Mr. and Mrs. Virg Bernero are scheduled to be the guests of Gov.
Jennifer Granholm and First Gentleman Dan Mulhern this week at the
executive "cottage" on Mackinac Island.
It's a good guess it may be the first time Virg Bernero and his
lovely spouse have been there and there are many Rick Snyder supporters
who figure, it will be the last time they will be there.
Of course the Energizer Bunny a.k.a. the Democratic nominee for
governor will have something to say about that and increasingly he is
being told how to say it.
"To continue to go after Rick in the very vitriolic way he's
doing, I don't think will play well with voters," suggests media
consultant Kelly Rossman.
Even though she backed the losing horse in the two-horse
Democratic primary for governor, Rossman of Lansing is a long time
backer and watcher of the Virg as he is affectionately known in town.
"He needs to bring it down a notch," she offers some more free
advice.
Of course this is in reference to the sometimes over-the-top
rhetoric that comes out of the mayor's mouth.
In fact there is a stark contrast between the intensity of his
campaign chatter vs the low-energy level expounded by Mr. Snyder.
And that contrast could become as issue. At least Rossman figures
it that way.
"Voters are really tired of bickering and nasty campaigns," she
asserts while stealing a line from the Snyder playbook. He says the
same thing adding that the "win-lose" nature of campaigns is bad for
politics and bad for the state.
He's onto something there as citizens are fed up with the
negativity that so often unfolds in political contests.
If those observers are correct, the question is will Mr. Bernero,
who will be on his best behavior as he measures the drapes at the
governor's summer cottage, take the advice and take it down a notch?
Betting money is, he will take it UP a notch instead.