julieturkewitzVerified account

That last claim -- that he is *the* reason for Colorado's growth, will be debated by reporters going forward.

Woody in Colorado: "Hickenlooper should run for Senate. He would have a good chance of ousting Republican Cory Gardner. He has almost no chance as a presidential candidate. While he was a good governor, he lacks the charisma needed for a national campaign."

I have heard this from many people in the state over the years -- some say that Hick certainly knows how to work the geek-in-chief bit, but they wonder if he has the charismatic punch to take on a guy like Trump.

PJ in Colorado seems to think Hick CAN take on the president: "Hickenlooper is the complete antithesis of Trump; experience, a proven record, likeable. He'd wipe the floor with Trump, which is more than you can say for any of the other candidates."

A librarian from Ft Collins criticizes Hick's enviro legacy: "He was continuously on the side of gas and oil and against his constituents who don't want to breathe that kind of air...no amount of grandstanding is going to wipe that awful environmental record clean."

Hickenlooper's enviro legacy is definitely going to be an issue as he moves forward. In his presidential bid, he is making his work fighting climate change a central issue. But enviros (and many nonactivists) fault him for not doing more to push oil & gas out of neighborhoods.

Hickenlooper "has allowed oil and gas to run roughshod over communities,” Sara Loflin, a Democrat, told me while I was reporting this piece. “I think in the face of climate change, I’m looking for a president and a nominee that is a little stronger on the environment.”