FOX 2 Detroit's core demographic

Sunday morning on FOX 2 Detroit and a rapid succession of this:
Kid Rock introduces the new Corvette
More Brittany news, she'll probably lose her children
The Weather
A Mike Huckabee ad

Time to switch the channel.
Click.

Oops. I was supposed to be catching up on the New York Times.

Send a statement to the DNC and vote anyway, says Clinton supporter

Sen. Hillary Clinton's Michigan supporters are undaunted by the state's Democratic primary election mess and are resolved to vote for their candidate Tuesday.

Unfazed by the threat of an "uncommitted" vote by Obama and Edwards supporters or the likely lack of Michigan delegates to the nominating convention, Clinton's supporters believe in their candidate and her chances to win in Michigan. They hope fellow Democrats will vote in record numbers to send a message to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) about an election system they consider broken.

"She is a big supporter of protecting the Great Lakes. She is very supportive of our economy here in Michigan and promoting jobs. She understands the unemployment problems we are having," said Janet Blanchard, former first lady of Michigan, who has known the Clintons for more than 20 years. Her husband, Gov. James Blanchard, was ambassador to Canada during the Clinton presidency. "I really like her as a person. Everyone knows she has the brains, but she has the heart that goes along with that," Blanchard said.

Some critics have accused Clinton of trying to take unfair advantage by leaving her name on Michigan's ballot. In response to that criticism, Blanchard speculated about candidates who removed their names, "If they were so persuaded and intimidated by the DNC that they would take their names off the ballot in Michigan, do they have the strength to be president? Can they stand up to Iran and Iraq and China and all the issues we have in this nation, if they're going to kowtow to the DNC?"

Blanchard thinks Clinton's remaining on the Michigan ballot demonstrates good judgment and strength on her part. "She used good sense in keeping her name on the ballot in Michigan. She cares about Michigan," Blanchard said.

Even so, the incomplete ballot has been confusing and discouraging to many Democrats. "I think it's a challenge, but I don't think it's any more of a challenge than if Edwards and Obama had been on the ballot. I think that by removing their names they've really discouraged a lot of Democrats from voting," said Kelly Bernero, founder and chair of Students for Hillary at University of Michigan.

There is some disagreement among supporters as to what constitutes victory for Clinton. Bernero puts the number at 60 percent. Garnet Lewis, a candidate for state representative in the 98th district, offered a broader definition of victory: "No matter what the percentage or number, if people choose to vote for her rather than voting 'uncommitted,' that is a sign of support for her. And I don't think that it matters percentage wise."

With the prospect of no Michigan delegates for Democratic candidates, Clinton supporters also see the election as a way to communicate with the DNC. "Vote anyway. If we turn out in large numbers, I think that says something to the DNC," Bernero said. "I think this primary is a chance for Michigan voters to say we want a change in this process."

Another silly idea for the Michigan Presidential Primary

Since the Democratic primary in Michigan cannot be understood at face value, Democrats from afar are suggesting ways to make it fun and useful.

Markos Moulitsas, founder of the Daily Kos website for progressive Democrats, proposes crossover voting in favor of Romney.

He leads with the bold assertion:

"For Michigan Democrats, the Democratic primary is meaningless since the DNC stripped the state of all its delegates (at least temporarily) for violating party rules. Hillary Clinton is alone on the ballot."

I have spoken with many Michigan Democrats, and while they find the situation discouraging, most are not calling it meaningless. If they are, it comes in exasperated moments. Democrats I have interviewed are trying valiantly to make this bizarre primary meaningful for their candidate or for the party, but most of all for the state.

Cynically turning the Michigan Democratic primary into a broader strategic move fails to acknowledge the long-standing Democrats on the ground in Michigan who do feel disenfranchised by the DNC.

And for Clinton supporters, the primary is not meaningless. She is the first serious female candidate for the presidency and this matters.

The most sensible advice I've heard among Democrats in Michigan considering how to vote on Tuesday is this: if your choice is named on the ballot vote for that person, if not vote 'uncommitted.'

Say 'yes' when you mean 'yes' and 'no' when you mean 'no.'
It's that simple.

Don't Blink, Michigan Primary Offers Teachable Moment

Originally published January 2, 2008 at Michigan Messenger

As New Hampshire and Iowa race toward their early presidential contests, we in Michigan should brace for the national attention coming our way. Our presidential primary is less than two weeks away. Very soon, eyes will turn briefly toward Michigan. The state's primary election has been tainted by the withdrawal of Democratic candidates from the ballot and the punitive loss of delegates by both national parties. Our one remaining hope is a teachable moment for the next president.

This could be Michigan's poignant testimony in the spotlight -- a wrenching and heartfelt revelation of our truth. Our economic pain, receding manufacturing prowess and endangered middle class might enlighten the nation. Our struggle to transform a heavy manufacturing culture into a knowledge economy requires the magic that turns water into wine. Can we get a witness?

Michigan was the arsenal of democracy, the car capital of the world, the champion of workers' rights and a humane standard of living. Look now at the obsolete workers sloughed off as the Big Three slink away into emerging markets abroad. Look at the foreclosed homes, their prices collapsing after deregulation turned mortgages into poker chips. See the ranks of the poor, hungry and homeless grow.

Look into the mirror and see your country slip from greatness and goodness into a cold, new gilded age of anonymous private equity and private armies. Global corporations hopscotch the continents with holding companies to shield the powerful from responsibility toward fellow human beings. Local governments are at worst an annoyance, at best a handmaiden -- tolerated or usurped.

Michigan's primary election will come and go, but her economic trials will continue. Will the next president notice Michigan on the way to the White House? Can he or she afford not to?

Michigan's Primary A Roundup of Our Michigan's Coverage

Since early September, Our Michigan has provided the following coverage of Michigan's Primary Election saga. The most remarkable aspect of the change in primary date was its bipartisan quality. This came at the time of an eight-month budget impasse. It gave a little hope at an otherwise hopeless time, legislatively speaking.

Michigan Democrats, the World is Watching (9/3/07)
Early Michigan Primary -- Bipartisan Agreement on Renegade Scheduling (9/4/07)
State of Michigan to the Democrats -- Where are you? (10/8/07)
Democrats to Michigan -- Buzz Off (10/9/07)
Michigan Primary will go on as planned, say party officials (10/11/07)
Michigan's Primary Question (10/15/07)
Voter ID Law confusing, critics say (10/17/07
New voting requirement stirs controversy (10/20/07)
Recall efforts in context (10/21/07)
Michigan's primary pain (11/28/07)
Good News -- Dems lose delegates (12/1/07)
Michigan Dems and GOP collaborate on primary proposal (12/4/07)
Uncommitted is a vote for Obama in Michigan primary (1/8/08)
Making Meaning in Michigan's Primary (1/9/08)

Making meaning in Michigan's primary

Sen. Hillary Clinton's marginal victory over Sen. Barack Obama in New Hampshire's primary keeps alive the "uncommitted" vote in Michigan. Obama and Edwards supporters hope to create a block of at least 15 percent "uncommitted" in order to set aside seats for those delegates at the nominating convention. At this point the national party has not budged from its decision to take away Michigan's delegates, but Democrats on the ground think ultimately Michigan will receive its delegates.

But, if you are not a party insider, what sense can you make of Michigan's muddled mess of a primary? Has it been worth the trouble? Has the earlier date achieved any of the outcomes promised by those who made it reality? Do you see the national media charging around the state asking common folk about the economy? Do you see international media interviewing business leaders about our economic transition? Do you see major Democratic candidates campaigning? How about the GOP? Is Fred Thompson going to bother showing up here?

We have two interesting ways to participate in this "open" primary: Dems can cross over and vote in the GOP contest, jamming things up for Mitt and giving McCain a boost for a repeat performance of McCain's 2000 primary victory over G.W. Bush; and anybody can vote "uncommitted" in the Democratic primary to jam things up for Clinton and keep hope alive for Obama and Edwards.

We might also give thanks for fewer political ads on television.
Probably the best outcome of the Democratic National Committee rules.

'Uncommitted' is a vote for Obama, in Michigan primary

(cross posted at Michigan Messenger)

Voting "uncommitted" is as close as Sen. Barack Obama's Michigan supporters can get to casting a vote for their man in the state's Jan. 15 primary.

As excitement builds for Obama in New Hampshire's primary, his Michigan supporters hope Michigan voters will be savvy enough to vote "uncommitted" in the state's misfit Democratic primary.

"I'm doing a lot of extra work to make sure everyone in Michigan that wants to support Sen. Obama knows they must vote 'uncommitted,' " said U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich. "Voters can't write in his name because that will be considered a spoiled ballot."

"No matter who you are supporting there is a spot on the ballot you need to check off," said state Rep. Bert Johnson, D-Dist. 5, who endorsed Obama more than 10 months ago. He speculates that an "uncommitted" vote of 15 percent would be a setback for Sen. Hillary Clinton, the only front-runner on the Michigan Democratic primary ballot.

Johnson thinks the uncommitted votes will ultimately translate into delegates at the Democratic nominating convention, even though the Democratic National Committee has officially withdrawn Michigan's delegates. "We have way too many powerhouses in Washington to stand by and let Michigan go unrepresented at the national convention," he said, listing Conyers and U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich., and Democratic Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow.

Kilpatrick, chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, says she is waiting to endorse a candidate until after the Democratic debate in South Carolina on Jan. 21. Regarding the Michigan primary, she said, "It is confusing to say the least. I'm an elected official and I have to explain it everywhere I go. It is unfortunate for the state and for the candidates."

Conyers finds the situation exasperating. "It's insane when we are trying to encourage people to participate in the electoral process, if what we do is make it weirdly complicated, so that for lot of people it is discouraging." He says constituents have been calling his office suspicious of how the election is being run.

Obama, former Sen. John Edwards, Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. Joe Biden removed their names from Michigan's ballot in response to Michigan's decision for a Jan. 15 primary. The early date breaks Democratic National Committee rules. In addition, all candidates agreed not to campaign in Michigan prior to the primary. Clinton argued that she need not remove her name from the ballot, only refrain from active campaigning to be in line with national party rules.

Even so, Obama's Iowa victory encourages Michigan supporters. "I listened to his speech and I wondered is this what Dr. Martin Luther King talked about being judged on the content of their character not the color of their skin," said Johnson.

Political veteran Conyers envisions Obama gaining momentum after a New Hampshire victory. "The general consensus is he's likely to win and if he does this is going to give him a real big bounce as he goes into South Carolina," Conyers said.

BBC reports Krispy Kreme boss to step down

Why, you may wonder, would the BBC spend airtime or bandwidth on Krispy Kreme? Is it because the company has lost nearly 57% of its value under the leadership of Daryl Brewster, who has been on the job less than two years? Is it a popular stock with British investors?

Clues to this mystery lie in an exchange between strangers on the tube in London. I was riding along minding my business when I noticed some Londoners with a large Krispy Kreme box. I smiled at them. Somehow, they new I was from away. We greeted each other and they leapt to the conclusion that a Krispy Kreme doughnut must remind me of home. I had the sense they felt we connected culturally.

Not really, I thought. Krispy Kreme features prominently in Harrod's food department, alongside rare treats from around the world -- a full service Krispy Kreme counter, ten times the usual gas station assortment stateside. And anything at Harrod's must be great.

No, biting into a fatty Krispy Kreme doughnut doesn't make me feel at home, I thought. It makes me feel like I just put gas in the car and needed some coffee for the road. It reminds me of cartons of cigarettes, spools of lottery cards, bathroom keys on hunks of plywood and dusty cans of soup.

The Londoners were delighted with their precious box of treats. I didn't spoil their cheer.

Helen Thomas on the media in time of democracy

Legendary journalist Helen Thomas says reporters aren't asking candidates hard questions about foreign policy, domestic surveillance and the economy.

"Why don't they nail them on these issues?" Thomas asked.

"I don't understand why reporters haven't been asking these candidates all along how they feel about the war in Iraq. That should be at the top of the agenda," Thomas said in an exclusive phone interview with Michigan Messenger. "We've killed almost a million people in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's drained our treasury. The debt is going to be monumental."

Raised in Detroit and a graduate of Wayne State University, Thomas considers Michigan her home. At 87, she is a columnist with Hearst News Service and still attends White House briefings and press conferences. Her 2006 book, "Watchdogs of Democracy? The Waning Washington Press Corps and How it has Failed the Public," describes a compromised, weak press reluctant to question politicians and dig for truth in government.

As the presidential primary intensifies, Thomas, who served as a UPI White House correspondent for decades, wonders about candidates' positions on the war in Iraq, torture, habeas corpus, erosion of civil liberties, wiretapping, foreclosures, workers' rights, poverty and health care.

Acknowledging the chilling effect of the Sept. 11th attacks on public discourse and investigative journalism, Thomas said, "I do think 9-11 had a tremendous impact on all of our society. It's very passive now. We should be out in the streets screaming. The fear card was played to the hilt. People, reporters especially, were afraid to be called un-American, unpatriotic, if they asked very challenging questions."

Still, she contends that reporters with access to the presidential candidates are shirking their responsibility to voters, who at this point she believes are "flying blind."

"I know how I'd be covering them if I were walking beside them," she said. "I think whoever goes into the presidency ought to be thoroughly defined on the issues."

Having reported on every president since Kennedy and earning the title "First Lady of the Press," Thomas has a reputation for incisive, direct and fearless questions.

At a press conference on March 21, 2006, she asked President Bush about his justifications for initiating war in Iraq, saying: "Every reason given, publicly at least, has turned out not to be true. My question is, why did you really want to go to war?"

With a long view of history, Thomas has strong feelings about the war in Iraq. "We've never been aggressors before," she said. Unprovoked attack on Iraq is at the heart of her criticism of the Bush administration, which she considers a turning point in the American presidency, marked by a loss of credibility, leadership and trust.

Her criticism of the current administration includes its treatment of enemy combatants and tolerance of harsh interrogation techniques. "I think that everybody should be alarmed. Every American has been tainted now. Anybody who would resort to such tactics and denial of due process and keeping suspects -- so-called -- in limbo for six years, without charge, no trial, no convictions, keeping them in darkness -- that is surely not us."

Contrasting the neoconservative foray into Iraq with the Cold War, she said, "We won the Cold War over sixty years with wonderful things -- exchange students, exchange teachers, the Voice of America, the pope, rock music, blue jeans, ideas. Fortunately, Gorbachev opened the window a bit. Basically, we didn't go into World War III."

Thomas has hope for the electoral process and the presidency. "I do hope in the coming election that the best man or woman wins, who has the best ideas. Because when you get to the top of the mark, which is the White House, it seems to me you should only want to do the right thing. You have tremendous power. I am hoping we'll resurrect ourselves."

A front-row witness to history, Thomas manages optimism for the future. "We can always hope for peace. It would be wonderful if we would move toward disarmament and making peace with even our greatest adversaries. We should keep talking rather than shooting," she said.

Michigan's Banished Words for 2008

Lake Superior State University in the Upper Peninsula has released its annual "Banished Word List" - irksome, awkward or overused words and phrases. The list is at once descriptive and prescriptive. Winners emerge from hundreds of entries collected through the year and submitted by people across the country. So how about a list specific to our lovely state?
Michigan's Banished Words for 2008:
Crisis - "Crisis" means a moment of change, discernment and decision, as in "crisis of conscience." We usually find crises uncomfortable because most of us hate change. In addition, we have come to confuse crisis with catastrophe, a sudden, complete overturning of everything as we know it. But a crisis can make us see more clearly a hard truth. If you are alive, you are in crisis; it's the way of the world, not just Michigan.

Gridlock - Unless reporting traffic conditions in a city, try another word. For example, if the state Legislature has trouble with the budget process in 2008 largely through tactics of obstruction, use "obstruction."

Public/private partnerships - Favored during times of shrinking tax revenues and formerly known as "privatization," it is often used to suggest a collaborative relationship between well-intentioned private entities and inept governments waiting to be rescued. It could be called "government-enabled private taking of the commons." With Gov. Jennifer Granholm's no-new-taxes promise, expect to see more of this in 2008.

Slump, crunch - When describing the economics of houses and cars, avoid these tired terms. Reach for something a little more accurate, such as recession or depression. "Slump" and "crunch" evoke noisy breakfast cereal for gnomes.

Financialization - This is not specific to Michigan, but is the crux of our economic difficulty. Instead, say "turning the necessities of life into opportunities to create indebtedness." Selling cars becomes fitting consumers with acceptable financing packages, even if it means rolling in previous unpaid debt from their last car. Higher education becomes a booming market for student loans, where kids trade away future earning potential in the hope that a college diploma will increase their future earning potential. Home ownership becomes a gamble in a Wild West mortgage market with losers out in the cold, rather than warm and cozy by the hearth.

Entrepreneurial community - Often set against a labor/management model, the starkest entrepreneurial sensibility is every man for himself. A group of rugged individualists isn't really a community, though. A community cares for the less fortunate among them, rather than kicking them to the curb with a buyout. A community has a common purpose, identity and values. Instead of "entrepreneurial community," why not return to "pluralistic society"? There's room for difference, strength, weakness and compassion in that.

For Ann Arbor restaurateur, a long-term commitment

Winning a stare down with adversity, restaurant owner Rob Terbush plans to stay in Michigan for the long haul.

In 2006, when sales fell by 55 percent, some expected his Holiday's restaurant to close, but Terbush hung on. Now in his 11th year of business, the 34-year-old Michigan native sustains a long-term vision for his restaurant on Ann Arbor's busy West Stadium Boulevard.

"Our whole goal all along has been to become a long-term staple and buy the property," Terbush said.

Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner at prices families can afford in the current tight economy, Terbush focuses on quality, atmosphere and service to set Holiday's apart from the competition.

"We fall into the category of fast casual. We cook meals to order, so people are willing to slow down for an extra five or 10 minutes for something fresh and hot," he said. He trains new hires in his "ABCD" program -- Above and Beyond the Call of Duty. "People can satisfy their hunger at a lot of restaurants, so we work to create a warm atmosphere with personalized service and attention." He estimates that about 200 other restaurants in Washtenaw County offer similar fare at similar prices.

He strives to balance consistency with novelty to keep regulars coming back while also attracting new customers. "Regulars order 'the usual,' even though they are interested in new things," he said. But bringing in more customers doesn't necessarily add up to increased revenues. Terbush says that customer spending has been flat since 2004 and attributes that to the economy. "We did have growth in the number of people per day. But the average spending dropped and our net dollars went down," he said.

Terbush's experience is consistent with assessments by the Michigan Restaurant Association, which recently forecast 3.2 percent growth for Michigan restaurant sales in 2008 - the slowest of any state. Most states see annual restaurant sales grow by 5 to 7 percent, according to Andy Deloney, vice president of public affairs with the Michigan Restaurant Association.

The biggest challenge for Terbush came in 2006 when a road construction project lasting nearly two years stalled business. Customers had difficulty just pulling into the parking lot and by the end of the project sales were down 55 percent. Expecting business to slow during the road project, Terbush had timed a major exterior building renovation to coincide with the road construction. Although he knew business would decline during construction, he was caught off guard by just how much. With access to credit lines and other financing, Terbush made it through.

Plans for further renovation have been put on hold until the business can stabilize from financing the downturn of 2006. Eventually Terbush wants to renovate the interior, add a patio, obtain a liquor license and purchase the building.

In the meantime, he says people are simply spending less even in Ann Arbor, which has been sheltered from the worst of the state's economic problems. "They don't buy drinks; they have water. They don't order appetizers or desserts," he said. Working within the slim profit margins of the food service industry, Terbush soon will be raising prices to balance customers' lower spending with ever-increasing overhead costs. "The new menus are at the printer."

In spite of the difficult economy, Terbush plans to stay in Michigan, growing his business and raising his three children. "I don't think I would live anywhere but Michigan," he said. "We have the Great Lakes, the Upper Peninsula, beautiful state lands, skiing, good fishing, a decent prevailing wage, and a high quality of life."

Terbush's secret to making it in Michigan is facing difficulty head on and balancing personal life and work. Leave work at work. Slow down and appreciate what you have. Get perspective.

"There are people not doing what you do, not earning what you earn and they're living just fine. You just have to step back, see what is and live."

Happy New Year, Michigan

As you awaken to the new year, notice the new snow. Michigan, in light of global warming you have received a rare gift -- the clarifying perspective of a filthy world covered in cold, fresh white. You have been given time to imagine something better, something new, the possibility of forgiveness and rebirth. You can stop to reconsider our arbitrary imperatives for development and commerce. Sipping morning coffee by a warm fire, you can enjoy nature’s most gentle erasure of human pride and folly. Give thanks and dream of better days.