On May 19, the Colorado Sun hosted an event at the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs, formerly known as the Josef Korbel School of International Studies. Using the iconic fifth floor, the newspaper in collaboration with the AARP of Colorado and three other sponsors, held a recap of the 2026 legislative session for the state. 

The event included five guest speakers, with two political reporters from The Sun leading the discussions and asking questions. Guest speakers included the Speaker of the Colorado House, Julie McCluskie (D) and House Minority Leader, Jarvis Caldwell (R), State Senator, Robert Rodriguez (D) and State Senator Matt Ball (D). 

The most notable speaker, however, was Governor Jared Polis (D), who was interviewed via Zoom by reporter Jesse Paul. Polis is term-limited, and next January he will be leaving the office with a tarnished reputation. 

Colorado is a reliably Democratic state. In 2024, Kamala Harris won 54.2 percent of the vote for president. In 2022, Governor Polis fared even better, winning his second term with 58.5 percent of the vote. 

So his recent unfavorability among his own base might seem shocking. But the protesters who stood on stage uninterrupted for nearly 30 minutes, during most of Polis’ interview, laid the case for liberal dissatisfaction through chants. 

Their sign, reading “Eat S–t Polis,” left little to the imagination about how they felt about the departing governor.

Paul started Polis’ interview by addressing the latest news to come out of the Governor’s Office in a while, considering it made national headlines. Polis, a Democrat, commuted the sentence of former Mesa County Clerk, Republican Tina Peters. 

Peters was sentenced to 8 and a half years in prison, meaning she would’ve been released in 2032. Instead, thanks to Polis, she will be released this June. Before the decision was made, Colorado Democrats showed staunch and unified rejection of his decision.

The governor has since justified his actions, including during his interview with Paul at Korbel. But as soon as the governor started speaking, a man stood up and started profanely shouting. He called Peters a fraud and criticized the governor’s decision. 

This man was quickly approached by event security, informing him that disruptions would not be tolerated. He was then escorted out of the room after refusing to stop. As he exited, a group of people interlocked arms and walked onto the stage. They unfurled their sign and began humming a tune. 

Event security didn’t seem to know what to do. The group refused to yield, and so they went on for nearly 30 minutes. Their chants included “Impeach him now!” and “F— Jared Polis!” 

On stage between chants, two members of the group spoke about a long list of issues that they believe Polis mishandled during his time as governor. Everything from Native Americans in the Southern Ute Reservation clashing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), to Polis attempting to require state employees to respond to a subpoena from the agency were points of contention. 

Most of their concerns focused on environmental issues, including the development of AI data centers and Polis’ perceived coziness with the oil and natural gas industry in Colorado. They also used the opportunity to call out Suncor and environmental racism, referencing the frequent complaints of North Denver and Commerce City residents about their oil refinery. 

Some members in the audience supported the protesters, joining in on the chants. Many took out their phones, snapping pictures and taking videos. Others awkwardly laughed, and most just sat and watched the first amendment play out in silence. 

Eventually, DU’s Campus Safety was called. A female officer asked them to leave, stating that they were on private property. After initial refusal, a threat of the Denver Police Department being called got the group to vacate the stage and building entirely. 

A woman with tears in her eyes then went on the stage claiming to be a former delegate of Polis and called him a fraud. She said that this was an AARP event and pleaded for those in the room to “listen to the young people.” She left through the same doors the protesters were escorted out of.

After they left, the room was eerily quiet. Paul concluded his interview with the governor, but what he was saying didn’t matter. Polis was unwilling to face the music, listen to his constituents and hear their concerns. 

The interview ended with Polis touting his achievements on “fixing AI” and RTD reform. When asked about regrets during his tenure, he dodged the question. 

The final question regarded the upcoming Democratic Primary for the state’s governor race, and who Polis supported among the two front-runners —  U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. He said he was undecided because he agreed with both candidates on most issues, but noted that much of his family was supporting Weiser due to Bennet’s recent criticisms. The senator notably called Polis’ decision to commute Peters’ sentence “disqualifying.”

The rest of the panel went on without a hitch. Julie McCluskie, Speaker of the Colorado State House, referenced the protest and emphasized her support for free speech, saying the demonstration was “part of the Democratic process.” 

As a spectator, I was in awe of the whole thing. I was glad the protesters were given the opportunity to speak at length, even though some of their talking points felt underdeveloped, and they occasionally seemed flustered. I was also incredibly grateful that McCluskie acknowledged the situation, even if only briefly.

We’ll see where Jared Polis goes from here, and how his decisions as governor shape his future political ambitions. But as I watched him over Zoom in a tie-dye shirt, making a “six-seven” joke during the final line of questioning, I couldn’t help but feel unsettled about the state of Colorado, and the rest of our nation more broadly. How could he not be there in person? How can he claim to lead while shielding themselves from the direct questions of a concerned constituency?

Something tells me that if the reaction to his actions on May 15 weren’t so decisively negative, he would’ve been sitting on stage at Korbel, ready to tout his accomplishments and thank his legislature for a great session and his constituents for electing him twice.

Instead, we got a video call and a moment that can be used as a reference point for the greater shift that is taking place in the Democratic Party and among young voters towards more progressive policies. 

There is little tolerance for corporate donors, backroom dealings, inaction on climate change and compliance with any of President Donald Trump’s wishes and policies among the youth. The question is, will it be enough to get out the vote for progressive candidates? Or will this be a repeat of history, where the youngest generation yells the loudest, yet acts the least?