CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript Interview with Gretchen Whitmer

Interview

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I want to bring in the governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer.

Governor, thanks so much for joining us. Can Democrats build that wall as they say? That blue wall that President Trump demolished back in 2016?

GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER (D), MICHIGAN: Boy, absolutely. I want to refresh people's recollection and that is in 2016, President Trump won Michigan by less than 11,000 votes. Just two years later, when I ran for governor against someone who was, you know, an aficionado of President Trump's, I beat him by almost 400,000 votes. And so yes, absolutely there is a path to victory here for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

The whole thing, though, is going to be making sure that we make Michigan a priority, that we get out the vote and that we stay tethered to the issues that really matter to people. And that's the dinner table issues. That's worrying about having a national strategy around COVID-19 and building our economy back up. And I think that the Biden-Harris plan is going to resonate with Michigan voters but we can't make any assumptions.

BLITZER: I want you to be more precise. What's the single most important thing about that plan that Democrats need to do to win Michigan voters on November 3rd?

WHITMER: Well, I think people across the country know that the lack of a national strategy has cost us lives and had an, you know, incredible impact on our economy. Joe Biden's plans around making sure that we are building up manufacturing base here in America. We should never be competing with the world to try to buy swabs out of Italy when we can produce things better than anyone else in the world.

We should never be able to be out in a position where we're begging for N-95 masks when we can manufacture those here at home. And these are just two simple examples of how Joe Biden's plan to build up our economy and build it here in Michigan is going to put us into a stronger position. It's going to be better for our homeland security, better for our health, and certainly better for our pocketbooks.

BLITZER: I know you're going to be addressing the Democratic National Convention tomorrow night. Can you give us a little preview about your message?

WHITMER: So I'm going to talk a little bit about unity. I'm going to talk a little bit about the front liners, people that have put their own health at risk to take care of the rest of us throughout COVID-19. And so those are the two primary things that I'll be talking about during my time on the stage or virtually on the stage.

BLITZER: I spoke yesterday with the Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, and she was really worried about what's going on with the U.S. Postal Service, especially in Michigan of course. I'm anxious for your thoughts. The "Washington Post" is now reporting that Pontiac, Michigan, saw the third most reduction in postal sorting capacity around the country.

So can you guarantee, Governor, that every vote cast for the president of the United States by mail will be counted in Michigan?

WHITMER: I'm going to work very close with Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and our Attorney General Dana Nessel. I'm fortunate that I've got two brilliant women in those positions and we are going to make sure we do everything to protect people's votes. But when you see the USPS targeting a community like Pontiac, which is predominantly African-American, there is no question that there are, you know, political agendas going on here that are to disenfranchise voters who would more likely vote Democratic.

And so we've got to all fight back to make sure that the sanctity and integrity of our elections is something that we don't question, and that every vote gets counted. BLITZER: Do you see any other examples that there may be a political

reason for some of these setbacks that the U.S. Postal Service is having right now in its ability to deliver the mail, sort the mail, and make sure that every vote by mail is counted?

WHITMER: I don't know that you need to find examples other than the president's words himself. When he talks about trying to, you know, push down the number of people that can vote by taking away our ability to vote by mail in the midst of a global pandemic, he's telling you precisely what his plan is. And as we see these things happening across the country, every one of us, it is incumbent on every one of us, whether you are a Republican or a Democrat or somewhere in between, to make sure that this U.S. Postal Service is something that we all regard that is protected under the law.

People's Social Security checks come through the U.S. Post. Our prescriptions come from the U.S. Post and our ability to vote as Americans should be protected and so should the United States Postal Service.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, THE SITUATION ROOM: It is so, so critical. You're absolutely right. Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, good luck tomorrow night with the speech.

Good luck in dealing with all of these issues in Michigan. Thanks so much for joining us.

WHITMER: Thank you.

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