Gov. Gretchen Whitmer unveils her vision for American democracy in 'True Gretch'

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4.2 • 671 Ratings

🗓️ 10 July 2024

⏱️ 11 minutes

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Summary

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has a new memoir out – it's about the people and experiences that shaped her version of leadership. Whitmer has led her state through a pandemic, natural disasters and the battle over reproductive rights, among many other issues. In today's episode, she speaks with NPR's Juana Summers about True Gretch: What I've Learned About Life, Leadership, and Everything in Between, her steadfast support for President Biden during his bid for reelection, and how she sees her future in the Democratic party.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's NPR's book of the day. I'm Andrew Limbaung. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is on the pod today.
0:07.9	And listen, I know, we generally don't do a lot of horse race elections talk on the show, but the governor does have a new bookout.
0:15.0	And a politician with a book out does usually imply some higher ambitions.
0:23.1	The book is called True Gretch, and NPR's Juana Summers talks to her about her come up in politics and the state of political discourse
0:27.6	today. I should also say that the governor is co-chair of President Biden's re-election campaign,
0:32.6	so of course, they discuss the immediate future of the Democratic Party. That's ahead.
0:38.4	In the U.S., national security news can feel far away from daily life.
0:43.2	Distant wars, murky conflicts, diplomacy behind closed doors.
0:47.6	On our new show, Sources and Methods, NPR reporters on the ground bring you stories of real people,
0:53.5	helping you understand why distant events matter here at home.
0:57.1	Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
1:02.9	Former President Donald Trump derided Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer as the woman in Michigan when the two publicly clashed in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic.
1:12.2	A Detroit rapper once put out a song about her called Big Gretsch praising her handling of that pandemic.
1:18.5	And as Whitmer writes in a new book, which is out today, she's picked up a host of other nicknames over the years, including Gravity Gretchen because of her reputation as a klutzy kid. But the question perhaps on
1:29.3	many people's minds now is what comes next for Governor Gretchen Whitmer's political future at a moment
1:35.3	of uncertainty for her party. She is now a national co-chair of President Biden's re-election campaign.
1:41.0	Her book is True Gretch. What I've learned about life, leadership, and everything in
1:45.8	between. And Michigan, Governor Gretchen Whitmer is here with us now. Governor, welcome.
1:50.3	Thank you. It's good to be with you.
1:52.1	You share so many memories through your time in office and your life outside of politics in this book.
1:56.8	And I want to start by asking you about one memory that you share that is from the last
2:01.0	presidential race. This is a rally in Detroit in early March of 2020, and if many of us remember,
	...

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