07-08-25 *INTERVIEW* Knowing When to Step Aside with Political Columnist Eric Sondermann

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
You probably know of my next guest, Eric Sonderman, is
an independent political commentator. I think of Eric is quite
a centrist, and generally maybe Lee Lean's probably a little
left from me. But I think in his writing and
his analysis, he's very fair. He's thoughtful, and I appreciate

(00:20):
his writing. And so I saw a piece over at
coloradopolitics dot com by Eric entitled the Knack for Knowing
when to step Aside, and I thought it would be
good to have Eric on.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
To talk about a little bit.

Speaker 1 (00:33):
So Eric Sonderman, welcome back to Kowa.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
It's good to have you, Hey, Ross, thanks for having me,
glad to do it.

Speaker 1 (00:40):
You start this piece by saying criticizing friends is no fun. However,
it's sometimes necessary, so pick it up from there.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
Sure, I mean, I go a way back with both
Diana to get and said on Hick and Looper, both
of whom are the subjects of my column. With Diana
de Guett, we had a particularly you know, reasonably close
friendship many years ago. Our eldest daughters are same age
within a couple of weeks, and we you know, raised

(01:11):
them largely with lots of family events together. Be that
as it may, given my role as a sort of
down the middle if you want, or independent minded commentator
I think occasionally get people to account, even when that's
not comfortable. My point is it's time for some generational change,

(01:33):
particularly in Colorado. Both parties across the country have grown
very long in the tooth, but it's an ailment in
my mind that particularly afflicts Democrats. You look at the
leadership of the US House on the Democratic side up
until a couple of years ago. The triumpherate that led
that House, well nance called Jeral Cliverer and Stenny Warrier

(01:56):
averaged underscore the word averaged over a one years of age. Now,
yes they stepped aside and you have Hakeem Jeffries and
Kathleen Clark and other new leaders. But it was a
long time in coming. And obviously you look at the
debacle that culminated, you know, in the sudden transfer of

(02:17):
the nomination from Joe Biden to Kamala Harris, the blowout
near blow at least in modern day terms for President Trump.
This is a party that needs to turn the page,
that needs to empower a younger generation. And as I said,
it needs to pass the torch. And I think that

(02:38):
starts here at home.

Speaker 1 (02:39):
Yeah, I hadn't realized that Hickenlooper was quite as old
as he is until I read your article. But he's
seventy three now, and I guess would be seventy five
in his next term if he runs for another one,
which sure looks like he is. And how old is Diana.

Speaker 2 (02:59):
To get it, it's not an age question so much
with the get I believe she's sixty seven seven or
sixty eight something like that. She's actually we went to
college together at my alma mater, Colorado College. She was
a couple of years behind me exactly. But you know

(03:20):
Diana has been there next Juel thirtieth year. Yeah, it's
her fifteenth term, assuming she runs for reelection. And I'm
under no illusion that my column is going to deter
either of them from doing what they're doing and being
the careerst that they are. But assuming she runs for reelection,
this will be a sixteenth term, which means extending it

(03:42):
into a fourth decade. And you have to ask, if
that is prudent, what is she going to do in
a sixteenth term that she was unable to do in
a term or a seventh or an eighth et cetera.
And there is a deep bench both statewide and in

(04:03):
Denver on the Democratic side. And let's be clear that
the Denver seat that the get seat. It's impossible to
conjure up a scenario in which it doesn't remain in
Democratic hands. And almost ghetto for Hickenlooper's US Senate seat
in the great deep blue complexion of Colorado at the moment.
So this is not a question you're a partisan Democrat.

(04:25):
I'm not, But if you are, this is not a
question about exposing those seats to a competitive election in
which a Republican could could win them. That's not going
to happen.

Speaker 1 (04:35):
So what would be the upside then for Democrats? Democrats
are going to hold the seats no matter why. So
what's the upside for Democrats too? And I don't mean
for to get in Hickenlooper, but I mean for Democrat activists,
for Democrat political establishment. What's the upside for any of them?

(04:56):
To go along with your suggestion, I.

Speaker 2 (05:00):
Think the side is more governmental than it is political,
although it is both, and good government tends to be
good politics in the long run. But this is particularly
democratic party that needs to turn the page. We saw
that with President Biden. He had pledged to be a
one term president. He broke that promise. He had pledged

(05:23):
to be a ridged generation. That only happened when the
country saw up close and personally for itself the limitations
on his capacities and the decline that was self evident.
I just think, you know, I'm a baby boomer myself,
but baby boomers, at some point, our track record is

(05:45):
a very mixed track record, as any generations is. But
we need to pass the torch here to younger generations.

Speaker 1 (05:54):
I like the argument. I don't know who's going to
agree with you. I would just make one quick comment.
I would say, claiming that baby boomers have a you know,
a mixed result is kind of not fair to groups
that have mixed results.

Speaker 2 (06:08):
Right.

Speaker 1 (06:08):
The baby boomers have been terrible, right, I mean, I mean,
for me, the only issue domestically is our national debt
and deficit, and and baby boomers have driven this by
being both recipients of the policy, you know, the the redistribution,
and also by implementing it. And so I would love
to see the the elimination of baby boomers from our

(06:30):
politics as soon as possible.

Speaker 2 (06:32):
But I I don't I don't.

Speaker 1 (06:35):
You're you're honest about this, like with yourself and with listeners.
You said, you know, you don't think they're gonna gonna
listen to you, But I do. I do very much
appreciate Eric, that you that you're getting out there and
making the argument, especially since to Get and Hick and
Looper are are to some degree at least based on
your own writing friends of yours. I think that took
some courage.

Speaker 2 (06:56):
Well, I appreciate that, but you know, it's the points
that needed to be made, and I felt I was
in a position to make it. So let the chips
fall where they may.

Speaker 1 (07:05):
Eric Sanderman's piece for Colorado Politics is called The Neck
for Knowing When to Step Aside. You can find it
at coloradopolitics dot com or if you go to my
blog at Rosskominski dot com. I've got the link right
in there today in the guest section where I note
Eric being on the show. Thanks for your time as always, Eric,
thanks for your writing. As always, we'll talk against you

(07:26):
my pleasure.

Speaker 2 (07:27):
I would, I would just I would just know. It's
also in both the Denver Gazette and Carr Springs Gazette today,
so you I mean your listeners can find it there
as well. Very good. Thank you so much. Eric appreciate it.