Gov. John Hickenlooper said Wednesday that he was encouraged by what he heard President Donald Trump say in his speech to a joint session of Congress the night before.

“This was a very different tone than the Donald Trump we saw on the campaign trail,” Hickenlooper told The Colorado Statesman in a statement. “It was encouraging and important to hear an opening focused on unity.”

In his first televised speech from the U.S. Capitol, Trump unfurled an ambitious agenda, declaring, “”The time for small thinking is over.”

“I’m glad job creation was a theme of the night, but we did not hear a specific jobs plan. It also was great to hear the promise of tax relief for the middle class,” said Hickenlooper.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Colorado Democratic told the hosts of MSNBC’s Morning Joe talk show that he hoped Trump would focus on job-creation and lay out some specific proposals in the speech. Hickenlooper pointed out that the topic is a top priority among the nation’s governors, who convened in Washington at a meeting of the National Governors Association over the weekend.

“I was also very encouraged that infrastructure support was another highlight,” Hickenlooper said. “This is a key issue for Colorado. We need an infrastructure that is efficient, effective and accountable to the people who pay for it.”

Trump proposed directing $1 trillion – a combination of public and private spending – toward improving the nation’s crumbling infrastructure, promising the endeavor would lead to the creation of millions of jobs.

Reiterating proposals made on the campaign trail, Trump also called on Congress to overhaul the nation’s health care and health insurance systems and crack down on illegal immigration into the country. “We will soon begin the construction of a great, great wall along our southern border,” he said, prompting a standing ovation from the Republicans in the chamber.

“Still,” Hickenlooper added, “I would have loved to hear more detail, but I recognize that’s not typically what we get from these types of speeches.”

Hickenlooper, who is term-limited next year, has been insisting in numerous articles and media appearances over the past week that he isn’t considering a run for president in 2020.

– ernest@coloradostatesman.com