July 31, 2019 10:12 AM UTC

Hickenlooper Has a Minor Moment, But Not Enough in Detroit

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• by: Colorado Pols

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper had what may be his last chance to make a big impression on Democratic Primary voters on Tuesday in the first round of Democratic debates from Detroit. Hickenlooper probably didn’t do enough to give his Presidential campaign the boost it needed, but at least this happened:

they definitely did the wave pic.twitter.com/S8O86nfd3d

— andrew kaczynski🤔 (@KFILE) July 31, 2019

As the Denver Post explains:

In a rare charged exchange with Sanders, he said, “You just can’t spring a plan on the world and expect it to succeed.”

Hickenlooper suggested Sanders was throwing his hands up. Sanders responded, “I will,” and did just that. The moment quickly bounced around social media.

Later, he attempted to highlight his successes in Colorado and pushed back against the idea that he is too moderate.

“I’m as progressive as anyone up here on this stage, but I’m also pragmatic,” Hickenlooper said. “I know I can get results.”

Hickenlooper is at the back of the Democratic pack in terms of both fundraising and polling averages, and neither marker is likely to change much after Tuesday. Hickenlooper spoke for about 9 minutes of the two-hour debate, giving him the least amount of stage time of the 10 candidates present.

As Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren made clear in one of the most memorable lines of the night, candidates running on platform of cautious moderation may just be in the wrong place at the wrong time. “I don’t understand why anybody goes to all the trouble of running for president of the United States just to talk about what we really can’t do and shouldn’t fight for,” said Warren.

Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet will be on stage tonight for the second half of the Detroit debates.