Staff Reports
Joe Biden’s shaky hold on Michigan is crumbling faster than a cookie in a toddler’s fist. Political strategists across the board know that if Biden loses Michigan in November, it’s game over for the Democrats, and Biden may be heading to a comfy retirement home. After a disastrous debate performance last Thursday night, the Democratic Party went into a meltdown that still hasn’t settled. The buzz about replacing Biden on the ticket is spreading like wildfire, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer finds herself at the center of this political storm. She’s reportedly working overtime to patch up Biden’s blunders while giving his campaign a reality check on his standing in her state.
The rumor mill has it that Gov. Whitmer is not amused by others seeing her as a better option for the Democratic ticket. She supposedly rang Biden’s campaign chair, Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, to tell her that, post-debate, Michigan is slipping out of Biden’s reach. Sure, Whitmer’s got her eyes on a future presidential run, but being seen as undermining the sitting president could backfire. It’s called political calculus, folks, and Whitmer’s trying to navigate it without burning bridges—or the whole party.
Michigan Gov. Whitmer reportedly told Biden camp her state is no longer winnable. pic.twitter.com/E4tgEk7ggP
— Eddie Scarry (@eScarry) July 1, 2024
When Whitmer dialed up O’Malley Dillon, she made it clear she loathed the idea of her name being tossed around as Biden’s replacement. Their conversation might have been polite, but when you’re discussing political disaster cleanup, it’s about as comfortable as a porcupine pillow. Despite her disavowal of the “Draft Gretch” frenzy, Whitmer expressed her readiness to aid the president. Still, she didn’t hold back on how much more uphill the battle in Michigan would be from now on.
Word of Whitmer’s call didn’t just magically appear; it was likely leaked by someone eyeing the 2028 Democratic nomination. This insider claimed Whitmer sent an SOS to O’Malley Dillon, warning that Michigan was slipping fast after Biden’s debate debacle. It’s a real-life soap opera: palace intrigue, backstabbing, and drama worthy of a primetime TV show.
Before the debate debacle, Biden was already trailing Trump in Michigan by four to five points. Independent voters, the ones who can tip the scales, were not exactly on Team Biden, especially as his campaign focused on appeasing fringe groups rather than addressing broader voter concerns. After the debate, the Biden team’s desperate damage control ranged from blaming Biden’s stutter to insisting he had a cold. They were peddling explanations that did nothing but highlight the elephant in the room—Biden’s glaring cognitive decline. Viewers weren’t fooled; they saw what the problem was, clear as day.
If Michigan goes red on election night, it’s a wrap for Biden. Whitmer’s alleged warning call should alarm Democrats like a five-alarm fire. The writing’s on the wall, and once Michigan’s off the table, it’s only a matter of time before the dominoes start to fall.
