First Look at Second Spot
July 2, 2010
Next time you bump into one of the guys running for governor, ask him about his running mate. And then duck.
Inquiring about the second spot on the ticket is like talking to somebody pitching a no-hitter. It is best left alone.
Candidates are loath to discuss the issue because it [...]

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Peas in a Primary Pod
May 21, 2010
At first blush, Andy Dillon and Rick Snyder have zilch in common.
Blush again.
They both emerged from the private business sector into politics. They are more cerebral than they are political animals, by a long shot. If given a chance, they would blow up all the TV cameras, microphones and [...]

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Budget ‘Cuts’ vs. ‘Reforms’
by John Lindstrom
Gongwer News Service
February 12, 2010
With Governor Jennifer Granholm’s release of her final proposed budget, the lyric from a ridiculously popular ’60s tune comes true: second verse, same as the first.
The legislative response, especially from Republicans, mirrors that verse as well.
Since fall, since the ill-fated agreement between Senate Majority Leader Mike [...]

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Reality State of the State
by Tim Skubick
February 12, 2010
If someone could finagle a way to collect it, we could eradicate the $1.8-billion state deficit the governor has unveiled. Just collect a dime for every time the word “change” is mentioned in the race for governor this year.
Every election features a plethora of candidates (except the [...]

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Mid-Michigan readers can hear Rick Cole every Wednesday at approximately 6:35 a.m. on Lansing radio station WILS 1320’s “am Lansing” program hosted by Walt Sorg.
Memo to Next Governor
by Richard Cole
January 16, 2010
To: Anyone Considering Running for Governor
From: Richard Cole
Subject: The Winning Strategy
Considering running for governor? You should be asking yourself if you need your [...]

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Still Addressing the Economy
by Gongwer News Service
January 01, 2010
Governor Jennifer Granholm’s final State of the State address is set for Wednesday, February 3. We can guess that much of it will deal with the state’s ongoing economic malaise, the unfortunate condition she has had to deal with during her entire tenure.
It will also mark four [...]

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Pick Your Conventional Wisdom
by Tim Skubick
December 11, 2009
Popular wisdom is often unpopular and often wrong, but what the hey. The popular wisdom is Andy Dillon can’t beat John Cherry for the Democratic nomination for governor.
Here’s why the Dillonites reject that notion: (1) Cherry has only 20-percent support in the polls, which means he doesn’t even [...]

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Virg for Governor?
by Tim Skubick
December 4, 2009
If the political press corps were given a secret vote to install the mayor of Lansing as a Democratic candidate for governor, betya the vote would be an overwhelming yes. That’s not necessarily because Virg Bernero would make the best governor, but he’d certainly be the most fun to [...]

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Cherry the Alternative
by Gongwer News Service
November 13, 2009
Right now there are at least 11 people running for, or thinking about running for, governor in 2010, and in the last two weeks the one who has done the most interesting stuff in the still-nascent race is the one who already has a governor tag to his [...]

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