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Chris Stirewalt, Rep Huizenga and Debbie Dingell discuss what Wisconsin's recall election can tell us about the general election in Michigan.
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That -- -- Wisconsin governor Scott Walker declaring victory claiming victory in his recall effort.
And it's certainly something Republicans say are gonna help them as they tied for republicanism.
-- rolling through the upper midwest that they hope carries over to Michigan.
And this is power play welcome back to battleground Friday.
As we look at -- Michigan and unlikely kind of swing state for Republicans is going to play out Debbie dingle is here and she's obviously this is she's from Michigan and -- super cool.
So.
We have -- the opportunity.
To sneak into Studio -- -- use the big board to break down the way Michigan's going to vote and where the votes are in Michigan so let's take a look at that and then you can tell me what I got wrong and I can literally take.
It's another battleground Friday here on power play as we go through -- dozen swing states that will get to decide.
This fall's election.
And we're having a lot of fun with -- we did North Carolina before but now which is going to be tough for President Obama now look let's look at a tough pick.
For Mitt Romney in the Republicans and that's Michigan.
Now there is reason to believe that Michigan and this is how by the way Mitt Romney did in the primary here pulled out a win at a time when Rick Santorum was still surging.
But who the reason that Republicans think that they might be able to pull off something in Michigan -- -- -- from here he's from Oakland County right down here outside of Detroit.
That's where he grew up Bloomfield Hills.
Out here that's where he grew up his dad was the governor his mom ran -- -- why not why couldn't he -- -- the reasoning.
Who was originally thought not to be able to win was that the state changed so much since the 1960s.
And that the heavy concentration of votes here and heavily democratic Detroit area just makes it basically impossible.
But it.
Let's talk about a couple of things that happen and and in they have to do with the changing demographics of the state when the auto industry in 2008.
Not about the same time.
As this election was taking place between Barack Obama and John McCain.
Absolutely imploded it had been suffering for years unionized auto companies have been suffering for years and then the bottom absolutely fell out.
And we room we know what happened the government nationalized.
Restructured.
Bailed out these companies.
And before returning them to cause -- private sector status along the way guess what happened this whole part of the state down here.
And this is McComb county.
To the north.
Is a big for this to.
But this whole part of the state where something like 70% of the population of Michigan -- got drastically be populated you've seen the pictures you've seen the signs.
Detroit imploded.
-- the consequence was.
Because most of the rest of the state is Republican.
Much like Illinois with Chicago.
This is a Republican state with a democratic city and it and that happens to flip it.
The other direction so.
If you think about it this way.
The way that Michigan's gonna vote.
Is going to look very different in 2000 it let's show you how was in 2004 because this is what we would expect.
The map to go to when George W.
Bush and John Kerry notice where Grand Rapids and that's a pretty big city that can't -- out there.
That that's big lot of votes out there so look at that.
You see that this part of the -- supposed to be Republican.
-- believes that if the state reverts to form and goes back to -- They've -- -- cake with a creamy blue filling.
Instead of the other way around that he has a decent shot to do it.
And the reason he thanks again you have to -- population on this site and -- out here this part of the state is intensely conservative intensely Republican.
A lot of Dutch reform church -- social conservatives Santorum voters that's how -- inform almost pulled it off.
This part of the state which used to have a lot of democratic votes and you see that in 2008 that there's a considerable number of this -- the first congressional district up here.
Used to have a lot of democratic votes.
Not so much anymore it's changed it switched.
And is now represented by conservatives across the western part of the state so Romney's hope is that because these areas have had more stable population population has been more -- out here.
That he can get Michigan close -- remember.
-- twenty -- the Republicans took the state by storm they got a Republican governor.
They -- a Republican legislature they've enacted some reforms.
We're changes I should say to the way government unions work the dynamic in Michigan has changed.
Obama believes that the state will revert to form -- huge minority turnout in Detroit forehand.
And heavy union presence.
What will carry it over the -- for him but Ronnie thinks he has a way to pull off a win in his native state.
Maybe well and certainly.
We know that they were watching over here in Wisconsin very closely what happened with that recall election.
So -- will be watching to you can take that to the bank and that's a look at how Michigan might vote come November.
Will certainly be keeping our eye on that.
You should keep your eye on all of our battleground states as we work through and show you how the big board says November is gonna look.
I don't know who that guy was but he made a lot of interesting points about two the state of Michigan.
The birthplace of power play part of the -- -- and I asked for a they're in Pontiac in the -- the silverdome.
But Debbie -- so the question is this.
In the state of Michigan there's not a lot of Republican organization in Wisconsin they have a very active longstanding Republican Party but the Republican Party in Michigan had been on its heels for -- long.
For really a couple of decades and since they've had a very strong Republican Party in the state.
If Mitt Romney once competed Michigan they're gonna have to spend a lot of money up there aren't that.
They are the defective batteries -- a lot of money that's -- that -- off as quick as we -- Now they hit some -- tendency to governor is it moderate who does not come out of the Republican critics who doesn't have.
The kind of organization that we are talking about we've got some members of congress who do have some strong organizations -- -- Carter.
That little hole that my Carter.
That gesture.
That is -- Cotter failed to qualify for the ballot because they turned in a bunch of -- -- signatures.
Photocopied signatures every time you wanna run -- -- Michigan you have to media its signature ballot test and he he fielded in flourish in emerging fashion.
PSE it was the core area that they needed to -- and it's turned out that they -- -- to turn out votes for him or herself.
I've never seen the Republicans -- discussed in in my life targeted at somebody they did pick a consensus candidate there yeah but day in terms of organization was a major vote for Republican.
It's OK so for the president basically -- good argument there.
The whole name it again minutes.
That maximizing turnout.
For maximizing turnout in Detroit Oakland -- the whole goal -- you've got minority voters -- -- you know the president's gonna -- Detroit metro.
Detroit metro even including the -- and suburbs probably 70%.
He'll he'll be in -- even throwing in making it happen caucus and the fact core seventieth sleep.
They city -- -- -- -- didn't have a question for Mitt Romney and this is where it gets very interesting is.
He's gonna do okay and Oakland County affluent suburb.
But when you look at a place like -- camp.
Where there are some Reagan Democrats but these are some guys who Mitt Romney has Bain Capital Mitt Romney has a hard time talking to.
Can Mitt Romney steal any votes in places like -- If he can't think.
I would think you need to understand aren't distinct minority I think -- more competitive than many people to that.
I I think by the way this is an anti incumbent year I don't think it's an entire Republican Democrat I think people are fed up I think they're still scared.
She's doing better than other states are doing we.
Had the worst part of this economy economic -- -- -- show -- starting to recover faster but people are still angry and they're still scared you don't have consumer confidence.
So in the end it's still about jobs it's gonna be who -- they trust now I think Mitt Romney -- -- strategic mistake.
Instead of fixing himself during their.
Presidential primary in February he doubled down on the auto.
So -- in this is that this is a huge issue in Michigan and certainly in places like in places like McComb county is Mitt Romney said.
We got to let -- bankruptcy happened we're gonna have to just blow up these companies that these companies have blown themselves up for work or not afford of course excluded the General Motors and Chrysler have got to go through this pain and then be reassembled on the other side President Obama said well we're gonna we're gonna pump some money and we're gonna hold it together and then we're gonna hocus -- a new companies gonna come out on the other side.
And how -- second play out.
Well I think it is an issue that.
You watched grow I mean it's been two years ago less than 50% of people even thought that that was a good idea the President Obama done in Michigan now.
-- voters do you believe that it was the right thing to do I think that.
We're coming probably could have handled it much better we -- -- in Michigan.
Talking about it instead of saying you know -- but I still say the right thing that President Obama should help him now where it's just sketchy very bad it just -- -- that the president fouled.
What he had suggest it has created a credibility issue.
-- -- clintonian -- there is some clintonian parsing going on now by the Romney campaign as it relates to the auto bailout we'd like part of it we didn't like part of it it's complicated.
And you know something we're talking about before daddy is.
-- -- -- -- So for Obama he is North Carolina that we talked about last week that is -- -- while medium gonna go in there but some of these places can turn into quicksand -- -- -- quicksand for Ronnie go in and then and then you end up wasting a lot of time -- resource.
I think that Mitt Romney's gonna folks in Michigan I think he wants to whether he can we do not tie up a lot of christendom.
Upon his resource is there -- it's complicated state got to -- Justine congressional elections because it because.
Debbie -- we thank you get the last word from DSL senior it's funny how we call these calls -- six battleground today does that mean that in the future there will be battle ground reactors.
Reenacting this election over and over again.
Pray god that you are wrong DSL senior because I don't I don't think anybody want to play me.
Out there Debbie -- we thank you so much for being with us we thank you for being with -- and also for a great birthday party yesterday you guys are just to kind.
And now as we like to do every day we want to leave you with the word from our friend -- Us.
There's -- -- -- raving lunatic he's psychotic who comes in the door.
And makes no sense to you you say he's speaking in word salad this is a word salad with vinaigrette on it.
