It is remarkable how much national attention Gov. Jared Polis’s comments Friday about the COVID-19 “emergency” and mask mandates have gotten. Even though his office quickly clarified and narrowed those remarks, Polis got the precise – and purely – political benefit he wanted. For a few days, he got to play the part of the “sensible Democratic governor.”

In an interview with Colorado Public Radio, Polis almost sounded like this columnist. Declaring that “the (COVID-19) emergency is over,” the Democrat insisted that “public health doesn’t get to tell people what to wear; that’s just not their job.”

Polis made the comments after being pressed about why he insists on doing everything in his power to help address the ongoing pandemic while refusing to “make masks mandatory statewide.”

“Public health would say, always wear a mask because it always decreases flu, it always decreases anything,” Polis said. “But that’s not something that you require; you don’t tell people what to wear. You don’t tell people to wear a jacket when they go out in winter and force them to (wear it). If they get frostbite, it’s their own darn fault. If you haven’t been vaccinated, that’s your choice, I respect that. But it’s your fault when you’re in the hospital with COVID.”

It’s an interesting – if hypocritical  turn for Polis, who last year went rogue and assumed extraordinary “emergency powers” that extended into virtually all facets of life. The legislature bowed to the king, letting him take far too long to scale back his unilateral authority.

My columns have documented these usurpations for the better part of two years. Coloradans would be highly remiss to forget all of this simply because our governor is suddenly saying the right things now.

For example, Polis did something he initially said he didn’t have the power to do, instituting an illusory and disruptive moratorium on evictions, which he then let linger for far too long. He established a long-running statewide mask mandate and pushed mass school and business closures that devastated lives and livelihoods to this day.

Who could forget that time Polis made handshakes – yes, handshakes! – illegal? Or how much of the current hospital backlog is because of Polis’s government? For countless months, many of us pushed for more local control to address the virus. Polis kept balking at the idea. Now, however, he’s fully on board. Why is that?

The governor is trying to fabricate a distinction between his previous actions and his refusals now to issue statewide orders. Polis “didn’t hesitate to do” a mandate in the “emergency,” he says – but that emergency doesn’t exist anymore, he now claims.

“Those who get sick, it’s almost entirely their own darn fault,” Polis added. “Eighty-four percent of the people in our hospitals are unvaccinated, and they absolutely had every chance to get vaccinated.”

Pushback from the Left was swift after Polis’s comments were published. In short order, the governor’s office released a “clarifying” statement that backpedaled somewhat on his original, affirmative remarks. His office committed Polis’s support for local control by public-health bureaucrats, tacitly backing the numerous metro-area indoor mask mandates.

“Of course, he believes that local leaders can and should put disease reduction protocols in place based off their disease levels and community support for those policies,” the statement read.

If that’s the case, what exactly was the rationale in the first place to justify such sweeping, unilateral authority that lasted so long? What scientific data so dramatically changed that it went from emergency to non-emergency overnight? Why stop now when many Coloradans still aren’t fully vaccinated? What was the percentage increase in the last month? Two months? How does that percentage increase justify his position?

The truth is, Polis is playing politics as he runs for reelection. The political calculus is inescapable: his hope is clearly to secure victory as simply and with as much ease as possible, perhaps setting him up for grander, national ambitions in 2024.

Polis recognizes that Coloradans are largely fed up with mask mandates. We’re over the chaotic COVID governance. So, he’s made the smart political move and pawned everything off on local officials.

The governor’s attitude can be summed up like this: “Don’t look at me – I don’t think we should have mask mandates. But local authorities should get to institute them if they want. Blame them – then, vote for me!”

If Polis were serious, he would lead a full-court press with his bully pulpit to challenge local public-health bureaucrats. Instead, he affirms his support for their decisions.

Colorado’s governor is engaging in a cynical, election-year ploy. Don’t buy into it.

Jimmy Sengenberger is host of “The Jimmy Sengenberger Show” Saturdays from 6-9am on News/Talk 710 KNUS.  He also hosts “Jimmy at the Crossroads,” a webshow and podcast in partnership with The Washington Examiner.