>>> Hi, everyone.

Welcome to the January 22nd, 2021, edition of Colorado Inside Out.

I'm your host Dominic Dezzutti.

Thank you so much for joining us.

The inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris could mean quite a few changes here in Colorado.

Particularly in the effort to eliminate the coronavirus.

On his first day as President, Biden laid out plans for more vaccinations, more coronavirus testing and more enforcement on mask-wearing.

He also signed off on rejoining the World Health Organization and extended the hold on student loans and evictions.

>> Patricia Calhoun, as always we start with you.

The beginning of the administration is a flurry of immediate actions.

What do you think will have the biggest impact here in Colorado?

>> So far it will be Bernie's mittens.

It was extraordinarily when you think how nervous people were on Thursday.

Something very, very bad could have happened.

We are breathing this sigh of relief.

There was so many other amazing scenes beside the field of waving flags because there were no people.

The sheer lightness in a lot of ways the relief of people who went out.

There was so much to see.

Biden taken action very, very quickly jumping out on COVID even when we were getting the bad news that only are there no reserves.

Even if there were no reserves there are no plans to get the reserves to people.

We know we still have long days ahead.

>> We go to David Kopel.

What were your key takeaways from the Biden administration.

>> I think a lot of people felt when they heard President Ford being innag rated.

And Biden's speech had a good calm, civil tone in that mood.

They are still continuing COVID nightmare.

And Biden got off to a weak start on it.

He signs this national mask mandate for federal property.

In the evening for his big party there he is with no mask on.

His mandate says wear masks and the CDC has exceptions you don't need a mask like you are two years old or a hike by yourself.

They don't have an exception for celebrating the evening.

Which his press secretary expressed.

Continuing the so-call eviction moratorium.

Unlike the mask order the federal eviction plans is very unfair.

Imagine some older person makes little income by renting out two units and have two tents are using the CDC opportunity to free load.

Told the world that the virus can't be spread by human to human contact.

Gave that advice not to wear masks.

It is an organization controlled by China.

He would have gotten improvements from the W.H.O.

before rejoining.

>> It will be fun to hear back.

Of course, always as a column for Colorado politics.

Erik what were you thoughts.

Is there a chance for some partnership when it comes to tackling COVID from the Biden administration.

>> It is good to be back.

The road trip was wonderful.

That is a separate discussion.

I identify where David started in terms of comparison to general forward as well as Patty's remarks.

A departure who left as it was who arrived.

I think much of this country certainly not all of it remained a much divided nation.

Much of the country let out an exhale.

The visuals were stunning.

I'm not sure it will be remembered all that long.

The visual of everyone in masks, of them disinfecting after every speaker.

Those will define this time as so many other pictures have defined this time in terms of what the future holds.

We can only wish there is some degree of unity.

It is not going to be koom buy ya.

As the democrats control both Houses of congress.

>> Pen, it is great to have you in the program.

What were you teas -- takeaways that President Biden could make?

What are your thoughts?

>> Look, Dominic it is good to be with you this week.

I agree with what has been said.

I think his remarks were pitch perfect.

There was not a whole lot of detailed sort of policy nerd information which I think was a blessing in the minds of many people.

He struck the right cord and the right tone.

The young poet was just phenomenal.

The message was good.

I think his rapidly following up with a number of executive orders address the things and just address some of the style that people took issue with with his predecessor.

Announcing we were joining the Paris climate accord again.

Talking about the fact that we need to expedite and intensify the process of getting the vaccine out there.

Joining the World Health Organization you may have to issue with how it operates.

The signal is that America was rejoining the community of human kind rather than retreating and being isolation.

That was an important tone for Biden to send and he did.

The Vice President will be a huge player.

She is the tie breaker on everything.

We will see some interesting things around these few days.

Mitch McConnell had absolute power.

Those days are gone.

We will see a food fight with them trying to grasp as much power in the Senate as he held before.

>> Governor Polis has predicted that 1 in 15 Coloradoans that are 70 or older will have been vaccinated by this week.

In an effort to speed up the distribution of the vaccine, State officials have ordered vaccine partners to immediately issue second doses.

Meanwhile, the Colorado Convention Center has been closed down and will no longer be used as a site for potential patient overflow.

David this move seemed like a big deal because it could open convention center is built to do when it is safe.

It is a sign we don't think we will need the overflow.

Too soon?

Too late?

>> I trust the people that made that decision.

Maybe just the right time.

You remember back from March madness last year.

It wasn't about eliminating the virus.

It was about preventing the hospital capacity from being overwhelmed.

But the unknown is the new variance of the things that are not classic Chinese virus.

There is a race between fast vaccinations versus when the mute tans arrive.

>> Do you feel Colorado can get more vaccines into more arms faster in the month ahead?

>> I certainly hope so.

We are interested in that as well.

I think we knew when we commented going in once the vaccine was developed and ready to go that -- the hard work was really ahead.

This is a massive logistical challenge.

It is a challenge that hadn't been going all that way whether in Colorado or other states.

The supply has not been there.

If Joe Biden is going to fulfill his promise of one hundred million vaccines you need a million a day.

We are not -- we have been at that level for one day, I believe.

We need to be at that level on a sustain basis.

Let's make sure they get their fair of it's vaccine.

My 90-year-old mother received hers yesterday.

It is happening more slower than many of us would hope.

>> You are familiar with all of the parts of states of government.

When you are looking at something this massive and important.

Can the legislature get involved?

Are there other at play here with something this big?

>> You know, this pandemic and how we are addressing it it is an interesting case study and shows what happens in Colorado over the years.

The state has to lead the way.

The reality is the State government has been so reduced over time that it's ability to run a massive operation like this is going to be strain.

The governor is doing the right thing by leading by telling the feds we need more vaccines because we haven't gotten our fair share.

I think it is a testament to the governor to note that Colorado is among states that have done a good job of getting the vaccine out.

At the end of this day to make this process effective and efficient the state is going to have to the cities and counties and local government.

Those are the folks who will be in the best positions to make sure that more and more people show up and get vaccinated.

I think we will see that the various bans or priorities get modified sooner rather than later.

I'm interested to see how the science evolves in terms whether to get more people one dose of the vaccine rather than wait for the number of people get two doses.

Some protection is better than no protection for as many people as possible.

>> Patty the whole idea the convention center no longer needed for patient overflow is great news.

It can be used for what it is supposed to do.

Does it give a glimmer of hope for businesses in downtown Denver?

>> Good for Erik's mother.

As someone who has been sign up my mother, it is not easy to maneuver this.

I mentioned it last week.

People who are over 70 who are not computer savvy it is so confusing.

The governor is speaking out as we tape.

Let's hope during the flow while we wait for more vaccines to come we clear up the communication so the people in that group are able to get the vaccinations.

Some day we will be back downtown on the newly renovated mall.

It will not be right away.

>> The ethics complaint has been filed against Denver Mayor Michael Hancock due to his mid-pandemic travels to visit family for Thanksgiving despite advising citizens to stay home.

The complaint was presented to the board of ethics this week, who voted unanimously for Hancock to issue a formal response.

Hancock states that while it might have been a lapse of judgment, there were no ethics violations.

Erik we start with you on this one.

Is this another ethics complaint or is it something there?

>> Not sure.

I trust in the sincerity of this woman Tonya Wilson who filed the complaint.

I spend my Thanksgiving largely writing a column and critiqued him.

This was a failure -- it was hypocritical on Hancock's part.

It was a failing of personal morality.

I'm not sure it falls into the category of public ethics.

Where an ethics commission needs to get involved.

He paid the price politically as he should have paid the price politically.

I'm be curious what the ethics commission ultimately does with it.

>> Penn you haven't had a lot of opportunities to agree.

Was this an ethics violation or a lack of judgment?

>> I agree with much of what Erik said.

Part of me -- my response when I heard the explanation out of city hall and they said it was a lapse of judgment.

My initial response was again?

We over and over and over we see these issues develop.

We hear we didn't do anything wrong, we didn't do anything illegal.

There is so much bad judgment being exercised over so many different issue.

My dad used to say twice is a pattern.

Is it bad judgment occurring in add vert tenantly or is just a repeated pattern.

To Eric's point there is a reason for that.

I think so many people in our city believe these are not just isolated instances of bad judgment.

It is kind of like Donald Trump.

This is what it is.

At some point you have to accept the fact you will keep seeing exercise of bad judgment.

>> Patty is this evidence this issue will linger for Mayor Hancock.

>> If he were running again it would linger.

In the airport he was flying out of that day we should never had the contract which cost us tens and millions of dollars.

There are ethical judgments on Hancock's part.

It was purely bad judgment.

It is unfortunate timing to tell the rest of Denver to stay home when he was flying out of that airport.

I don't think it rises to an ethical violation.

>> A lot of categories there.

David, does -- is an appropriate use of ethics board?

>> It is hard to say for sure.

The complaint hadn't been made public for people to review it.

I did read the Denver ethics code enacted by the city council.

It covers things like gifts.

Using public office for private gain.

All things that involve what direct official action.

That does not seem to cover vacations in any way.

As for a pattern of bad judgment.

Often involving Denver international airport.

Former mayor turned it into a cabinet position.

Don't count mayor Hancock out.

>> Former Colorado lawmaker Bri Buentello is suing U.S. representative Lauren Boebert over being blocked on twitter.

According to Buentello, while Boebert claims she supports free speech, her silencing of constituents proves otherwise.

We start with you on this one.

A big issue here.

>> Well, I'll let the David do the legal analysis.

It is bad judgment.

What is good for the goose, it is good for the gander.

You turning around and doing the same thing.

So watch what you say.

>> Patty, in this case the lawyer involved was David Lean.

What do you think?

>> It is not like Boebert need any help feeding that publicity machine.

She is getting more attention than anyone else.

She through out three bills out there.

If you are a public official and have a public site you have to keep it public.

She will end up losing this.

Maybe she should stay off twitter for a while any way.

>> David, league side.

Has this been decided?

>> Boebert's twitter feed is not something you will follow on current events.

It is like a wise column compared to the twitter which is a range fest.

Any normal twitter user would block someone unhedged at that.

She is not a normal twitter user tweeting about her official actions she can't block members of the public from following that account.

>> Erik we go to you to wrap it up.

>> I think they made clear what the law is.

I will just say maybe through today we have a theme of the show that being bad judgment instead of Colorado Inside Out it should read Colorado bad judgment.

>> It was a proposed title of the show.

In 29 seasons we looked up to more often than we would like.

Let's get to disgrace of the week.

>> I can retrack a disgrace from last week.

The unusual who was trying to make it to the Washington, D.C. to shoot Nancy Pelosi -- so we can say Cleveland Grover has been arrested.

He is from Atlanta.

We have bad behavior here.

The flag burners on Wednesday.

A day that was peaceful.

There was an immigration rally.

That was great.

We didn't need to burn a flag.

>> President Biden speech had good works of reducing animosity.

He protected government employees from race, stereo typing.

They have no interests in stereotype.

>> We go to you for disgrace of the week.

>> Sure.

Our former President this whole idea of graining the swamp.

Showed the ultimate citizen.

On a local level Beau power broker of not locally but nationally received one of those pardons.

You have to believe political influence.

Trump has come into the office with a lobby ban to try to get rid of the revolving door.

He revoked that ban.

Many of his people can now throw out their -- open up their lobbying practice.

Completely cynical.

>> Patty we go to you.

>> I will agree with everything that Erik said.

Simply closed out on the same note that he started with which showed a complete absence of grace of respect for traditions.

At some point you hope the lessons if you don't respect other people and respect traditions you cannot expect anyone to respect you.

>> Time to say something nice about somebody.

>> It has been a big week for events.

Today is Dr. Gestina.

She delivered 7,000 babies.

She was not allowed to practice in a regular hospital because she was black and female.

She has some of the great spirit of Denver.

150th birthday today.

There is a new program on -- a two-hour program that you should be able to tune in on her history.

>> She delivered much of the history that we enjoy.

>> Her house is five blocks from here.

>> David?

>> All the teachers who are going back after work.

Almost a year so much devastation some children will be able to resume learning.

>> We go to you to say something nice.

>> In reference earlier in the show.

Amanda who spoke at the inaugural.

Such talent, such presence, such poise and the ability to put it together.

She will be a presence who is with us in decades to come.

I'm told there was another speech given at the inaugural.

I think most of us remember Amanda Gorman.

>> Let's go to you to say something nice.

>> Patty, thank you for the shoutout for Dr. Ford.

We lost someone today who I think in my my mind one of the greatest baseball players.

Breaking the home run record previously set by Babe Ruth.

He was trying to do his job and be the best player.

He was a wonderful man and role model.

He will be missed be many.

>> Well said.

I want to say something nice as well.

I think we do a good job about acknowledge both our parents around here, dads who have influence us and our moms.

On Sunday my mom celebrates her birthday.

I'm taking my advantage of having the TV to send her her TV birthday card.

I want to thank everyone for supporting Colorado Inside Out.

We do not take it lightly.

29 years of being in your homes is only possible because you are still with us.

You are still watching.

Whether you agree with what we say or don't agree with what we say that means a lot to us.

We want to make sure all of you know that and thank you for making it possible.

For everybody here at PBS12 and Colorado Inside Out I'm Dominic Dezzutti.

Thank you so much for watching.

Good night.