it s the first vote in four years which the main opposition parties actually took part. we can now speak to phil gunson, who s andes project senior analyst at the international crisis group. thank you forjoining us. i wonder what you make of this. it clearly is a sweeping victory if you look at it in the hard numbers? is that how you perceive it? it the hard numbers? is that how you perceive it? you perceive it? it is a sweeping you perceive it? it is a sweeping victory, - you perceive it? it is a - sweeping victory, certainly at state level although if you go down to the municipal level because these were state and municipal elections, the picture looks rather better for the opposition. in fact they multiply by several times the number of mayors offices that they hold. and i think the most important thing actually would be beyond the numbers themselves, is the fact this election marks as you were saying in your introduction, the first time in several years the first time in several
number of blue counties to red. what is the thing about you? i know as governors you have to generally speaking be more bipartisan to get things done, but when you go to washington some of these differences are deep-seated. what is it about john hickenlooper that s going to get people to say i can be a reasonable human and compromise. when i ran for mayor in 2003 and i had never been in politics and the city of denver was at war with all the suburbs and i went around to the suburban mayors offices and let them yell at me. and i took it. i wasn t the big poobah, i didn t want all this special treatment or respect. i let them listen i listened as they yelled and it took a while, but people are people and, you know, in the restaurant business you learn to repeat back the same words that someone is saying if they re really angry and they feel validated when they hear their own words. it sounds stupid. would never work, and maybe with mitch mcconnell it wouldn t, but with most people yo
and say these are our priorities. our priorities, our jobs, education, and career advancement. those kinds of things. it is important for community leaders then to be involved. i was i m sorry, jeff, go ahead. i think it is those like the naacp and those like ma markial and reverend jackson. they represent large national organizations that have the ability to take this agenda to the white house and to members of congress, mayors offices and they need to be supported as well as grassroots activists doing the same. do i think the president, mayors and others should have agendas that affect those communities? absolutely. we have to push that agenda more than anybody else will. it is always from always from the bottom up. it is not from the down. it is from the bottom up and we that are in the media have an obligation to push this agenda, too, and get people anything and acting. well, and we welcome you