Bennet's first day in Washington like going back to school

By M.E. Sprengelmeyer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 5, 2009 at 3:35 p.m.
Updated January 5, 2009 at 4:37 p.m.

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Lauren Victoria Burke © special to The Rocky

Michael Bennet at the office of Sen. Ken Salazar on Monday, January 5, 2009 on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Photo by Lauren Victoria Burke © special to The Rocky

Denver Schools Superintendent Michael Bennet talks outside of the office of Sen. Ken Salazar on Monday, January 5, 2009 on Capitol Hill in Washington.

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WASHINGTON — Monday was the first day of school on both ends of the District of Columbia.

Around the same time President-elect Barack Obama was seeing his two young daughters out the door for the first day of classes in their new home town, Colorado's future U.S. Senator, Michael Bennet, showed up on the Capitol Hill campus for the start of his own crash course.

Ten-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha got more fanfare than the little-known Denver Public Schools superintendent.

It has been just a few days since Gov. Bill Ritter surprised many observers by picking Bennet as the future Senate replacement for Interior Secretary nominee Ken Salazar.

So Bennet arrived at Salazar's seventh-floor office suite with a one-person entourage — unnoticed by tourists and other congressional staff members wandering the hallways. He set up temporary office space in one of Salazar's spare rooms. And he set out on an agenda that involves more listening than anything else.

"You can't acquire the knowledge we're talking (about) inauthentically. You have to do the work," Bennet said in a brief interview. "You've got to be willing to ask the questions and also know what you don't know."

Bennet isn't ready to spell out all his policy positions. He has been more busy getting to know key members of Salazar's staff and the long lists of issues, many of which fall outside his career experience in law, business and now education.

On Sunday, the day after Ritter's official announcement, Bennet met with members of Salazar's Colorado-based staff.

"And I've been able this morning to spend time with the staff here, so they could get to know me a bit and I could plead with them not to disappear on me," Bennet said.

Salazar's staff includes 44 people, including 20 in Washington and 24 in Colorado. A handful might apply to join Salazar at the Interior Department if he is confirmed, but the others could scatter to other congressional offices.

Bennet said the ones he has met seem like "an incredibly strong group," and that he hopes to keep much of the staff intact.

"In a transition, there will always be changes, but I think that the people of Colorado need this office to have a seemless transition, and the more of the team that I can keep together, I think the better," he said.

For now, the transition is being headed by veteran political consultant Craig Hughes, research director for RBI Strategies & Research. Hughes served in former President Bill Clinton's campaigns and later headed Obama's Colorado effort. He also happens to be married to Bennet's chief of staff at Denver Public Schools, Sarah Kendall Hughes.

The fast pace of Salazar's cabinet selection and confirmation process, expected to be wrapped up later this month, means that Bennet must perform his current job as schools superintendent while he gets ready to take over his new job.

In between meetings with Salazar staff members and introductions to other U.S. Senators on Monday, Bennet had to break away for a conference call with his staff at Denver Public Schools.

"This is also complicated by the fact that I care deeply about the future of the Denver Public Schools, so that's what I'm continuing to do," Bennet said. "And the transition there is one that we need to make sure is smooth, because the district is at this point now where the table is really set to accelerate reform and accelerate outcomes for kids. And I've got every confidence that the team there is gong to be able to do it."

On Tuesday, Bennet plans to be an observer as Senator-elect Mark Udall and other members of the Colorado congressional delegation take the official oaths of office.

In the House of Representatives, Republican Mike Coffman and Democrats Betsy Markey and Jared Polis began moving into their new office space Monday, and various receptions and parties are scheduled throughout the day Tuesday.

Meanwhile, as Salazar prepares for his confirmation hearing Jan. 15, he said he isn't losing sight of the Senate work that needs to continue before he leaves the seat to Bennet.

At a news conference Sunday, he told reporters he hopes to work with Udall to provide recommendations to fill U.S. Attorney, U.S. Marshall and U.S. District Court judgeships for Colorado. And he hopes to help pass an omnibus public lands bill that includes nine provisions protecting various state lands.

Still, given the sudden surprise surrounding Bennet's selection, the junior senator-in-waiting is likely to be under a growing spotlight. In Colorado, some analysts, Republicans and even Democrats have questioned the appointment of the politically untested rookie.

Bennet was asked if he was trying to reassure the skeptics with his statement at Saturday's news conference, when he mixed humility with a defiant statement about intending to run and win election in 2010.

"Absolutely," Bennet said Monday. "Let me put it this way. It should be true no matter where you're coming from if you're holding public office, no matter what your last job was. Every day you've got to earn the trust and confidence of the people that you represent. And I felt that way when I was superintendent, and I feel that way today."

"I don't care who you are, if you're taking people for granted, it's a huge mistake," he said. "I'm going to have to go out and earn people's support."

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