Whitmer: Trump reelection would mean ‘we failed as a country’

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) warned Wednesday that the reelection of former President Trump would mean “we failed as a country.”

“We failed as a country,” Whitmer said when asked on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” what a second Trump term would mean. “A second Trump term would mean that, that we’ll see rights eviscerated.”

Whitmer, a national co-chair of the Biden-Harris campaign, has been making the rounds in recent days to tout her support for President Biden as he faces turmoil within his own party following a shaky debate performance. Whitmer echoed a familiar Democratic message Wednesday, warning that a second Trump term could pose a risk to democracy.

She pointed to the Supreme Court ruling last week that determined core presidential powers are immune from criminal prosecution.

“We’ll see the institutions that have sustained this democracy undermined, we’ll see abuse of power like we’ve never seen before, especially with the newest Supreme Court ruling,” she said.

“And so I think that I think about my daughters the way that I know you think about yours. This is a high stakes moment and their generation is important to this moment, but also is counting on us all on this moment,” she continued.

Whitmer also acknowledged that Biden’s debate performance was “lousy” while emphasizing that he can defeat Trump in November.

“But the fact of the matter is, the president is I think, showing that he is up to this moment, up to the job, up to the rigors. He’s speaking with NATO. He’s touring the country. He’ll be in Michigan this week,” she said.

“He’s in it to win it, and I have been a longtime supporter of this president and vice president and that’s not changed,” she added.

Biden has maintained that he will not be dropping out of the race despite mounting calls from Democrats, including sitting lawmakers, for him to do so. Whitmer has been a top name floated to replace Biden on the Democratic ticket should he end his reelection campaign, but she has said she doesn’t like being mentioned in that context and called it “a distraction more than anything.”

When asked Wednesday if voters are “hoping for an alternative” to Biden, she reiterated that there are only two choices.

“Well, let’s be clear. This is not fantasy football. We’re not clearing the slate and everyone’s picking who they think could be potential candidates. We have a choice between Joe Biden and Donald Trump,” she said.