Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D.) on Wednesday night asked why female presidential candidates aren't being asked whether they would put a man on their ticket.
Hickenlooper, who declared recently he was running for president, was asked during a CNN town hall whether he would pick a woman to be on his ticket.
"Governor, some of your male competitors have vowed to put a woman on the ticket. Yes or no, would you do the same?" CNN host Dana Bash asked.
"Of course, but I think we—I'll ask you another question," Hickenlooper said.
"I'm asking the questions," Bash retorted, prompting laughter from the audience.
"I know, I know. But how come we're not asking more often the women, would you be willing to put a man on the ticket?" Hickenlooper asked.
Bash said that when gets to that point she will ask him that question before cutting to a commercial break.
Hickenlooper's spokeswoman, Laura Hitt, told CNN that he was "making the point that the media too often discounts the chances of women winning the nomination themselves."
Hickenlooper is likely to face backlash from progressive women for his question due to the sentiment that there is a double-standard from the media for men and women when they run for higher office.
Amelie Meyer-Robinson, a curator for "Twitter Moments," was not convinced by Hitt's explanation.
"Why is Hickenlooper treating this like a hypothetical when he's presumably aware female candidates are constantly asked this question?" Meyer-Robinson tweeted.
Why is Hickenlooper treating this like a hypothetical when he's presumably aware female candidates are constantly asked this question? https://t.co/TGRqqUWYn9
— Amelie Sutton (@eastouest) March 21, 2019
Zac Petkanas, former director of rapid response on Hillary Clinton's failed presidential campaign, also expressed disbelief at Hickenlooper's question.
https://twitter.com/Zac_Petkanas/status/1108575495577317376