(You can listen to this column, read by the author, here.)
Many conservatives in Colorado have a visceral distaste for Kyle Clark, the 9News anchor who effortlessly slides between reporter and editorialist. And I can understand their frustration.
Like most in the news media, Clark sees the world along the oppressed-versus-oppressor spectrum, which naturally lends itself to progressive story selections and opinions. As an aside, I dream of the day when news outlets have a sizable minority of reporters who see the world along the liberty-versus-coercion spectrum. Trust in media could be restored.
But it is not Kyle Clark’s world view that really angers conservatives, after all, Clark’s viewpoint is shared nearly unanimously among those in his industry. Conservatives are pissed Clark has a massive audience who trust him and follows his lead. He is, arguably, the most effective political opinion leader in the state. And that’s a maddening thing if you’re a conservative or libertarian.
But Kyle Clark’s megaphone on occasion blasts out something limited-government advocates, me included, can’t help but be impressed with. Case in point was when he threw the BS flag on Gov. Jared Polis regarding lying about Proposition HH. When Clark said, “Governor, you’re smart, but that doesn’t mean we’re dumb,” it opened the floodgates for an open public examining of HH, which then failed by 20 points.
This week, Kyle Clark might have ended Secretary of State Jena Griswold’s quest to become Colorado’s next governor before it could even officially start by asking her one lethal question: “Given your office’s repeated errors that have damaged confidence in our elections, which you say is paramount, will you resign?”
In case you hadn’t heard, Secretary of State Griswold’s incompetence was on display yet again when her office mistakenly released secret voting system passwords for nearly every county across Colorado. Not only was this information available for months right on the SOS’s official website, but it was also reported she planned to hide this from the public.
Clark mercilessly held Griswold to her own standards, reminding her of her statement condemning the Mesa County Clerk for her leaked voting passcodes, of her notifying voters who had already voted to get out to vote, and of her mailing voter registration material to 30,000 non-citizens.
But it was the question about resigning that changed Jena’s political trajectory.
The reaction on Griswold’s face when he asked it was priceless. Her eyes expressed befuddlement and the sadness only betrayal can bring, as if she was saying “Kyle! How could you do this to me. I, I thought you were one of us.”
For conservatives who have been skewered by Kyle Clark, it was sweet satisfaction. I could hear them all collectively think, “Yeah Jena, that’s what it feels like.”
This was Kyle Clark’s Sister Souljah moment (If you don’t know what that means, go ask your parents).
This was also a wrapped gift to AG Phil Weiser. In fact, it might be the largest contribution to his almost certain gubernatorial campaign, because it puts an anvil around Jena’s neck. She is his most likely primary opponent.
By the way, AG stands for Aspiring Governor.
Just like saying of Polis about Prop HH, “We’re not dumb,” opened the door to real scrutiny of the sly tax hike, Kyle’s “will you resign?” now makes it a fair question for any opponent, reporter, or citizen to ask. And they will ask until Griswold drops out of the race for governor or loses.
Like the recent report exposing Denver’s fire chief and his top deputies abusing comp-pay time to pocket tens of thousands of dollars in extra pay and benefits, this Griswold hot potato has the aroma of an inside whistleblower.
And, as a sign of encouragement, this whole episode could signal the news media is ready to report on the biggest story not told in Colorado politics: the growing civil war inside the Democratic party ranks.
Given their proclivities, Colorado’s reporters have instead focused on the delightful dysfunction of the state GOP. One could hardly blame them, it’s such an easy target. But it is reporting on the completely irrelevant. The super minority and shrinking GOP is a non-factor in government.
Kyle Clark may have signaled it’s OK to investigate and report on those in power in Colorado — even if they are progressives.
Jon Caldara is president of the Independence Institute, a free market think tank in Denver.
The post Caldara: Kyle Clark gives lefty press the okay to report on progressives appeared first on Complete Colorado.
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