Big Dog backs Granholm and Stabenow

Clinton's pitch for Granholm lumps DeVos with Bush Clinton's pitch for Granholm lumps DeVos with Bush 'They want you to be scared,' he says BY CHRIS CHRISTOFFFREE PRESS STAFF WRITER August 16, 2006 Former President Bill Clinton campaigns for Gov. Jennifer Granholm, left, and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow during a rally Tuesday in Taylor. (WILLIAM ARCHIE/Detroit Free Press) Former President Bill Clinton blasted President George W. Bush's administration and Republicans in Congress for hurting the country's middle class with a burdensome federal deficit and tax cuts for the wealthy. Clinton swooped into Taylor on Tuesday with a campaign pitch for Democrats in which he labeled GOP gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos a member of the "wealthy, ultra-conservative elite" who want to consolidate power for a few and use scare tactics such as the war on terrorism. "We want a united country. They want a divided country. They want you to be scared," Clinton said. Mixing folksy humor with zingers, his attack culminated a rally that featured Gov. Jennifer Granholm and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who face tough re-election battles in November. Clinton spoke to about 1,000 supporters outside Taylor's city hall. After leaving Taylor, Clinton headed for two fund-raisers at the Westin Hotel at Metro Airport. One was to benefit Stabenow's campaign and cost $1,000 or $2,500 to attend. The other was a $25,000-a-head event to raise money for the Michigan Democratic Party. Taylor is strongly Democratic and has been a popular campaign stop for national candidates of both parties. Bush stopped in Taylor in 2004 while running for re-election. So did challenger John Kerry. Taylor voters chose Kerry over Bush, 61% to 39%. "There are a lot of independents around here," said John Bendziek, 60, of Dearborn, a Democratic precinct delegate. The crowd also heard Bush bashing from U.S. Reps. John Dingell, Bart Stupak and John Conyers and Teamsters President James Hoffa. Hoffa accused DeVos of running a deceitful campaign in which he's hiding an agenda to ship more U.S. jobs overseas. Clinton said Granholm is unfairly blamed for global economic forces and problems in the auto industry and gets no help from Bush. He said Bush has caused huge deficits, planned poorly for homeland security and created an economy with stagnant wages. "Now they say maybe we can do even more of it," said Clinton, who was president in 1993-2001. "Your governor's opponent thinks what Michigan needs is a state version of Bush-Cheney government." State GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis said in a statement that Stabenow and Granholm back policies that have made Michigan's unemployment rate among the nation's worst. At the same time as Clinton's appearance in Taylor, DeVos held a fund-raiser at Picano's Restaurant and Lounge in Troy. That event was organized by a group of developers who have invested more than $60 million in Warren and often have supported Democrats. Warren Mayor Mark Steenbergh said through his spokesman, Joe Munem, that he supports Granholm but declined requests from other Democrats to repudiate the developers. "He's bemused by this," Munem said. The statement from the Saul Anuzis proves the Michigan Republicans are not the brightest group of people in the state, first of all Saul you guys been in charge of all three branches of the state government since 1990 you had a corrupt goveonor in John Engler and an equally corrupt and inapt Republican control state house. Nationally you have enablers and crooks like Tom DeLay, Bill Frist and the rest of the national Republicans who ok every unbalance trade policy, tax cuts for Paris Hilton and an enegry bill that benefits no one but the oil companies but according to this mental midget Saul Anuzis it's both Debbie Stabenow and Jennfier Granholm fault. I disagree with the author take Debbie Stabenow in my humble opinion isn't in a tough fight against Mikey Bouchard he's already running from the term Republican and he has no support worth speaking of in Detroit and other heavy Democratic union areas within the state. DeVos on the other is trying to buy his way into office that's the only reason Granholm is in a tough fight you got a clown with unlimited bank and he can fire ads out at will. But when I think when the race heat up and we learn more about Mr. DeVos his support will go down.