It's official: Bennet tabbed as Salazar successor

By Tom Auclair, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 3, 2009 at 3:41 p.m.

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Photo by Linda McConnell, Special to the Rocky

Outgoing U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar offers a blessing to Michael Bennet and his wife, Susan, at a news conference Saturday. Gov. Bill Ritter selected Michael Bennet to replace Salazar.

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January 3, 2009

3:50 p.m.

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ColoradoAncestry writes:

Seems we've been bought and paid for by the Sierra Club: Is it a coincidence that Mark Udall’s wife, Maggie Fox, is regional director of the Sierra Club and that Michael Bennet’s wife, Susan Daggett, works for the Sierra Club’s Legal Defense Fund?

This may explain how someone who has only lived in Colorado for a mere 12 years “earned” a senatorship from Gov. Ritter.
January 3, 2009

4:24 p.m.

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anya writes:

So, it appears to me that Anschutz has bought his-self a senator. I would like to ask Ritter, "Just how much does a soul go for now-a-days?" A dark horse indeed.
January 3, 2009

6:19 p.m.

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FCZ writes:

Another lawyer with no real world experience.
January 3, 2009

6:56 p.m.

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chester writes:

As a teacher who retired in May with 42 years of experience, the last five in DPS, all I can say is, "Good riddance."

Bennet tried to impose a top down, chain of command business model on the art of teaching young people. By so doing, he turned creative teachers into robots, disinterested students into dropouts, and those who remained into overstressed pencil-pushing test-takers.

Bennet totally failed to grasp the idea that there is far more to education than scores on a pencil and paper test.

Unless and until a student believes thta (s)he owns her/his education, unless and until DPS Admin. realizes that success is measured in more ways than a high-stakes test, unless and until DPS educates every child regardless of ethnicity or income, Bennet's time in the system must be accounted a failure.
January 3, 2009

6:57 p.m.

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chester writes:

As a teacher who retired in May with 42 years of experience, the last five in DPS, all I can say is, "Good riddance."

Bennet tried to impose a top down, chain of command business model on the art of teaching young people. By so doing, he turned creative teachers into robots, disinterested students into dropouts, and those who remained into overstressed pencil-pushing test-takers.

Bennet totally failed to grasp the idea that there is far more to education than scores on a pencil and paper test.

Unless and until a student believes that (s)he owns her/his education, unless and until DPS Admin. realizes that success is measured in more ways than a high-stakes test, unless and until DPS educates every child regardless of ethnicity or income, Bennet's time in the system must be accounted a failure.
January 3, 2009

7:46 p.m.

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mcgraw08 writes:

I really don't get it. He is a transplant what does he know of Colorado and our issues. As a 3rd generation on my mom's side and on my dad's whose family has been here since the 1600's I am deeply disappointed. But as an educator thank god he is gone!!!!!! I worry for our state and the vital issues that are facing her with this person as a senator. He is totally clueless, but he does know how to be a politician, he doesn't know how to give a straight answer. It will be interesting to see how he does in D.C. when people confront him. He doesn't do well when confronted, he totally clams up and turns red. I can't believe that they couldn't get someone who truly knows what they are doing and with more experience. Romanoff wasn't available?????????
January 3, 2009

7:48 p.m.

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HopiMedicineMan writes:

Reads like everyone is drinking tonight.

A guy having won no election ever is appointed to the Senate for his maiden voyage in politics and his father wasn't even a gunned down president. I'm outraged.
January 3, 2009

8:28 p.m.

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dftoad writes:

This guy is another Ivy League snot who uses jobs to build a political resume in a state he knows nothing about.
January 3, 2009

8:35 p.m.

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HopiMedicineMan writes:

It's appointments like this one, Caroline Kennedy and the same names recycling through our political system over and over that makes America so happy. We can always count on unrepresentative democracy.
January 3, 2009

8:36 p.m.

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socrates writes:

It seems to me that this is an inspired and principled decision by Governor Ritter. It wasn't to please the party bosses - that would have gone to either Hick, Romanoff or Perlmutter. It wasn't to make it easier for him to win in 2010, he wouldn't have picked someone who will need to spend so much time getting his name out statewide if that were the case.

Ritter simply picked the person he thought was right for the job. Frankly, I find that refreshing. I don't know much about Bennet, but we'll all learn about his abilities over the next two years and be able to make an informed decision in 2010.

Bennet seems to be a brilliant individual, maybe not politician, but individual. It could be a time we need that in DC.
January 3, 2009

8:53 p.m.

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Scott writes:

A poster over on the Denver (com)Post got it right. Tax Ritter appointed this political blivot as nothing more than a "place holder" until the 2010 election.

It would take an act of God for Bennet to be elected in 2010 (and I'll bet he knows it), hence the Colorado dumocrat machine will now have a year to find something that has a chance at winning in 2010 seeing how they don't have someone that appears to be credible for this post at the present.

Scott
January 3, 2009

9:01 p.m.

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Earthside writes:

I am beginning to believe that Bill Ritter will indeed be a one term governor.

Bennet is such an uninspired, safe pick -- increasingly typical of Ritter's governorship.

When the state is in desperate need of bold, innovative leadership, all we are getting is cautiousness and calculating politics from Ritter.

Let's hope that a genuine progressive runs against Ritter next year.
January 3, 2009

10:09 p.m.

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LOUIE writes:

Sad. DPS will be losing a man who motivated and brought success to a failing system, shame he didn't get to finish his work. Many teachers hate the man, as he stood up to decades of failure and acually brought improvement. As a parent of children who had to experence the DPS failure for over 20 years firsthand, I echo the sentiment of other parents who posted on a previous thread, he will be sorely missed. Teachers are important, yet for 20 years the blamed everyone but themselves. Funny the only time test scores improve it's over the objection of the teacher's union. Under Bennett test scores in the middle school went up by 10% in math, 9 percent in reading, overall test scrores improved over 6% across the board in both reading and math. Teachers needed the push, the system needed the change, let them continue complaining as long as the improvement continues. As far as Romanoff who sought to gut the TABOR, just another professional politician who does the bidding of his party superiors. I disagree with Romanoff and I believe taxes should be voted on by the people being taxed, verses the whim and desire of those imposing the tax on the people. Sad, but I believe DPS will slid back downhill if someone doesn't follow through with the changes Bennett brought. I'd suggest Mr. Gibbon, principal of West Debver Prep and another unconventional choice as well as a Yale graduate. He took the poorest kids by lottery, in a neighborhood where all the public schools were below satisfactory, kids of whom many didn't speak English proficently, where the student body is over 90% Hispanic, (the community that has suffered the worse under DPS), and who made West Denver Prep the most improved school in the state. We'd be trading one unconventional success for another unconventional success, the teacher union will resist as always. Must be something about Yale graduates, they don't hand out excuses and complain a lot, they bring success to failure. In the case of West Denver Prep, they do it in the most disadvantage areas with those at the greatest risk of failure. To the many teachers who fought the changes, you're right we don't see eye to eye, you'll go on looking for excuses, complaining about everyone but the system itself, tell us how everyday your class is disrupted and you can't teach, whatever you can complain about as you have for decades. Bennett proved it could be improved over your objections as well as your union. Gibbons showed there is no excuses; both men put the kids first, not themselves. Go ahead, lets hear the excuses, attack the success, find flaws that will keep your crutch in place, but remember, many parents care about their kids education, and the system was broken for decades regardless of who you blame. You may not be impressed with Bennett, many parents who cared were. Good luck Mr. Bennett, pray for DPS...Perhaps it's time for another unconventional Yale grad of proven success!
January 3, 2009

10:23 p.m.

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LOUIE writes:

I only have an 8th grade education, but my family owns several businesses here in Denver and is extremely successful. Education is very important, teachers are very important. Yet if everyday I had to listen to employees complaining, while my business is going downhill, I'd have to make adjustments as I won't survive 20 years or more with failure unless I too am tax subsidized. Now unionize the complainers so their jobs are protected and they are free to continue their complaining. I think I'd have to close up shop. Education is not a business, if it were it would have went broke long ago. Unions can bring great progress, but they can also be an albatross to weigh down efforts to improve.
January 3, 2009

10:54 p.m.

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LOUIE writes:

SOCRATES, I agree with your opinion, it is refreshing to have someone accomplished in other areas other than professional politics. He is brilliant, few could rise to the level he did under his former employer turning around failed businesses or running a billion dollar foundation. With this economy going south, I don't hold much favor with the politicians. I think Ritter made an excellent choice stepping outside the arena of professional politicians. Bennett is very, very brilliant. The only ones who refuse to recognize his success at DPS is the teachers and their union. He had to fight them to make the improvements, so I understand their adversity to the man. Proof was in the pudding, in 3 years the test scores rose after being stagnant. 9 and 10% jump in Math and reading in the middle schools alone. That never would have happened, nor has it in 20 years I've know of personally, until someone uncoventional challenged the status quo and the teachers union. Believe me, fighting a union firmly entrenched as the teachers union is no easy task, most superintendents like Eve Dennis and other wouldn't even try. Bennett forced the issues everyday with them. And contrary to what many will say, many of us parents do care about our childrens education and public schools. CU even recognized the need for a change at the top to a conservative. Years of scandal, party school image, plagurizing professors with tenure, sex scandals one after the other in the athletic program. Benson was also a breath of fresh air. But even a conservative can be terrible if left unchecked, thus sometimes I have had to vote for a more liberal platform to effect the greater good. I will never put blind faith into either party, both are still politicians at the end of the day.
January 4, 2009

7:11 a.m.

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LOUIE writes:

Old man once told me, the truly brilliant minds and most accomplished amongst us avoid the office of politics, and opt to remain private. I don't think I could ever have blind alliegence to one party, and not keep in mind it's still a politician and can't be trusted as anything but a politician. I started looking at the individual long ago verses the party they represent. If Mr. Bennett hangs out too long in Washington, he too will become just like the dogs he's running with in the pack. For now he's a breath of fresh air in a stale room full of the predictables. Ritter did well on this pick. I voted for the man although I really don't care for his politics; I cared even less for the man he opposed Beauprez. If the republicans can field a younger man with ideas and vision instead of an old party drumer I'll be more than happy to cast a vote against Ritter. It took guts to select Bennett over his own party regulars; perhaps Ritter is looking more to placing the brightest minds in Colorado in the seat of power.
January 4, 2009

9:08 a.m.

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Sixtysixdeuce writes:

Bennet is a tool. There are only two ways to classify politicians who would say something like "There is no challenge without a solution and no problem too tough to withstand innovative thinking"; Idealistic fool or habitual bull$hi##er.

When I sit back and look at the political scene in this country, all I can do is shake my head and wonder how we're going to make it through the next four years. Here's to yet another disappointment.
January 4, 2009

10:01 a.m.

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hikingartist writes:

"When I sit back and look at the political scene in this country, all I can do is shake my head and wonder how we're going to make it through the next four years"
Do what we liberals have done for the past eight years; get outside, enjoy the sun, then relax & have a cold beer. In the land of the free, realize life is too short to let a politician steal the joy of living.
January 4, 2009

10:38 a.m.

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LSentrik writes:

Maybe now DPS can actually improve with someone else.
Yeah, wishful thinking.
January 4, 2009

11:07 a.m.

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LOUIE writes:

HIKINGARTIST, even a conservative can agree on that perspective and outlook; on that note I'm off with some pals to play cards, smoke cigars, and tell fisherman size lies, (private game, no limits). No politician is worth robbing anyone of the joys in life. Great post!
January 4, 2009

11:17 a.m.

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Schurz writes:

How insulting. The Pro-Abortion Senator Salazar invoking the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of the Unborn. Arrogance has no boundary.
January 4, 2009

12:05 p.m.

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Now_You_Know writes:

If you voted for Bush "Twice". I dont care what you think!
January 4, 2009

2:20 p.m.

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deadndenver writes:

Bottom line this was the wrong decision for the party. It's too bad a little bad blood has made the good gov. to loose sight that we want sole control of the party. Hick is electable. He has proven that twice. Ritter is leaving the door wide open for the Republicans to take that senate seat in two years. Well....more power to Republicans! If we are stupid enough to leave the door open, then walk right in.
January 4, 2009

2:23 p.m.

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deadndenver writes:

Bottom line, this was the wrong decision for the party. It's too bad a little bad blood between the mayor and the gov has made Ritter loose sight that we want sole control for the party. Hick is electable. He has proven that twice. Ritter is leaving the door wide open for the Republicans to take that senate seat in two years. Well....more power to Republicans! If we are stupid enough to leave the door open, then walk right in.
January 4, 2009

6:01 p.m.

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mcgraw08 writes:

Once again Louie, you really don't listen or in this case read. West Denver and Kipp are the exceptions to the charters. They are succeeding, because Bennett doesn't really have any authority. ONCE AGAIN, did Bennett go into the classrooms and teach the students and help them raise their test scores, no it was the teachers!!!!! Our schools have had problems because every time a new superintendent comes in they change everything and don't plan they implement without the planning and the proper training for the teachers. Bennett was the same way he never listened and won't in Washington. I worry about our state.
January 5, 2009

3:44 a.m.

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LOUIE writes:

Oh yes MCGRAW. as a parent I've been listening and paying attention to the public schools for the last 20 years; funny thing however, the biggest challenge Bennett faced was the teacher union in bringing about the improvement. Every elementary school in my neighborhood is unsatisfactory, if I want to sit and listen to the excuses (many a repeat of the last 20 years), I have quite a selection of unsatisfactory schools to choose from. This man along with others of his ilk have taken on the status quo and brought improvement, he forced the teachers union and their members to accept the change he brought to the table. If the system hadn't changed in 20 years of your excuses, why should anyone believe you now? You only improved because you were forced to change, otherwise it'd have been another 20 years of the same old substandard education with a million excuses for the failures. Teacher's union and many teachers ignored parents, but they can't anymore. Principles and teachers at West Denver Prep, KIPP, Mr. Bennett, even Hinckenlooper (and I have no affinity for Hinckenlooper) have cashed your checks of excuses, and found them insufficent. Every excuse the teachers and their union put up is being proven false at these schools and others where change has been brought. Sadly this change has only begun, there are many schools it has yet to reach that are still failing large groups of children. I'm sure you'll fight the changes, but it doesn't matter, as long as more and more kids improve and are being given a good education. I've listen to teachers and their unions long enough, they didn't listen to us (parents) when for decades we begged for changes in public education. 50% hispanic dropout rate, majority of schools failing, administrations to scared to take on the teacher's union and force changes, oh I was listening and watching alright; you can fool someone else, but I think the day of your placing the blame is over with. If the changes Bennett brought continues, you will be held accountable for your work product. Teachers are important to success, but many are standing in front of change with their decades of excuses and failures. Rangeview, KIPP, West Denver Prep, Bennett, and now many of the parents who have witnessed the improvement know the change has brought improvement and the decades of excuses and resistance by the union and their members has reach it's zenith and is on the decline as improvements are now visable rendering the excuses counterfiet and the blame game selfserving. See I always thought with a minority superintendent like Eve Dennis, the minorities would finally get a chance at a better education, that wasn't true. Education suffered even greater as she was scared to take on the powerful teacher's union. Bennett was not scared, he knew if changes were to be made to help all children, especially those at the greatest risk, the union had to be dealt with.
January 5, 2009

3:55 a.m.

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LOUIE writes:

MCGRAW, I agree with you on the point of Bennett teaching; if he did as a family of successful, selfmade, businessmen I'd take the class. To bad he couldn't be superintendent of public schools and teach on the side as well. Be a hell of a workload, but he's one hell of a smart man. Believe me when I say he has more to offer as a teacher with his experences, than most teachers and businessmen than I know. But hey you might be in the know of greater minds and accomplishments than I'm aware of.
January 5, 2009

4:15 a.m.

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LOUIE writes:

MCGRAW, I think one unconventional Yale graduate, and man of accomplishment outside the academic community was good for DPS. I also think another unconventional Yale graduate with success in the academic community might be good as well. That man I propose has currently recieved funding this year to build another school in addition to West Denver Prep. I met Mr. Bennett at West Denver Prep, it appears he does care quite a bit about the children and improving education. I don't think anybody wants to fight with the teacher's union however, it can be tiresome and redundant, it's like a war of attrition. Several charters were started, but the ones that showed the greatest promise are the ones that are being looked at. Several seeds were planted and allowed to take root, but only a few would rise to the level of creating a working model. Thus the charter school experment has served it's purpose; in the case of West Denver Prep, more money is being allocated to replicate the model in another school being built. Soon you might find this same working model of success in education being implimented in public schools. Charters were a way of creating many models to be examined, only a few would excell. Those Yale grads are a tough lot to beat thus far whether as superintendant of public schools or principle of a charter. They hear no excuses, only look for solutions and in a most unconventional manner.
January 5, 2009

4:27 a.m.

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LOUIE writes:

Oh and yes MCGRAW, the teachers at West Denver Prep, KIPP, Rangeview (the top school in the state by the way), deserve the greatest respect of all, they believed in the children and brought the dream to being reality. They were the most important gear in the entire machine, without them it couldn't have been done. They excepted no excuses, no decades of bad habits, just pure hard work and total dedication. The teachers at these schools did one hell of a job, they believed in the kids instead of blaming them, parents, administrators, poverty, language barriers, etc., etc., etc., they made the changes work! Yes teachers are important, the right ones with exceptional dedication to excellence.

Home › Politics › Colorado Government

It's official: Bennet tabbed as Salazar successor

By Tom Auclair, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 3, 2009 at 3:41 p.m.

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