Michael Bennet
A pragmatic Democratic senator from Colorado who built a career on fixing broken systems, from bankrupt companies to public schools.
Born 1964 (age 62)·American politician·Birthday: November 28·Baby Boomers
Biography
Michael Bennet's path to the U.S. Senate was unconventional, bypassing the usual political ladder. A Yale-educated lawyer, he first made his mark in the private sector, helping to restructure distressed companies. He then pivoted to public service as Denver's chief of staff, where he tackled municipal budgets. His most formative role came as Superintendent of Denver Public Schools, a challenging district where he pushed for controversial reforms aimed at closing achievement gaps. Appointed to the Senate in 2009, Bennet has cultivated a reputation as a serious, policy-focused legislator, often working across the aisle on issues like immigration and climate. His low-key, substantive style stands in contrast to the era's political theatrics, reflecting a belief in government's capacity for practical problem-solving.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Michael was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Michael Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Michael's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As Superintendent of Denver Public Schools (2005-2009), he implemented a pioneering teacher performance pay system known as ProComp.
- Co-authored the bipartisan 'Gang of Eight' comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed the Senate in 2013.
- Was the lead Democratic sponsor of the 'Great American Outdoors Act', a major conservation bill signed into law in 2020.
- Served as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for the 2022 election cycle.
Did You Know?
His father, Douglas Bennet, was a diplomat and president of Wesleyan University.
He worked as a counsel to the Deputy Attorney General in the Clinton administration.
He briefly attended the University of Texas School of Law before transferring to Yale.
“We have to get back to a politics that is about solving problems and not just pointing fingers.”
