• 5280 Promotions
  • Vote for 5280 Top Lawyers
  • Buy Your 5280 Top of the Town Tickets Now!
  • Sign Up For Our Newsletters
5280 Magazine
Denver's Mile High Magazine
SubscribeCurrent Magazine Cover
Menu
Logo
Search
  • Find It
    • Restaurants
    • Events
    • Doctors
    • Dentists
    • Lawyers
    • Real Estate Producers
    • Senior Living Communities
    • Mile High Stories
  • News + Features
    • Sports
    • Politics
    • Infrastructure
    • Environment
    • Education
    • Business
  • Eat + Drink
    • The Best 45 Dishes in Denver
    • Find a Restaurant
    • 5280 Favorites
    • Restaurant Reviews
    • Beer
    • Booze
  • Adventure
    • First-Timer’s Guides
    • Outdoor Gear
    • Hikes We Like
  • Culture
    • Top of the Town 2021
    • Find an Event
    • Weddings
    • Art
    • Books
    • Fashion
    • Film
    • Music
    • Theater
  • Health + Wellness
    • Find a Doctor
    • Find a Dentist
    • Food as Medicine
  • Home
    • The 25 Best Neighborhoods in Denver
    • Top Denver Design
    • Real Estate
    • Top Real Estate Producers
  • Family
    • Education
  • Magazines
    • 5280
    • 5280 Home
    • 5280 Health
    • 5280 Traveler
    • Colorado Parent
    • Couture Colorado
    • Issue Archive
    • Subscribe
    • Sign up for our Newsletters
  • 5280 Promotions
  • Vote for 5280 Top Lawyers
  • Buy Your 5280 Top of the Town Tickets Now!
  • Sign Up For Our Newsletters
Current Magazine Cover
Politics

Behind-the-Scenes: Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech

Executive editor Maximillian Potter spent a year embedded with Governor Hickenlooper’s team. Here, behind-the-scenes images as they prepared for the annual State of the State speech.

Maximillian Potter
Maximillian Potter July 25, 2012
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: Chief of staff, Roxane White, wanted to make sure adequate time was left before the speech for the governor to rehearse. Budget director Henry Sobanet, a Republican, who, it seemed, could recall every nickel of the nearly $20 billion state budget, was especially helpful when it came to questions of phrasing such as, “Can we say every state agency or almost every state agency?” Both White and Sobanet ensured the governor stayed away from jokes that might offend Republicans. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: Hickenlooper inspects ties before the big speech. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: The First Lady and governor in a quiet moment. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: The governor began rehearsing near the middle of three days of speechwriting. He audibly changed words and tweaked phrasing as he went along, with staff taking notes on his improptu edits. The pitcher and glasses frosted with the logo of his old bar and restaurant, Wynkoop Brewing Company, held water and memories of Hickenlooper’s former life. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: “Hi Helen,” the Governor said when his wife entered the room. “Hi, Babe,” she said, took her seat, and, shortly thereafter, killed a bug. “Least I’m good for something,” she joked. In truth, the First Lady spoke infrequently, but when she did, Thorpe—an author and journalist—successfully and quietly advocated for cutting words (and then cutting some more) and focused on word choice. “I’m just wondering about the word, anxious,” she said. “How about eager?” By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: Alan Salazar, the governor’s chief adviser on policy and communicatons, and his chief speech writer, waits anxiously as the governor checks his Blackberry before heading out to deliver the State of the State. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: Alan Salazar, the governor’s chief strategy officer and director of the office of policy and research, was the one who first put civil unions on the agenda to be included in the State of the State. While the governor was out of the room, Salazar said to Chief of Staff Roxane White: “I think it’s one of those very bold things, and we’re accused of not being bold. Just a thought. The press cynicism is he’s too cautious, he’s not going to take a firm stand.” White agreed: “We have at least one place where we don’t protect the last and the least…. And we should fix it, damn it! But not written like that. Either we stand for civil rights or we don’t.” By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: The middle of a long day of speechwriting: (left to right) budget director Henry Sobanet; director of legislative affairs and strategic initiatives Christine Scanlan; First Lady Helen Thorpe receiving a note from her aide; and director of government and community affairs RD Sewald. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: The most frequently asked question at the table during the writing of the State of the State was: “Rox, What do you think?” It was chief of staff Roxane White, who ultimately found the phrasing to advocate legalizing civil unions, which would put the administration into a special session standoff with the Republican leader of the State House, Frank McNulty. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: During the days of speech writing, there were times of frustration when the staff and governor would stress over word choice. “There’s a sentence that we’re missing,” Hickenlooper said as he leaned back and groaned. “One sentence is going to make this really good.” Saracastically, communications director Eric Brown suggested: “How about good government is critical.” By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: Governor Hickenlooper very much wanted to begin his 2012 State of the State speech with a story about entrepreneurship. He ended up telling the true tale of John Stetson, who inveted the Stetson hat in Colorado. Throughout the more than three days his team spent together in his office crafting the speech, this Stetson was always nearby. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: Governor John Hickenlooper and the Stetson hat as he wraps up the first rodeo of his first year as governor. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: Chief of staff, Roxane White, wanted to make sure adequate time was left before the speech for the governor to rehearse. Budget director Henry Sobanet, a Republican, who, it seemed, could recall every nickel of the nearly $20 billion state budget, was especially helpful when it came to questions of phrasing such as, “Can we say every state agency or almost every state agency?” Both White and Sobanet ensured the governor stayed away from jokes that might offend Republicans. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: Hickenlooper inspects ties before the big speech. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: The First Lady and governor in a quiet moment. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: The governor began rehearsing near the middle of three days of speechwriting. He audibly changed words and tweaked phrasing as he went along, with staff taking notes on his improptu edits. The pitcher and glasses frosted with the logo of his old bar and restaurant, Wynkoop Brewing Company, held water and memories of Hickenlooper’s former life. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: “Hi Helen,” the Governor said when his wife entered the room. “Hi, Babe,” she said, took her seat, and, shortly thereafter, killed a bug. “Least I’m good for something,” she joked. In truth, the First Lady spoke infrequently, but when she did, Thorpe—an author and journalist—successfully and quietly advocated for cutting words (and then cutting some more) and focused on word choice. “I’m just wondering about the word, anxious,” she said. “How about eager?” By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: Alan Salazar, the governor’s chief adviser on policy and communicatons, and his chief speech writer, waits anxiously as the governor checks his Blackberry before heading out to deliver the State of the State. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: Alan Salazar, the governor’s chief strategy officer and director of the office of policy and research, was the one who first put civil unions on the agenda to be included in the State of the State. While the governor was out of the room, Salazar said to Chief of Staff Roxane White: “I think it’s one of those very bold things, and we’re accused of not being bold. Just a thought. The press cynicism is he’s too cautious, he’s not going to take a firm stand.” White agreed: “We have at least one place where we don’t protect the last and the least…. And we should fix it, damn it! But not written like that. Either we stand for civil rights or we don’t.” By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: The middle of a long day of speechwriting: (left to right) budget director Henry Sobanet; director of legislative affairs and strategic initiatives Christine Scanlan; First Lady Helen Thorpe receiving a note from her aide; and director of government and community affairs RD Sewald. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: The most frequently asked question at the table during the writing of the State of the State was: “Rox, What do you think?” It was chief of staff Roxane White, who ultimately found the phrasing to advocate legalizing civil unions, which would put the administration into a special session standoff with the Republican leader of the State House, Frank McNulty. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: During the days of speech writing, there were times of frustration when the staff and governor would stress over word choice. “There’s a sentence that we’re missing,” Hickenlooper said as he leaned back and groaned. “One sentence is going to make this really good.” Saracastically, communications director Eric Brown suggested: “How about good government is critical.” By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: Governor Hickenlooper very much wanted to begin his 2012 State of the State speech with a story about entrepreneurship. He ended up telling the true tale of John Stetson, who inveted the Stetson hat in Colorado. Throughout the more than three days his team spent together in his office crafting the speech, this Stetson was always nearby. By Maximillian Potter
  • Governor Hickenlooper Preps for the State of the State Speech: Governor John Hickenlooper and the Stetson hat as he wraps up the first rodeo of his first year as governor. By Maximillian Potter

Editors' Picks

How to Raise a More Resilient Kid

Jessica LaRusso and Staff

The 26 Best Bars in Denver Right Now

Patricia Kaowthumrong, Riane Menardi Morrison, Staff

The Past, Present, and Future of Abortion in Colorado

Ciara O'Rourke

42 Ways to Explore Colorado in 2022

Philip Clapham

Sign Up For Our Newsletters

All things Colorado delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign Up
5280 Magazine
Denver's Mile High Magazine

Magazine

  • Subscribe
  • Shop for Back Issues
  • Issue Archive

Subscriber Services:
1-866-271-5280

5280 Directories

  • Events
  • Dentists
  • Doctors
  • Lawyers
  • Restaurants
  • Real Estate Producers
  • Senior Living Communities

Best of 5280

  • The Future of Denver Dining
  • Top of the Town
  • The Year That Changed Everything
  • Denver’s Best Neighborhoods
  • 5280 Favorites
  • Classic Denver
  • Hikes We Like
  • First-Timer’s Guides

5280 Publishing, Inc.

  • About
  • Masthead
  • Advertising and Sponsorship Opportunities
  • Job Opportunities
  • Sign up for our Newsletters
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • 5280 Affiliate Link Policy
  • 5280 Statement on Denver’s Black Lives Matter Movement

Contact Us

5280 Publishing, Inc.
1675 Larimer St.
Suite 675
Denver, CO 80202

Phone: 303-832-5280
Fax: 303-832-0470