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July 21, 2009 07:42 AM UTC

My lunch with Hizzoner

  • 25 Comments
  • by: DavidThi808

( – promoted by Colorado Pols)

I got the chance to interview John Hickenlooper during lunch today. The most interesting thing about the interview was that his answers were not political. It’s a hard thing to describe but with everyone else I have interviewed, there is a political influence to what they say. What they talk about, how they phrase it, what points they touch on. With Hickenlooper it was more like a conversation with a fellow business owner (which is his previous job).

When he was first considering running, he went and talked to a number of mayors to find out from them what the job was like and if they enjoyed it. That makes perfect sense to me but I wonder how many politicians understand that. And then starting to campaign just 6 months before the election, again something that is “too late” by the conventional wisdom yet makes good sense (and worked).

For those wondering what Hick is going to do next and why he isn’t running for higher office – I think he finds the job of mayor rewarding and that a lot remains to be done. Just as you don’t leave a start-up until it is successful, you don’t leave the mayorship until you have got the city running smoothly. I don’t think he views being mayor as a stepping stone, nor do I think he’s got any real plans on what to do once he gets the city running smoothly.

As I said, not looking at things like a politician.  

Ok, so on to the discussion. I told him he found a magic lamp and he got one wish. He asked if it could be for the Rockies to win the World Series (notice how with Elway gone the Broncos get no love). I said sure but that would be an interesting statement about him as a mayor. He agreed, and then said he would ask for 2 small wishes – to complete FastTraks and to improve our K-12 schools. It’s interesting that he put FastTraks so high and if there had been more time I would have asked why.

I asked him what on K-12 and he listed out numerous areas for improvement, including all the major ones. But he then zeroed in on two items. His first was to get every child reading by 3rd grade. From his discussion he doesn’t see it as a panacea but he sees it as an important & necessary step. And also as something specific that can be accomplished. This is his start-up background – you find some key step and you make it happen.

His other major point, and this was I think really good, was that we all say that education is of the utmost importance. But then we go work on other issues. He wants to see the Chamber of Commerce and others actually put their primary effort into improving education. Because what we have today is everyone gives lip service to education, and then puts their effort into something else.

I then asked him what he thinks is the big issue Denver will face over the next 10 – 20 years. He had an immediate answer – that it will be our adapting to an economy where energy will change everything. That oil will stay expensive and climb again and green energy will become pervasive. And how this changes everything from industry to what we build and where we live.

It’s an interesting answer because this will have varied impacts across the spectrum. And it will lead to some businesses going away while others expand, as well as new ones coming into being. All of that has a significant impact on a city, especially a core city like Denver. It’s also interesting because he spoke of how it will impact people and how they live. These are not direct issues for a city government, but they have a tremendous impact on the city as a whole.

Mayor Hickenlooper clearly considers the large issues and trends and how they will impact the city. A very useful trait in today’s world.

We then discussed the economy. A lot of what he discussed is what everyone I talk to says – worst since the great depression and worse than even it in some ways. City revenue dropped horribly in February and they are working to determine how to handle it. I asked him specifically about increasing taxes and/or layoffs and he said both are on the table. But that first they have to show that they have wrung every last savings they can out of the system before going to the taxpayers or employees and saying there is no alternative.

And he said they are not there yet. He talked about how they centralized their IT operations and through a single central team and standardizing on their h/w and s/w they saved a boatload of money. (The guy who headed that up is now running OIT.) He’s now looking at doing the same thing for additional systems like their motor pool (they have 5). What’s funny is that the various departments fight this because they are worried that a central system will be too bureaucratic. As Hick said – no one worries more about inefficient bureaucratic systems than government employees.

He also said the unanimous feedback he has throughout all departments is everyone would like to see across the board pay cuts instead of layoffs. And throughout the discussion of the economy the mayor kept repeating that an individual laid off is then out of the economy and that is a really bad thing. So I think it is safe to assume that we will see pay cuts before we see layoffs or tax increases.

I also think he will have to face pay cuts, layoffs, and tax/fee increases before he can wring every inefficiency out of the city government because there just isn’t time to find and improve everything. This downturn is gigantic and we are in a world of hurt. We don’t have 2 – 3 years to work through additional efforts that bring about the improved efficiency. With that said, Hick is clearly someone who sees the situation as it is and is focused on handling it as well as can be done.

He talked a bit about saying “I was wrong” when he makes a mistake (the Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays sign being his big example). This is interesting because in my world that is what you do – mistakes are expected and you just say “my bad” and figure out what to do next. But as Hick said, it’s rarely done by a politician and so his owning up to being imperfect is viewed as different. I think it easily makes him a better mayor – and I think more popular too.

He also talked about how his administration works very hard to cooperate with the other cities in the area. I’d say he’s been very successful in that you never hear any other cities complaining about Denver. That is an amazing accomplishment, but one that no one involved in will ever get any credit for. Quiet competence is always under appreciated.

So what do we have with Mayor John Hickenlooper? We have a very unusual elected official in that he has found his own path both to running for office and running the city. (He appointed people based on qualifications for the job, not political connections.) This approach is part of what makes him such a compelling figure. But only part of it. After all, there are lots of experienced executives, with a science degree, who would take his approach to governing (like yours truly). But you don’t see us getting elected.

I think the other significant attribute (for those wanting to clone his success) is he has a way of being straight with you in a way that you appreciate it. It’s like the occasional teacher who makes you work like crazy to excel in class – and you thank them for it. Or the boss at work where you knock yourself out to accomplish more than you ever thought you could – and you love the job. Part of this he learned running his restaurants but it’s different talking to an entire city in this way.

Or as he put it – he has this ability to get everyone a little bit mad at him. And that’s a good thing.

First published at Interview with Mayor John Hickenlooper

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25 thoughts on “My lunch with Hizzoner”

  1. I liked the discussion on jobs, IT and energy.  But on education, not so much.  Here is Hickenloopers’ quote:

    He wants to see the Chamber of Commerce and others actually put their primary effort into improving education. Because what we have today is everyone gives lip service to education, and then puts their effort into something else

    DPS has had site-based management committees in every single DPS school since 1991.  There is a specific seat reserved for “business.”  At one point, the Chamber was actively recruiting members for these positions.  It is NOT necessary to live in Denver to sit on one of these committees. So the follow-up question for Hickenlooper should have been. What is working with this business/Chamber of Commerce involvement and what is not working?  What efforts does the mayor want?  But, you couldn’t ask that question because you are not familiar with Denver or its schools.  

    You should come into Denver and sit on one of these committees. David/..I bet the mayor could get you placed.  

    1. You’ve got the background knowledge and have put a lot of thought in to this. Please consider interviewing him. I think you would do an excellent job.

      It’s this detailed knowledge on a subject that is one of the big advantages of bloggers interviewing people.

      1. I can’t imagine that the Mayor would have time for me to do an interview.  Plus, I would probably become confrontational pretty quick…which is death to an honest exchange.

        You interview these elected officials openly, are interested in what they are saying, and you geniunely do not appear to have an agenda…that is real objectivity. I, on the other hand, am loaded with agendas…… it would be like I was laying traps…..

        1. First off, the politicians see that the Post will be gone in a couple of years and that TV News may not last much longer. They are open to bloggers because we may be the only ones left shortly and press is life for an elected official. You can probably get an interview. (Just keep asking – nicely.)

          Second, we all have an agenda. At least every 5 minutes in every interview I want to tell them what I think on an issue. And occasionally I do. Being loaded with agendas is another word for knowing exactly what’s going on. If you can control the urge to talk back, you can do a really good interview.

          Try it. Worst case is it’s a disaster and you just don’t write about it 🙂

        2. “Cant imagine that the Mayor would have time for me to do an interview…?”

          What is Hickenlooper doing? Out creating jobs for people? Improving our ramshackle schools? Eliminating city waste? Of course he has all the time in the world.

    1. Not to digress too far off shore here, but does Ritter really care what we think of him?

      I mean, giving the man the benefit of the doubt for several oafish oversights is one thing, but steadily adhering to a course of such is quite another; especially when he profits whether directly or indirectly from each supposedly slapstick trip of the ethic. Ritter stopped caring what you and I thought of him the minute he was sworn in, or else this pattern would have ceased some time ago.

      And before other “readers” opine that I dismount my high horse and stop pilloring poor Bill Ritter, try to recall that a fair forum considers all views coherently and intelligently expressed. Try to recall that the public, as such, cannot reach Mr. Ritter and ask that he be the candidate we voted for. We can only plea on bended knee not to have more views savaged by his pen.  

    1. Send David Sirota 🙂

      As to Susan Barnes-Gelt’s whine-a-thon, she’s complaining that he did not answer some specific questions she had in his speech. Gee, what a shocker as it was not billed as “Hick’s answers to all of Susan’s questions speech.”

      As to her question:

      Too bad he didn’t seize the opportunity to outline measures necessary to rectify a $120 million budget shortfall, declining sales and use tax collections

      He did give a high-level answer in terms of 1) improve efficiencies, 2) across the board pay cuts, 3) layoffs and/or tax/fee increases. Seeing as how they are working out the details of the efficiencies they can find right now, I’d say that is about as detailed an answer as you can get today.

        1. But I choose to make my first interview be one where I try to just draw out who they are. That also is an accepted journalist practice (see Larry King).

          In the follow-on ones I then shoot in with questions – see my second one with Bill Ritter. I think that hit him with tough questions. However, short of using a cattle prod I don’t think you’re going to get the answers you want. They have their reasons and interpretation and that is not going to be changed by an interview (except in the movies).

          You of course are welcome to take your own approach when you interview people. There is great value in everyone having their own approach. I think you might also change your view of what works if you did a couple of interviews – it’s difficult drawing people out.

          1. It’s an appropriate analogy, but one I’m surprised to see being self-applied without any irony. Kind of says it all. And to claim that Larry King practices “journalism” rather begs the question.  

            1. …does not mean it does not count as journalism. (I don’t care for him either.) Journalism is a wide range of approaches and practices and is not just the narrow sliver you prefer.

              I also think you learn a lot about a person by mostly listening to them. Where someone chooses to take the conversation says quite a bit about their priorities. And what they say can be quite illuminating.

      2. We’re already seeing pay cuts — ask any Denver city employee who has been furloughed this year — but that’s only dealing with the previous FY’s budget shortfall.

        2. …Hick is asking for deeper cuts from all agencies, including those whose budgets are mostly personnel.  He is asking for layoffs, and he will get them soon enough, if he hasn’t already.

    2. This is true. David seems like a nice enough fellow, but these sycophantish questions do no one any good except let these elected officials off the hook for having to answer any real queries.  

      1. which was not to interrogate the mayor, but rather to have a frank, personal discussion with him about his general views on his position and the aspects of his job that he feels are more important.

        Ambush interviews invite politicized responses from politicians by necessity.

        I assert that there is as much value to be found in an interview that questions the mayor’s motives as in one that challenges his positions on divisive issues.

        1. The purpose was not to “ambush” the poor Mayor with questions (although he is a publicly elected official who should be accountable for his action or lack thereof), but to serve him tea and crumpets in the form of pointless “questions” that reveal nothing but a burning desire to work in his camp. Where is a spirit of true representation in the questioning? Most  of us are not deemed worthy enough to break proverbial bread with Mr. Mayor, much less submit questions to “His Honor” for possible answer; so please pardon my morality and ethos for seeking responsibility and integrity in asking this powerful representative about his policy (or lack thereof) and love of cutting programs and looking out for his (of course) well-heeled friends. I cannot fully blame you for wishing to butter your bread on each side of the slice.  

  5. I liked the ending. It’s not clear though, reading the last paragraph, if the Mayor said both of those things. Or if you added the last line: “And that’s a good thing.”

    I also like to think that students have the ability to challenge the best teachers. It’s a two-way street.

  6. that completing FasTracks is Mayor Hickenloopers top priority!

    Good answer Mayor. Now lets get it done together.

    The complete buildout of Fastracks by 2017 is so important for Denver, Metro area and Colorado.

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