A nationwide ground stop left senior Democrats stranded in Denver on Friday, with party figures forced to rely on group chats, rumours and improvised travel plans as they waited for news about their flights.
The disruption came as thousands of Democrats gathered in the Colorado city for a conference intended to discuss the party’s future and celebrate its midterm victories. Among those unable to leave were several prominent governors, senators and their staff.
Former transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg watched a televised news conference by his successor, Secretary Sean Duffy, from a hotel bar. He told a reporter: “You can just write down the comic book asterisk swearing characters. I have questions.”
Nearby, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin checked their phones while waiting for updates on their flights. Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock searched Senate group chats for information from secure channels and Virginia Senator Mark Warner.
The bar became an impromptu operations centre for politicians and aides who complained that they had received little information from the federal government. One New England-based operative hired a rental car and planned to drive to Boston, while others investigated a journey by Amtrak that would take more than 40 hours.
Aides to a prominent Democratic governor who had travelled to Denver by private jet were asked by others whether they might be able to secure a place on the return flight.
Staff working for Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who was not in Denver, took over a long table in the bar. His chief of staff, Anne Caprara, worked on two phones while dealing with rumours, emergencies in Illinois and calls from the governor, who she said was furious about the lack of information from the Trump administration.
Caprara compared the gathering to the Mos Eisley Cantina from Star Wars, calling it “Denver’s hottest bar” and describing the scene as involving “ ‘Veep’ characters and a ‘Terminator 2’ vibe.”
