July 14, 2026 • 36 mins
This episode of the Dan Caplis Show is a must-listen for anyone interested in the world of politics and media bias. The host dives into a fascinating case of alleged media manipulation, where a prominent debate moderator is accused of protecting Democrats at the expense of Republicans.
In this episode, the host discusses the recent decision by KUSA to not host a debate between Julie Gonzalez, a young Latina state senator, and John Hickenlooper, a Democrat running for the US Senate. Gonzalez was gaining momentum in the polls, closing in on Hickenlooper's lead, and many believe that a debate would have given her a much-needed platform to showcase her policies. The host argues that KUSA's decision not to host the debate was a deliberate attempt to protect the Democratic Party, citing the station's history of favoring Democrats in their debates.
The host also touches on the topic of media bias, highlighting the importance of unbiased moderation in debates. They point out that KUSA's debate moderator, Kyle Clark, has a reputation for being one of the most talented in the state, but also for using his skills to protect Democrats. The host believes that this is a disservice to the people of Colorado, who deserve to see all candidates put to the test.
If you're interested in learning more about this intriguing case and the implications of media bias in politics, tune in to this episode of the Dan Kaplis Show. The host provides a thought-provoking analysis of the situation and raises important questions about the role of media in shaping public opinion.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Dan Caplis, and welcome to today's online podcast
edition of The Dan Kaplis Show. Please be sure to
give us a five star rating if you'd be so kind,
and to subscribe, download and listen to the show every
single day on your favorite podcast platform, cats if you're
interested in that, three or three seven one, three eight
two five five d an five seven seven three nine.
(00:21):
We are going to have so many great conversations today,
and one of those is going to be about this
really fascinating development where intentionally or unintentionally, Kusa probably deprived
to young Lantina of being the Democrat nominee for the
US Senate. And none of us will ever know for sure, right,
(00:44):
but but Julie Gonzales, she had momentum. She was closing fast.
You can see all of the momentum statewide was on
the side of the outsiders. The insiders the establishment very
unpopular in both parts parties. And yet Kusa did not
offer to host of debate between Gonzalez and Hickenlooper. And
(01:08):
I think there's a very strong argument that if Kusa
had done that, you know, Gonzalez would have been the
dem nominee for a US Senate. My goodness, I think
she only lost by like five and a half points.
So just just a really fascinating, intriguing story there, and
we'll be getting into that in further detail. In it
ties into to what I documented I think very well
(01:30):
a few weeks ago, which is the way that Kusa
in the Democrat Governor's debate had gone to really hilarious
links to protect the Democrats that were debating right Wiser
and Bennett, because I mean, here you got and odds
on most people believe one of the two will become
(01:50):
the next governor unless something really goes wrong.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
But what could go wrong.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
What could go wrong is that people of Colorado could realize,
wait a second, these guys who pretend to be kind
of milk toast average people are really far far left.
So they actually ran a debate without asking Wiser and
Bennett about most of the big hot button issues, I mean,
most of the things where the Democrats are least popular,
(02:16):
and I documented that in great detail.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
I mean, they didn't.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
How do you have a debate between the Democrat coopmentorial
candidates and not ask about all the stuff the Dems
have messed up, not one question about Rhodes If I remember,
I don't think there's a single question about crime that
they weren't drilled down on whether they thought illegal immigrants
who committed other crimes should be to go to jail
and be deported. And they weren't even asked about boys
(02:42):
and girls' sports, which is such a hot issue in Colorado.
It's actually going to be on the same ballot as
the governor's race.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
So you've got to believe that that was.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
A conscious decision to protect Wiser and Bennett from those
tough questions and revealing their unpopular positions. And how do
you go through a debate with Weisser, whereas big claim
to famous Sue and Trump, and not ask him about
his multiple enormous, humiliating losses in the US Supreme Court?
Speaker 2 (03:12):
How do you not do that and so many of
those cases involving a Supreme.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Court finding that the State of Colorado and his watch
had deprived Christians of their constitutional rights?
Speaker 2 (03:23):
How do you not even ask about those things?
Speaker 1 (03:24):
So it ties into you know, not hosting a debate
between Hickenlooper and Gonzales in the sense that I think
you can fairly draw the conclusion that the KUSA is
using these debates to protect democrats, and the Gonzales thing
is is particularly striking because how exact you probably cannot
(03:46):
even believe, as a guy in your twenties that this
great state of Colorado has never had a US senator
of color. We've never had a governor of color. Get this,
We've never had a female US senator.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
It's crazy. We've never had a female governor.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
And here you've got the marquee matchup in any state
is the Senate race. I mean, look at where all
the money gets spent, right, They're like little presidential races.
You got the marquee matchup, the Senate race. And you've
got KUSA out there, which has become the station of
record when it comes to debates.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
There's no question about it, because those are the debates.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Other people can do debates and they may be worth watching,
and that's no disrespect to the people who host them.
But KUSA has become the station of record for these debates,
and in large part because they have an enormously talented moderator.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
In Kyle Clarke. He is very very skilled at this,
but in.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
My constitutionally protected opinion, what you can see him doing
over and over again is using those skills to protect
Democrats at the expense of the people of the state
who deserve the tough question to be asked of everyone.
Like I have never come on the show and griped
about the way KUSA will grill Republicans and debates. I say,
(05:09):
that's great, grillam harder, because then what we can see
is what people really got. Let the cream rise to
the top.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Like Heidi Ganall was really grilled in those debates with Polish.
She did awesome. Grillam harder, but grill both sides, grill everybody.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
So, but that's the amazing thing, isn't it, Zach.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
I mean, there is this very credible argument to be
made that if KUSA had hosted a debate between Hickenlooper
and Gonzalez, she wins track to becoming the first female
Senator and the first Senator of color from Colorado.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
It definitely would have been a more competitive race. I
think one of Gonzalez's big problems was no one knew
who she was.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Well is Zach, I'll tell you know a lot of
people did, and KUSA must have known that, right, because
if you look at the polling, I mean, think about
this KUSA, which again has is the station of record
for these debates. They go out and they devote all
the time and resources in airtime to do a debate
(06:15):
for the Democrat primary opponents in CD eight. Wait a second,
that's a congressional district. Why are you hosting a debate
between a couple of Democrats in a congressional district and
not in the US Senate race.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Why?
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Yeah, that's an odd choice, even if you do think
hicken Looper is such a heavy favorite. To your point,
the grilling, it gets you some insight on these candidates.
It gets the public the important questions.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Answer.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Dude, if there had been a Hickenlooper Gonzalez debate, she
wins that election by six points because hick and Looper.
God love him, and I enjoyed the man. I disagree
with this policies. I enjoy the man whenever I'm around him.
But talking has never been his strength. No, and certainly,
certainly everybody over at KUSA knows that. In fact, this
(07:09):
classic This is hicken Looper in an interview with KUSA
where he's being asked a rare, kind of tough question
about an ethics complaint against him, and he just says the.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Quiet part out loud.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Hey, you should be protecting me because he's used to
them protecting him.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
You guys should be protecting me on stuff like this.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Yeah, I mean, who says that unless that's the way
it works, right, So, No, hicken Looper in his prime
was just not a good talker, not a good debater.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Kick and Looper right now, when he's just.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Hanging on to power for the title and you've got
this young, dynamic, intelligent, articulate Latina State senator, it would
have been it would have been lights out for Hickenloper.
My personal belief is that that's why they didn't host
the debate.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
That's why they didn't host the debate.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
I'm not saying it was anything against women or anything
against Latina's No, it was about protecting the Democratic Party.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
And it would have been a really interesting experiment looking
at the viability of this dsay stuff.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
On a statewide level.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Right right, Because to your point, Zach Hey, that the
polling that was out in late May of twenty twenty
six reflected what was happening across the state and across
the country, that these socialist types were gaining ground rapidly.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
She was just eight points behind and closing in the poll.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
That came out in late May, and she cleaned Hickenlooper's
clock at the DEM Assembly just like Malatkiros did, So
there was every reason to believe that it'd be close.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
But KOSA chose is to host.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
A choose to host to debate among two dem opponents
in c D eight where what what did he end
up winning by? Where that one guy ended up winning
by a ton like twenty or something.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Yeah, and he was up. I'll get those results for you.
But but he was up.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Manny Routine was up thirteen points in the poll that
came out in June, and yet KUSA decides to host
a debate in that race and then thirty points.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Yeah, he was by over thirty points.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
So yeah, it's it's My belief is that it's it's
a real disservice to the people of the state because
KUSA has become the station of record for these important
debates and they have probably the best debate moderator skill
wise we've ever seen in this state, in Kyle Clark.
(09:56):
But in my opinion, they use it to protect Democrats
rather than provide the state with the great service of
Hey let's get all the candidates in the big races
and ask them all the toughest questions.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
We can find. So that's just really sad.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
But anyways, welcome back with some sound and some other
facts on that I think you'll find really interesting.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Full disclosure.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
I'm currently involved in as an attorney litigation against KUSA
and connection with the horrible events that included.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
That the shooting death of Leek Heltner. So full disclosure.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
If you think that creates a bias on my part
that somehow changes the analysis I just offered you, then
you are entitled to conclude that.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
But spoiler alert, it doesn't. You're on the Dankpla Show.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
Now back to the Dan Kapler Show podcast.
Speaker 5 (10:55):
They have required me to my children to think about
things that children should not have to see or think about.
One example is when threats to my life were particularly
intense a few years ago, around the time of the
Dobs leak, my security detail sent me home with a
bulletproof vest and I carried it into my house, put
it into my bedroom, dropped it down on a table,
(11:17):
turned around, and my twelve year old son was standing
in the doorway of my bedroom and he wanted to
know what it was and why I had it, and
I didn't know how to respond, because maybe I lack imagination,
but I didn't expect that performing this service was going
to put me in the position of explaining to my
children what a bulletproof vest was and why I had
to wear one. It's also been reported in the news
(11:40):
that roughly six weeks ago, I was the victim of
a swatting incident. At that point, my teenage son, one
of my teenage sons, opened the door to go out
with friends and saw in our street it was full
of police cars who had responded to a false report
of gunshots and raised void in my home. I was very,
(12:02):
very grateful that I had Supreme Court Police outside my
home because they were able to stop and meet with
and explain to the County police that it had been
a false alarm, and so the police did not actually
attempt to enter our home. Many of us, me included,
have received threatening, anonymous deliveries designed to intimidate and harass us.
(12:24):
They are often sent in the name of Judge Sallas's son,
who I think, as you mentioned in the beginning, mister Chairman,
was is deceased because he was killed by a disgruntled
lawyer who showed up at Judge Sallas's home intending to
kill her, but her son, twenty years old at the time,
opened the door and took the bullet instead. Her husband
standing behind was seriously injured. So I think the message
(12:48):
on these deliveries being sent in his name is clear.
As Justice Kagan said, fertial judges across the country throughout
the judiciary, including the Supreme Court, continue to do their
jobs without fear or favor.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
But the threat level is really high, horrific obviously, right,
But what do you do about it?
Speaker 6 (13:10):
Now?
Speaker 1 (13:10):
The left is actively trying to foster this, and I've
been playing this sound on air four years, but they're
not even subtle about it, right up to Chuck Schumer,
Democrat leader in the Senate, standing on the steps of
the US Supreme Court, calling out justices by name. You
won't know what hits you if you vote the way
(13:32):
that that schumor expects you to vote. I mean, really
horrific direct threats, stuff that Schumer should have been prosecuted
for and wasn't. Yeah, so they're not even trying to
be subtle about that.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Obviously.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
The Dobbs leak was intended to get one or more
conservative justices killed before the opinion was issued, so that
the opinion could not be issued. That wasn't subtle. And then,
as you know, the assassin went to Kavanaugh's house. And
the fact the issa and ended up to not be
able to accomplish the evil mission shouldn't change the reality
(14:06):
of what the Democrats Schumer in this example, have actively pursued.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
And it's just what the left does.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
They can't win on the facts, they can't win on
the logic, they can't win on the law, they can't
win on morality, so they just try the politics of
personal intimidation and destruction. And very very sad that it's
being done to these conservative justices.
Speaker 7 (14:30):
Now.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
I've seen some arguments on the right today online that
Justice Barrett has been compromised. Say these critics, I disagree
with them, and they say, quote understandably so because she's
been subjected and her family has to these terrible things.
That the critics on the right will claim that she's
(14:53):
now bending over backwards to please the left in her
opinions in order to protect her family.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
I think that's total GD garbage.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
There's nothing in her makeup as a human that would
suggest that she would give into this kind of intimidation.
And everything I've said, I have not agreed with every
opinion of hers, but everything I've seen about her is
that she is a strong willed person of integrity.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
And there's no doubt in my mind that if she thought.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
For a second that she couldn't decide cases the way
she believed they should be decided because of fear for
her family, should leave the court.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
There's just no doubt in my mind about that.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
You know, I understand though you have that growing drum
beat on the right, but I don't believe for a
second it will force her off the court.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
I hope it does not, But.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Make no mistake about the game plan of the left here,
and we see it play out in many different ways.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Say if you just joined us, thank you.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
We're talking about a lot of things today, including this
this very interesting story with KUSA denying Senator Gonzalez's request
for a debate with John Hickenlooper. She even hosted publicly
in June that Hickenlooper had agreed to a debate and
KUSA apparently did not schedule one. Now, Kyle Clark came
(16:09):
out and addressed that I want to play that sound.
I do want to correct one thing I said earlier.
I offered a bunch of information. One piece of that
was incorrect. I had said that Julie Gonzalez had cleaned
Hickenlooper's clock at the Assembly, the State Assembly.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
She had not.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
She had qualified for the ballot with forty three percent,
But that was pretty impressive. I was pretty impressive. And
there were many other indicators that she was running a
strong campaign and deserved to have her opportunity with Hickenlooper.
And there was that June poll that showed her behind
eight percent, closing fast and behind eight percent is not
(16:48):
a whole lot, and closing fast with over fifty percent
saying that they just didn't have enough information about her
at that point. So lots of reasons to believe that
was a viable candidate. See certainly more reasons to believe
that that race would be viable and important than the
primary out in CDA between Rutnall and Bird that Rutnaal
(17:12):
ended up winning by what'd you say, Zach twenty.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Or thirty points? Over thirty points? Yeah, and he was
way up in the polling, and Junior they decided to
do a debate there. So what is my belief on this.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
My belief is not that KUSA was trying to keep
a Latina out of the Senate or trying to keep
a woman out of the Senate.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
I think that KUSA was doing what, in my opinion, it.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Does with these debates, which is protect Democrats and the
Democratic Party. And I think the analysis was that the
only way that Democrats could lose the Senate seat would
be if Julie Gonzalez was the nominee. And I think
they're probably correct in that because Colorado is not ready
(18:00):
to go socialist and hopefully never will be. But the
point being, she still deserved her opportunity with Hickenlooper, and
it's just too bad. I think that she was deprived
of that debate opportunity. When we come back, we will
play and break down the sound of Kyle Clark, who
decided to go on air and address this. That's interesting,
(18:22):
isn't it. Why did he decide to go on air
and address this? And the point of it long term
is this, KUSA has become the station of record for
debates in part because Kyle Clark is so talented at
moderating these debates. At that point, I submit, there's an
obligation to the state to do these in a neutral,
(18:44):
unbiased way and not try to manipulate the outcome. And
I think instead KUSA has decided to use these to
protect Democrats. That needs to change.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
You're listening to the Dan Kaplis Show podcasts, you know, this.
Speaker 7 (19:02):
Is our June release the Consumer Price Index. Expecting a
headline number to be negative, negative one tenth percent. This
is four times more negative minus four tens of percent.
That would be the biggest negative drop that we've seen
since four to twenty, since basically COVID timing, which really affected,
(19:24):
of course.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
All of the inflation. Wow.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
And I'll tell you can't read too much into one month, right,
you really can't. But I think it's fair to conclude
from the prior term and the start of this term
that President Trump does understand how the economy works, and
he understands how business works. And nobody's ever going to
be perfect with this stuff, right, It's just the nature
(19:48):
of market forces. There are always going to be ups
and downs. But overall, I think he's proven that he
has he has the far better approach in the left
when it comes to in all bodes three all three
seven to one three A two five five d an
five seven seven three nine. If you just joined us,
thank you. There's a lot on the agenda today, but
(20:09):
part of it is an issue that I think structural.
So I want to talk about it because I think
it affects a lot in this cycle and will in
the general and a lot in years to come. And
that's why I consider it structural and worth your time.
And that is a debate's political debates, and in Colorado,
the place for political debates is KUSA. There are other
(20:31):
stations that do them and do them well, but it's
like other things in life, the way things have evolved,
it's the KUSA debates that really get the attention and
define the races. And they've earned that because that Kyle
Clark is probably the most talented debate moderator we've ever
had in Colorado. The problem is, and this is my
constitutionally protected opinion, the problem is I believe that he clearly,
(20:56):
he clearly uses his great talents to protect Democrats. And
I'm not sitting here whining about the fact that it's
unfair to Republicans.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
That's just kind of baked in the cake, right.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
We just know that no matter where you are, except
deep red states, Republicans are going to have to overcome
the media as well.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
That's fine, don't whind just be better, But.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
The point being it deprives the people of the state
because this is a unique opportunity, these televised debates, a
unique opportunity to get past the talking points and the
paid commercials and the consultants and just see these men
and women for what they really are. But only if
they're tested. And Kyle Clark has proven a unique and
(21:36):
impressive ability to drill down and put pressure on debaters,
but it's almost always only on Republicans. And I've offered
a lot of concrete examples of how, say, in that
Wiser Bennett BackRub, he protected both of them. I mean,
how do you have a debate like that and not
ask a single question about roads or rising crime, you know,
(22:01):
or whether people here illegally commit other crimes should be deported,
or about boys and girls sports that's going to be
on the ballot, about Fenton, all the list goes on
and on. So he didn't ask about all those things, obviously,
in my opinion, because he's trying to protect the Democrats
didn't ask Phil Wiser a single question about getting his
clock cleaned repeatedly in the US Supreme Court in mostly
(22:24):
in cases depriving Christians of their constitutional rights. Not a
single question. But anyway, so what we're breaking down today
is the fascinating case of Julie Gonzalez, the Latina, young
Latina running for US centered against John hickt Luperrin. Normally,
you would think Senate race, premier race, that would be
the obvious race for KUSA to engineer a debate, and
(22:46):
she asked for one in June. She was gaining in
the polls. She said Hickenloper had agreed to want and
KUSA didn't do it. And my belief is can't prove it,
its opinion, but my belief is that KUSA was protecting
the Democrat Party because the only way, the only way
in the eyes of the left, that it could lose
(23:09):
the hickenloopersentency to Republicans is if Julie Gonzalez was the nominee.
Because she's a former DSA in a Democrat Socialist party.
I think she had renounced it in this cycle, But
come on, I don't think Colorado's ready to go socialist.
So I think I personally believe that was the motivation for.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Not having the debate. What else could it be?
Speaker 1 (23:30):
I mean that the polling she was with A in
eight points in closing many, root and all. He had
opened up like a fourteen point lead in his CD
eight and he won in the end by what was it,
twenty six Yeah, routine all one sixty two to birds
thirty two point five. Yeah, that's where you want to
use your debate resources, right, go out and have a
debate in CD eight one congressional district between a couple
(23:52):
of Democrats are one as a big lead and eventually
wins by twenty five points. But not the US Senate race,
where it's clear nationwide and in Colorado the tide is
in favor of the young outsiders challenging the establishment. My
belief AUSA decided to protect the establishment. Now Here is
(24:13):
what the immensely talented Democrat ally Kyle Clark had to
say about all this.
Speaker 6 (24:22):
The best known name in Colorado politics, John Hickenlooper, has
been re elected to the US Senate by less.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Than six percentage points.
Speaker 6 (24:28):
His progressive challenger, state Senator Julie Gonzales cut his leads significantly.
As all the late ballots were counted, that race turned
out to be far more competitive than I ever expected.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Why though.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
She had close to within a in the late May polling,
the tides across the country were clearly in favor of
the young socialist leaning outsiders. Why would you have any
reason to believe that race wasn't going to be at
least as close as the CD eight race.
Speaker 6 (25:00):
No won by twenty five points, which means that it
deserved far more coverage than I gave it.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
You deserved better.
Speaker 6 (25:08):
Both Hick and Gonzalez came on this program for in depth,
pretty challenging interviews.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Now somebody helped me with this, okay, because that may
very well be true, and I just can't find it
and what I've found, And again I'm not Jacques Clusteau,
but I do pretty good job of research and stuff
I found, like an in depth, kind of in depth
interview in late twenty five with her when she announced
in with Hick and Looper, I was there something in
(25:35):
twenty six? Was there something really in depth and probative?
Maybe there was, and I've just missed it, but I
basically left it at that.
Speaker 6 (25:44):
Had I realized that this race was so competitive, I
would have tried to organize a debate.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
There was no debate in that race. Wait a second.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
Gonzales claims publicly that in late June, and at that
point it was I think by all accounts it had
to be a very close. She claims that in late June,
Hick and Looper agreed to a debate and she publicly
reached out to Kyle Clark and KUSA to host. It
never happened, I mean meaning the debate never happened.
Speaker 6 (26:12):
And I would have spent more time covering their policy
differences rather than focusing so much on.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Other races like CD eight, where Routinel was up fourteen
points in the polling and one by twenty five.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
I still don't get that one.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
What I really believe is going on there, because you know,
my opinion is that KUSA uses these debates to advance Democrats.
Is I think they were just trying to give rootin
al You know, I had to start on Gabe Evans
and what's going to be a close race, so they
decided to use their debate resources there once again to
help the Democrat.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
How did I get it so wrong? Did you get
it so wrong on purpose.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
That's my US and Colorado constitutionally protected opinion. You got
it wrong on purpose to help the Democrats because if
Gonzales wins that primary, guess what, the Republican might actually
win the Senate seed in the general.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
No honest person can dispute that logic.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Now, Gonzales maybe wins the general, but that's the only
way that seed is at risk, right, And that's no
disrespect to gop is a very very fine nominee and
Mark Baisley. But does anybody doubt that's what was really
going on here? Got it wrong on purpose.
Speaker 6 (27:31):
I knew that there was strong anger against incumbents and inaction,
but I expected Hickenlooper's decades of experience and his relative
goodwill among Democrats to give him more of a cushion.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Why would you believe that when you could see even
in the State Assembly she got forty three percent, then
the polling in late Mays shows she's closing. You can
see what's happening in the Kiros race where Kiros is
likely leading to get What reason would there be to
believe that the root and all race that he won
(28:04):
by twenty five was going to be closer than the
Gonzales race that she lost by five.
Speaker 6 (28:10):
I underestimated the ability for Gonzalez to put together a
strong ground game without a whole lot of fundraising. I
don't focus on this race or that race as a
means of predicting the outcome or influencing how it turns out.
I focus on certain races because your time and resources
are not infinite.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
And noon, oh, he goes sorry to Nora. Am I
am I right?
Speaker 1 (28:31):
So that's why it's so important to use those valuable
resources in a single congressional primary where the guy's up
fourteen and wins by twenty five, rather than in the
US center race.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
How does that make any sense?
Speaker 6 (28:47):
But supporters of both Gonzales and Hickenlooper would have been
better served to know that this race was close.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Wait a second, now, now they try to twist it
into all this is such a disservice to the Hickenlopers. No,
this was a gift of incalculable wealth and value to
the Hicck and Looper supporters, because if their guy all
that big pack money and everything else, if their guy
actually had to stand on a stage with this brilliant, articulate,
(29:17):
young far left Latina hick and Looper just barely clinging
to power. It would have been a blood bath. So no,
it was the biggest favor in the world the hicken
Looper supporters. My Lord, I missed on this one bund
purpose in my constitutionally protected opinion. Is there a good
contrary logic? I would love to hear it. You're on
(29:40):
the Dan Kapla Show.
Speaker 4 (29:45):
And now back to the Dan Kapler Show podcast.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
I want to get to these textures talking about something
I think is really important long term. And if you've
been kind enough to listen to the show lately, you
know that my focus in this election cycle is of
course on the winnable races, but it's also on the
long term because we're first of all, I think we're
(30:09):
just obligated to view things that way, because I think
we're put on this planet to stop bad things and
do good things, and to do that effectively, you have
to think long term. We have to think beyond what's
right in front of our nose in this cycle, and
there's every reason to believe the landscape is going to
change dramatically in favor of conservatives in Colorado after this cycle.
(30:31):
Doesn't mean we can't win some races now, but that's
the reality going forward. So that's why I'm talking now
about what has become a real issue for the people
of Colorado in my opinion, which is KUSA has become
the station of record for hosting political debates. And I
believe I can demonstrate to you that KUSA misuses that
(30:56):
in order to protect Democrats disadvantage publicans, but who cares
about the Republicans. It disadvantages the people of the state
because they're deprived of these candidates being put to the
true test. So that's the bigger issue we're talking about.
I've talked at length about the Wiser Bennett BackRub that
KUSA hosted as a debate and got into great detail
(31:20):
that we're focused today on. Julie Gonzalez, the dynamic, articulate,
young Latina state senator who took on Hickenlooper, had closed
to it at eight and the polls in late May
all the momentum was behind the young outsiders in the country,
including in Colorado, and KUSA chose not to offer a
debate between she and Hickenlooper, even though she asked for one,
(31:43):
and she asked for one after she says Hickenloper had
agreed to one. So my belief is that KUSA did
that to protect the Democratic Party in Colorado, to protect Democrats,
because I believe the widespread belief among the left is
Hickenlooper is going to win the Senate race easily, but
not Julie Gonzalez. Colorado's not ready to go socialist. And
(32:06):
I think it would have been a real opportunity, not
a sure win for Republicans in the Senate race. But
I think that was the analysis, my own constitutionally protected opinion.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
That's why KOSA did not do that debate.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
I was playing as we went to break a sound
of Kyle Clark explaining this decision on air, and it's
better to start from the beginning. But I'll get to
the very tail end of this and then we'll go
back and play it after I get to some text Badley.
Speaker 6 (32:33):
So each election season, our assumptions are based in part
on what has happened in the past. This year scrambled
a lot of assumptions.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Wait a second, that makes no sense.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
So these are highly intelligent people at KOSA, and I
mentioned before, and I admire many people at KUSA and others.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
I think just are misusing their position.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
But here's the point I disclosed earlier that I'm as
a lawyer involved an active litigation against KUSA that arises
out of the shooting death of Lee Keltner. It's not
a wrongful death case on Lee's behalf, but it's related
to that. So you're entitled to think, Oh, Dan, you're biased.
So I can't trust your analysis here. I knock yourself
(33:16):
out if that's what you think. But judge everything I'm
saying by the logic, the reason what I offer you.
But no, wait a second, these are smart people at KUSA.
It insults your intelligence to say that, oh, we didn't
do a debate in this year's Senate race because of
what's happened in the past. Anybody paying attention knows that
(33:39):
this was a unique political cycle where young Socialist and
the Democratic Party had tremendous momentum and grassroots support and
establishment figures were really in jeopardy. Everybody knew that was
the dynamic in this cycle. Three or three someone three
(34:00):
two five, five, d An five seven seven three nine.
I'll get back to that sound, but I do want
to get you some texts, one in particular, who keeps
texting over and over and Texter, I really appreciate the enthusiasm,
but but I get it even if you just text
me once. Dan has Kyle Clark reread his job description lately?
I honestly don't know what that job description says.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
I'll tell you.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
For the vast majority of people in media, you know,
management would say the job description is make our station
as much money as.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
You can, and I think he does a very good
job of that.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
For KUSA, Dan, maybe Kyle Clark is the bottom line
cause that Colorado politically sucks.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
No, I don't believe that at all, not at all.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
I think that that the reason Republicans are doing so
poorly in Colorado has nothing to do with Kyle Clark.
I am talking about this because it is it is
a an unfairness to the voters of Colorado. Yet advantages Republicans.
But it's unfair to the voters of Colorado to not
(35:04):
have these debates be what they should and instead have
them be kind of a you know, a protection of democrats. Dan,
Kyle Clark cannot be considered good if he is biased,
because being unbiased is one hundred percent necessary to do
the job.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
I think that somebody can.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
Be immensely talented at a particular position and then decide
to do it in a way that I consider to
be bad. All I'm saying is I think Kyle Clark
is the most talented debate moderator we've ever seen in Colorado.
In my opinion, he misuses that talent to protect Democrats,
(35:47):
and if he used it in the proper way, my
view is he would do a great service to the state.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Dan Senator Nighthorse Campbell was a person of color, say it,
and I kept getting that over and over again. And
what I'd like to point out to our texture, I'm
sure is very well intentioned, but many, many, many Native
Americans prefer not to be referred to that way because
(36:15):
they prefer to identify first and foremost by their tribal nation,
and they are members of sovereign tribal nations, so many
many Native Americans they do not choose to be identified
based on race or as persons of color.
This is Dan Caplis, and welcome to today's online podcast
edition of The Dan Kaplis Show. Please be sure to
give us a five star rating if you'd be so kind,
and to subscribe, download and listen to the show every
single day on your favorite podcast platform, cats if you're
interested in that, three or three seven one, three eight
two five five d an five seven seven three nine.
(00:21):
We are going to have so many great conversations today,
and one of those is going to be about this
really fascinating development where intentionally or unintentionally, Kusa probably deprived
to young Lantina of being the Democrat nominee for the
US Senate. And none of us will ever know for sure, right,
(00:44):
but but Julie Gonzales, she had momentum. She was closing fast.
You can see all of the momentum statewide was on
the side of the outsiders. The insiders the establishment very
unpopular in both parts parties. And yet Kusa did not
offer to host of debate between Gonzalez and Hickenlooper. And
(01:08):
I think there's a very strong argument that if Kusa
had done that, you know, Gonzalez would have been the
dem nominee for a US Senate. My goodness, I think
she only lost by like five and a half points.
So just just a really fascinating, intriguing story there, and
we'll be getting into that in further detail. In it
ties into to what I documented I think very well
(01:30):
a few weeks ago, which is the way that Kusa
in the Democrat Governor's debate had gone to really hilarious
links to protect the Democrats that were debating right Wiser
and Bennett, because I mean, here you got and odds
on most people believe one of the two will become
(01:50):
the next governor unless something really goes wrong.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
But what could go wrong.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
What could go wrong is that people of Colorado could realize,
wait a second, these guys who pretend to be kind
of milk toast average people are really far far left.
So they actually ran a debate without asking Wiser and
Bennett about most of the big hot button issues, I mean,
most of the things where the Democrats are least popular,
(02:16):
and I documented that in great detail.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
I mean, they didn't.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
How do you have a debate between the Democrat coopmentorial
candidates and not ask about all the stuff the Dems
have messed up, not one question about Rhodes If I remember,
I don't think there's a single question about crime that
they weren't drilled down on whether they thought illegal immigrants
who committed other crimes should be to go to jail
and be deported. And they weren't even asked about boys
(02:42):
and girls' sports, which is such a hot issue in Colorado.
It's actually going to be on the same ballot as
the governor's race.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
So you've got to believe that that was.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
A conscious decision to protect Wiser and Bennett from those
tough questions and revealing their unpopular positions. And how do
you go through a debate with Weisser, whereas big claim
to famous Sue and Trump, and not ask him about
his multiple enormous, humiliating losses in the US Supreme Court?
Speaker 2 (03:12):
How do you not do that and so many of
those cases involving a Supreme.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Court finding that the State of Colorado and his watch
had deprived Christians of their constitutional rights?
Speaker 2 (03:23):
How do you not even ask about those things?
Speaker 1 (03:24):
So it ties into you know, not hosting a debate
between Hickenlooper and Gonzales in the sense that I think
you can fairly draw the conclusion that the KUSA is
using these debates to protect democrats, and the Gonzales thing
is is particularly striking because how exact you probably cannot
(03:46):
even believe, as a guy in your twenties that this
great state of Colorado has never had a US senator
of color. We've never had a governor of color. Get this,
We've never had a female US senator.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
It's crazy. We've never had a female governor.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
And here you've got the marquee matchup in any state
is the Senate race. I mean, look at where all
the money gets spent, right, They're like little presidential races.
You got the marquee matchup, the Senate race. And you've
got KUSA out there, which has become the station of
record when it comes to debates.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
There's no question about it, because those are the debates.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Other people can do debates and they may be worth watching,
and that's no disrespect to the people who host them.
But KUSA has become the station of record for these debates,
and in large part because they have an enormously talented moderator.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
In Kyle Clarke. He is very very skilled at this,
but in.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
My constitutionally protected opinion, what you can see him doing
over and over again is using those skills to protect
Democrats at the expense of the people of the state
who deserve the tough question to be asked of everyone.
Like I have never come on the show and griped
about the way KUSA will grill Republicans and debates. I say,
(05:09):
that's great, grillam harder, because then what we can see
is what people really got. Let the cream rise to
the top.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Like Heidi Ganall was really grilled in those debates with Polish.
She did awesome. Grillam harder, but grill both sides, grill everybody.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
So, but that's the amazing thing, isn't it, Zach.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
I mean, there is this very credible argument to be
made that if KUSA had hosted a debate between Hickenlooper
and Gonzalez, she wins track to becoming the first female
Senator and the first Senator of color from Colorado.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
It definitely would have been a more competitive race. I
think one of Gonzalez's big problems was no one knew
who she was.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Well is Zach, I'll tell you know a lot of
people did, and KUSA must have known that, right, because
if you look at the polling, I mean, think about
this KUSA, which again has is the station of record
for these debates. They go out and they devote all
the time and resources in airtime to do a debate
(06:15):
for the Democrat primary opponents in CD eight. Wait a second,
that's a congressional district. Why are you hosting a debate
between a couple of Democrats in a congressional district and
not in the US Senate race.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Why?
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Yeah, that's an odd choice, even if you do think
hicken Looper is such a heavy favorite. To your point,
the grilling, it gets you some insight on these candidates.
It gets the public the important questions.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Answer.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Dude, if there had been a Hickenlooper Gonzalez debate, she
wins that election by six points because hick and Looper.
God love him, and I enjoyed the man. I disagree
with this policies. I enjoy the man whenever I'm around him.
But talking has never been his strength. No, and certainly,
certainly everybody over at KUSA knows that. In fact, this
(07:09):
classic This is hicken Looper in an interview with KUSA
where he's being asked a rare, kind of tough question
about an ethics complaint against him, and he just says the.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Quiet part out loud.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Hey, you should be protecting me because he's used to
them protecting him.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
You guys should be protecting me on stuff like this.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Yeah, I mean, who says that unless that's the way
it works, right, So, No, hicken Looper in his prime
was just not a good talker, not a good debater.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Kick and Looper right now, when he's just.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Hanging on to power for the title and you've got
this young, dynamic, intelligent, articulate Latina State senator, it would
have been it would have been lights out for Hickenloper.
My personal belief is that that's why they didn't host
the debate.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
That's why they didn't host the debate.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
I'm not saying it was anything against women or anything
against Latina's No, it was about protecting the Democratic Party.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
And it would have been a really interesting experiment looking
at the viability of this dsay stuff.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
On a statewide level.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Right right, Because to your point, Zach Hey, that the
polling that was out in late May of twenty twenty
six reflected what was happening across the state and across
the country, that these socialist types were gaining ground rapidly.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
She was just eight points behind and closing in the poll.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
That came out in late May, and she cleaned Hickenlooper's
clock at the DEM Assembly just like Malatkiros did, So
there was every reason to believe that it'd be close.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
But KOSA chose is to host.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
A choose to host to debate among two dem opponents
in c D eight where what what did he end
up winning by? Where that one guy ended up winning
by a ton like twenty or something.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Yeah, and he was up. I'll get those results for you.
But but he was up.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Manny Routine was up thirteen points in the poll that
came out in June, and yet KUSA decides to host
a debate in that race and then thirty points.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Yeah, he was by over thirty points.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
So yeah, it's it's My belief is that it's it's
a real disservice to the people of the state because
KUSA has become the station of record for these important
debates and they have probably the best debate moderator skill
wise we've ever seen in this state, in Kyle Clark.
(09:56):
But in my opinion, they use it to protect Democrats
rather than provide the state with the great service of
Hey let's get all the candidates in the big races
and ask them all the toughest questions.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
We can find. So that's just really sad.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
But anyways, welcome back with some sound and some other
facts on that I think you'll find really interesting.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Full disclosure.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
I'm currently involved in as an attorney litigation against KUSA
and connection with the horrible events that included.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
That the shooting death of Leek Heltner. So full disclosure.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
If you think that creates a bias on my part
that somehow changes the analysis I just offered you, then
you are entitled to conclude that.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
But spoiler alert, it doesn't. You're on the Dankpla Show.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
Now back to the Dan Kapler Show podcast.
Speaker 5 (10:55):
They have required me to my children to think about
things that children should not have to see or think about.
One example is when threats to my life were particularly
intense a few years ago, around the time of the
Dobs leak, my security detail sent me home with a
bulletproof vest and I carried it into my house, put
it into my bedroom, dropped it down on a table,
(11:17):
turned around, and my twelve year old son was standing
in the doorway of my bedroom and he wanted to
know what it was and why I had it, and
I didn't know how to respond, because maybe I lack imagination,
but I didn't expect that performing this service was going
to put me in the position of explaining to my
children what a bulletproof vest was and why I had
to wear one. It's also been reported in the news
(11:40):
that roughly six weeks ago, I was the victim of
a swatting incident. At that point, my teenage son, one
of my teenage sons, opened the door to go out
with friends and saw in our street it was full
of police cars who had responded to a false report
of gunshots and raised void in my home. I was very,
(12:02):
very grateful that I had Supreme Court Police outside my
home because they were able to stop and meet with
and explain to the County police that it had been
a false alarm, and so the police did not actually
attempt to enter our home. Many of us, me included,
have received threatening, anonymous deliveries designed to intimidate and harass us.
(12:24):
They are often sent in the name of Judge Sallas's son,
who I think, as you mentioned in the beginning, mister Chairman,
was is deceased because he was killed by a disgruntled
lawyer who showed up at Judge Sallas's home intending to
kill her, but her son, twenty years old at the time,
opened the door and took the bullet instead. Her husband
standing behind was seriously injured. So I think the message
(12:48):
on these deliveries being sent in his name is clear.
As Justice Kagan said, fertial judges across the country throughout
the judiciary, including the Supreme Court, continue to do their
jobs without fear or favor.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
But the threat level is really high, horrific obviously, right,
But what do you do about it?
Speaker 6 (13:10):
Now?
Speaker 1 (13:10):
The left is actively trying to foster this, and I've
been playing this sound on air four years, but they're
not even subtle about it, right up to Chuck Schumer,
Democrat leader in the Senate, standing on the steps of
the US Supreme Court, calling out justices by name. You
won't know what hits you if you vote the way
(13:32):
that that schumor expects you to vote. I mean, really
horrific direct threats, stuff that Schumer should have been prosecuted
for and wasn't. Yeah, so they're not even trying to
be subtle about that.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Obviously.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
The Dobbs leak was intended to get one or more
conservative justices killed before the opinion was issued, so that
the opinion could not be issued. That wasn't subtle. And then,
as you know, the assassin went to Kavanaugh's house. And
the fact the issa and ended up to not be
able to accomplish the evil mission shouldn't change the reality
(14:06):
of what the Democrats Schumer in this example, have actively pursued.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
And it's just what the left does.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
They can't win on the facts, they can't win on
the logic, they can't win on the law, they can't
win on morality, so they just try the politics of
personal intimidation and destruction. And very very sad that it's
being done to these conservative justices.
Speaker 7 (14:30):
Now.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
I've seen some arguments on the right today online that
Justice Barrett has been compromised. Say these critics, I disagree
with them, and they say, quote understandably so because she's
been subjected and her family has to these terrible things.
That the critics on the right will claim that she's
(14:53):
now bending over backwards to please the left in her
opinions in order to protect her family.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
I think that's total GD garbage.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
There's nothing in her makeup as a human that would
suggest that she would give into this kind of intimidation.
And everything I've said, I have not agreed with every
opinion of hers, but everything I've seen about her is
that she is a strong willed person of integrity.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
And there's no doubt in my mind that if she thought.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
For a second that she couldn't decide cases the way
she believed they should be decided because of fear for
her family, should leave the court.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
There's just no doubt in my mind about that.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
You know, I understand though you have that growing drum
beat on the right, but I don't believe for a
second it will force her off the court.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
I hope it does not, But.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Make no mistake about the game plan of the left here,
and we see it play out in many different ways.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Say if you just joined us, thank you.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
We're talking about a lot of things today, including this
this very interesting story with KUSA denying Senator Gonzalez's request
for a debate with John Hickenlooper. She even hosted publicly
in June that Hickenlooper had agreed to a debate and
KUSA apparently did not schedule one. Now, Kyle Clark came
(16:09):
out and addressed that I want to play that sound.
I do want to correct one thing I said earlier.
I offered a bunch of information. One piece of that
was incorrect. I had said that Julie Gonzalez had cleaned
Hickenlooper's clock at the Assembly, the State Assembly.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
She had not.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
She had qualified for the ballot with forty three percent,
But that was pretty impressive. I was pretty impressive. And
there were many other indicators that she was running a
strong campaign and deserved to have her opportunity with Hickenlooper.
And there was that June poll that showed her behind
eight percent, closing fast and behind eight percent is not
(16:48):
a whole lot, and closing fast with over fifty percent
saying that they just didn't have enough information about her
at that point. So lots of reasons to believe that
was a viable candidate. See certainly more reasons to believe
that that race would be viable and important than the
primary out in CDA between Rutnall and Bird that Rutnaal
(17:12):
ended up winning by what'd you say, Zach twenty.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Or thirty points? Over thirty points? Yeah, and he was
way up in the polling, and Junior they decided to
do a debate there. So what is my belief on this.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
My belief is not that KUSA was trying to keep
a Latina out of the Senate or trying to keep
a woman out of the Senate.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
I think that KUSA was doing what, in my opinion, it.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Does with these debates, which is protect Democrats and the
Democratic Party. And I think the analysis was that the
only way that Democrats could lose the Senate seat would
be if Julie Gonzalez was the nominee. And I think
they're probably correct in that because Colorado is not ready
(18:00):
to go socialist and hopefully never will be. But the
point being, she still deserved her opportunity with Hickenlooper, and
it's just too bad. I think that she was deprived
of that debate opportunity. When we come back, we will
play and break down the sound of Kyle Clark, who
decided to go on air and address this. That's interesting,
(18:22):
isn't it. Why did he decide to go on air
and address this? And the point of it long term
is this, KUSA has become the station of record for
debates in part because Kyle Clark is so talented at
moderating these debates. At that point, I submit, there's an
obligation to the state to do these in a neutral,
(18:44):
unbiased way and not try to manipulate the outcome. And
I think instead KUSA has decided to use these to
protect Democrats. That needs to change.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
You're listening to the Dan Kaplis Show podcasts, you know, this.
Speaker 7 (19:02):
Is our June release the Consumer Price Index. Expecting a
headline number to be negative, negative one tenth percent. This
is four times more negative minus four tens of percent.
That would be the biggest negative drop that we've seen
since four to twenty, since basically COVID timing, which really affected,
(19:24):
of course.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
All of the inflation. Wow.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
And I'll tell you can't read too much into one month, right,
you really can't. But I think it's fair to conclude
from the prior term and the start of this term
that President Trump does understand how the economy works, and
he understands how business works. And nobody's ever going to
be perfect with this stuff, right, It's just the nature
(19:48):
of market forces. There are always going to be ups
and downs. But overall, I think he's proven that he
has he has the far better approach in the left
when it comes to in all bodes three all three
seven to one three A two five five d an
five seven seven three nine. If you just joined us,
thank you. There's a lot on the agenda today, but
(20:09):
part of it is an issue that I think structural.
So I want to talk about it because I think
it affects a lot in this cycle and will in
the general and a lot in years to come. And
that's why I consider it structural and worth your time.
And that is a debate's political debates, and in Colorado,
the place for political debates is KUSA. There are other
(20:31):
stations that do them and do them well, but it's
like other things in life, the way things have evolved,
it's the KUSA debates that really get the attention and
define the races. And they've earned that because that Kyle
Clark is probably the most talented debate moderator we've ever
had in Colorado. The problem is, and this is my
constitutionally protected opinion, the problem is I believe that he clearly,
(20:56):
he clearly uses his great talents to protect Democrats. And
I'm not sitting here whining about the fact that it's
unfair to Republicans.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
That's just kind of baked in the cake, right.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
We just know that no matter where you are, except
deep red states, Republicans are going to have to overcome
the media as well.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
That's fine, don't whind just be better, But.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
The point being it deprives the people of the state
because this is a unique opportunity, these televised debates, a
unique opportunity to get past the talking points and the
paid commercials and the consultants and just see these men
and women for what they really are. But only if
they're tested. And Kyle Clark has proven a unique and
(21:36):
impressive ability to drill down and put pressure on debaters,
but it's almost always only on Republicans. And I've offered
a lot of concrete examples of how, say, in that
Wiser Bennett BackRub, he protected both of them. I mean,
how do you have a debate like that and not
ask a single question about roads or rising crime, you know,
(22:01):
or whether people here illegally commit other crimes should be deported,
or about boys and girls sports that's going to be
on the ballot, about Fenton, all the list goes on
and on. So he didn't ask about all those things, obviously,
in my opinion, because he's trying to protect the Democrats
didn't ask Phil Wiser a single question about getting his
clock cleaned repeatedly in the US Supreme Court in mostly
(22:24):
in cases depriving Christians of their constitutional rights. Not a
single question. But anyway, so what we're breaking down today
is the fascinating case of Julie Gonzalez, the Latina, young
Latina running for US centered against John hickt Luperrin. Normally,
you would think Senate race, premier race, that would be
the obvious race for KUSA to engineer a debate, and
(22:46):
she asked for one in June. She was gaining in
the polls. She said Hickenloper had agreed to want and
KUSA didn't do it. And my belief is can't prove it,
its opinion, but my belief is that KUSA was protecting
the Democrat Party because the only way, the only way
in the eyes of the left, that it could lose
(23:09):
the hickenloopersentency to Republicans is if Julie Gonzalez was the nominee.
Because she's a former DSA in a Democrat Socialist party.
I think she had renounced it in this cycle, But
come on, I don't think Colorado's ready to go socialist.
So I think I personally believe that was the motivation for.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Not having the debate. What else could it be?
Speaker 1 (23:30):
I mean that the polling she was with A in
eight points in closing many, root and all. He had
opened up like a fourteen point lead in his CD
eight and he won in the end by what was it,
twenty six Yeah, routine all one sixty two to birds
thirty two point five. Yeah, that's where you want to
use your debate resources, right, go out and have a
debate in CD eight one congressional district between a couple
(23:52):
of Democrats are one as a big lead and eventually
wins by twenty five points. But not the US Senate race,
where it's clear nationwide and in Colorado the tide is
in favor of the young outsiders challenging the establishment. My
belief AUSA decided to protect the establishment. Now Here is
(24:13):
what the immensely talented Democrat ally Kyle Clark had to
say about all this.
Speaker 6 (24:22):
The best known name in Colorado politics, John Hickenlooper, has
been re elected to the US Senate by less.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Than six percentage points.
Speaker 6 (24:28):
His progressive challenger, state Senator Julie Gonzales cut his leads significantly.
As all the late ballots were counted, that race turned
out to be far more competitive than I ever expected.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Why though.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
She had close to within a in the late May polling,
the tides across the country were clearly in favor of
the young socialist leaning outsiders. Why would you have any
reason to believe that race wasn't going to be at
least as close as the CD eight race.
Speaker 6 (25:00):
No won by twenty five points, which means that it
deserved far more coverage than I gave it.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
You deserved better.
Speaker 6 (25:08):
Both Hick and Gonzalez came on this program for in depth,
pretty challenging interviews.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Now somebody helped me with this, okay, because that may
very well be true, and I just can't find it
and what I've found, And again I'm not Jacques Clusteau,
but I do pretty good job of research and stuff
I found, like an in depth, kind of in depth
interview in late twenty five with her when she announced
in with Hick and Looper, I was there something in
(25:35):
twenty six? Was there something really in depth and probative?
Maybe there was, and I've just missed it, but I
basically left it at that.
Speaker 6 (25:44):
Had I realized that this race was so competitive, I
would have tried to organize a debate.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
There was no debate in that race. Wait a second.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
Gonzales claims publicly that in late June, and at that
point it was I think by all accounts it had
to be a very close. She claims that in late June,
Hick and Looper agreed to a debate and she publicly
reached out to Kyle Clark and KUSA to host. It
never happened, I mean meaning the debate never happened.
Speaker 6 (26:12):
And I would have spent more time covering their policy
differences rather than focusing so much on.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Other races like CD eight, where Routinel was up fourteen
points in the polling and one by twenty five.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
I still don't get that one.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
What I really believe is going on there, because you know,
my opinion is that KUSA uses these debates to advance Democrats.
Is I think they were just trying to give rootin
al You know, I had to start on Gabe Evans
and what's going to be a close race, so they
decided to use their debate resources there once again to
help the Democrat.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
How did I get it so wrong? Did you get
it so wrong on purpose.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
That's my US and Colorado constitutionally protected opinion. You got
it wrong on purpose to help the Democrats because if
Gonzales wins that primary, guess what, the Republican might actually
win the Senate seed in the general.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
No honest person can dispute that logic.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Now, Gonzales maybe wins the general, but that's the only
way that seed is at risk, right, And that's no
disrespect to gop is a very very fine nominee and
Mark Baisley. But does anybody doubt that's what was really
going on here? Got it wrong on purpose.
Speaker 6 (27:31):
I knew that there was strong anger against incumbents and inaction,
but I expected Hickenlooper's decades of experience and his relative
goodwill among Democrats to give him more of a cushion.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Why would you believe that when you could see even
in the State Assembly she got forty three percent, then
the polling in late Mays shows she's closing. You can
see what's happening in the Kiros race where Kiros is
likely leading to get What reason would there be to
believe that the root and all race that he won
(28:04):
by twenty five was going to be closer than the
Gonzales race that she lost by five.
Speaker 6 (28:10):
I underestimated the ability for Gonzalez to put together a
strong ground game without a whole lot of fundraising. I
don't focus on this race or that race as a
means of predicting the outcome or influencing how it turns out.
I focus on certain races because your time and resources
are not infinite.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
And noon, oh, he goes sorry to Nora. Am I
am I right?
Speaker 1 (28:31):
So that's why it's so important to use those valuable
resources in a single congressional primary where the guy's up
fourteen and wins by twenty five, rather than in the
US center race.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
How does that make any sense?
Speaker 6 (28:47):
But supporters of both Gonzales and Hickenlooper would have been
better served to know that this race was close.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Wait a second, now, now they try to twist it
into all this is such a disservice to the Hickenlopers. No,
this was a gift of incalculable wealth and value to
the Hicck and Looper supporters, because if their guy all
that big pack money and everything else, if their guy
actually had to stand on a stage with this brilliant, articulate,
(29:17):
young far left Latina hick and Looper just barely clinging
to power. It would have been a blood bath. So no,
it was the biggest favor in the world the hicken
Looper supporters. My Lord, I missed on this one bund
purpose in my constitutionally protected opinion. Is there a good
contrary logic? I would love to hear it. You're on
(29:40):
the Dan Kapla Show.
Speaker 4 (29:45):
And now back to the Dan Kapler Show podcast.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
I want to get to these textures talking about something
I think is really important long term. And if you've
been kind enough to listen to the show lately, you
know that my focus in this election cycle is of
course on the winnable races, but it's also on the
long term because we're first of all, I think we're
(30:09):
just obligated to view things that way, because I think
we're put on this planet to stop bad things and
do good things, and to do that effectively, you have
to think long term. We have to think beyond what's
right in front of our nose in this cycle, and
there's every reason to believe the landscape is going to
change dramatically in favor of conservatives in Colorado after this cycle.
(30:31):
Doesn't mean we can't win some races now, but that's
the reality going forward. So that's why I'm talking now
about what has become a real issue for the people
of Colorado in my opinion, which is KUSA has become
the station of record for hosting political debates. And I
believe I can demonstrate to you that KUSA misuses that
(30:56):
in order to protect Democrats disadvantage publicans, but who cares
about the Republicans. It disadvantages the people of the state
because they're deprived of these candidates being put to the
true test. So that's the bigger issue we're talking about.
I've talked at length about the Wiser Bennett BackRub that
KUSA hosted as a debate and got into great detail
(31:20):
that we're focused today on. Julie Gonzalez, the dynamic, articulate,
young Latina state senator who took on Hickenlooper, had closed
to it at eight and the polls in late May
all the momentum was behind the young outsiders in the country,
including in Colorado, and KUSA chose not to offer a
debate between she and Hickenlooper, even though she asked for one,
(31:43):
and she asked for one after she says Hickenloper had
agreed to one. So my belief is that KUSA did
that to protect the Democratic Party in Colorado, to protect Democrats,
because I believe the widespread belief among the left is
Hickenlooper is going to win the Senate race easily, but
not Julie Gonzalez. Colorado's not ready to go socialist. And
(32:06):
I think it would have been a real opportunity, not
a sure win for Republicans in the Senate race. But
I think that was the analysis, my own constitutionally protected opinion.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
That's why KOSA did not do that debate.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
I was playing as we went to break a sound
of Kyle Clark explaining this decision on air, and it's
better to start from the beginning. But I'll get to
the very tail end of this and then we'll go
back and play it after I get to some text Badley.
Speaker 6 (32:33):
So each election season, our assumptions are based in part
on what has happened in the past. This year scrambled
a lot of assumptions.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Wait a second, that makes no sense.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
So these are highly intelligent people at KOSA, and I
mentioned before, and I admire many people at KUSA and others.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
I think just are misusing their position.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
But here's the point I disclosed earlier that I'm as
a lawyer involved an active litigation against KUSA that arises
out of the shooting death of Lee Keltner. It's not
a wrongful death case on Lee's behalf, but it's related
to that. So you're entitled to think, Oh, Dan, you're biased.
So I can't trust your analysis here. I knock yourself
(33:16):
out if that's what you think. But judge everything I'm
saying by the logic, the reason what I offer you.
But no, wait a second, these are smart people at KUSA.
It insults your intelligence to say that, oh, we didn't
do a debate in this year's Senate race because of
what's happened in the past. Anybody paying attention knows that
(33:39):
this was a unique political cycle where young Socialist and
the Democratic Party had tremendous momentum and grassroots support and
establishment figures were really in jeopardy. Everybody knew that was
the dynamic in this cycle. Three or three someone three
(34:00):
two five, five, d An five seven seven three nine.
I'll get back to that sound, but I do want
to get you some texts, one in particular, who keeps
texting over and over and Texter, I really appreciate the enthusiasm,
but but I get it even if you just text
me once. Dan has Kyle Clark reread his job description lately?
I honestly don't know what that job description says.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
I'll tell you.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
For the vast majority of people in media, you know,
management would say the job description is make our station
as much money as.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
You can, and I think he does a very good
job of that.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
For KUSA, Dan, maybe Kyle Clark is the bottom line
cause that Colorado politically sucks.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
No, I don't believe that at all, not at all.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
I think that that the reason Republicans are doing so
poorly in Colorado has nothing to do with Kyle Clark.
I am talking about this because it is it is
a an unfairness to the voters of Colorado. Yet advantages Republicans.
But it's unfair to the voters of Colorado to not
(35:04):
have these debates be what they should and instead have
them be kind of a you know, a protection of democrats. Dan,
Kyle Clark cannot be considered good if he is biased,
because being unbiased is one hundred percent necessary to do
the job.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
I think that somebody can.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
Be immensely talented at a particular position and then decide
to do it in a way that I consider to
be bad. All I'm saying is I think Kyle Clark
is the most talented debate moderator we've ever seen in Colorado.
In my opinion, he misuses that talent to protect Democrats,
(35:47):
and if he used it in the proper way, my
view is he would do a great service to the state.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Dan Senator Nighthorse Campbell was a person of color, say it,
and I kept getting that over and over again. And
what I'd like to point out to our texture, I'm
sure is very well intentioned, but many, many, many Native
Americans prefer not to be referred to that way because
(36:15):
they prefer to identify first and foremost by their tribal nation,
and they are members of sovereign tribal nations, so many
many Native Americans they do not choose to be identified
based on race or as persons of color.
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