Mich. issues heard at Tuesday breakfast

This morning’s Michigan delegation breakfast was a rally cry to have Michigan’s most important issues heard by the national Democratic party. The breakfast featured speeches by Michigan’s most important political players. Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Sen. Carl Levin all took the stage to highlight Michigan’s challenges and successes before a cheering crowd of delegates.

-Granholm cheered the state’s efforts to bring new jobs into Michigan and outlined five “W’s” that make Michigan an attractive location for green businesses. They are: Wind, wood, water, workforce and waste.

“Our goal is … to diversify our economy,” she said. “One of the areas we are focussed on is alternative and renewable energy.”

Granholm highlighted Michigan’s potential to produce wind energy, saying Michigan is one of the most ideal locations in the nation for wind turbine manufacturing. In addition, she said, the state has the potential to convert municipal waste and wood pulp from paper production into energy sources. Michigan’s manufacturing workforce and infrastructure makes it an ideal place for alternative energy companies to set up shop, she said.

-Sen. Debbie Stabenow took to the podium to address what she said are John McCain’s shortcomings in addressing the state’s commitment to diversifying the economy.

“John McCain has opposed every one of our efforts to get there,” she said.

Stabenow said employment issues such as the one facing Michigan’s manufacturing sector are being felt nationwide, making Michigan a key player in national economic policy.

“We may be the first and hardest hit because we have been the heart and soul of manufacturing, but it is spreading throughout this country,” she said.

-Sen. Carl Levin spoke to the crowd for the second straight day and bashed the Bush administration for failing to invest in manufacturing.

“There’s one ‘W’ that Texas can have,” Levin said with a laugh, referring to President George W. Bush in a play on Granholm’s list of Michigan’s strengths.

Levin addressed the idea that Barack Obama would be a “partner in the White House” for the state of Michigan, a phrase that has been a recurring theme throughout Obama’s Michigan campaign.

“A partner that will fight for manufacturing in America, for jobs in America, for health care in America, for education in America,” he said.

-Tuesday marks the 88th anniversary of women’s suffrage. Following the breakfast, a panel of Michigan women’s advocates — including state Rep. Gilda Jacobs, D-Huntington Woods, Michigan Women for Obama Chairwoman Edna Bell and Michigan Stonewall Democrats Chairwoman Nan Melke — spoke about women’s issues in this election.
The panel members addressed pay equity, reproductive rights and class equality, among other issues. They also reaffirmed that Democratic women, many of whom supported Hillary Clinton, are committed to electing Barack Obama as president.

“In my experience, many, many of them have already made that switch,” Melke said.

-Also, rumor has it that Lt. Gov. John Cherry plans to run for governor in the 2010 election. It’s easy to believe, considering Cherry’s lengthy introduction proclaiming his admiration for Granholm, which was followed by a gushing Granholm praising Cherry as a leader on Michigan issues.

“I, as governor, just feel so fortunate to have a partner like John Cherry,” she said.