George Weeks: Granholm has new gig

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George Weeks

February 5, 2012

By George Weeks, Syndicated columnist ---- The Record Eagle Sun Feb 05, 2012, 07:14 AM EST

Over the last half-century, most Michigan governors upon leaving office have gone into or sought another form of public service. The last one, Democrat Jeniffer Granholm (2003-2010), is blazing into the public light with a sprightly talk-show gig on California-based national cable TV.

Democrat G. Mennen "Soapy" Williams (1949-60), after flirting with running for president, was appointed by President John F. Kennedy as assistant secretary of state for African affairs; made an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate; was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson as ambassador to the Philippines; and was elected to the Michigan Supreme Court, where he became chief justice.

Democrat John B. Swainson (1961-62) subsequently was elected to the Michigan Supreme Court Supreme Court (and later resigned because of a perjury conviction).

Republican Gov. George Romney (1963-69), father of current contender Mitt Romney, unsuccessfully sought his party's 1968 presidential nomination and later became President Richard Nixon's secretary of housing and urban development.

Republican Gov. William G. Milliken (1969-82) after leaving office became founding chairman of the Center for the Great Lakes and served on a variety of corporate and public service boards.

Democratic Gov. James J. Blanchard (1983-90) subsequently was appointed by President Bill Clinton as ambassador to Canada.

Republican Gov. John Engler (1991-2002) subsequently became president of the National Association of Manufacturers and, in 2010, president of the Business Roundtable.

Enter Granholm. After co-authoring a book with husband Dan Mulhern (they both teach at the University of California-Berkley) and serving as a panelist on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday TV show, she had a successful launch last week of "The War Room With Jennifer Granholm" at 9 p.m. weeknights on Current TV, originating from San Francisco near the university.

The network, currently relatively obscure, was co-founded by former Vice President Al Gore. Lo and behold, prominent on a wall behind Granholm in her first week of well-produced shows that I saw, among political posters was one touting the Clinton/Gore ticket.

Among things I like about her show is the emphasis she puts on "The Big Money of Politics" and on the "State of the States"-- what's going on in the laboratories of democracy. One of her first guests was Gov. Jerry Brown, of California, where things aren't working all that well these days.

On Friday, she had a good interview with United Auto Workers President Bob King, who acknowledged that labor and management have "let it slip" in what is right for the U.S. economy.

In a big splash in the Jan 29 Detroit Free Press about her show, Granholm said: "I think anybody who cares about the issues would be interested in watching because we're going to present things in a different way, a thoughtful way. I love the policy side of things. I really want to focus on things that work."

"Thoughtful" doesn't always sell on TV. Unfortunately, "things that work" don't sell as well as things than outrage.

But Paul W. Smith, of Detroit's WJR-AM radio, said it well of the Granholm show: "People can argue all they want about whether or not she was a success or a failure as governor. But I think people would agree that she's very talented at connecting to people through the screen and camera — she gives great speech. She should do very well on this side of things, show business."

Campaign coffers

Nine Republicans are vying for the nomination to challenge Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow's bid for a third term. Only two have enough cash on hand to be competitive.

According to filings with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, of Holland, raised $2,001,832 last year and had $1,524,458 in the bank to start this year. Clark Durant, a Detroit charter school leader and former president of the State Board of Education, raised $1,376, 744 and had $1,183,885 cash on hand.

The next best fundraiser was Gary Glenn of Midland, leader of the Focus on the Family group, who raised $24,057 and began the election year with $10,000.

Stabenow, who spent $12,361,789 winning her second term in 2006, raised $3,863,107 last year and began this year with $4,976,804 in her campaign account. Both national parties will be pouring more money into the race.

In the battle for control of Congress, there also will be national attention on, and party funding in, one of northern Michigan's three congressional districts. Freshman 1st District Rep. Dan Benishek, R-Crystal Falls, raised $599,386 and began this year with $277,056. Former state Rep. Gary McDowell of Rudyard, who lost to Benishek in 2010, raised $347,112 and began 2012 with $303,078.

Commenting on comparison of cash in the bank, McDowell campaign manager Zach Knowling noted: "It is very rare for a challenger to be ahead of an incumbent — especially by this much." Another Democratic contender, chairman Derek Bailey of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, who joined the race in the fall, raised $92,916 and had $137,497 cash on hand. Businessman Bob Carr of Traverse City and Mackinac Island announced he is seeking the Democratic nomination but did not file with the FEC.

Nor did any Democrats file FEC reports as challengers of 2nd District freshman Rep. Bill Huizenga of Zeeland, who starts the year with $266,981, and 11-term 4th District Rep. Dave Camp, of Midland, whose whopping campaign kitty is about $3 million.

Huizenga and Camp need not worry about re-election.