Below is a statement from President-elect Obama
“Filling Ken Salazar’s boots in the US Senate is a tall order. But in selecting Michael Bennet, Governor Ritter has made an excellent choice.
“Michael Bennet perfectly reflects the qualities of the ruggedly independent state he has been chosen to serve. An innovator in the public and private sectors, he has shown himself willing to challenge old thinking and stale policies.
“His breakthrough work at the helm of Denver’s schools has reflected that commitment, and established Michael as one of the nation’s leading education reformers.
“He will be a breath of fresh air in Washington,” said President-elect Obama.
Gov. Bill Ritter’s statement on Michael Bennet
Gov. Bill Ritter today announced that he is appointing Denver Public Schools Superintendent Michael F. Bennet to represent Colorado in the U.S. Senate, praising Bennet as a proven 21st century leader and problem-solver in both the public and private sectors.
“This is a critical time in history,” Gov. Ritter said. “The economic challenges facing America and Colorado are unprecedented. People are losing their jobs. Businesses are closing. Families are hurting. Our challenges are so serious that it will take a new generation of leaders, a new way of thinking and a bold new approach to problem-solving to steer us through this.
“Uncertain times call for certain leadership, and that’s why Michael Bennet is the right choice to represent all Coloradans in the Senate. He has an impressive record of bringing people together to find common ground and common-sense solutions to complex problems, and of turning around troubled public and private enterprises and leaving them far stronger than he found them.
“Michael will bring a fresh, new approach to the economic crisis,” Gov. Ritter said. “He knows we can’t fix our 21st-century problems with 20th-century solutions. Working alongside Sen.-elect Udall and President-elect Obama, Michael will devote the same sense of forward-looking optimism, vision and energy to this new role that he brings to every aspect of his life and work. ”
