The Weekender (8/21/20)
Welcome to the Democratic Governors Association’s Friday newsletter, The Weekender – Democratic National Convention Edition.
Here’s a new #DemGovs video to get you hyped:
Let’s get started.
Bold Leadership: Women Governors Leading the States
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Maine Gov. Janet Mills, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer talked about their success and challenges in holding the highest office in the state with moderator Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo.
They also spoke about the challenges Senator Kamala Harris will face as the first Black and South Asian woman Vice Presidential nominee – and how they are ready to have her back.
Watch the full discussion here.
#DemGovsGetItDone: Progress in Purple and Red States
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer spoke with moderator Stacey Abrams about working across the aisle to make progress on policies from Medicaid expansion to increasing teacher pay and what the Biden-Harris ticket can do to win in swing states this November.
Watch the full discussion here.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
Gov. Lujan Grisham, speaking in front of a solar array, touted New Mexico’s renewable energy initiatives, called for action on climate change, and stressed the need for a federal government commitment to clean jobs and clean energy. The governor criticized President Trump for rolling back environmental protections and said Joe Biden will lead America and the world into a clean, green 21st century.
- Michael Gerstein, Santa Fe New Mexican: “Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham took center stage Wednesday at the top of a lineup of party heavy hitters on the third night of the Democratic National Convention, stressing the need to invest in clean energy jobs to avert ‘the environmental annihilation’ posed by President Donald Trump’s administration.”
- Dan Boyd, Albuquerque Journal: “Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham touted New Mexico’s renewable energy potential during a prime-time speech to the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, while also delivering an environmental broadside against President Donald Trump.”
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Gov. Cuomo gave a speech that was emblematic of his famous COVID-19 briefings, which captivated millions of Americans who turned to Democratic governors for leadership when the federal government bucked responsibility for the pandemic. Gov. Cuomo criticized the Trump administration’s poor handling of COVID-19 and said Vice President Joe Biden is the leader America needs.
- Jake Lahut, Business Insider: “Cuomo presented himself as a standard-bearer for the nation’s fight against the pandemic, calling for a better federal response than the Trump administration’s.”
- Bette Midler: “‘Government matters. Leadership matters.’ Gov. Cuomo, great speech.”
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
Gov. Whitmer spoke about how Vice President Joe Biden and the Obama Administration worked to save the auto industry in Michigan and criticized the Trump administration for not taking action to help America with the coronavirus. She encouraged Americans to come together to get through this tough period of time.
- Amy Lange, Fox 2 Detroit: “Michigan’s governor getting generally high marks for her appearance during last night’s democratic national convention.”
- Lon Johnson, former chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party: “[Whitmer] represents the future of our party. […] She represents a very important state and a very important method of governing that we’re trying to showcase.”
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy spoke on behalf of his state, in memory of all those who lost their lives to COVID-19, and in solidarity with frontline workers and all who are sick and struggling, at Asbury Park Convention Hall.
Delaware Gov. John Carney represented his state at the Amtrak station Joe Biden famously used to ride back and forth to Washington D.C. every day.
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo got a shout-out from a state representative who stole the show with calamari.
“It’s shark week mother*******.”
- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer aka Big Gretch aka “that woman from Michigan” before her speech on night one of the convention.
“We are a rambunctious group.”
Who said it? Send your answer to press@dga.net and we’ll reveal the answer in the next Weekender!
If you guessed GOP Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp last week, you were right! When discussing the first week of school, Kemp said “I think quite honestly this week went real well,” even as schools faced disastrous outbreaks and the state had the highest per-capita case rate in the country.