Until today, the Democratic candidates for governor of Michigan were
former governor Jim Blanchard, attorney general Jennifer Granholm,
congressman David Bonior, and state senator Alma Wheeler Smith. 

It was announced today that Alma Wheeler Smith is dropping out of the race
for governor.  She is endorsing David Bonior.  If Bonior wins the August
primary, she will be his choice to be nominated for lieutenant governor. 

Today (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday), David and Alma will be touring
the state making this announcement in various places.  The tour will wind
up at Arbor Breweing Co. on Washington Street (just east of Main Street)
in downtown Ann Arbor on 10pm Thursday evening.  You're invited!  Come
meet the two candidates and hear them speak. 

57 responses total.

Here's the official announcement -- pardon the length:


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2002 09:39:20 -0500
From: D. Bonior <bonior@mindspring.com>
To: bonior@mindspring.com
Subject: Bonior-Smith: Democrats for Real Change

BONIOR, SMITH ANNOUNCE "NEW PARTNERSHIP TO CHANGE MICHIGAN."
Smith will be Lieutenant Governor; two leaders will fight to give working
families a voice

Congressman David Bonior and State Senator Alma Wheeler Smith will announced
today they have teamed up to form a new partnership to change Michigan.

With Bonior as Michigan's next Governor and Smith as Lieutenant Governor,
Michigan's working families will finally get a voice.

"Alma and I will fight for real change in Michigan, not the status quo,"
Bonior said. "Our team will fight for the good-paying jobs of the future,
safe, disciplined schools, health care for all Michigan residents, and
keeping out-of-state and Canadian garbage out of our landfills. Alma is
thebest person for the job. We share the same values and ideas."

Smith called the announcement,  "a historic partnership of two Democrats for
real change. . .David Bonior and I have the commitment, the values and the
passion to change this state. The Bonior-Smith Administration will fight
hard to make sure Michigan's working families are first, not last. We will
bring people together, and re-focus the campaign on the issues that are
important to Michigan voters."

The Bonior-Smith team will make job creation, education, health care,
environmental protection, and neighborhood empowerment the pillars of
theiradministration.

"For decades, Alma has been a champion for working families, our schools and
environment," Bonior said. "She has fought to make sure that the color of a
person's skin, the depth of their wallet or the place they live should not
determine access to a solid education, affordable quality health care, a
clean environment, or equal justice under the law."

TOP TEN REASONS ALMA WILL MAKE A GREAT LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
1.      Alma is qualified to be Governor.
2.      Alma has a vast knowledge of our state budget and state government.
3.      Alma is an experienced leader for Michigan as the Vice-Chair of
Appropriations in the State Senate.
4.      Alma is a Democrat committed to the same core values as David Bonior.
5.      Alma is committed to changing the way things are done in Lansing.
6.      Alma is a leader on education as a former school board member and she
votes in local school elections.
7.      Alma has expertise and a solid record on issues important to working
families, as well as health care and environmental protection.
8.      Alma is respected by state and local officials.
9.      Alma is respected by the press for her knowledge of the issues, her
public appearances in debates and in other forums.
10.     Alma is a fighter and won't compromise her beliefs for what's
politically expedient.

ANNOUNCEMENT SCHEDULE
Come out and join Alma and David as they make their partnership public!
Call 586-468-5512 for more info!

Wednesday, April 3, 2002

10:00 AM Press Conference at Danny and Irene Huddleston's home,
        1477 16th Street, near Bagley, Detroit.
        Rain Location: Bagley Housing Association, 2715 Bagley, Detroit.

1:30 PM Press Conference, on the east front steps, State Capitol
        facing Michigan Avenue, Lansing.
        Rain Location: Press Room 402-403, Capitol.

3:30 PM Press Conference at Tony Kilgore's home,
        4109 North Street, across street from the Garden of Eden, Flint.

5:30 PM Reception at SEIU Local 466 M,
        1420 S. Michigan Avenue, Saginaw.

Thursday, April 4, 2002

10:00 AM        Press Conference at Fish Ladder Park,
        Front and 4th Streets, downtown, Grand Rapids.
        Rain Location: Gazebo at 6th Street Park, Monroe and 6th, Grand Rapids.

1:00 PM         Press Conference, Brotherhood Church of God in Christ,
        516 Emery Avenue, at Monroe Street, Benton Harbor.

3:30 PM Press Conference the Edison Environmental Science
        Academy, 924 Russell Street, Kalamazoo.
        Rain Location: Room inside school.

6:30 PM Alma speaks at the Gubernatorial Health Forum at the U of M Michigan
League, Ann Arbor. Sponsored by the University of Michigan, UM Student
Association for Health
Policy and others.

7:00 PM Davidspeaks at Town Hall Meeting, Battle Creek Inn, Heritage 2
Room,5050 Beckley Road, Battle Creek.

10:00 PM         Wrap up celebration, at the Arbor Brewing Company,
        116 E. Washington, Ann Arbor.
        Alma has invited all of David's supporters to celebrate the
                formation of
the new team.  All are welcome!


For more information make sure to visit
http://www.davidboniorforgovernor.com
paidforbydavidboniorforgovernor230northave#9mountclemensmi48043

almost as great as Dukakis and whatshername.

Someone PLEASE get from Bonior a straight answer about how his views (as 
indicated by his past voting record) on abortion rights will be affected 
by the addition of Smith to his ticket!!

(I may not be able to make it there myself...)

The last Free Press poll I saw had Bonior running a weak third behind
Granholm and Blanchard, at around 12%.   It sounds like Bonior's pollsters
looked at the numbers and realized that Granholm, being the state's
highest ranking female elected official, is probably polling well on the
strength of the female vote.  So it could be seen as a purely political
move, getting Alma Smith to drop out by agreeing to back her for lt.
governor and run with him.

But it could backfire.  Female voters could resent Bonior if they think
he's pandering to them by offering the prospect of a female Lt. Governor.  
And others could openly wonder whether Bonior REALLY thinks Smith is the
best choice to be Lt. Governor, or whether he simply thinks, "well she's
as qualified as half a dozen other people but I'll back her because my
numbers are weak and we should do this deal"

I guess Im just thinking that maybe it would have looked better had Smith
simply just dropped out and then a few weeks later endorsed Bonior, and
then later if he wants to endorse her for Lt. Governor, do so.  As it is,
it sounds like backroom politics.  Would Smith have dropped out when she
did if Bonior hadnt dangled the possibility of the lt. governorship in
front of her>?

It's Alma WHEELER Smith.  That name makes her a double winner: her parents
were very well known African-American activists.  

I'll be voting for Granholm, unless someone can give me a reason not to.

Here's your reason:  Michigan Public Act 33 of 1999.  She thought that this
legislation would be both constitutional and effective.

Richard, your speculation is more reflective of your own idiosyncracies than of
reality.  Thought you might want to know.

My understanding, based on some inside knowledge, is that Alma initiated
this.  Even months ago, she openly admitted that she preferred Bonior over
her other opponents for Governor.

I'll probably support Granholm as well. She does good things.

I to am unsure of Bonior because of the choice issue.

I'm supporting Granholm.  She's worked hard to make the laws in Michinan
work for the less powerful.  Bonior's abortion stance (against) puts him
way down on my list.  

Wally-  You should've stuck  with #4.  It made more sense.

Larry, are you endorsing the Bonior/Wheeler ticket?

Re 14.  Yes.  I have been supporting Bonior all along.

Bonior is not a right-to-lifer.  He is right in the middle, where most
people are.  His voting record is rated in the 40% to 50% range by both
sides, which means litmus-testers on both sides see him as the enemy.  For
example, he is on the list of Catholic politicians (along with folks like
Mario Cuomo and Ted Kennedy) which Right-To-Life which should be
excommunicated from the Church for supporting abortion. 

Back in the 1980s, it was absolutely critical that the Governor be
pro-choice, because the governor's veto (Milliken's and then Blanchard's) 
was all that stopped the legislature from banning Medicaid funding for
abortions for poor women.  That issue went to the voters in 1988, who
unfortunately decided by a narrow margin to ban the funding of abortions
forever.  Since that time, it has hardly mattered what the Governor thinks.

The other problem I have with Bonior is on trade policy.  But that is not a
state issue.

On every other issue, Bonior is enormously superior to Granholm.  Civil
liberties.  The environment.  Small-d democracy.  Labor issues.  And on and
on.

There is another reason I like Bonior more than Granholm or Blanchard,
beyond any specific issue.

Granholm and Blanchard are get-along-go-along types.  They have both done
plenty of good things, sure, and I'm sure they'd accomplish some more if
elected governor.  But as politicians, they lack something.  They are all
too eager to be liked by the pollsters and the powers that be.  They are
always ready to make the easy but underhanded compromise, at telling people
exactly what they want to hear.  They are skilled at executing the quick
changes in position demanded by one interest group or another, while
pretending that nothing has changed, why, that was the way they felt all
along.

Bonior is as skilled and as nimble a politician as anyone, but he has
maintained his independence and principles in a way the other two have not.
And that is more important than any particular issue.

The abortion issue is an example of that.  "I am what I am," he told me,
when I quizzed him about this.  Granholm wasn't pro-choice either -- her own
supporters are still uneasy about this.  But she wanted the backing of
Emily's List, and so she signed the pledge.

More about this later.

klg and other, what I said in #5 is perfectly plausible, Bonior IS running
low in the polls and if you were running his campaign, you'd probably have
encouraged him to make such a deal.  And Other, Im willing to bet Ive
worked in more campaigns than you (used to be a vocation of mine), and such
things do go on.  Like in '80 when Reagan's political handlers wanted Ford
to be vp and tried to work a deal to get him on the ticket.   You have to
make deals sometimes to survive politically.  Ask this, if Bonior was
running first in the polls instead of a distant third, would he have
accepted Alma Smith's endorsement?  of course. But would he have agreed
to make her his choice for lt. governor at this early stage?  Maybe.
Maybe not.  Thats all I was saying.

And by the way, I think Bonior is an outstanding candidate.  I would have
preferred him to be Gore's runningmate for vp in the last election
actually instead of Leiberman and said so then.

I stand by my comment.

Ally McBeal for Governor.  Why settle for Bonior when you can have 
Boniest.

Re #19:  Leroy Lockhorn to Loretta, over dinner:

        "This must be the Callista Flockhart of full-bodied wines."

  
 Bonior is as skilled and as nimble a politician as anyone, but he has
 maintained his independence and principles in a way the other two have not.
 And that is more important than any particular issue.
  
polygon, how about a rational defense here. you are referencing,
without SAYING  granholm. michingan, nor i, do not want some
'skilled an nimble politidian'  - too damn many of those.
  
to what faction(s) has granholm 'sold out'?
  
if there EVER were a non-conservative running that i couold not
bury under state-control-only goals it *might* be granholm.
  
your offense to her, sir?

Wally, I don't think anything you've said has been "perfectly plausible."

Re 21.  I gave an example above.  The other important criticisms of
Granholm are her repeated cave-ins to the Internet censorship lobby, and
her closeness to Ed McNamara.

I don't want to state this too strongly because I'm not looking to
damn her.  I'm just trying to explain why I prefer Bonior.

This is shaping up to be another fantastic democratic primary race... for the
Republicans.  It appears that dems are already fracturing over whom to
nominate.  Don't the dems have NIGHTMARES about their butchered attempts on
Republicans in the past?  Astonishingly, what looks to me to be the best set
of candidates the Dems have provided for a major Michigan political position
in years could be swamped again if people aren't careful.

Larry, you say that Bonior is vastly superior to Granholm in most aspects,
but that is entirely from your perspective.  Obviously, he suits your
preferences better than Granholm does, but that doesn't hold true for
everybody on this board, even those who will vote straight dem in the
election.  Perhaps it would help to details the differences?  The only firm
information I've gotten from this thread has of course been the least relevant
and most ridiculous: the abortion stance, which will not have any bearing at
all on the person's performance in office.  The other issues may actually wind
up being relevant on the job, so why don't people talk about them?

Larry didn't say Bonior is "vastly superior".  He prefers him, but is 
quite clearly saying that their differences aren't so huge.  If 
Granholm gets nominated, Larry will be campaigning for her.  He's 
trying to avoid exactly the kind of divisiveness that has lost the 
Democrats the governorship many times.  During the primary season, 
Democrats are supposed to campaign each against each other.  But they 
are also supposed to all end up supporting one candidate come election 
day.  Larry did point out some of the specific things about Granholm 
that he was less than thrilled with, including weakness on internet 
free speech issues.

Re 24.  There is nothing wrong with having a vigorous primary campaign.
So far, this one has been quite civil, and I do *not* see polarization
or enmity developing among the camps.

The Democratic Party is more varied and less disciplined than the Republican
Party -- that's why Democrats have more primaries.

the thing is, Granholm appeals to both republicans and independents as well
as to democrats.  None of the others do.

Re #24: You can't vote 'straight' anything, this election.  Well, I 
guess you can, but you have to do it manually.  There are no straight-
ticket votes.

Re 27.  If Bonior didn't appeal to independents and Republicans, how
has he managed to win again and again and again in a 54% Republican
district, over furious and very well funded opposition?

Of the five people running for governor -- Jim Blanchard (D), David Bonior
(D), Jennifer Granholm (D), John Schwarz (R), Dick Posthumus (R) -- it is
the likely Republican nominee, Posthumus, who is conspicuously lacking in
crossover appeal.

If the Republicans wanted to win, they'd nominate Schwarz, a moderate who
is liked and respected across the board.  But the powers-that-be want to
punish him for the heresy of supporting McCain.  That's why Schwarz is
being frozen out of money sources, party events, etc.

I thought the Secretary of State was going to go for the Republican
nomination.  I'm glad to hear they're nominating Posthumus like good little
fanatics, because it means they've got a good chance of losing the
Governorship.

Re 30.  No, no, they got her out of the race by promising a congressional
seat.

Republicans I know are all very glum about Posthumus's chances in the
general election.

This response has been erased.

No surprise there, Larry (at least they're realistic), but then if they have
that sort of perspective, why are they giving him all the money? :)  

Re #32:  Dick Posthumus.  No, really.  

Re #33:  Engler owes him, is what I've heard.  Larry will probably know more.

This response has been erased.

Another amazing example of party politics gone wrong, except this time the
reps will pay for it.  I'll probably vote dem just to get a different party
in the governor's seat, and it really helps that the candidate pool is much
stronger than it has been the past couple of elections.  

Plus, Posthumus is farther to the right than Engler.  As in religious right.

Re 33.  The Republicans who talk to me are not running the party. :-)

I'd feel a lot better about having a Democrat in the governor's
mansion if the candidate wasn't a bought-and-paid-for lackey of
the labor unions.  The union's picks are about as lively and
colorful as Dick Posthumus (who's he again?) and have nearly as
much independence from the left's agenda as Posthumus has from
the right's.  'Sides, the candidates who pass the union bosses'
litmus tests have barely a chance in the general election; they
have trouble beating Geoffrey Feiger in the primary!

If the Republicans don't like Posthumus' chances in the general
election, they can always ditch him in the primary.  To do
anything else reveals a party death-wish, but I expect that the
likes of Dick DeVos (sp?) would rather have a loss if they don't
get a candidate who meets *their* litmus test.

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