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

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

[17:25:00]

BLITZER: President-elect Joe Biden is calling for unity as he begins preparations to assume the nation's highest office. But deep divisions remain across the nation including in Michigan, which Biden flipped back into the Democrats' column.

We are joined now by the governor of Michigan, Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Governor Whitmer, thank you so much for joining us. As you know, the president-elect is again calling for unity. You've echoed those calls. But is unity really possible at this moment given how deeply divided our nation is?

GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER (D-MI): Not only is it possible, it is absolutely essential. We have a common enemy in COVID-19 that is ravaging the United States. It is killing our people. It is threatening our economy. It is undermining our homeland security and our standing in the world.

And that is why this is a challenge that vice president -- I'm sorry --President-elect Biden is going to rally the American people to. We have to join forces to beat this common enemy. And I think this is a moment that is so important and his outreach, his vision is one that makes more a path for every one of us.

BLITZER: You faced, as all of our viewers know, the significant personal threat as a result, at least in part of President Trump's rhetoric against you. Sadly, the sentiment that drove people to threaten your life runs deep.

What specific steps would you like to see the president-elect, talking about Joe Biden, take to address the division that often has been inflamed by so much misinformation?

WHITMER: I think, Wolf, you've been paying attention to what he said throughout the campaign and certainly, everyone has been paying attention to what he has said since this election was called. And that is we need to really have a moment where we are all joining forces, where we seek to understand not to vilify our fellow Americans.

This is a moment where we are deeply divided as a nation and, yet, we cannot wallow in this. We have got to move forward together. We need to have a peaceful transition of power. We need to have a focus on an agenda that really seeks to create opportunity for everyone.

Get us back to work, get our kids back in school. But it starts with getting our arms around this pandemic that does not discriminate against any of us. It is a very real threat to every single one of us and this is the cause to which we've got to rally.

But we have to seek to understand one another, not to vilify our fellow Americans, and I do think that that is an important message that he sent on Saturday in that beautiful speech that he gave right after the wonderful speech that Kamala Harris gave as well.

BLITZER: As the U.S. now surpasses 10 million confirmed cases of coronavirus over these months, you know, more than 237,000 Americans have died. Your state of Michigan has lost, what, more than 7,000 people. Are the priorities that Joe Biden outlined today in line with what your state needs right now?

WHITMER: Absolutely. You know, I got in the center of a media storm when I observed nine months ago that the Trump administration did not have a national strategy around COVID-19. No national strategy around PPE or testing or even accurate consistent information around the seriousness of this virus.

I think in just a matter of days, President-elect Biden has already articulated what a national strategy will look like. He has already named incredibly respected epidemiologists and public health experts to the task force that will do the hard work of taking the platform and putting into a policy that will make a difference in our lives.

This is what the American people need and this is precisely, I think, the direction that President-elect Biden will take us and it will meet our needs and make us healthier, make us stronger, make our economy stronger as well.

BLITZER: You told "The Washington Post" that your intention -- that was the word -- intention is to stay home in Michigan.

[17:29:59]

Are you saying you will not necessarily accept a role in the president-elect's cabinet if he offered you the position?

What -- you can be honest with us.

WHITMER: I, you know, I am very, very grateful that I've built such a great relationship with President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris. I will be a phenomenal ally from here in Michigan. I -- we all are vested in their success, every American, is whether they voted for them or not. We are now all vested in the success of this next administration.

And, I, as Governor of Michigan, will do everything I can to make sure that they are successful. And I'm grateful for their close relationship, because I know it'll help me be even better Governor here in Michigan.

BLITZER: Well, we'll see what happens. I'll take that as well maybe. We'll see what happens. All right. Governor Whitmer, thank you so much for joining us. Good luck over there. Appreciate you're always coming here to The Situation Room.

WHITMER: Thank you.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source