February 09, 2009 08:04 PM UTC

Michael Bennet's Problem, In a Nutshell

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• by: Colorado Pols

True story from Saturday’s Jefferson County Democrats’ Reorganization meeting:

Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet was speaking to a group of about 40 Democrats about the federal stimulus plan. After talking for about 5 minutes, Bennet took a handful of questions before a woman in the back of the room stood up.

“I’m sorry,” said the woman. “I like some of what you’re saying, but who the hell are you?”

The question was not asked in jest – the woman clearly had no idea who Bennet was or why he was speaking.

To be fair, Bennet had not really been introduced to the group in a clear manner, but he also demonstrated an almost total lack of charisma. And this is exactly why we thought Gov. Bill Ritter’s selection of Bennet for U.S. Senate was such a disaster.

While Democrats like Rep. Ed Perlmutter and former House Speaker Andrew Romanoff were warmly received on Saturday, others didn’t even know who Bennet was. And these are Democrats. Active Democrats. If they don’t know who Bennet is, and if he doesn’t have the natural charisma to carry a small room, then how is he going to win a statewide election in 2010? Remember – this is a problem Democrats didn’t have to face if Ritter had appointed someone that Democrats had actually heard of as Senator.