The most Colorado cringe this week is hands down, Marshall Zelinger of 9News demanding state Sen. Chris Hansen explain how a white male like himself thinks he could possibly be Denver’s next mayor.
Hansen didn’t cave and claim to identify as a female swimmer with the experience and backstroke to win the race.
He took it like a Democrat and expressed his confidence in the Denver voters not to hold his whiteness against him.
Here’s how it went down:
Zelinger: “There are several high profile names who have already announced that they’re running for mayor. They are female and they are diverse. You are a white male. Why does Denver need a white male mayor?”
Hansen: “I think Denver has had a really long history of carefully evaluating the candidates that are in the race, regardless of their background, their creed, their ethnicity, etc. And so I’m confident that Denver voters will be able to do that again. And my approach is really just to put, you know, a lot of optimism, a lot of positive ideas in front of the Denver voters and let them make the best decision. And I think there’s a really great track record of Denver picking the best candidate and I hope to earn everybody’s vote.”
It’s all so awkward. The 9News satire accounts on Twitter are having a field day.
In-The-Know viewers will recognize that we did not ask this question to Jared Polis @jaredpolis when he was running against a woman Republican. #HeyNext #9News #copolitics #TheMostColoradoThing #BeOn9 #9NewsMornings #copolitics #coleg https://t.co/ZJGHNrX4QR
— 9mm News (@News9mm) November 15, 2022
PROGRAM NOTE: @Marshall9News will not be asking other mayoral candidates why Denver needs a black lesbian or a marxist Latina mayor. #HeyNext #9News #copolitics #TheMostColoradoThing #BeOn9 #9NewsMornings #copolitics https://t.co/1UVWGfB257
— Kyle Snark-Parody Account-Not Kyle Clark (@kyle_snark) November 15, 2022
Has @Marshall9News asked himself or @KyleClark why they deserve to be “journalists” given the lack of skin pigmentation or the double X chromosome thing?
Seriously, a person should be evaluated by his/her character, actions and ideas rather than heritage or genitalia. https://t.co/JWzvevB0XD
— Greg Smith Smitty (@GoRamsGo) November 15, 2022
In his report, Zelinger notes:
Hansen joins a field of women and diverse mayoral candidates including Democratic State Rep. Leslie Herod, Dr. Lisa Calderon, former Denver Metro Chamber CEO Kelly Brough, city councilwoman Debbie Ortega, notable community activist Terrance Roberts and environmental activist Ean Tafoya.
Hansen isn’t the only white person running for mayor. The growing field of candidates also includes Anna Burrell, Lisa Calderón, Alex Cowans, Marcus Giavanni, Aurelio Martinez, Jesse Lashawn Parris, Andy Rougeot, Ken Simpson, and Thomas Wolf.
There are a lot of reasons why someone might be disqualified from holding elected office in America.
Last time we checked, skin color is not one of them.