The assignment was pretty much run of the mill.  The embryonic stem cell research issue was again heating up as Michigan Right to Life was beginning to flex its unusually powerful legislative muscles.  RTL believed the voter approved law needed some clarification. 

   So with former Sen. Joe Schwarz in town to discuss the issue, it seemed only natural to hook up with him to secure his take on the unfolding RTL vs. Stem Cell coalition He had been on the front lines of the battle pushing the new research idea.

   As is often the case at the end of the interview, some how the issue of the governor's race came up in the context of whether an independent candidate could win this thing.

   It's never happened before but Schwarz suggested that "The time was never better for an independent to run and win."  And than out of the blue he offered that he was even thinking of making the run.

   Now this was nothing new.  The moderate Republican Mr. Schwarz had been here before too many times to count, but rather than dismiss it as "Joe just being Joe', the story ran as Schwarz Eyes Independent Bid for Governor."

   After flip-flopping on what the chances were he would run…first it was 50%; then it was 75% and just last week it went back down to 50% because Schwarz had "gotten religion," Schwarz is within days of actually doing it.

   "The inclination is to go," he confided during a weekend phone chat.  He left himself an out noting that "I'm waiting on several pieces of data to come in," but he gave the clear impression he was more go than not.

     His thinking crystalized after a closed door meeting with former aides, associates and friends in a downtown Lansing office last Friday.

    Five of those folks took turns advising the would-be candidate that he would never know if he could do it, unless he took a shot at doing it.  Sure there was money to be raised and a campaign to slap together, but they told him if he said no, everyone would be left to wonder  if his frist assessment was right i.e. that the time was never better for someone without and R or a D after his name to take the chance.

    If he finally says yes this week, the question will get an answer.