Gov. Hickenlooper has been a taxpayer-paid politician for 15 years but he’s still lousy at politics.

That’s what he told the Colorado Springs Gazette in a backhanded compliment to himself, because it’s not cool these days to be a politician.

But it is cool to be good at one’s job and not make excuses after failing as the state’s leader by calling a special session.

“This shows where I’m not a very seasoned politician,” he said of a special session that was quickly crumbling.

“You could put a big billboard up over the state of Colorado that says, ‘Hickenlooper still isn’t savvy, a skilled or manipulative politician,’” the governor said of the political backlash.

Being skilled and savvy is part of a leader’s job. It says something about the man that he would toss “manipulative” into the equation, presuming it goes hand-in-hand.

It’s also ironic that his statements come on the heels of Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne’s claim that she’s ready to be the governor after only one year of experience in the job.

Now who’s being manipulative?