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In and outs of the political campaigns, focusing on Michigan and Lansing, Tim Skubick will report regularly throughout the primary and then general election campaigns.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Do As I Say, Not As I Did


   Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero tapped into his angry DNA the other day
 and chided the governor for saying complimentary things about Toyota which Mr. Bernero thought were misplaced comments.
   He was trying to make some political hay and enhance his populous image by whacking the Japanese car maker for having a faulty accelerator.  Hey the Japanese did not come to the defense of GM and Chrysler when they were on the ropes,  so what's a little pilling on, the mayor was probably thinking.
   It didn't take long for the governor to get wind of all this and it took even less time for the media to ask about Mr. Bernero's dig.
    Without mentioning his name and without raising her voice, she began:  "I really resist, and I hope people would be angry (are you listening Mr. Bernero?) about anybody who suggests that the Japanese, that we have recruited to Michigan and who employee our people, should somehow feel not welcomed.'
    She noted that Toyota, while not making cars here, does have a state of the art research brain trust in Ann Arbor.  "We have jobs here," the governor went on while at the same time suggesting that the company must do "everything possible to fix the problem." 
    Yet she made no bones about it; she didn't want anyone, including a guy running from her party for governor, to send the message that the "welcome mat" is not out. 
    She never said it, but you just knew she felt the mayor had done a disservice to the state.
    Ironically however, when the governor was running for reelection last time, one of her top job creation guys warned her about beating up on the Chinese.  He warned the assault could cost Michigan jobs.  
    Recall the Granholm campaign accused GOP opponent Dick DeVos of shipping Michigan jobs to China.  The governor did not halt the on slough because it was winning her votes.
    Now she accuses Bernero of trying the same stunt for the same reason.
    Inconsistent at best?
    Or hypocritical at worse?

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

The difference is that DeVos was shipping jobs to China, Toyota is bringing jobs to Michigan.

February 26, 2010 at 7:10 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

She never knows what she's saying. She should have taken a course on how to be governor.

March 1, 2010 at 5:59 AM 

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