On the upper right hand side of this site we have a "Chickenlooper Counter" tracking the days, hours, minutes and seconds that Governor Hickenlooper has refused to formally endorse President Obama. It tracks back to the moment Obama filed his re-election papers at the Federal Election Commission in 2011.
One liberal complained yesterday that it was time we take down the counter because Hickenlooper was at the Obama fundraiser in Denver yesterday.
Well, we have yet to see a formal endorsement offered by Hickenlooper, so up it stays.
It's clear that Hickenlooper is supportive of Obama's campaign, but it's striking that the governor of a swing state, who was encouraged to run for governor by Obama himself, has yet to offer a formal endorsement.
It appears Hickenlooper doesn't want to stain his brand with the unpopular Obama. He'll be glad to raise cash for the President, but a public endorsement forces him to publicly pick sides and become political — something the governor has tried to avoid doing at all cost.
Hickenlooper told the Colorado Springs Gazette in November that he was "likely to endorse" Obama, but begged off from offering a formal one when asked. And we have yet to see one offered since then.
Even more damaging than not offering an endorsement, Hickenlooper has taken to becoming the Handicapper-in-Chief of Colorado, telling Politico last July that Obama will "have a hard time" winning Colorado. He walked back that statement in September, we're sure after plenty of pressure from Chicago, saying Obama "probably can win" Colorado.
Beyond not offering an endorsement, Hickenlooper has even said he doesn't plan on stumping for Obama in Colorado (outside fundraisers that is).
We're not sure how many political reporters out there would let their home state governor skate in non-endorsement land, but it appears Colorado's press corps isn't interested in pinning down the Guv. Which is why our counter remains up — as a reminder of an inconvenient fact unreported by the MSM.
When Hickenlooper finally does endorse Obama we'll be glad to remove the counter, but while Chickenlooper continues to hide, it stays up.