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January 26, 2006 09:00 AM UTC

Hickenlooper Opens Up About Governor's Race

  • 53 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

The Rocky Mountain News has a good look at the factors that Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper is considering in a potential run for governor:

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper opened up Wednesday about some of the factors he’s “processing” as he contemplates whether to run for governor.

(No, Colorado, he has not yet decided.)

On the plus side, Hickenlooper said during an interview at the Capital Hilton, there is potential to expand on some of the issues he has addressed as mayor, such as transportation, telecommunications and beefing up cooperation among regional governments. “We need a voice of regional cooperation on a broader level,” Hickenlooper said during a break in the U.S. Conference of Mayors winter meetings.

He also said he is not worried about making the transition from mayor to governor. “The major issues a governor deals with are issues on a larger level than a mayor deals with,” Hickenlooper said. The real issue he still hasn’t resolved, he said, is “about where you can do the most good.”

Meanwhile, he said he is still wrestling with the toll a long campaign could take on him and his family. Hickenlooper talked about what he and his wife, Helen Thorpe, had to consider before he decided to parlay his business career into a run for mayor in 2003: “the sacrifices, the loss of privacy, and could you make enough of a difference to make it worth it.”

All of those questions are magnified for the governor’s race, he said.

The Denver Post, meanwhile, has more on Hickenlooper gleaned from a telephone interview conducted while he is in Washington D.C. for the U.S. Conference of Mayors:

…Although some political observers have contended Hickenlooper is toeing a fine line between contemplating a run for governor and appearing indecisive, the mayor said he was still compiling all the information he thinks necessary to make his decision. He did not give a timeline, but said again that it would be soon. “I’m close to getting all the relevant information, and when I do, I think I can move fairly quickly,” he said…

…Hickenlooper said Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack gave him a hard sell, telling him he “thinks being governor is the greatest thing in the world.”

The mayor said he wouldn’t even consider running if his wife, Helen Thorpe, hadn’t shown “some level of enthusiasm” at the prospect…

…The governor’s race is expected to be grueling, expensive and nasty. Hickenlooper acknowledged that anyone running for governor must be willing to endure a certain amount of “negative distortions of their actions or beliefs” but said that it wasn’t part of his decision-making process.

He said that if he runs, he would keep things positive. “I think the public deserves and wants a vision for the future and less attacks and smears on people’s character that have little to do with the truth,” he said.

Everyone will want to read into his comments as much as they can, but there are a couple of key points:

1. Hick mentions that he has the support of his wife to run for governor. Whether his family was behind him in a potential run had been part of the speculation.

2. Hick is talking a lot about how he can still impact Denver as governor, which sounds a lot like paving the road to justify the jump.

Perhaps most tellingly, Hick is talking about it. He talked with the News reporter in Washington D.C. and gave a telephone interview on the subject to the Post reporter. For a guy who has repeatedly avoided directly talking about running, that’s an interesting step.

So what does it all mean? The score is still the same: nobody knows what the Mayor is going to do.

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53 thoughts on “Hickenlooper Opens Up About Governor’s Race”

  5. Here’s something else for Mayor Hickenlooper to “process”:

    Enter Mexico illegally. Never mind immigration quotas, visas, international law, or any of that nonsense.  Once there, demand that the local government provide free medical care for you and your entire family.  Demand bilingual nurses and doctors.  Demand free bilingual local government forms, bulletins, etc. Procreate abundantly.  Deflect any criticism of this allegedly irresponsible reproductive behavior with, “It is a cultural U.S.A. thing. You would not understand, pal.”  Keep your American identity strong. Fly Old Glory from your rooftop, or proudly display it in your front window or on your car bumper.  Speak only English at home and in public and insist that your children do likewise.  Demand classes on American culture in the Mexican school system.  Demand a local Mexican driver license. This will afford other legal rights and will go far to legitimize your unauthorized, illegal, presence in Mexico.  Drive around with no liability insurance and ignore local traffic laws.  Insist that local Mexican law enforcement teach English to all its officers. 

    Good luck! You’ll be ‘demanding’ for the rest of time or soon be dead. Because it will never happen. It will not happen in Mexico or any other country in the world except right here in the United States, Land of the naive and stupid, idiotic, politically correct politicians.

  6. BadMoon, that is likely the most offensive, racist, and downright stereotypical comment that I’ve ever seen posted on CP (which is saying a lot).  Not only that, it is so incredibly non-germane to the post! 

    Comments like that are an abomination to what this Nation has stood for since its inception.  Sickening.

  7. I dunno, most of what BMR said rings quite true. It sounds like he was in way too bad of a mood to write it, but it is generally the truth. We might not want to hear things like this, and we all know our leader (most not all) are ignoring the problem because they don’t want to “offend” a culture that could mean loss of votes.
    I don’t think it is racist to want to close our borders. We have discussed this before. Anyone is welcome here. Just %&*@%*! do it legally!

  8. Now that the headline has been widely seen, he has about a week to publicly commit before he starts suffering from the stereotype that democrats are indecisive lilly-livered mamby-pambies or whatever the current fair and balanced adjectives of choice are.

  10. That’s what we need……a strong decisive leader willing to take an immediate stand.
    Come on now. He has been flirting with running for months. I for one hope he stays in Denver. Put someone in office that really wants to lead this state.

  11. SoCoDem:

    If it’s truly so racist and offensive, then why not just take up the adventure yourself and find out how fast you’re never heard from again?

    There’s nothing racist about expecting people to follow the law in our state. 

    Your already-sainted Mayor Hickenlooper has already made Denver a sanctuary for the law-breaking illegal immigrants that are here, and it’ll be far worse if he’s elected Governor and does the same thing at the state level.

    You can whine and emote all you want, but the facts are clear – from San Diego to Maine illegal immigrants are putting our economy at risk.  Prove otherwise and I’ll listen, but until such time, I suggest you wake up and smell the coffee.

  12. It’s been an absolutely brilliant political PR move to keep audiences intrigued, the media tantalized and politicos perculating….

    Hickenlooper has gotten more press, more name recognition and mention by being the “coy” candidate than all of the others combined.

      Good show, ole boy—this gov’s race is gonna be fun!

  14. BMR, what exactly (or even approximately) has Hickenlooper done to make Denver a sanctuary city?  You can fault him for not doing anything to change the situation he inherited, but that’s  a very different proposition than causing the situation.  Your stridency makes you sound like a man who fears for his candidate.  And yeah, I’m (almost) with Dan and Phoenix.  Monday or Tuesday he announces he’s holding a press conference, but if he’s running there’s a couple day delay to milk it.

  15. BadMoonRising,

    The RNC doesn’t pay you enough.  We were speculating about Hickenlooper’s candidacy (my take: he’s running) and you drove your racist wedge right into it.

    Everyone take note: this is the exact playbook many Republicans are running on this year:
    Magnify the legitimate issue of immigration policy into the only issue, while describing brown people as if they were all Hispanic street gang members.

    It works, because fearing difference as well as change are natural instincts, and because most of us white folks harbor racism at some level.  Roe v. Wade may be doomed, and the gay hate legislation doesn’t get much traction in the West, so they need a new reptilian-brain issue to get their voters to the polls.

    Punishing employers who hire undocumented workers seems like it would be the most effective policy.  But I don’t think you’ll ever hear that from Tom Tancredo and his friends.  It’s not polarizing enough.

  16. I am a Democrat, and Hick has pissed me off with this nonsense game.  He can kiss my liberal butt, I am voting for Ritter in the primary because of his crap.  BMR, with your comments, I am sure Adolf is keeping a seat warm for you.

  17. Phx you’re close to being right.  This is he in or is he out biz already old.  Starting to remind me of Larry King bugging H.Ross P. and others…are you gonna run, are you gonna run! 

    Make a frickin decision Hick, crap or get off the pot!  I don’t care if he does or not, doesn’t matter to me, but man, really, get on with it already.

  18. You know, it’s his (Hick’s) life.  Leave him alone. He will decide when he is good and ready.  I’ve known the man for twenty plus years.  He’s always been honest and forthcoming.  He needs to decide whether he wants to put Teddy and Helen through this.  Is this bullypulpit that much bigger and better?  Can he make that much more of a difference?  Many have said that the Denver mayor is such a strong position and the Colorado govenor is a weak position.  It’s all what one makes of it.  He’s got a lot to consider.  The rest of us just need to chill.

  19. After Donnie Young was murdered (by an illegal immigrant working at one of Hick’s restaurants, by the way) he had the opportunity to rescind the EO’s put in place by his predecessor, which made Denver a sanctuary city.

    You can piss & moan all you want, but the longer this illegal immigration problem grows, the worse, it’s going to get.

    hickisahick, I’ll let God judge my actions, thanks very much.  Your ‘Adolf’ comment is so far off base as to be laughable. 

    Comments about my position on illegal immigration and the problems it has wrought on our country are equally laughable.

    Try visiting any country outside the USA and see if they kow tow to foreigners visiting their country.  The short version is that they don’t – nor should they.

    And the fact is, the House version of immigration reform (which Tom Tancredo supports) DOES have provisions for penalizing companies that hire illegals.

  20. House Votes to Toughen Laws on Immigration
    One Setback for Bush: No Guest-Worker Plan

    By Jonathan Weisman
    Washington Post Staff Writer
    Saturday, December 17, 2005; Page A01

    The House last night passed tough immigration legislation to build vast border fences, force employers to verify the legality of their workers and tighten security on the nation’s frontier, but it rebuffed President Bush’s entreaties to include avenues for foreign workers to gain legal employment.

    The bill passed 239 to 182, with 36 Democrats joining 203 Republicans to vote yes. Seventeen Republicans, 164 Democrats and one independent opposed the measure.

  21. BMR,

    Try visiting “Old Europe” and see about that accommodation to foreigners.  Take a look at Britain’s immigrant community for example, or the Netherlands.

    I thought Democrats were supposed to be the ones who had nothing positive to say about their country and idolized other nations…

  22. PR,

    Been there, done that.  I was speaking from personal experience.

    The Netherlands, you say?  Their lax attitudes towards open immigration has cost them plenty.  The same is the case in Norway.

    And those – *ahem* – “youths” in France that were burning & pillaging from Normandy to Bordeaux last month… you didn’t really think they were French nationals did you?

    I don’t have problem at all with immigrants – at least not those that want to enter our country legally – but the problems being caused by the 18,000,000 + (and that’s just our governments “guesstimate” – it may well be many more is taking its toll.  We ignore the problem at our peril.

  23. Phoenix, we’re most always on the same side of things, probably even this one, but I will say this – illegal immigration is a serious issue, and if the Dem’s don’t confront the reality and come up with a realistic program for addressing it by summer, it may cost us what should be a great victory in November.  If the Dems focus on arguing against the extreme rhetoric and proposals from the right on this, they will get hammered.  If they focus on coming up with an agenda the tackles the problem without villifying the immigrants, I think they can actually turn the issue to their advantage.

  24. Before 1980, there were less than 400,000 illegal Mexicans in the United States.  What a surprise, under Presidents Reagan and Bush I, the number jumped OVER 5 MILLION.  The rich needed to replace some base of slave labor, and when we middle class and poor Americans gained real Constitutional rights under President Johnson and refused to work for $2.20 per hour, the Wall Street types needed cheap labor to build their empires.  Illegal immegration is a problem of the conservatives, who had no problem letting people jump the border to exploit them and their children.  And the rich power elite, who need Mexicans to clean their hotels, toilets, and childrens’ asses, and to pick the fruit and vegetables that feed 1/3 of the world for $2.25 an hour.  You want Mexicans out now?  Now that you need a race card to play to split American voters?  Well, you control the presidency, congress, and supreme court, DO IT THEN!!!!  If not then shut the hell up already!!!!

  25. BMR, since when were you against rioters laying waste to France?  I kind of enjoyed the spectacle, myself.  Indeed, I haven’t had so much fun since reading Jean Raspail’s “The Camp of the Saints” which really exposed Euro-hypocrisy.

  26. We’re on the same side with this issue, too, brio.  Illegal immigration is a problem, and one I disagree with some other Democrats on.

    On the issue of solutions:  The solutions that have actually come up in serious discussions are not, IMNSHO, the “right” solutions.  Fences or walls are a license for a perpetual contract to build the Iron Curtain of the United States.  Rounding up, detaining, and attempting to deport the lot of illegals is ridiculous on its face.  Most employer solutions don’t seem to really get to the heart of the problems they face.  And most proposals don’t seem to fully address the complex issues surrounding the status of illegals and their role as current employees.

    With some tweaks and additions, I liked Steve Young’s (Dem candidate for CA-49 back in December) proposals; fine current illegals for their illegality (and then make them legal unless they have other violations), give them rewards (green cards, longer-term visas) for reporting employers who knowingly violate immigration laws.  Give employers the tools they need to verify employee status.  Fix the immigration numbers to properly account for the illegals holding steady jobs that can’t be easily replaced.  And finally, create a work visa that doesn’t put immigrant workers in constant jeopardy from their employer’s threats; give them enough time to find replacement work if they are let go.  Once you’ve done that, you can drastically reduce the number of border agents and increase employment enforcement; no multi-billion dollar fence, no massive prison system build-up, and safer borders to boot since border patrols can focus on the real criminal entrances…

  28. Did I forget that?  I didn’t see it in my list.  Hmm…

    My personal feeling is that anyone who is serious about working here for the long-term – who wants to bring their families here and maybe wants to live here eventually – should be doing that anyway.  But it’s not like we forced Italian immigrants to do that when they got here, or Chinese immigrants, or…  Job opportunities will be closed to certain people without proper skillsets; language is one of those skillsets.

  29. CoPols missed another one; why would you want to promote anyone other than Hick.  Am I the only one that saw Tina Griego’s column about Ritter?  Another Pro-Choice woman has come out and stated that Ritter’s stance is the future.  He is trying to engage rather than polarize.  If Hick comes out; which he probably will his baggage will be obvious, it will take more than a scooter to win state wide.  Also I am not a politician will not work either.  It will take more than a scooter to win state wide.  He is a very far left liberal; it is very hard to hide this record state wide.  If you want to hand the governor to BB; put Hick as your candidate.  Why keep with the other failed experiments?  Why give the Republicans what they want?  Instead give them something that they can not attack…. Ritter.

    http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/news_columnists/article/0,1299,DRMN_86_4416874,00.html

  30. CoPols missed another one; why would you want to promote anyone other than Hick.  Am I the only one that saw Tina Griego’s column about Ritter?  Another Pro-Choice woman has come out and stated that Ritter’s stance is the future.  He is trying to engage rather than polarize.  If Hick comes out; which he probably will his baggage will be obvious, it will take more than a scooter to win state wide.  Also I am not a politician will not work either.  It will take more than a scooter to win state wide.  He is a very far left liberal; it is very hard to hide this record state wide.  If you want to hand the governor to BB; put Hick as your candidate.  Why keep with the other failed experiments?  Why give the Republicans what they want?  Instead give them something that they can not attack…. Ritter.

    http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/news_columnists/article/0,1299,DRMN_86_4416874,00.html

  31. When was the last time that Republicans put up a pro-choice candidate for Governor?  Why should Democrats throw out an issue that a majority of voters in the state support?

    What about Hickenlooper’s “very far left liberal”ism don’t you like?  Specific issues?

    Ritter very well be the Democratic Party candidate, and I’ll support him for that, but I’d very much like to hear just what Hick’s done that’s too liberal…

  32. Phoenix – Any chance you can get the DNC to start sounding like you instead of just playing defense against the GOP on this?  I’d have less to worry about come November.

    Gecko – Thanks.  That’s the kind of rhetoric that’s going to make it easier for the Dems to seize the initiative on this issue from the GOP, if they get their act together.  I trust you’re not Irish.

    Rural Colo – The GOP wins most elections these days because it gets the votes of both the social conservatives and the business community.  If Hick can take a big chunk of the business community, he can win despite being a social liberal.

  34. How about a law requiring blog posters to learn English?  That’s the only way I can get Sir Robin to stop ranting that Bush is “flaunting” the law when he means “flouting.”
    As for paying Phoenix Rising, that’s up to you Democrats.  We Republicans are pouring all our money into the likes of Dave Chandler to split your vote, tee hee.
    Hey, it worked with Nader!

  35. I’d like to invite everyone to read “Economic Hit Man” by John Perkins. It’ll enlighten the uneducated, and inform the educated, of why and how the corporatocracy’s policies are so counterproductive. We’ll eventually learn, but in the meantime, Bush is racking up $700 BILLION dollars of debt every year. Pay attention now. The ride is going to get a lot rougher.

  36. I am guessing that making the illegals learn English will run into a brick wall.
    Because I’m sure the bleading heart liberals will simply pass legislation to force everyone else learn Spanish. Isn’t that the newly transforming American way?

  37. You don’t think I could get cash persuading the Republicans to turn back from their evil ways, Voyageur? ‘salright, my feelings aren’t hurt.

    Yah, Gecko; I’m opposed to forcing people to learn a specific language before participating in society, so I’m going to require everyone to learn Spanish…  Why is it this conversation doesn’t cover Hmong, Tibetan, or Serbian languages, hmm?

  38. Gecko: I’m confused. Do you want to send illegal immigrants back to their native countries, or do you want to force them to speak english?  Maybe we could do both, eh?

  39. I’m leaning toward making anyone that comes in this country to do it leaglly. Stepping across the border illegally, having an anchor baby, and  living off the system, all the while being incapable of at least speaking the freaking language, is in my opinion not tolerable. Enter the system legally, learn the language, and become a benefit. Otherwise stay the fuck out.

  41. Sorry for being irate……..but Bad Moon rising got me going. He was really pissed off earlier today. Of course most of what he was screaming I happen to agree with. then all of the sudden I got pissed……….If it wasn’t for the Coors that Voyageur suggested, I’d be out in the streets yelling “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!”

  42. No need to apologize.  IMHO the only fair solution to this issue is to go after businesses that hire illegal immigrants.  Otherwise, it seems to me that the debate focuses almost exclusively on Mexicans.  I will never accept a “solution” that seems discriminatory.

  43. Gecko,

    Didn’t mean to trip your trigger, but hey, the issue is out there, and gettin’ worse every day.

    I reckon by this time I owe you a beer, at the least.

    But never quit fightin’ the good fight.

  45. BMR,

    WASHINGTON — Immigration benefits the U.S. economy overall and has little negative effect on the income and job opportunities of most native-born Americans, says a new report* by a panel of the National Research Council. Only in areas with high concentrations of low-skilled, low-paid immigrants are state and local taxpayers paying more on average to support the publicly funded services that these immigrants use.

    Read the rest

    Grant it, it’s not a new study but neither is the problem nor the “solutions” suggested. If you want to learn more research immigration policies alongside economic downturns. You might see interesting similarities.

  46. Is Robin really off by that much this year?  I confess I haven’t caught up with the budget mess, but I know we’re racking up $400b+ in debt this year and if that’s calculated like the Bush Administration has done the past several years, that number is made smaller by the $200b+ in Social Security surplus that is supposed to be padding the fund for baby boom retirement payouts…  Oh, and don’t forget the “supplementary spending” called Iraq, which isn’t included in the budget numbers either.

  47. Hugo,

    A 1997 study?  Yes, you’re correct, is IS dated.

    And I note that you left this part out – the subtitle:

    Overall U.S. Economy Gains From Immigration,
    But It’s Costly to Some States and Localities

    And this:

    If immigration continues at its present level, the U.S. population will grow to 387 million people by 2050 — 124 million more than today, the panel said. Immigration would account for about two-thirds of this growth.

    >>>>>>>>>>

  48. Hugo, et al: Just a thought. There’s a difference between “immigration” and “illegal immigration.” Illegal immigration–mostly from across the southern border–is primarily what is sapping the resources of great American cities but, nevertheless, is building a great and potent political base for Dubya and his minions who favor what could be up to a six-year asylum for “undocumented” workers. What a friend we have in Dubya! Huh!

  49. I am so over this – Ritter has shown he is more of a man than Hickenlooper and more serious about the job. Hick reminds me of someone who constantly asks if they look fat — needing everyone’s approval and relishing in undeserved attention is juvenile and more JV than I thought Hick was.
    My vote is for Ritter and everyone else with a backbone should agree.

  50. The Hick has couched his contemplative process in terms of what’s best for the city, the state, etc. This process, of course, presumes that the city, the state, etc. are actually benefitting or in need of the Hick’s guidance. What concerns me, in spite of the orgasmic media hype for the Hick and, additionally, in spite of what Susan Barnes-Gelt happens to believe about this Ah, Shucks, Golly GheeWhiz “non-politician” (yeah, right!) is that the Hick sounds like Lyndon Johnson, tap dances like Wellinton Webb and pontificates like a high school valedictorian who hasn’t yet grown a set of, um, well you know what. This Hamlet prodigy actually deserves to be Governor. The good fight that is needed in the City and County of Denver requires a centered, serious, dedicated, savy, no-nonsense public servant who has got a set and who is able to make a decision in less than four, five, six months. The Hick thrives on committees and commissions. Hell, he doesn’t even have the acumen to demand the Manager of Safety and the Chief of Police run the Denver Police Department in a manner befitting best practices without, yes, another commission, a staff position and an outside consultant. The Hick is a consensus kind of guy. Denver’s strong mayor form of government (which, incidentally, the Hick is destroying) demands more of a mayor than what the Hick has provided.

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