ATLANTA – Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is facing backlash for his answer during a CNN Town Hall when he was asked about adding a woman to his presidential ticket.
Hickenlooper said, “I think that we should…well I’ll ask you another question… I know I know. How come we’re not asking, not asking more often the women, Would you be willing to put a man on the ticket?”
When asked to clarify that comment after the town hall, Hickenlooper said his point was “too often media discounts the chance of a woman winning” by asking that question. There are five women who have announced campaigns to win the Democratic nomination in 2020.
Hickenlooper’s answer wasn’t the only moment that raised eyebrows during the town hall event. He also detailed a time when he accidentally watched the pornographic film “Deep Throat” with his mother.
He said he invited her to go to the film without understanding what an x-rated film was.
“I said repeatedly I think we should leave. And my mother was someone who rarely went to a movie. When she paid, she was going to stay. And at the end she knew I was humiliated.”
When it comes to issues, Hickenlooper said he would be in favor of suspending executions for federal inmates on death row.
He said he was once in favor of the death penalty, but changed his mind after a discussion with Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput, who served in Denver until 2011.
“It’s expensive, it prolongs misery, and the worst thing is, it is random,” Hickenlooper said. “Depending on where that crime occurs and in many cases whether the killer is African American or Latino that has a lot to do with who gets tried on a death penalty charge.”
When asked about his position on marijuana and legalizing marijuana in Colorado, he explained that he thinks the federal government should allow states to make the decision themselves.
“I think where states do legalize marijuana, with the voters or through their general assembly, the federal government should get out of the way,” Hickenlooper said.
He also explained that he was originally opposed to legalizing marijuana in Colorado since it was one of the first to legalize recreational use and he worried about possible conflicts with the federal government and potential health effects of marijuana.
