Mike Johnston
46th mayor of Denver, former teacher, high school principal and Colorado state senator
Mike Johnston (46th mayor of Denver, former teacher, high school principal and Colorado state senator) has appeared as a guest on 1 episode in TMT. Topics they speak about most include Illegal immigration to the United States, Universal childcare, Crisis of boys and young men.
In their words
Positions and remarks grouped by topic, each with the exact quote and where it was said.
Illegal immigration to the United States
Johnston cites a study that most people detained by the Trump administration had no violent criminal charges.
“about 93% of the folks the Trump administration has rounded up had no violent criminal charges at all”
Pivot: Nvidia CEO's Spy Scandal, JD Vance’s 2028 Problem, and America’s Brain Drain (Nov 10, 2026) · Listen from 11:01
Johnston says that despite receiving the most migrants per capita, Denver saw the nation's largest drops in homicide and homelessness.
“we delivered the largest drop in homicide of any city in the country and the largest drop in homelessness of any city in the country at the same time”
Pivot: Nvidia CEO's Spy Scandal, JD Vance’s 2028 Problem, and America’s Brain Drain (Nov 10, 2026) · Listen from 9:55
Universal childcare
- Prediction · due Dec 2027
Johnston says Denver will design a sliding-scale universal childcare system this year and pilot it next year.
“we're going to work this year designing the system. We'll pilot it next year with the hope we can scale it in 28”
Pivot: Nvidia CEO's Spy Scandal, JD Vance’s 2028 Problem, and America’s Brain Drain (Nov 10, 2026) · Listen from 23:34
Crisis of boys and young men
Johnston rejects the idea that schools are biased against boys but agrees boys face a crisis, which he frames as a lack of connection.
“I don't know that I think that it's intentionally or de facto biased against boys. I do think there's a crisis among boys right now”
Pivot: Nvidia CEO's Spy Scandal, JD Vance’s 2028 Problem, and America’s Brain Drain (Nov 10, 2026) · Listen from 20:39
Housing affordability in the United States
Johnston proposes a federal-city housing bargain and argues it would cost less than the Iran war.
“I tend to believe if we can find the dollars to bomb homes in Iran, we ought to be able to find the dollars to build homes in Denver”
Pivot: Nvidia CEO's Spy Scandal, JD Vance’s 2028 Problem, and America’s Brain Drain (Nov 10, 2026) · Listen from 17:41
Data centers
Johnston argues data centers should lower utility bills, bring their own renewable energy and avoid water use.
“We think if a data center exists, it should make everyone's utility bills cheaper and not more expensive”
Pivot: Nvidia CEO's Spy Scandal, JD Vance’s 2028 Problem, and America’s Brain Drain (Nov 10, 2026) · Listen from 13:15
2026 United States midterm elections
Johnston argues the midterm results reflected voter anger rather than trust, which Democrats must still earn by delivering.
“I think that this election around the country and in Colorado was about a vote of anger, not yet a vote of trust”
Pivot: Nvidia CEO's Spy Scandal, JD Vance’s 2028 Problem, and America’s Brain Drain (Nov 10, 2026) · Listen from 6:48
Predictions
1 pending
- Prediction · due Dec 2027
Johnston says Denver will design a sliding-scale universal childcare system this year and pilot it next year.
“we're going to work this year designing the system. We'll pilot it next year with the hope we can scale it in 28”
Pivot: Nvidia CEO's Spy Scandal, JD Vance’s 2028 Problem, and America’s Brain Drain (Nov 10, 2026) · Listen from 23:34 · Universal childcare
Appearances
Nvidia CEO's Spy Scandal, JD Vance’s 2028 Problem, and America’s Brain DrainPivot · Nov 10, 2026 · 1 h 16 min
Live in Denver, Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway interview Mayor Mike Johnston, then discuss Jensen Huang's spy scandal, Starlink in Ukraine, scientific brain drain, Todd Blanche and JD Vance's 2028 prospects.
Often appears with
- Kara Swisher · 1 shared episode
- Scott Galloway · 1 shared episode