Hello Jim,

I wouldn't write off Jennifer Granholm just yet. Broder's column points out that Granholm remains in the lead at 50/47. While statistically insignificant, DeVos spent $13 million on ads and it hasn't made much of an impact.

Broder also points out that Granholm is just beginning to fight, not only with ads but with action as well. Last week she announced plans to bring 2500 jobs to the state.

Once Michiganders begin to understand who the real Dick DeVos is, Granholm will cross the finish line with style and grace come November.

Piper

I think DeVos has peaked, actually. It's not $3 million he's spent on ads. It's now around $16 million.

And, quite honestly, theyv are getting increasingly dishonest. He's now running attack ads on Granholm for the first time.

The fact that she is still barely in the lead after he spent that much on ads -- while she practically spent NOTHING on paid media, has to be scary for the Devos campaign.

Wait until DeVos is the subject of withering attack ads. And, beleive me, there is plenty of material to attack him on.

LOL-LMAO-ROFLMAO @ Piper

Dream on Piper. Grandholm is toast.

I live in Michigan. I work in the social services field. Over 90% of the people I deal with daily are "democrats". They are hard-core socialists and not one of them supports Grandholm. The only people I know who actually do support her are sue-ers (trail lawyers) and college professors.

I did see my first Grandholm commercial on TV, the other day, which was also a LOL experience: After 3 1/2 years as Governor, Grandholm actually ran an add touting her record as attorney general (the office she held before she was elected Goveror). Her record as Governor is so dismal she's decided to try to igore it.

You nailed it Jim, "cold, stale, burnt toast"

P. Bunyan,

Well, maybe the hard-core socialists you deal with don't yet realize what life would be like with DeVos at the helm. Do they support George Bush? Bush/Cheney = DeVos.

I am still waiting for DeVos to let us know how his leadership would make a difference for Michigan's ecomony. Repealing the single business tax without a way to make up the revenue? That demonstrates a lack of forward thinking.

"forward thinking"

That's the sort of phrase that you usually hear from communists when their policies have failed miserably and right before they rev up the mass murdering.

Actually, if you get rid of the tax, you'll increase the odds that businesses won't leave the state, that new businesses will be started in the state, and that out of state businesses will begin operations in the state. And that would raise revenues by providing jobs to the unemployed -- who'll start paying more in income taxes and stop collecting state benefits. It'll also increase wages for the currently employed as their job opportunities increase. The new business will also increase property tax revenue through their employees and through their own need for properties to conduct business from.

"Repealing the single business tax without a way to make up the revenue? "

Um, not forward "forward thinking" to a socialist, but it is forward thinking to anyone who thinks.

Repealing the tax means more business moving into or starting up in Michigan. More businesses means more products, services, and JOBS. More products, services and JOBS means more tax revenue. It's not that complicated.

"Do they support George Bush?"

Duh, I said they were hard core socialists. Of course they all hate Bush and Cheney. Of couse they all voted for Comrade Kerry in '04. Still none of them are planning on voting for Comrade Grandholm. I guess it's easier to be a socialist when you don't see the effects first hand on a daily basis.

"And, beleive me, there is plenty of material to attack him on."

Pointing out that DeVos not a communist will play well in Wayne County, but that won't be enough to save Comrade Grandholm.

Thanks for all the comments. It's helpful to get the input from people who actually LIVE there.

Granholm's big problem is the Michigan economy. As noted, it's the only state to lose jobs over the period of her tenure except the two devastated by Katrina.

Government can't really do much for the economy, except to maintain the infrastructure. They can keep a positive business climate - which is most easily done by NOT trying to "help" too much and mainly staying the heck out of the way. Whatever Granholm's been doing isn't working, clearly.

I'm sure she'll be hitting DeVos hard before it's over, but unless she can paint him with horns and a tail, it will be hard to sell the idea that her failed administration deserves another term.

It is always helpful to hear from people who live there on the ground to get a feel for what is going on. Here in Hawai`i we've been hearing a deluge of commercials done by Jeff Daniels and live reads by Charles Osgood about what a great place Michigan is to do business. Can any of our contributors from Michigan tell us whether these are also airing there? And if so, who is paying for them? I don't want to jump to any conclusions, since I don't live in Michigan, and it would be helpful to gain a better understanding of that campaign, in order to analyze it in its proper context.

Ken

"If you want to kill something . TAX IT".
The busineses in this state are DOA. You can't make it here with this tax structure and everybody knows it. Cost of living is high. Taxes are high. Municiple workers are way over paid. Roads are in worse shape now than 4 years ago. The large cities in the state are rittled withold condemned buildings. Hell she let 30% of our trees die.Granholm has done NOTHING. She Must Go!

Ken,

Yes, the Jeff Daniels ads are running here in state. They're kinda funny to me though, given the extremely poor business climate in the state. The next time one runs, I'll listen more carefully to see who sponsored them. I don't recall any ads run by Osgood, but mabye they are running in diffent markets or on stations with different formats.

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The "conditions on the ground" here in Michigan are strange to say the least-- at least in my neck of the wooods. Never before, in my 16 years in the social services field, have I ever seen so much opposition to the socialist (democrat) candidate. And it's not just them, either. Many many people I know who you would think would be safe socialist votes are very vocal in their opposition to Comrade Grandholm.

I feel very comfortable that DeVos will be the victor in November.

I'm not a big DeVos fan, mind you, but he is clearly the best choice of our available options.

P. Bunyan,

Thanks for that information regarding those Michigan ads. The ones with Charles Osgood are aired during his Osgood File feature that CBS radio affiliates carry. I was interested in where those ads were running and who was paying for them, because the message is one that should help Granholm if people there believe them. And depending on who pays for them, they could conceivably qualify as taxpayer funded Granholm ads. A clever ploy if true, considering that the story line has been that DeVos is spending all the advertising money, while Granholm has spent nothing.

Ken

"they could conceivably qualify as taxpayer funded Granholm ads"

That's a bit of a stretch there. Well no it's actually quite a stretch. Are you a democrat?

Yes it's true that if the ads are successful, they would help the ecomony which would in turn help the governor, but by that standard, any advertizing any governer ever did to improve the economy would be a campain ad. Hell that's what we want them to do and I not going to condenm them for trying to do something good, even if the side effect is that is helps the image of governor.

And no amount of advertizing is going to change the simple fact that she is a socialist so all her policies are doomed to be either (1) total failures or (2) slight successes with unintended negative consequences far outweigh anything postive. That's is all you ever get from a democrat.