Took questions from viewers afterward. Thank you, rachel. Thank you for sitting out here in the hot sun. I have been out here for the last few hours. My job is to give you the reasons you will take home and tell your family and friends why that guy with the funny last name is the right guy for our next president. The job of beating donald trump not going to be easy. Barack obama, Ronald Reagan were 42 and 43 respectively. Trump has the stronger economy. We have to be focused to win back those states he took like pennsylvania, wisconsin, michigan. I would argue if you go back and look over the last 120 years, we have never defeated an incumbent president with a sitting senator. With any senator. It has always been governors and former governors. Thats because governors have to make the final decision. We have to balance the budget. And when we propose solutions to our problem we have to make sure we know how we are going to pay for them. I got laid off in that long recession of the 1980s and had to reinvent myself as a brewpub owner. We worked with other businesses. Pretty soon we turned that area around. I got talked into running for mayor in 2003. I have never even run for student council, and i ran for a strong mayor seat. I made a commitment which i have never broken, i made sure i would only run positive campaigns. I wouldnt attack my opponents to try to bring them down. We won with 65 of the votes. We worked with the suburban mayors to create the most ambitious track in the united states. We have 34 mayors, republicans that support a fail tax increase. We also worked with everyone to do Major Police Reform with the independent monitor, created a civilian Oversight Commission. We doubled the diversity of the police force. We should all be asking why is it that five years after ferguson we dont have these best practices in every city in america . Then i got talked into running for governor. I want to frame out that this city of denver had been so at odds. It had been 120 years since a denver mayor had been elected governor. I got elected governor in 2010. We went to every county in the state. We would go from 40th in job creation to the number one economy in the country. Most importantly we have been one of the top three rural economies. We will have had abroad been in every city in the town and the entire state of colorado. We provide a tax incentive, its small. If you are a Small Business owner and start a Small Business in rural colorado, call it jumpstart, your business will pay no tax of any kind to the state of colorado and your employees will pay no tax of any kind. We do have this robust economy. We didnt stop there. We went out and worked to expand health care. We expanded reproductive rights. We provided every young woman who asks long acting reversible contraception, iuds, so they could decide when they would start a family. Eight years later we reduced unintended pregnancy by 54 . And have actually saved taxpayers money. Why is this happening across the country . We were the first state in america to take on methane. We were able to get the oil and gas industry. They dont like each other at all. This is a long negotiation that took 14 months. Now they are being rolled out as National Policy in canada. One of the things that drives me crazy about president trumps reckless and reckless isolationist Foreign Policy as he is reducing the number of diplomats. This is just what we need to lean into international engagement, right . This is why we need trade agreements that work. If we are going to address the cheating china does on international agreements, we are going to keep china from stealing intellectual property. There is no example in history of a tariff that ever worked, neither side comes out any better. The bottom line is tariff wars are for losers. I think the president has to understand that. Im running for president has to understand that. Im running for president because each one of these achievements, these progressive achievements, we bring together. It didnt matter whether it was republican or democrat, we got everyone to the table. Sometimes thats not going to work. After the shootings in the Aurora Movie Theater we had a dealing with the nra where they would not negotiate, they would not compromise one bit just trying to get universal background checks. We had a onevote majority in the state senate and we went ahead and push that through. I recognize sometimes you are not going to be able to get things done with people like mitch mcconnell. He doesnt seem to have any moral compass, any sense of judgment of what is good for his district or america. Sometimes youve got to do what youve got to do. We lost two senate votes. You talk about those state senators, they have never had a moment of regret. We passed limited magazine capacities, and we just had red flag laws. As i said, i think a governor should be the next president of the united states. I realize there is a lot of disagreement. It is early in the campaign. I think its worth remembering that the governor is aware they actually get stuff done. Im the one person whos running who has actually done what everyone else is talking about. I created a thousand jobs. I understand what its like to make a payroll. I understand the innovation you have to learn to make a Small Business succeed. Thats how i was successful as a governor. We can bring people together and get stuff done. If we are going to address incredible inflation and health care, we are going to get universal coverage. Its going to take people working together. We are going to have to come together afterwards. Even in iowa some people said washington is too far gone. I tell this story again and again. My mother raised four kids by herself. You cannot control what life throws at you, but you can control whether it makes you better or stronger, stronger or weaker, better or worse. I think thats what we have to realize right now. We have to realize it is going to take more work, not less. I would tell my young volunteers to get them fired up, to reinvigorate their energy and willingness to do all the work that you all have to do to be donald trump this next year, these next 18 months. I told the story about a professor at the university of wyoming. This is is talking about the importance of using opposites to create emotional impacts. You have to talk about the agony, the ecstasy. You want people to feel despair and use joy in the same sentence. She said, what is the opposite of woe . In the back they said giddyup. My mother saying that when things look worse is when we have to work the hardest. What we are facing with Climate Change and the inflation health cost and workplace disruptions we are going to get from automation and artificial intelligence, we are going to have to do it together. I hope all of you will go home. And show those senators that the governors know some thing about getting stuff done. We have 10 minutes for questions, who wants a question . Trumps epa issued 30 small refinery exemptions yesterday. What would your approach be . Trump has been doing this right from the beginning. They are not small refineries. They are owned by the Largest Corporation in the world. He is trying to eviscerate the ethanol industry. I give my pledge. This is important as a Sustainable Energy source. Lets create jobs in rural iowa and and rural america. We will never succeed unless we reinvigorate the rural economy. Thats why we make sure we get broadband in every city in colorado. I had this weird connection with iowa. Lieutenant governor, governor and until 1970 u. S. Senator from iowa. That really do celebrate the quality of life in rural iowa. Its a way for all people to right across the eastern plane of all rado. They understand why in colorado it is about a dollar per person for your cell phone bill. I tell the chamber of commerce and denver to make sure we have a strong real economy. To make sure we kept more water on the crop and livestock. What i do about the inflated military budget . Its long overdue we get a comprehensive reexamination. In business we are constantly trying to figure out how can i increase revenues and control costs . I try to do that as mayor and governor. I look at some of the costs when we fail diplomatically. Look at the iraq war. We want over 2 trillion. What have we gotten for it in terms of proving the world environment . Not much. Iraq and iran were about the same strength. We create an imbalance and the process is 2 trillion. We have to look at how we allocate our resources in every case. Would you support a National Mandate making all interns to receive 15 an hour . That is something the federal government has left to the states. The way change happens successfully, whether we like it or not, states are the laboratory of democracy. Look at marijuana. Legalized marijuana. I post it when it was first on the ballot. I was worried about a spike in teenage consumption, people driving while high. We do a Public Health survey every year. There has been no spike in teenage consumption, in driving while high. The only spike has been senior citizens. Im not saying draw your own conclusions, but that should be a constituency supporting legalization. Now that we have legalization, we show they can work. I think we are now at the point where the federal government should get out of our way. They should allow banks to provide Banking Services for legal marijuana. We should decertify it as a schedule one narcotics are finally the fda can begin doing research, make sure there are no unintended side effects. These are all the proper roles of the federal government. We have an emerging industry. Some of the younger people would disagree. I dont think the federal government has to tell alabama they have to legalize it. When we repealed prohibition in 1933, the federal government told states they could make their decision. If you drive from denver down to dallas, texas, you will go through dry counties, counties where you cannot find any kind. We try to make sure in colorado everybody gets paid. That has not passed yet in colorado. Would you reverse the trump tax cuts, or are there ones you like . I think its worth looking at tariffs are an increase at a price we pay for all things. The 800 for household tariffs is going to 1000, maybe 1200. There are about 125 million households in america. Thats 125 billion dollars we are all paying in higher price costs on the trump tax. The wealthiest individuals got almost exactly 1. 5 trillion tax. At a certain point people are going to Start Connecting that. I think we need to lower Corporate Tax cuts. I do think we have to be able to compete on an international basis. I would go back on many of those tax cuts. My mom was diagnosed with early onset dementia. What are your plans for alzheimers . Her mother passed early onset alzheimers. Everyone in this crowd know someone, either a Family Member or close friend who has gone through that. My dad got sick when i was five and died when i was eight of intestinal cancer. He had 2. 5 years of incredible suffering. I recognize that. We have no easy way to ensure its close. When you talk to the Large Pharmaceutical Companies time is up. Let me finish this up. Can i have 60 seconds . Here is the trick, we cannot demonize the pharmaceutical companies. We no longer can be the only country in the world that doesnt get volume discounts from drug companies. We are paying for all of their research. We have to figure out how we pay for it. By 2050 we will all be paying as a group 1. 5 trillion in todays dollars for the cost of medical cost and caregiving cost. They probably had a job that otherwise would have been paid for by the state. You go to my health care solution, thats part of making sure we keep people in their home or we subsidize and accommodate Family Members and close Family Friends who want to take care of their sick loved ones. Thank you. [applause] joining us on the bus is john hickenlooper. Thank you very much for being with us. Let me ask you, how does the iowa state fair compared to the colorado fair . I have been to about 10 Colorado State fairs. They were great. They were spectacular indifferent. But they are nowhere near as big. The iowa state fair is the biggest one ive ever seen anywhere. The fairgrounds is about 450 acres. Well over a Million People expected to attend. D think your resonating with voters . I would like to think so. Am try to show them that as governor, i had to balance a budget every year. I had to use the innovations. The process of finding solutions to problems. That as a governor to get near universal health care coverage. To create methane regulations to fight Climate Change. Let me ask you about the gun debate. How do you balance second with thoseights calling for background checks and bans on assault rifles . It, weave to approach have to respect the Second Amendment. People want the right to bear all kinds of arms. The Second Amendment said a well regulated militia being essential to the preservation of democracy. We understand that regulations are important. Free speech is a basic right but you cannot go into a movie and say fire. Universal background checks, that should be a basic nonstarter. Senator mcconnell, when the senate comes back, that he gets right on that. Capacities. Azine things we have done in colorado. We passed red flag laws last year. Is the basics of gun safety. I cannot understand why washington has not been able to get universal back objects pass. Youve talked about this, how did your involvement in opening up a brewery lead you to local and statewide politics. I was out of work as a geologist. Like a lot of people in the midwest, i lost not just a job at my career. Over 10,000 lost their jobs. I had to create a new profession and as i became successful as a restaurant owner, Small Business owner, i learned that what a Small Business owner does is innovate. When you are having trouble making payroll and you are worried about whats going to happen, i used to lie awake trying to figure out how to weigh increase revenue. Just trying to make sure you do everything you can to make that business successful. That is what i did as a mayor and governor and as president , take that intensity of put it intond trying to get things done. I think that is part of the reason why over the last 125 years, all the way back to 1900, we have never beaten an incumbent president with a senator it has always been either inactive governor or retired governor. The governors know how to get stuff done. Barbara is joining us from florida, democrat. Good evening. I guess id like to ask a question. Most candidates seem to agree that there is corruption in Many Industries like big pharma or Big Oil Companies pollute, they care more about profits than Employee Work conditions or wages. Yet they are able to do this because it seems that there are week if any regulations that prohibit them from doing these things. However politicians are somewhat complicit in this corruption because they take lobbying money from these corporations, and they of course are influenced by this type of money. My question is are you willing to pass some kind of regulation that makes lobbying illegal and makes anything like it bands anything like it . Thank you. Governor . The u. S. House to pass a law saying they can never lobby then they cant lobby, they are not going to be as malleable as sometimes it appears they are. Ultimately, what lobbyists do is they represent sometimes its a trade association, but they are trying to help their members get a benefit, and oftentimes lobbyists are experts in the field, they have very clear self interest. The they are supposed u. S. Senator or congressperson is supposed to hear both sides from several different lobbyists and perspectives and then make the wise decision. Often they are making a decision based on whether the lobbyist threatens to withhold campaign money. Fundra said they would primary opponents are republicans that didnt vote their way on universal background checks in colorado. Theynds of things are really difficult to battle. But i agree completely that there is way too much money in politics. Linda, independent line from honolulu. Good afternoon. Good afternoon, a loja mr. Hickenlooper. I am very interested in your ability to take colorado and turned it into the state you turned it, congratulations. My biggest concern is the education of our youth. What the government is going to do to rearrange and make it adequate for all children all equally and that our teachers for their services that are so important. It seems to me that our politicians and their health care and their benefits are far above what our teachers should receive. We will get a response, thank you. Thank you. I took a year off from college as a teaching assistant for about six months at the Innovation School on the coast of maine it was the hardest job ive ever had in my life no question. Teachers are working long hours and getting underpaid when i first became mayor of denver in 2003 i made a Campaign Promise that if i got elected i would visit every school in my first four years no one told me there were 161, but i did it, went to a school every week. I saw first hand how hard teachers work and how important that work is. Think we have to revamp the way we do school. Make sure the kids when they finished third grade if they are not reading at grade level, we need to give them an immersion program, we need to keep them back for at least a month or two and make sure they learn how to read. I also think that at the end of high school, those last three years, we started a program because we recognized that two thirds of our kids, 65 of american kids, arent going to get a four year degree. That has been close to true for 30 years. What we need to do is find ways so they have an equal shot at good jobs and a Fellowship Program they are going into 10th grade, they are 16, they worked two days and go to school for three days. They either go back to their high school or community college, a study things that will make them more successful. Then instead of working two days a week they will work three days, and then they will work five days. At the end of those three years they have been paid 30,000, they have their high school degree, a huge College Credit if they want to go in that direction, but most importantly they have learned skills and they know what it is like to go to work and they havent wasted those last three years of high school. I saw this again and again visiting those schools. Of last couple years Ar High School they are bored and studying things they dont think is useful we should never make young people wait find ways to keep them engaged in things that matter and then prepare them to have great careers. Your staff did confirm that you met with senator Chuck Schumer did you talk about the senate race in colorado . It was a cordial discussion and i told chuck this my focus has to be on as long as i am running for president i have to be focused on running for president im the only Small Business owner and entrepreneur mayor, also a male a and we have had the number one economy according to u. S. News that effort ofnd being successful at all 3 i should be able to sell that and i want to make sure i do everything humanly possible to give people in iowa and New Hampshire and South Carolina and nevada the chance to really hear that and say he has a funny name but he sure has a lot of stuff done around Climate Change and health care inflation, workforce trading maybe he would be a great president. What is the name come from, by the way . Old dutchold it is forehead chopper. My dad told us it was like a mailman, jumping over the hedge to deliver the mail. Only when i was much older, my uncle told me that no, if that was true there would be hickenloopers all over the place. The head choppers jumped over the hedge to kill the kings dear and they would be hung by the kings rope. I told him that means hickenlooper is survived to jump higher than the hickenloopers who didnt make it. One quick followup in one more call you are not closing the door on the potential senate bid at the moment, is that safe to say . Focused on running for president in the moment i stop making deadlines not only do i get distracted by my staff gets distracted. As long as im in this race for president i am 100 focused stop after that, who knows . Florida,ican line from joining us live on board the cspan campaign bus, go ahead. You advertise we will move on to bobby for the last call. Go ahead, bobby. Good evening. I just wanted to say as far as , when it comes to running for political office, i , toys hear the sweet talk try to sweet talk hispanics,ricans, and theres always the sweet talk. What would he say to minority voters . I say look to the record. Why so theres a reason many africanamericans support joe biden, because he has been there again and again. When i was first elected in 2003, there was a 15yearold africanamerican boy who was shot by an experienced Police Officer in the front hall of his own home and that was the fifth 2013, shooting we had in and i had just gotten elected and hadnt even been inaugurated but i reached out to the Faithbased Community in the africanamerican community, the pastors in the reverends and the black churches, and they gave them the seat at the table and they negotiated with me from the police union, and we created Major Police Reform. We created an office of the independent monitor to make sure any allegation of police retaliation got investigated thoroughly outside the protection of the mayors office. We created a civilian Oversight Commission to make sure communities could have allowed voice and how their neighborhood was policed. We massively expanded the diversity of the police force and trained every Police Officer in deescalation. We created Major Police Reform 10 years before ferguson. I think the question that not just africanamericans but every city should be asking is if they still have issues of their police force, why is it that five years after ferguson every changes,t made these and why is it that president adjustments and walking away from consent decrees that both the city and the federal government agreed to to reform the Police Department . We are going in the wrong direction i dont want to sweet talk anyone but i do think and i think a lot of democrats have walked the talk, and we have stood up and tried to be allowed voice for equality in this country. Pueblo, is from colorado, your home state. He has a quick question for the governor. Hello, mr. Governor. My question is, if elected president , how would you help the lower income people not only in the great state of colorado, and second of all, who will win next month against the raiders . [laughter] well, you cant please people all the time, i think the broncos are going to win. Some of these Young Players will be diamonds in the rough. Ever the optimist. I think the broncos are going to surprise people. In terms of being president , how would i help lower income wage earners you have to raise the minimum wage and it is going to take several years to really bring it out and you also have to increase or even double the earned income tax credit the taxes that the working people pay into the federal government. When i was fighting homelessness as the mayor of denver i couldnt believe the fact that 40 of the Homeless Population was working fulltime. Thats not american. We should be doing everything we can to make sure that someone in this country is working 40 hours a week and should be able to afford rent that means higher wages and doubling the earned income tax credit, making sure they keep a bigger share of what they earn. How is the food at the iowa state fair . The food at the iowa state fair be careful. It. E is so much of is off any spectrum of food diversity i thought for a second there was deepfried beer, turned out it was just beer battered. But i wouldnt have been surprised. Hickenlooper, democratic president ial candidates, joining us on board the cspan campaign 2020 bus we appreciate your time, enjoy your evening at the iowa state fair, thanks this is about 20 minutes. [applause] hello, hello