was a Democrat or Republican for a while when he got elected. He wasn’t interested in playing the politician game - he wanted to get things done that needed doing. And he’s been that way the whole time. A lot of my lefty friends give him a lot of grief for various things - fracking mainly, and I tend to agree with that. But he finds a way to get things done and move forward, without making the issues about him. He seems exceedingly effective to me, and very much not full of shit. And isn’t that refreshing. I’d vote for him in a heartbeat, and campaign for him too.

Thanks again for what you do - DR

Don Richmond

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Bob---Presidential candidates should be REQUIRED to have served as a state governor. Like the presidency, governorship is an administrative position; most senators lack necessary administrative background. Paul Lanning

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I think Hickenlooper’s name works FOR him. People will remember it and play with it. He’ll be made fun of but it will only make him more popular, I think.

Hey, Bob, what do you think of Sherrod Brown, the senator from Ohio? He seems pretty great, and here’s his wonderful wife, Connie Shultz:

yhoo.it/2RX5Gha

When she talks about her mother, near the end, it really hits home. To women of a certain age — our mothers were invisible and we all are looking for ways to not be invisible, hopefully without being obnoxious.

Tracy Newman

_____________________________________

Amen on Gillibrand re: Franken. Unforgivable...

Tom Zito

_____________________________________

I heard him last year on NPRs Wait Wait. I would vote for him.
dw davis

_____________________________________

So long as a Dem wins and the horrid, horrid, republicans are sent scuttling off to prison and under rocks as far away from civilization as possible, I could care less who the person is that sits in the White House. And, I expect, I am far from alone in my wishful thinking. Anybody. Anybody with a D beside their name who wins the primary gets our family’s vote.

The country ain’t seen nothing yet…2018 midterms were just the warmup act.

Cheers Bob, really love your musings!

Owen Dearing

_____________________________________

Another good read, thanks Bob. I would vote for him as well. But I would vote for anybody not a Republican. Yesterday that schmeckle ( small schmuck) Romney voted with the rest of the Ruskie/Trump butt kissing Republicans to reduce the sanctions on one of Putin's best buddies' company, for no known reason. These Republican bastards in Congress and in the Trump Administration are throwing America under the Russian bus, to win the approval of a lying, con man, thug and self serving traitor. Why?

And we can't forget that holier than thou hypocrite, Pence who after 4 Americans were killed yesterday in Syria by ISIS, gave a speech saying ISIS is defeated in Syria. The country has been hijacked by mini morons, doing the bidding of a giant moron doing the bidding of his wallet and Putin.

And then there is the Trump shut down for his wall............and on and on. Trump and his Republican boot lickers have turned America into a failed reality show, and Russia and China are sitting back laughing and thinking who ever thought it would be this easy.

alan segal san diego.

_____________________________________

Hi Bob - That's great that Hickenlooper is authentic, but most of the electorate won't have the opportunity to sit down with him and get to know him like you did. We'll have to do it through the media. Will he shine through in a crowded field? Lord help us this next cycle.

Todd Brooks

_____________________________________

Nope. He’s pro-fracking and that’s a non-starter for me. No ifs, ands, or buts. Let’s see him try and win Pennsylvania with that stance.

Peter Kohan

_____________________________________

With all the "noise" out there, you put this in context that I can understand, relate to.

I grew up on the West Coast and I'll be honest, was hoping for change, like Trump I thought, "this might be what we need". Hillary just didn't set well with me.

Well...Trump is just as, if not more, way more crooked than the rest. I don't understand why people keep saying that no one will will be able to defeat Trump? It appears some serious shit is going to hit the fan for him, his administration, and the country very soon!

I've watched a few interviews with Beto, I'm hopeful for a fresh start and energy like him. I'll keep my ear/eye out for Hickenlooper.

Steve Anderrko
Syracuse NY

_____________________________________

No way... he should be running for Senate. He's a longshot in the Dem primary, but would be a heavy favorite to flip Cory Gardner's Senate seat. If Dems don't flip that seat and close the gap in the Senate, even if they win the presidency, they will have no way to enact any policy. Hickenlooper barely appeals to any of the core constituencies in the Dem party. (fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-5-key-constituencies-of-the-2020-democratic-primary/)

Also, I'd rethink blaming Gillebrand for Franken. It's ok for Democrats to hold each other to a higher standard. See the following clip
twitter.com/PodSaveAmerica/status/1085669727433703424

-Ken Brown

_____________________________________

Hi Bob,

Good morning. Long time reader. Thank you for your writing.

Hickenlooper has been on my radar for some time. I agree that he has a real shot to win. Warning: sports metaphor incoming. He reminds me of Belgium before the World Cup. They had a talented team, hiding in plain sight, compared to better-known, perennial favorites such as Brazil and Germany. Alas, despite a very strong showing, ultimately Belgium did not win the Cup. That said, Belgium’s betting odds pre-tournament represented very good value. Hickenlooper may not win, but I do think he will have a strong showing and make it to the final four (geez, another sports metaphor).

I lived in a tent in Colorado for a few summers. The state is a fascinating microcosm, reflecting the many contradictions of the larger country. Hickenlooper seems poised to navigate these competing forces.

As reference, Ridgway has dispensaries, fleece, and mountain bikes. A progressive enclave, to be sure - nicknamed Pebble, given its similar politics, but smaller size, relative to lefty stronghold Boulder.

Drive only thirty minutes north on 550 and you arrive in Montrose, which has gun shops, flannel, and ATVs. Quite a conservative town.

But Colorado is shifting slowly left, as is the country. Grand Junction, for example, which broke for Trump in 2016, I predict will abandon him in 2020. The con is up.

Yes, Colorado needs energy jobs, but why not green jobs that don’t jeopardize earth’s habitability. Water - Colorado’s greatest asset - is far more important than oil. And I’ll bet that the many federal employees of the various National Forests and National Parks in Colorado agree with me.

Regards,
Adam

P.S. Gillibrand did not cause Franken to misbehave. Franken caused Franken to misbehave.

P.P.S. You should try heli-skiing in Silverton, CO.

P.P.P.S. It’s a cynical perspective but sadly true, I feel - theoretically, if he makes it to the general, Hickenlooper’s whiteness and maleness may help him peel off some of Trump’s white-male-loving base for the win.

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Hey Bob
You just gave him something that he could not get with cash. I've already forwarded it to 10 people.
Tom Hedtke in Sac

_____________________________________

Man, I love Hickenlooper.

I lived in Denver for about 5 years. Worked with Tedder a bit, Played some stuff with The Lumineer and Nathaniel and the Meese boys. It's just a small music town, really.

He'd have my vote. Because he, like Obama, understands the next generation. He digs beer and weed and music. Now, those topics might not play in Trump Town, but the 2 parties have been so laser-focused on getting people who actually vote to vote for them. I think Hickenlooper will get people who DONT vote, to vote. (there is a whole hell of a lot of them) He might not win, but he will get people to vote.

That's the issue here. It's the centrists that aren't voting. They don't show up. No one is going after them. Both parties are trying to swing people farther away from the center while MILLIONS of us are sitting in the center saying "hey, guys, there's a better way" The Democrats demonize anything that is different. (ahem AOC, anyone?)

He gets taxes. He gets industry. He gets politics. He gets fun. He gets community. the beer/music scene is strong in Denver. One of the best. There are better bands. Better venues. Better promoters. All because the TOP LEVEL of local government supports the arts. Look at the small venues that host local shows 2-3 times a week. Look at the local bands booking opening slots on national tours. That's what I did. It changes things. When you go see your favorite band on stage and a bunch of kids you see at the local coffee shop open up? That's pride. Denver has local pride.

Tedder lives in LA now. Nate and The Lumineers belong to the world. But, Denver still loves them. The Fray still sells out Red Rocks and they don't produce anymore. Denver is proud of what Denver does.

We need a woman in office, though. Warren, Gillibrand, fine choices. Pull Hickenlooper as VP and you'd have a ticket. (or, vice versa)

People say "centrists won't win." People said Trump wouldn't win.

"People" don't know.

We need someone in the middle to talk to both sides. Someone who can pull minorities and understand their issues. Someone who can get rich old white dudes to understand that it's better for business to open things up.

Women buy gillette for their husbands. Black people buy Nikes. Causes matter. Because people matter. And, business is better when they listen. To causes and to people. Don't kowtow, don't bend. Listen. Adjust. Our Government needs to listen.

I love Hickenlooper.

- Jon Johnson

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