Gov. John Hickenlooper continues to be mentioned for a national post, despite his dismissals. (Lewis Geyer/Times-Call)
The 2016 race for the White House is well underway in the early nominating states as new candidates enter seemingly every day and others join the short-list for vice president or administration posts.
So let’s say you’re a governor — for instance, Colorado’s John Hickenlooper — and you’re interested in being a part of the conversation for president, vice president, cabinet post, ambassadorship, whatever. What’s your next move?
Hickenlooper is taking all the right steps:
1) Hold political cards.Check. Colorado is one of the . And Hickenlooper not your typical Democrat, with is pro-energy and pro-business background.
2) Raise your profile.Check. Hickenlooper is the president of the bipartisan National Governors Association and recently to attend high-profile events.
3) Hob-nob with big money and media powerbrokers.Check. As part of his recent trip, Hickenlooper attended the White House Correspondents Association dinner in Washington as the guest of Reuters and days later at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, a gather of Wall Street and financial leaders. He also for the World Economic Forum in Davos.
4) Court the top candidates.Check. Hickenlooper is of former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and took him to the General Assembly’s the night the legislative session closed. He’s also met with the Hillary Clinton camp.
5) Speak to influential groups.Check. In addition to many other big events, Hickenlooper addressed the American Federation of Teachers national conference Friday morning in Denver, in which he evoked 2016, saying the election has “the potential to change the dynamics of this country.”
6) Write a glowing memoir.Check. Hickenlooper about his life with his senior media adviser Max Potter, who is leaving the office to focus on the project. Hickenlooper even evoked the book title in his Friday speech.
But in an interview with The Denver Post, the governor said that he’s not interested, despite the signs.
Hickenlooper has denied his interest in running for president ( and and ). But his latest comments went further to dismiss any talk from Washington about him for vice president or a cabinet position.
Asked about whether he was interested in those jobs, he said: “I don’t think so. We’ve got so much going well here right now.”
Before you think he’s performing the time-honored Washington equivocation, keep reading.
“I would be honored,” Hickenlooper added, regarding being selected for a top job. “But I have a 12-year-old son, and to leave Denver, it ain’t going to happen.”
The book news Thursday generated another round of conversations about Hickenlooper aspirations. (without attribution) that Hickenlooper “has hinted privately that he would be interested in the veep slot or possibly a cabinet position in the next administration.”
The article also noted the “Opposite of Woe” is expected to be published in May 2016 “right at the moment when the Democratic nomination fight has given way to questions about who the nominee — most likely, Hillary Clinton — taps to be her running mate.”
Hickenlooper said the announcement regarding his memoir — long in the works — was timed to avoid igniting political speculation about his future.
“If I was going to (make a bid for higher office) I would have had it come out now, or like, in a couple of months,” he said. “We kind of timed it intentionally … we said well let’s wait and make sure we do this so late it can’t be in any way tied to a campaign.”
Hickenlooper, who was considered for Secretary of Transportation in the Obama administration, said he is focused on completing his goals in his second term, such as for new roads and infrastructure projects and making the state’s workforce healthier.
“Almost everything we are doing will be right at that tipping point” when the campaign is underway, Hickenlooper said. “If I wanted to be considered for vice president, I’d have to go out there and start doing the tour or do all that stuff in about September, right? That’s what they say. Watch, you’re not going to see me doing that stuff.”
“I’m going to be right here,” he added. “I’ll be going to Washington to lobby for stuff and I’ll be doing all the things I can to raise money for our projects but …
“I mean look at this,” Hickenlooper continued, pointing to the sunny skies outside the hotel hosting the teachers union conference. “Why would I … To be really blunt, what possible benefit would I have to take a cabinet position when I have probably one of the greatest jobs in the world and I have 3 ½ years left in one of the most beautiful places.”
He continued, “Again, I can’t imagine… I’m not ambitious. I don’t have … I’ve already exceeded every ambition I have.”
