Vice President Kamala Harris needs all the help she can get this election, including in key swing states. She's not getting that kind of help in Michigan, though. Last week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) went viral for a bizarre video in which she fed Doritos to a radical feminist, all while wearing a Harris-Waltz cap. It also mocked the Eucharist.
While the governor's office has reportedly offered an apology and claimed the video clip was supposed to be in reference to the CHIPS Act, Catholic groups like the Catholic League, weren't buying it.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer releases statement following video of her feeding a podcaster a Dorito corn chip, resembling communion:
— Jeff Vaughn (@JeffVaughn) October 12, 2024
“Over 25 years in public service, I would never do something to denigrate someone’s faith,” the statement said. “I’ve used my platform to… pic.twitter.com/HO7i0L5TL6
The incident went viral last Thursday between Whitmer and Liz Plank, An apology circulated on Friday, though the governor's office's explanation is suspect at best.
"Over 25 years in public service, I would never do something to denigrate someone’s faith," a statement from the governor claimed. "I’ve used my platform to stand up for people’s right to hold and practice their personal religious beliefs. My team has spoken to the Michigan Catholic Conference. What was supposed to be a video about the importance of the CHIPS Act to Michigan jobs, has been construed as something it was never intended to be, and I apologize for that."
In a news release from Tuesday, the Catholic League's Bill Donohue laid out even more problems with the apology, noting how the governor "dug herself a new hole when she offered a fundamentally dishonest apology, and then had her press secretary lie about what happened."
Referring to Whitmer's claim that she would "never do something to denigrate someone's faith," Donohue noted that "of course, she did," adding, "[i]ndeed, it is the very reason she was forced to say something."
Donohue also noted that the governor's office lied:
Stacey LaRouche, Whitmer's press secretary, lied when she said, "Liz is not kneeling in the video." Plank also lied when she said, "No one was on their knees. I'm sitting on a couch that's visible in the shot."
The picture doesn't lie. To see it click here.
Plank was sitting on a couch for the interview, but when she pretended to be receiving Holy Communion, she got on her knees. Whitmer then placed a Dorito chip on her tongue. This is not debatable.
Donohue took credit for Whitmer being forced to respond, while giving praise to Michigan Catholics. The Catholic League indeed put out a news release on Friday about the incident as well:
The only reason Whitmer said anything is because we contacted every parish in the state of Michigan, as well as every state lawmaker. We also blanketed the media. News stories exploded on radio and TV, and it was covered by newspapers and internet news and commentary sites across the nation. Michigan Catholics took it from there and let their voices be heard. Good for them.
Donohue closed by warning how this isn't going away, given how Whitmer reacted to it, as he noted that the governor "could have put her anti-Catholic stunt behind her by issuing a sincere apology. Instead she decided to lie about it. Doubling down on her bigoted attack—ridiculing the most sacred aspect of the Mass—is a decision that will come back to haunt her. Bet on it."
Reactions to Whitmer's apology aren't the only ways in which the governor has been in the news lately for such a stunt.
On Sunday, The Midwesterner out out a piece on one of Whitmer's staffers. "Meet Gretchen Whitmer’s ‘queer content creator’ plotting governor’s chase for social media fame," the headline read.
Shocking to learn the person behind Whitmer feeding chips to a woman on her knees is a "queer content creator."
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) October 15, 2024
Never would have expected it. https://t.co/8S2la1RQfU
The piece starts by referencing the Doritos incident. As the piece early on mentions:
The Dorito “communion” post follows others that have leveraged Gen Z slang, social media trends, profanity, LGBT themes and 90s hip-hop to help “Big Gretch” pursue social media fame and promote her new book.
They’re mostly designed to portray Whitmer as a leading figure in pop culture, and they’re mostly designed by Whitmer’s senior photographer Julia Pickett.
“I want to make sure that no matter what we’re posting ad where we’re posting it, the governor’s authenticity shines through, that we’re staying on message, staying true to our values, but also, I’m looking at how we can do that in fun, engaging ways,” Pickett, a “queer content creator” that lives in Madison Heights with her wife, told Pride Source last year.
It’s Pickett, according to the site, who “is tasked with the monumental task of figuring out which issues to highlight and how to position them in a way that resonates with citizens and Whitmer’s political stances.”
Pickett’s X page says she is “Digital and Creative Director, Photographer/Videographer for @GovWhitmer.”
It seems clear Pickett’s sexuality and relentless focus on riding social media trends has a strong influence, and it’s undoubtedly sending the message the governor is unserious about addressing a mounting list of pressing issues impacting Michiganders.
Further in the article, there's some unpleasant truths about Michigan under Whitmer:
For folks living in Michigan, however, it’s been less great.
Nearly 200,000 more Michiganders are living paycheck to paycheck since Whitmer took office in 2019 on a promise to “fix the damn roads.”
About 41% of Michigan residents now cannot afford a “survival budget” that includes the basics like housing, child care, food, transportation and health care, despite most working full time. In some cities like River Rogue and Benton Harbor, it’s nearly 80%, according to a United for ALICE report.
The roads, meanwhile, “are deteriorating faster than the agencies can repair them,” according to a 2023 Road & Bridges Annual Report that conflicts with Whitmer’s claims to the contrary on social media.
Another study by TRIPP, a national transportation research nonprofit, found “Roads and bridges that are deteriorated, congested or lack some desirable safety features cost Michigan motorists a total of $17 billion statewide annually … due to higher vehicle operating costs, traffic crashes and congestion-related delays.”
Still other research shows inflation adjusted household income has declined by 3% under Whitmer, third-grade reading proficiency has dropped to a record low, the state has the highest auto insurance rates in the nation, unemployment is rising faster than the national average, inflation is rampant in Detroit, health insurance costs are set to skyrocket, abortions are at record highs, and Michiganders are “the most financially distressed people in the country.”
All of the above and more has contributed to the number of Fortune 500 companies in Michigan dwindling from 30 when Whitmer took office to 16 this year. Whitmer is now negotiating with Stellantis, a Big Three automaker who has called Michigan home for over 100 years, to keep its headquarters in the Great Lakes State.
Those problems, however, are nowhere to be found on Whitmer’s social media, where the governor instead keeps the focus on her brand, and more important issues like her trading cards.
The video clip went viral shortly after an AARP poll was conducted showing Harris polling slightly behind former and potentially future President Donald Trump. Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin also only narrowly leads former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers in their race to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow.
The poll also showed that 55 percent of likely voters in Michigan approve of the job Whitmer's doing, while 42 percent disapprove, although 49 percent have a favorable view of Whitmer, while 45 percent have an unfavorable view.
With Trump leading in Michigan by +1.0 against Harris, according to RealClearPolling, and by +0.7 in the battleground states overall, this stunt from Whitmer is not what the Harris-Walz ticket needs right now.