Hickenlooper “joke” falls flat

Presidential candidate fumbles question at CNN town hall about having a female VP

America, meet former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, known throughout the Centennial State for putting his foot in his mouth.

Hickenlooper — in classic form — fumbled a question Wednesday about the diversity of the 2020 presidential field during a televised CNN town hall.

When CNN moderator Dana Bash asked him whether he would commit to picking a woman for his vice president, Hickenlooper said: “Of course.” And then he kept talking.

“How come we’re not asking more often, the women, ‘Would you be willing to put a man on the ticket?’ ”

The crowd appeared not to know what to do with his comments. But social media was quick with umbrage. One tweet said, “Loopy for President just ended.”

Hickenlooper and his spokeswoman clarified after the town hall that his comments were a joke aimed at the media’s fawning over male candidates such as Bernie Sanders and Beto O’Rourke.

“They are never asked that question. Or at least, maybe I have missed it, but women I know feel that is a form of discounting, that they are less likely to win the nomination. That is what I am talking about,” Hickenlooper told CNN. “People can take it out of context.”

Hickenlooper has been asked similar versions of this question on the campaign trail. He normally points to the diversity of his staff, including his first Cabinet as Denver mayor, which was among the most diverse in the city’s history. And as governor, he chose a Latino man and a woman as his second in command. Former Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne took to Twitter to defend Hickenlooper.

During the town hall meeting, Hickenlooper answered a variety of questions on the economy and criminal justice.

He pledged to suspend the federal death penalty and called for the largest investment in skill training and free community colleges.

Then there was the recounting of the time he took his mother to see an X-rated movie. The story, which he shared in his memoir, had the audience rolling and Bash blushing.

Hickenlooper has a long history of public bloopers. He is quick to apologize but, in some instances, his mistakes have triggered public condemnations.

Black Colorado leaders scolded Hickenlooper in March 2012 at the state Capitol for making sexual innuendos when he introduced Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock.

“Those of us who believe in de-

cency and respect are not amused,” the Rev. Timothy Tyler, pastor of Shorter Community AME Church in Denver, said then. “Everything in my personal and professional life would be in vain if I sat silently while our elected officials of color in this great state are turned into sexual objects right before my very eyes.”

At a Colorado Business Committee for the Arts luncheon, Hickenlooper said the mayor’s wife, Mary Louise Lee, was an awardwinning vocalist.

“We read about how President Obama sings to Michelle in the shower,” Hickenlooper began. “So, you can just imagine what the mayor gives his wife in the shower. Uh, I mean what SHE gives him in the shower. …”

Hickenlooper’s spokesman, Eric Brown, replied in a public statement that Hickenlooper didn’t mean anything bad. “He simply put his foot in his mouth.”

A week earlier, Hickenlooper was introducing his lieutenant governor to a group of elementary school students during a Literacy Week event when he called Garcia a “sex star.”

After some awkward laughter, Hickenlooper corrected himself: “Symbol. I mean, symbol — not star.”