U.S. Michael Bennet (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Three top Democratic superdelegates in Colorado are facing pressure to support Bernie Sanders after he easily won the state s presidential preference poll, but all are remaining committed to Hillary Clinton.
U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, Gov. John Hickenlooper and U.S. Rep. Jared Polis all faced questions in recent days about who they will support at the Democratic National Convention in July.
Polis — who represents Boulder, an area that went big for Sanders — received a note with his takeout order Sunday at Native Foods Cafe that read: Dear Congressman Polis, the constituency has spoken. Use your power wisely. Feel the Bern.
Hickenlooper continues to face questions and has said repeatedly he will stick with Clinton. “The voters elected me to use my judgment to make decisions,” Hickenlooper told Colorado Public Radio in his most recent comment on the issue. “I can’t imagine changing where I stand.”
Bennet felt the pressure last week after a speech at the University of Denver law school. A member of the audience urged him to support Sanders.
Bennet didn’t budge.
I am supporting Hillary Clinton, because I think that she will be ready to take the job the day she s in the job, he told the audience. I ve worked with Bernie for years in the Senate and I share very much his emphasis on income inequality and the importance of dealing with this if we re going to have a democracy and an economy that we re going to recognize in the 21st century.
He also criticized Sanders for not being more practical, saying he has a far more optimistic view of the federal government s ability to help solve that and … to me there s not a lot of evidence that relying on those institutions is going to get America where it needs to be.
Bennet went on to say that Sanders doesn t understand the intersection of education and inequality — despite the fact the Democratic candidate is focused those issues in his presidential bid.
I m very concerned that we have an education system that s actually reinforcing the income inequality that we have as a country, rather than unleashing the human potential of people who may be born poor, Bennet said. Bernie doesn t, this is not a focus for Bernie. It s never been a focus for Bernie, and it s not a focus for Bernie now. We ve had a lot of conversations about it.
And so, that s not the reason I m not supporting him, he continued, the reason is I think Hillary Clinton will be the most prepared president when she becomes president of anybody in modern American history maybe since George Bush, the father.
However, Bennet has said he would support Sanders if he wins the nomination.
Bennet’s campaign spokeswoman Mairead Lynn downplayed the comments, saying the two men are “friends” with a “shared commitment to reducing income inequality, which Bernie has been a champion of during his campaign for president.”
“While Michael was noting that he and Bernie have talked about their difference of opinion on strategies to accomplish that goal,” she continued in a written statement, “it doesn t change the deep respect Michael has for Bernie and how proud he is of their work together to get rid of No Child Left Behind, overturn Citizens United, make college more affordable and take better care of our veterans.”
