Whitmer’s greatest 2025 success? Avoiding the media at all costs

The week before Thanksgiving, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer pardoned a pair of turkeys in front of the Capitol.

Nearly the entire capitol press corps showed up. The TV people wanted scrumptious video of the big fowls bumping around their cages.

The print people? We wanted to talk to Whitmer. Would our recently evasive Governor feed us even some table scraps?

On that same day:

 – Whitmer signed the state’s first-ever rules on disclosing legislative pork.

 – The Michigan Public Service Commission was holding a public hearing on an enormous data center project. 

 – A long-shot Republican gubernatorial candidate was rallying a bunch of foamy-mouthed rabble-rousers to Dearborn on some “free the city of Sharia law” crusade.

All of us had other questions, too. They’d been stockpiling for, literally, days, weeks and months.

A sit-down interview? An open, free-flowing press conference in the press auditorium? Whitmer hasn’t had one of those in nearly two years.

For in-state media, our access to Michigan’s chief executive has been reduced to MAYBE three or four questions at a public event we’ve been graciously invited to in Ypsilanti or Detroit or somewhere.

Outside of her Northern Michigan ice storm response, Whitmer’s media availability has disappeared since her spring 2024 book tour, from around 27 media interactions a quarter to seven. Her last known one-on-one interview was when she talked “gooning” (look it up) with Texas-based Caleb Hammer, a podcaster who humiliates people about their debt.

In that time, the governor has successfully avoided talking about:

1. The protracted budget discussion. At any point. Before. During. After.
2. Fay Beydoun. The Democratic Party insider who helped Whitmer raise a ton of money, scored a $20 million grant in 2022 and squandered millions of it.
3. The House Republicans’ denial of $644 million of carry-over spending from last year (see last week’s column).
4. The new $420 million wholesale tax on marijuana to pay for her new roads plan.

There’s more, but I only have 675 words.

On Oct. 7, Whitmer signed a budget in her locked ceremonial office. A Detroit News reporter found out about it and camped outside her front door. Whitmer avoided her.

The governor did a budget road show in Trenton, Flint and Clinton Township. In every case, Lansing’s print media was informed AFTER the event. A radio friend told us about the Clinton Township one, so we were there.

Bu the governor didn’t answer questions.

Instead, her team offered up . . . not the budget director, not the Democratic Senate majority leader . . . wait for it . . . Republican House Speaker Matt Hall.

Whitmer has had time for social media, of course. She’s shopping for Dad in Frankenmuth. Making pastries in the kitchen. Playing “Name That Tune.”

Anyway, back to the turkey pardon. 

We’re all crammed under this small tent watching Whitmer save “Faygo” and “Vernors” from the butcher.

The cold rain beats down on the tarp. Speech. Laughs. Another speech. We wait anxiously for Whitmer to “open it up for questions.” 

Instead, the Governor’s security cuts her away to the Capitol’s side entrance. Most of the media is stuck behind the throng of staffers, kids and parents. I’m better positioned and dash to the front door. Hot on her heels.

Capitol security stops me. My computer bag set off the metal detector. The entourage breaks to the rotunda. I clear security, trotting quickly. The entourage swiftly breaks down the north hall to the Capitol’s maintenance entrance. I’m nearly there. I open my mouth for a “Wait up, governor,” when . . . 

“Hello, I’m with the governor’s office.”

Rats. A new staffer. She’s running interference. They’re climbing down the stairs. The staffer and I walk and talk. They shoot through security again. I’m trying to keep pace. I catch the door outside . . . just as she climbs into the black SUV. It quickly pulls onto Ottawa. 

“Sorry, Kyle. We’re running late,” says Bobby, the governor’s communications director.

The other media finally catch up. Bobby talks “year-end interviews.”

Eyes roll. I couldn’t help but wonder: 

“Maybe the real turkeys today was us.”

 (Kyle Melinn is the editor of the Capitol news service MIRS. You can email him at melinnky@gmail.com.)