No surprise: jobs are the No. 1 priority this political season.

• Author: Cote, Mike
• Position: GOVERNMENT

On the eve of Colorado's legislative session in January, George Clooney got a couple of free plugs for his latest movie from both sides of the political aisle. If there's one thing Republicans and Democrats can agree upon it's the pain that comes from losing your job.

In "Up in the Air," Clooney plays a jet-bound envoy companies deploy to handle the uncomfortable task of laying off their workers. It's hardly the feel-good movie of the year, but the story rings true in 2010.

While Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper stood outside the steps of the Capitol to announce he was running for governor on the Democratic ticket, he alluded to the movie, recalling his days as an-out-work geologist.

"In the 1980s, when the oil industry went bust, we all had to adapt. And I became a businessman," Hickenlooper said. "I remember the day I got laid off. They had that guy like that movie that's out now; he came in and told each of us, one after another, that we were out of work."

(Former Colorado congressman Rep. Scott Mclnnis and Evergreen businessman Dan Maes are vying for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.)

Earlier in the day, Republican Caucus Chair Rep. Amy Stephens referenced "Up in the Air" while...