♪

♪

WELCOME BACK TO THIS SPECIAL

POST ELECTION CORRESPONDENTS

EDITION OF OFF THE RECORD OUR

LEAD STORY YOU KNOW WHAT

HAPPENED ON TUESDAY, WELL WHAT

DID HAPPEN?

WE WILL HAVE INSIGHTS ON OUR

PANEL THIS WEEK CHAD LIVENGOOD

KATHY GRAY AND BILL BALLENGER

SIT IN WITH US AS WE GET THE

INSIDE OUT OFF THE RECORD.

♪

♪

>> Reporter: PRODUCTION OF OFF

THE RECORD IS MADE POSSIBLE IN

PART BY THE FOLLOWING, BUSINESS

LEADERS FOR MICHIGAN HAS A

STRATEGIC PLAN TO MAKE MICHIGAN

A TOP TEN STATE IN THE NATION

FOR JOBS, PERSONAL INCOME AND A

HEALTHY ECONOMY LEARN MORE AT

MICHIGAN ROAD TO TOP TEN.COM.

AND NOW THIS EDITION OF OFF THE

RECORD WITH TIM SKUBICK.

WELCOME BACK TO OFF THE RECORD

WELL QUITE A WEEK IN OUR COUNTRY

AND STATE LET BEGIN WITH THE

PRESIDENTIAL RACE IN THE STATE

OF MICHIGAN GOING TO JOE BIDEN

KATHY YOUR THOUGHTS.

>> WELL JOE BIDEN WAS ABLE TO

FLIP A FEW COUNTIES IN MICHIGAN

FROM RED TO BLUE.

HE WON IN LEENAW AND SAGINAW

COUNTY AND COUNTIES TRUMP ONE IN

2016.

AND HE REALLY BOOSTED HIS

MARGINS IN WAYNE COUNTY AND

OAKLAND COUNTY AND THE TURN OUT,

THE TURN OUT REALLY HELPED HIM A

LOT TOO 5.5 MILLION VOTED THAT

IS 71% TOTAL VOTER TURN OUT

WHICH IS REALLY PRETTY

REMARKABLE AND I THINK THAT IS

WHAT KIND OF LED TO MR. BIDEN

SEEMING TO HE IS THE WINNER IN

MICHIGAN.

AND HEADING TOWARDS THE

PRESIDENCY.

>> MR. BALLENGER?

>> KATHY IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT I

THINK THE DIFFERENCE OF 4.8

MILLION TURNING OUT IN 2016 AND

5.5 MILLION TURNING OUT THIS

YEAR THE EXTRA 700, 8000,000

VOTERS PREDOMINANT TILTED TO THE

DEMOCRATS AND THAT MADE THE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A VIRTUAL

DEAD HEAT FOUR YEARS AGO AND

BIDEN WINNING BY 3% OR SOMETHING

WHEN THE VOTES ARE ALL COUNTED

145,000 VOTES.

>> CHAD.

>> TIM, THIS 2.79 MILLION VOTES

THAT JOE BIDEN WON IT IS GOING

TO GO DOWN IN THE HISTORY AS THE

SECOND LARGEST VICTORY IN

MICHIGAN HISTORY ONLY BEHIND

BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN SO

WIN IN 2008 WHEN OBAMA GARNERED

2.8 MILLION VOTES IN HIS

HISTORIC ELECTION SO YEAH, THIS

ONE IS A RECORD BOOK SHATTERING.

ALSO WHEN YOU TALK TO VOTERS ON

THE STREETS AND WHO ARE VOTING

FOR BIDEN THIS WAS A REFERENDUM

ON DONALD TRUMP ALL DAY LONG.

I MEAN, THIS IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

AND THERE WEREN'T MANY UNDECIDED

VOTERS OUT THERE AND THE POLLS

SHOWED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE

POLLS ENDED UP BEING A LITTLE

WRONG AS FAR AS THE MARGIN BUT

WHEN THEY SHOW BIDEN UP 7 OR 8

POINTS HE WON BY ABOUT 2.5 NOW

BUT YEAH AT THE END OF THE DAY

THIS WAS A REPUDIATION OF DONALD

TRUMP AND HIS A LOT OF IT WAS

HIS BEHAVIOR AS WE TALKED TO

VOTERS A LOT THE STREETS.

IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY HIS

POLICIES THEY DISAGREED WITH IT

WAS THE WAY THE PRESIDENT

CONDUCTED HIMSELF AND MANY FEEL

IT HAS BEEN A STAY ON THE

PRESIDENCY.

>> WHAT STRUCK ME YESTERDAY AND

LOOKING AT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN

AND THE MAP AND THE RED COUNTIES

AND BLUE COUNTIES CHECK THIS

NUMBER OUT.

BIDEN ONLY WON 10 COUNTIES IN

THE STATE OF MICHIGAN THERE WITH

83 THE REST OF THE MAP IS

COMMUNIST RED, OKAY AND I DON'T

MEAN THAT YOU KNOW IN DISRESPECT

BUT PEOPLE WHO SAY WE ARE A BLUE

STATE HOLY COW.

HERE IS THE NUMBER, OKAY, DONALD

TRUMP INCREASED HIS VOTE COUNT

IN MICHIGAN BY 366,849 PEOPLE.

ADDITIONAL FOLKS THAT HE GOT TO

SHOW UP AT THE POLLS HE DIDN'T

HAVE LAST TIME OUT.

IS IT FAIR TO CALL THIS TRUMP

COUNTRY WITH AN ASTERISKS GUYS?

>> WELL, NO.

BECAUSE THE POPULATION CENTERS

ARE WHERE THE BIDEN SUPPORT IS

AND I THINK THAT WE CAN

CERTAINLY CALL THIS A RURAL

SUBURBAN-URBAN DIVIDE IN

MICHIGAN AND I THINK IT REALLY

SHOWS HOW DIVIDED THE STATE IS

THAT THE POPULATION CENTERS ARE

GOING DEMOCRATIC.

THE MORE RURAL PARTS OF THE

STATE WENT BIG FOR TRUMP AND

THEY REALLY TURNED OUT.

AND LOOK AT WHERE PRESIDENT

TRUMP WAS IN THE LAST FIVE DAYS

OF HIS ELECTION AND IT WAS THOSE

AREAS WHERE HE WENT ALTHOUGH HE

WENT TO GRAND RAPIDS AND HE

ENDED UP LOSING KENT COUNTY BUT

AGAIN KENT COUNTY IS PART OF THE

URBAN SUBURBAN LANDSCAPE SO THAT

IS WHERE MR. BIDEN IS DOING

REALLY WELL AND WHAT IS EXPECTED

AND THE RURAL PARTS THEY ARE

STILL THE BASE OF DONALD TRUMP

SUPPORT IN MICHIGAN.

>> TIM.

>> YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT

NORTH OF WHAT IS CALLED TOWN

LINE 16 ROUGHLY BETWEEN BAY CITY

AND MUSKEGON NORTH OF THERE THE

DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN BASICALLY

WIPED OUT IN THE STATE.

THERE IS ONLY ONE STATE

REPRESENTATIVE FROM NORTH OF

THERE AND THAT IS SARAH B ERICK

NZIE IN THE UP BECAUSE OF THE

UNIVERSITY.

THAT IS A VAST TRACK OF VERY

RULE CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN

TERRITORY BUT THAT IS THE WHOLE

POINT AS KATHY INDICATED.

IT'S SPARSELY POPULATED.

IT JUST DOESN'T HOLD A CANDLE TO

THESE HUGE URBAN CENTERS METRO

DETROIT, THE TRI COUNTY METRO

AREA AND ALL THESE AREAS POCKETS

AROUND THE STATE LIKE FLINT AND

KALAMAZOO AND EVEN GRAND RAPIDS.

ALL HEAVILY DEMOCRATIC.

SO THE DEMOCRATS AND JOE BIDEN

GOT THE VOTES FROM THE

POPULATION CENTERS BUT, YES,

RURAL MICHIGAN IS BECOMING WAY

MORE REPUBLICAN AND CONSERVATIVE

THAN IT EVER HAS BEEN IN THE

PAST.

>> TIM, THIS DRUG IN SOME OF THE

STATE HOUSE RACES TO KIND OF SEE

THE PATTERNS CHANGING.

JUST OUTSIDE OF UBURN AND

SUBURBAN AND CHERYL KENNEDY LOST

AND THE CLEO NORTH OF FLINT THIS

AREA HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY

REPUBLICAN TERRITORY AND DONALD

TRUMP YOU KNOW BIDEN ONLY WON

GENESEE COUNTY BUT A PERCENTAGE

POINT AND IT WASN'T THAT MUCH

AND THIS IS A COMPLETE SEA

CHANGE FROM A GENERATION AGO

WHERE BILL CLINTON MIGHT HAVE

WON BY 20 POINTS OR SO.

THIS IS JUST A DIFFERENT TYPE OF

ELECTORATE IN BLUE COLOR AREAS

BAY COUNTY ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHERE

STATE REPRESENTATIVE BRYAN ELDER

LOST REELECTION DEMOCRAT FROM

BAY CITY AND DEMOCRATS SPENT A

TON OF MONEY AND SENT THE ENTIRE

ARMY UP THERE TO BASICALLY TRY

TO DEFEND ELDER WHEN IT WAS

LOOKING LIKE THINGS ARE GOING

SOUTH THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND IT

JUST WASN'T ENOUGH ESPECIALLY

INCHES SINCE A LOT OF EARLY

VOTING AND SOME PATTERNS AND AT

THE SAME TIME THIS IS STILL A

GAME OF MATH AND REPUBLICANS

HAVE PROBLEMS WINNING STATEWIDE

RACES IN MICHIGAN RIGHT NOW.

I MEAN THERE IS VERY CLEARLY

EVIDENCE AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE

TO WIN A SENATE SEAT IN A

GENERATION.

THEY WON TWO GOVERNORS RACES

WITH A MODERATE REPUBLICAN BUT

CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS ARE NOT

WINNING STATEWIDE RACES IN

MICHIGAN.

AND SO THAT IS GOING TO PUT A

LOT OF PRESSURE ON THEM IN

FUTURE YEARS IN 2022 WHEN THEY

TRY TO FILL THE CANDIDATE TO GO

UP AGAINST GOVERNOR GRETCHEN

WHITMER AND JOCELYN BENSON AND

DANA NESSEL SO THERE IS A LOT OF

THINGS WE CAN READ FROM THIS

ELECTION.

SAME TIME LAST NIGHT GOVERNOR

WAS ON EVENT WE HAD IT ON ZOOM

AND SHE REMARKED THAT

GERRYMANDERING IS ALIVE AND WELL

IN MICHIGAN AND EVIDENCED BY THE

REPUBLICANS KEEPING 58-52

MAJORITY DESPITE DEMOCRATIC WINS

ACROSS THE BOARD ON STATEWIDE

RACES.

>> ALL OF YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN

LONG ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THAT IN

THE MICHIGAN LEGISLATURE MOSTLY

CONTROLLED BY REPUBLICANS THEY

NEVER WANT TO CREATE A NO REASON

ABSENTEE VOTING SYSTEM.

TUESDAY IN MICHIGAN WAS THE

REASON WHY THEY NEVER WANTED TO

GO THERE, JOE.

AND BECAUSE JOE BIDEN TOOK

ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND BASICALLY

BUILT WITHOUT ABSENTEE VOTING

AND WITHOUT COVID I THINK DONALD

TRUMP WINS MICHIGAN.

>> VERY EASILY AS I SAID

EARLIER, I MEAN THE EXTRA

700,000, 800,000 PEOPLE THAT

TURNED OUT IN THE ELECTION AS A

RESULT NOT ONLY OF COVID AND THE

EMPHASIS ON EARLY VOTING THIS

YEAR MAIL IN BUT THE PASSAGE OF

PROPOSAL THREE TWO YEARS AGO

THAT INSTITUTED NO REASON

ABSENTEE VOTING SAME DAY

REGISTRATION, OTHER THINGS TO

MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO

VOTE.

AND WHEN YOU GET A BIGGER TURN

OUT IN MICHIGAN THE DEMOCRATS

ARE GOING TO PICK UP THREE,

FOUR, 5 PERCENT FROM THAT AND

THAT IS WHAT JOE BIDEN PICKED UP

THAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

2016 AND 2020.

THAT IS WHY HE WON.

>> AND ANOTHER FACTOR IN THE

RACE GO AHEAD KATHY.

>> I THINK THAT YOU'RE

DISCOUNTING THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE

WHO WERE REALLY MOTIVATED TO

VOTE THIS YEAR.

NOT NECESSARILY FOR JOE BIDEN

BUT AGAINST DONALD TRUMP.

AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE MANY,

MANY, MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO

WOULD HAVE CRAWLED ON THEIR

HANDS AND KNEES TO THE POLLING

PLACES TO VOTE ON TUESDAY IF

THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE OPTION TO

VOTE BY ABSENTEE.

SURE, A LOT OF PEOPLE VOTED BY

ABSENTEE.

A RECORD BREAKING NUMBER OF

PEOPLE VOTED BY ABSENTEE BUT I

DON'T THINK YOU CAN DISCOUNT THE

MOTIVATION THAT PEOPLE HAD TO

VOTE IN THIS ELECTION.

>> CHAD.

>> THE ABSENTEE THIS YEAR 60%

MAIL IN ALL TIME RECORD.

FIRST TIME EVER OVER HALF THE

VOTERS WERE MAIL IN.

>> CAN WE PUT A FINGER ON GO

AHEAD.

>> I GET THAT BILL I GET IT WAS

A HUGE ABSENTEE VOTING TURN OUT

BUT IT STILL WAS A HUGE TURN OUT

OVER ALL AND I THINK YOU WILL

HAVE A HUGE TURN OUT NO MATTER

WHAT.

>> LET ME ASK WHAT VOTING GROUP

WAS MOST IMPORTANT AND THERE IS

A LIST SENIOR CITIZENS SUBURBAN

WOMEN AFRICAN/AMERICAN COMMUNITY

CHAD PUT YOUR FINGER ON WHICH

GROUP CARRIED THIS ELECTION IF

ANYONE.

>> I WOULD SAY BLACK MICHIGAN

RESIDENTS AND WOMEN IN GENERAL.

NOT JUST WOMEN SUBURBAN WOMEN.

I TALKED TO A WOMAN A

65-YEAR-OLD RETIRED TEACHER FROM

HIGGINS LAKE LONG TIME

REPUBLICAN BASICALLY DESCRIBED

HERSELF AS A FOX NEWS HOUSEHOLD.

SHE VOTED AGAINST TRUMP.

SHE VOTED FOR BIDEN.

PURELY OUT OF WATCHING HOW TRUMP

HAS HANDLED THE PANDEMIC AND

FEWED WITH GOVERNOR WHITMER AND

VOTED FOR BILL SCHUETTE BUT WENT

TO THE BALLOT BOX TO DEFEND

GRETCHEN WHITMER AND HER

HANDLING THE PANDEMIC AND SORT

OF WHITMER VERSUS TRUMP FEUD AND

YOU CAN'T DISCOUNT THE ROLE THAT

GOVERNOR WHITMER PLAYED IN

HELPING CARRY MICHIGAN FOR JOE

BIDEN HELPING DELIVER MICHIGAN

FOR JOE BIDEN.

T IN MUCH WAYS WE HAVE SEEN

ATTEMPTS BY PAST GOVERNORS TO

HAVE AN OUTSIDE INFLUENCE JUST

LOOK AT JENNIFER GRANHOLM IN

2008 HELPING THE ORGANIZATION.

AND AFRICAN/AMERICANS THE TURN

OUT IN DETROIT WAS CRUCIAL.

TO THIS VICTORY.

THERE WAS A DEPRESSED VOTE IN

2016, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

AND I WOULD GO LOOK TO THE

GROUND GAME OPERATION AT THE

BIDEN CAMPAIGN WITH IN

COORDINATION WITH MIKE DUGGAN

WHOSE SON WAS RUNNING THE GROUND

GAME IN THE DUGGAN MACHINE

BASICALLY HELPING TURN OUT THE

VOTES AND BANK AS MANY ABSENTEE

BALLOTS AS POSSIBLE MANY OF

WHICH THEY WERE COUNTING ALL DAY

ON WEDNESDAY AS WE SAW AT THE

TRAUMA AT TCF CENTER BUT THAT

WAS CRUCIAL AS WE WORK-UP

WEDNESDAY MORNING AND SAW THIS

REALLY TIGHT RACE AND WAITING

FOR ALL THESE RESULTS FROM

DETROIT AND ALSO GRAND RAPIDS

WHICH HAD A LONG TIME COUNTING

ALL ITS BALLOTS BECAUSE THEY TOO

HAD A RECORD AMOUNT OF ABSENTEE

BALLOTS.

THREE OUT OF FOUR REGISTERED

VOTERS IN GRAND RAPIDS TURNED

OUT ON TUESDAY.

THAT WAS PRETTY REMARKABLE.

>> PUT TO REST THE STORY THAT

WILL POP UP IN THE NEXT COMING

DAYS YOU MENTIONED THE ROLE

GOVERNOR WHITMER PLAYED IN THE

STATE AND HIGH VISIBLY NOT ONLY

THE STATE BUT NATIONWIDE AND

WILL BE SPECULATION WILLIAM SHE

MIGHT BE ASKED TO JOIN THE

CABINET AND THE ANSWER WHEN I

TALKED TO HER ABOUT THAT EARLIER

WAS A RESOUNDING NO BUT LET'S

SEE WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAD TO SAY

ON THAT FRONT.

COULD IT BE AN OMEN THE GOVERNOR

IS CALLING THE RACE FOR JOE

BIDEN JUST AS SHE DID LAST

SATURDAY FOR HER ALMA MATER WHO

DO YOU HAVE IN THE OFFICE POOL

TO WIN AND BY WHAT MARGIN?

>> YOU KNOW WHAT TIM I DON'T DO

THAT.

I DID THAT FOR THE MICHIGAN,

MICHIGAN STATE GAME AND I CALLED

IT BY THREE.

>> TAKE A VICTORY FOR MR. BIDEN

AND TAKE IT TO THE BANK AND IF

HE WINS HER NAME WILL BE IN PLAY

IN A JOB IN A NEW BIDEN

ADMINISTRATION.

THE GOVERNOR SAYS SHE LOVES

BEING GOVERNOR OF MICHIGAN AND

QUOTE I'M NOT LOOKING TO GO TO

WASHINGTON D.C.

>> CAN I PUT A POINT ON THAT

TERM NOT LOOKING FOR IS NOT THE

SAME AS I WILL NOT GO.

>> TIM, DO YOU KNOW WHAT I KNOW

IN THIS BUSINESS YOU SHOULD

NEVER SAY NEVER BUT I REALLY

CANNOT IMAGINE ANY CIRCUMSTANCE

THAT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN

LEAVING AS GOVERNOR OF MICHIGAN.

>> THAT INCLUDES THE CABINET

POST.

>> CORRECT.

>> THAT OUT OF THE WAY THE

GOVERNOR IS LASER FOCUSED ON

MAKING SURE MICHIGAN GOES FOR

MR. BIDEN.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE TURN OUT IN

DETROIT?

THE POPULAR WISDOM IS MR. BIDEN

NEEDS A HUGE BOUNCE OUT OF THE

MOTOR CITY TO COUNTER BALANCE

THE EXPECTED BIG BOUNCE

MR. TRUMP WILL GET IN THE REST

OF THE STATE.

IS THAT TRUE GOVERNOR?

>> NO I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT

ACTUALLY.

>> MS. WHITMER BELIEVES THE

FORMER VICE PRESIDENT HAD A

STRONG ENOUGH CAMPAIGN ACROSS

ALL PARTS OF THE STATE TO WIN

WITHOUT THE EXCEPTIONAL SHOWING

IN DETROIT BUT THE GOVERNOR DOES

CONFESS SHE HAS A HOST OF

CONCERNS INCLUDING A TWO OR

THREE DAY WAIT FOR MICHIGAN TO

DECLARE A WINNER.

>> WELL I THINK THAT ANXIETY

WILL BE HIGH RIGHT PEOPLE ARE

GOING TO WANT IMMEDIATE

GRATIFICATION.

>> DOES SHE PONDER WHAT

MR. TRUMP MIGHT DO IN THE

INTERIM OF TWO OR THREE DAYS.

>> THERE COULD BE SOME

CHALLENGES, THERE COULD BE SOME

DECORATIONS.

>> ULTIMATELY SOME SAY THE

CONTEST COULD COME DOWN TO A

U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION.

RIGHT GOVERNOR.

>> I DON'T THINK THAT IS GOING

TO HAPPEN.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT

WILL.

>> WELL, WE WILL SEE.

I YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT IT

DOESN'T.

>> AS FOR THE EVENTUAL OUTCOME

WHAT ABOUT THIS QUESTION, HOW

LATE WE GOING TO BE UP TONIGHT?

>> LATE.

AND EARLY TOMORROW PROBABLY.

>> PROBABLY OR MAYBE LONGER.

BILL YOU TAKE HER AT HER WORD

SHE DOESN'T WANT TO GO TO D.C.?

>> I DO.

AS YOU PROBABLY HEARD FORMER

GOVERNOR JIM BLANCHARD SAID LOOK

NO CABINET APPOINTMENT IN ANY

ADMINISTRATION REPUBLICAN OR

DEMOCRAT IS AS GOOD AS BEING

GOVERNOR OF MICHIGAN.

YOU DON'T HAVE THE PROMINENCE

AND PRESTIGE AND DON'T HAVE A

CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE LIKE

YOU DO BEING GOVERNOR AND OF

COURSE SHE HAS TO BE ASKED AND

I'M NOT SURE I SEE A SKILL SET

THAT GOVERNOR WHITMER HAS THAT

REALLY FITS IN WITH THE BIDEN

ADMINISTRATION, MAYBE I'M

MISTAKEN.

MAYBE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

FOR THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE BUT I

DON'T SEE HER GOING.

I SEE HER STAYING HERE.

SHE IS GOING TO HAVE A TOUGH

NEXT TWO YEARS BECAUSE

EVERYTHING ELSE STAYED THE SAME

THE REPUBLICANS STILL CONTROL

BOTH HOUSES OF THE LEGISLATURE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

YOU LEFT OUT ONE THING ABOUT

BEING GOVERNOR THAT LITTLE PLACE

UP ON MACKINAC ISLAND DON'T

FORGET THAT BILLY AND WHY DIDN'T

THE DEMOCRATS WIN THE MICHIGAN

HOUSE?

>> THE MAPS WERE STILL VERY

TOUGH FOR THEM.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND LIKE

I SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE THEY

LOST THE TWO SEATS IN GENESEE

AND BAY COUNTY EVEN THOUGH THEY

FLIPPED TWO SEATS IN THE NOVI OF

OAKLAND COUNTY AND IN KALAMAZOO

COUNTY.

SO BUT THEY NEEDED TO FLIP FOUR

SEATS IN ORDER AND KEEP ALL

THEIR EXISTING SEATS SO THE

THINGS JUST KIND OF WENT WRONG

WITH THEM.

ALSO SOME MESSAGING IN SOME OF

THE RACES THEY SORT OF

NATIONALIZED THE RACES IN SOME

OUT STATE COUNTIES.

AND THAT WAS NOT THE MESSAGE

THAT THE VOTERS THERE WANTED AND

ALSO YOU HAVE TO FACTOR IN THE

TRUMP FACTOR THAT YOU KNOW IT

WAS THERE MAY HAVE BEEN HIDDEN

TRUMP VOTE THAT WAS NOT

ADMITTING TO POLLSTERS.

REPUBLICANS HAD A HARD TIME

POLLING THEIR OWN PEOPLE AND

POLLSTERS IN GENERAL HAD A HARD

TIME POLLING REPUBLICANS.

SO AND THEN YOU KNOW JUST GO

BACK TO THE OTHER DYNAMICS OF

THE RACE AND TALK ABOUT SEVERAL

HUNDRED THOUSAND NEW VOTES THAT

DONALD TRUMP PRODUCED MAY HAVE

HAD A DOWN BALLOT EFFECT IN SOME

OF THOSE STATE HOUSE RACES TO

HELP KEEP THOSE REPUBLICANS IN

POWER.

ONE LAST POINT TOO ABOUT THE

GOVERNOR AND WHETHER SHE GOES TO

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

I HAVE BEEN VERY SKEPTICAL OF

THIS FROM THE START.

AND JUST FROM THE LINES OF JIM

BLANCHARD THINKING WHAT IS THERE

FOR HER THERE.

SHE HAS GOT A LOT OF YEARS

AHEAD.

NO OFFENSE TO MEMBERS OF

CABINETS OF PREVIOUS

ADMINISTRATIONS BUT THEY ARE

TYPICALLY OLDER GOVERNORS,

TERMED OUT GOVERNORS FOLKS WHO

ARE IN THEIR 60s KIND OF THE

LAST HARAH THAT IS NOT WHERE

GRETCHEN IS IN HER CAREER.

SHE IS ON THE TOP OF GOVERNORS

THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND HER

LEADERSHIP ON THAT AND FEUDING

WITH TRUMP.

AND TRUMP REALLY IS ACTUALLY

VERY RESPONSIBLE FOR HELPING

BOOST GRETCHEN WHITMER'S

PROFILE.

I MEAN THOSE -- THAT ONE FROM

MICHIGAN T-SHIRTS ARE ALL OVER

THE STATE NOW.

THANKS TO DONALD TRUMP.

AND SO SHE HAS GOT A LOT MORE

YEARS AHEAD AND IF YOU WANT TO

WIN REELECTION YOU GOT TO STAY

HERE OBVIOUSLY AND YOU GOT TO GO

FOR IT AND IF YOU WANT TO PLAY

AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL AND BE IN

THE CONVERSATION FOR RUNNING FOR

PRESIDENT IN FUTURE YEARS YOU

GOT TO STAY AND TOUGH IT OUT

ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW WITH THE

PANDEMIC IT'S GOING TO BE A

TOUGH 2021 IN MICHIGAN.

>> ALL RIGHT SO KATHY GO AHEAD.

>> ONE THING TO THINK ABOUT WITH

GOVERNOR WHITMER SHE IS MORE

USEFUL TO JOE BIDEN IN MICHIGAN

THAN SHE IS IN WASHINGTON.

SHE WILL CONTINUE TO CHAMPION

HIS POLICIES AND CONTINUE TO

GIVE SUPPORT TO THE PRESIDENT

AND WHOEVER WELL IF MR. BIDEN

WINS WE STILL DON'T KNOW SO SHE

IS MORE USEFUL HERE IN MICHIGAN.

AND ALSO AS CHAD POINTED OUT THE

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC IT'S REALLY

STARTING TO EXPLODE IN MICHIGAN

AND 5700 MORE NEW CASES

YESTERDAY AND I THINK THAT IS

ONE OF THE HIGHEST NUMBERS THAT

IT HAS BEEN SINCE IT GOT HERE.

AND SHE STILL IS DEALING WITH

THAT.

AND LEAVING IN THE MIDDLE OF

THAT I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S

SOMETHING THAT SHE WOULD CHOOSE

TO DO.

>> SHE BASICALLY SAID.

>> LET ME ADD THAT THE HOUSE

REPUBLICANS I THINK DESERVE MORE

CREDIT THAN THEY HAVE BEEN

GETTING.

THEY WERE SWIMMING UP STREAM

MOST OF THE YEAR PLAYING

DEFENSE.

KNEW THEY WERE IN TROUBLE, MAYBE

COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE HOUSE.

AND THEY ACTUALLY HAD BETTER

CANDIDATES WITH A LOT MORE

MONEY, THEY WERE BETTER

ORGANIZED.

DEMOCRATS REALLY UNDER PERFORMED

FOR THE STATE HOUSE.

AND IT'S KIND OF ASTOUNDING THAT

IT ENDED UP A DEAD HEAT WITH

EACH SIDE WINNING TWO SEATS, A

STALEMATE, SAME MARGIN 58-52

GOING IN THE ELECTION THAT WAS A

HUGE WIN FOR THE REPUBLICAN

PARTY IN MICHIGAN.

>> SOMEBODY EXPLAIN TO ME GO

AHEAD.

>> LET ME JUST POINT OUT I LIVE

IN RYAN BURMAN'S DISTRICT AND

THERE WAS SO MUCH MONEY PUMPED

IN BY REPUBLICANS, BY THE STATE

PARTY, THE HOUSE CAMPAIGN

COMMITTEE.

I CHECKED MY MAIL YESTERDAY AND

I HAD NINE MORE PIECES OF

LITERATURE FROM RYAN BURMAN JUST

IN THE LAST THREE DAYS OF THE

ELECTION.

I GOT MORE THAN 30 pIECES OF LIT

IN THAT ONE AND THE NUMBER OF

COMMERCIALS ON TV BOTH SIDES FOR

THAT WAS ASTOUNDING, REALLY

ASTOUNDING SO REPUBLICANS WORKED

REALLY HARD TO KEEP THAT SEAT.

>> CHAD QUICKLY TELL ME WHY GARY

PETERS DID NOT BEAT JOHN JAMES

BY A WIDER MARGIN WHY WAS IT SO

CLOSE?

>> JOHN JAMES TRIED TO SEPARATE

HIMSELF FROM THE PRESIDENT IN

THE FINAL DAYS AND APPEAL TO

REPUBLICANS WHO WERE GOING INTO

THE BALLOT BOX TO VOTE DONALD

TRUMP OUT OF OFFICE.

AND NOT A LOT OF THEM BUT THERE

WAS ENOUGH THAT IT WAS GOING TO

MAKE IT IN A TIGHT RACE IT WAS

GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

AND I THINK JOHN JAMES YOU KNOW

KIND OF PICKED UP A LOT OF VOTES

ALONG THE WAY.

JOHN JAMES WE SHOULD ALSO NOTE I

MEAN EVEN HE DID NOT THEORY HE

WOULD GET A LOT OF BLACK VOTES

OUT OF DETROIT AND SUBURBAN

DETROIT DID NOT SEEM TO

MATERIALIZE AS OF YESTERDAY HE

ON-JAMES WHO EMPLOYS TWO OR

THREE HUNDRED PEOPLE IN DETROIT

AND LEGIT BUSINESS HE WON 80

MORE VOTES THAN DONALD TRUMP IN

THE CITY OF DETROIT SO ANY

THOUGHT THAT WAS GOING TO WORK

AND FLIP DEMOCRATIC BLACK

DETROITERS TO GET THEM TO SPLIT

THEIR TICKET JUST WAS KIND OF A

FALLACY AT THE END OF THE DAY.

>> BILL, YOUR TAKE ON THAT DOES

JOHN JAMES HAVE A POLITICAL

FUTURE IN MICHIGAN?

>> IT'S HARD TO SAY.

THE OLD PHRASE TWO TIME LOSER IS

A REAL BUG A BOO WITH

POLITICIANS I MEAN HE HAS AIMED

HIGH AND RUN FOR THE U.S. SENATE

TWICE AND TWO INCUMBENTS COME UP

SHORT EACH TIME.

EVEN THOUGH HE MADE IT VERY

CLOSE THIS TIME.

IT LOOKS LIKE YOU KNOW HE COULD

SOMEWHERE HAVE A FUTURE BUT HE

IS REALLY KIND OF RUN OUT OF GAS

IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE IN TERMS

OF WHAT WOULD APPEAL TO HIM THAT

HE COULD RUN FOR UNLESS

SOMETHING OPENS UP UNEXPECTEDLY.

AND IF HE LOSES A THIRD TIME

THEN I THINK HE IS TOAST.

>> HOW ABOUT JOHN JAMES FOR

GOVERNOR?

>> WELL, I MEAN IT'S POSSIBLE.

>> I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING.

I SEE SOMETHING MORE LIKE

PERHAPS PARTY CHAIRPERSON OR I

THINK THAT THERE MIGHT BE A

PLACE NATIONALLY FOR HIM.

ON CABLE NEWS.

SO THERE IS CERTAINLY A FUTURE

FOR HIM, BUT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT

STATEWIDE OFFICE.

>> CHAD, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I'M WITH BILL.

IT'S HARD TO TELL RIGHT NOW.

I MEAN HE COULD HAVE TWO YEARS

AGO HE COULD HAVE RAN IN THE

11TH DIRECT AND BEEN

CONGRESSMAN.

I MEAN HE WOULD HAVE BEEN

FORMIDABLE IN THAT DISTRICT IN

BEING FROM FARMINGTON HILLS BUT

YOU KNOW HE WENT FOR THE BIG YOU

KNOW SEAT, TRIED TO KNOCK OFF

DEBBIE STABENOW THE LONGEST

SERVING POLITICIANS IN MICHIGAN

HISTORY AND YOU KNOW HE CAME

THREE OR FOUR POINTS AND THOUGHT

HE WOULD TRY AGAIN AND THEN YOU

KNOW HE CAME WITHIN YOU KNOW 60,

70,000 VOTES BUT AT THE END OF

THE DAY YOU KNOW THERE IS JUST A

NUMBERS GAME PROBLEM AND IT GOES

BACK TO MY EARLIER POINT THAT

REPUBLICANS ARE HAVING A HARD

TIME WINNING STATEWIDE RACES AND

SO FOR HIM TO TRY FOR A THIRD

TIME UNLESS HE CHANGES HIS

MESSAGE AND GETS A MESSAGE, I

MEAN HE COULD NOT ANSWER

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE

CARE ACT AND THE POLLING SHOWED

THAT BY A 3 TO 1 MARGIN VOTERS

WERE MORE MOTIVATED ABOUT THE

FUTURE OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE

ACT THAN ABORTION IN THIS

ELECTION AND THAT IS A CRUCIAL

ISSUE THAT IS ANY REPUBLICAN IS

GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN

TALKING ABOUT HEALTHCARE.

HECK YESTERDAY HOUSE SPEAKER

ELECT JAESEAN WENT WORTH IN

OPENING REMARKS TALKED HOW THEY

WANTED TO WORK ON ACCESS TO

HEALTHCARE.

THAT WAS OPENING MESSAGING SO

REPUBLICANS ARE ALREADY READING

THE RESULTS HERE AND REALIZING

THEY HAVE TO COME UP WITH

SOMETHING ON HEALTHCARE OR THEY

ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE THE PARTY

OF NO DURING A PANDEMIC.

>> ALL RIGHT FINAL STATEMENT THE

SLEEPER STORY OF ELECTION WAS

THE DEMOCRATS TAKING CONTROL OF

THE STATE SUPREME COURT.

SO THE PEOPLE THAT SUPPORT

GOVERNOR WHITMER ARE CRYING IN

THEIR BEER BECAUSE THEY HAVE A

REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE NOW SHE

HAS A DEMOCRAT SUPREME COURT

WHICH AIN'T ALL THAT BAD, THANKS

TO ALL THREE OF YOU KATHY.

>> THE BIGGEST TRIUMPH FOR THE

DEMOCRATS IN THIS ELECTION

GETTING CONTROL OF THE SUPREME

COURT ON ELECTION BASIS NOT

THROUGH APPOINTMENT FOR THE

FIRST TIME IN OVER TWO DECADES.

>> ENGLER COURT IS DEAD.

I GUESS.

PRODUCTION OF OFF THE RECORD IS

MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE

FOLLOWING BUSINESS LEADERS FOR

MICHIGAN HAS A STRATEGIC PLAN TO

MAKE MICHIGAN A TOP TEN STATE IN

THE NATION FOR JOBS, PERSONAL

INCOME AND A HEALTHY ECONOMY

LEARN MORE AT MICHIGAN'S ROAD TO

TOP TEN.COM.

FOR MORE OFF THE RECORD VISIT

WKAR.ORG.

MICHIGAN PUBLIC TELEVISION

STATIONS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE

PRODUCTION COSTS OF OFF THE

RECORD WITH TIM SKUBICK.

♪

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