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November 5, 2008

Speculation swirls around Granholm

Governor may have spot in new administration

LANSING (AP) -- Gov. Jennifer Granholm can't run for president, but she could still end up in Washington next year.

President-elect Barack Obama tapped the Democratic governor several times during his campaign to talk about the need to create new alternative energy jobs as traditional manufacturing jobs disappear.

Granholm has made attracting wind turbine manufacturers and alternative energy suppliers a key part of her administration's economic development strategy. Now, some are speculating that could mean Obama might be interested in asking ask her to lead the federal Department of Energy.

The Canadian-born governor says she's ready to work with Obama as governor until her term expires in 2010, but hasn't ruled out leaving for Washington. She's also been mentioned as a possible U.S. Supreme Court justice if an opening arose.

If she became energy secretary, Granholm would follow in the footsteps of former U.S. Sen. Spencer Abraham, a Michigan Republican named to the energy secretary's post by President George W. Bush after Abraham lost his 2000 re-election bid.

Bill Rustem of Public Sector Consultants, a Lansing-based nonpartisan think tank, said Granholm may be tempted to grab Washington job rather than watch one domestic automaker and possibly more fight to stay alive in the current national fiscal crisis.

Since winning the governorship in 2002, Granholm has dealt with tight revenues, budget cuts, tax increases, continued job loss and high unemployment. Despite those troubles, voters re-elected the former state attorney general by a wide margin in 2004, and she remains popular even though her job approval rating has dropped to the low 40s.

But now that a Democrat is headed to the White House, trading Michigan's problems for the national stage could look mighty appealing.

"The next two years nationally are going to be a bear. In Michigan, they're going to be a grizzly bear. That's got to weigh on your thinking," Rustem said.

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