One week before the official Labor Day launch, both candidates for
governor got off to an early start at their respective party
conventions.
But nothing is ever easy.
The Tea Party crowd shook things with a head-fake toward blocking
Snyder's running mate from becoming his running mate.
"This is our decision," bemoaned a T.P. loyalist as she felt a
little bit like the Brian Calley nomination was being jammed down her
throat by the Rick Snyder crowd.
Gulp.
During a mini revolt on the GOP convention floor, the tea pots
over boiled demanding a roll call vote to install one of their own as
the L.G.
But the showdown was averted when that candidate withdrew and got
pats on the head from the "GOP establishment" and boos from the other
T.P.-ers for caving in.
To his credit, Sndyer did not sign off when that same
"establishment" came to him the night before to kill the debate before
it began. He said he favored the "dialogue which is part of the
democracy."
Meanwhile in Detroit where the D's were piecing together their
ticket of Virg Bernero and Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence, there was
some muted grumbling in a small segment of the labor movement, composed
of mostly African-American union guys who felt the Lawrence pick was
"not good enough."
It's not the kind of send-off the Bernero ticket needs as he
begins a steep climb to chip away at Snyder's 22-point lead.
If this was a contest over one-liners however, it would be Bernero
mopping up the floor with the nerd.
"Michigan does not need a CEO, a chief executive outsourcer," he
blurted out to a round of laughter and applause and then winked with a
smile of his own.
The CEO line is apparently here to stay as Bernero staffers showed
up with T-shirts with the same slogan.
Informed of the new one liner, true to form, Snyder just laughed
as he once more refused to take the bait.
Onto November.