LANSING, Mich. (AP) 鈥� Michigan Gov. is releasing a new memoir at a particularly fraught moment, both for herself and for the Democratic Party.
Set for release Tuesday amid the frenzy over President Joe Biden鈥檚 recent debate , 鈥淭rue Gretch鈥� won鈥檛 do much to dispel questions about her national ambitions. But in a pre-launch interview with The Associated Press, Whitmer did what she could to shut down such speculation. When asked if she would consider becoming a candidate this year if Biden were to she responded with a definitive, 鈥淣o.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a distraction more than anything,鈥� said Whitmer. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 like seeing my name in articles like that because I鈥檓 totally focused on governing and campaigning for the ticket.鈥�
In the book, Whitmer recounts events that unfolded on the national stage throughout her career, including a clash with Donald Trump and targeting her and her family.
Her swift ascent over two decades 鈥� from law school graduate to Michigan鈥檚 governor 鈥� has established her as a prominent figure within the Democratic Party.
Her status was solidified in 2022 with a decisive reelection and her party鈥檚 success in flipping both chambers of the state legislature, granting Democrats full control for the first time in nearly four decades.
鈥淚鈥檝e spent the first quarter of this century watching as the arc of our politics has bent uncomfortably toward incivility and strife,鈥� Whitmer says in the first pages of her book. Then she adds, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I decided to write this book: to put a little light out there in a damn dark time.鈥�
Whitmer first caught national attention as the Michigan Senate minority leader in 2013. Before a floor vote on an anti-abortion bill, Whitmer abandoned her prepared remarks and shared that she had been raped while in college.
鈥淚t was terrifying to think of opening myself up, of telling this room full of mostly men about being assaulted as a young woman,鈥� she says in the book.
More than 10 years after that bill passed, , the same year in the state constitution.
Whitmer has been pushing the topic of abortion access in her role as co-chair of the Biden campaign, saying he is on the 鈥渞ight side鈥� of the abortion fight despite his lackluster performance in the recent debate on the question of reproductive rights.
鈥淚 think everyone has acknowledged it was not his finest 90 minutes,鈥� she said in an interview. 鈥淭hat said, this is a man I鈥檝e known for a long time and has decades of public service receipts that he鈥檚 delivered to people.鈥�
Whitmer has said at campaign events that Trump could roll back reproductive rights if elected to the Oval Office. She famously sparred with the then-president over the federal government鈥檚 response to the COVID-19 pandemic in her first term as governor. Trump's reference to Whitmer during a White House news briefing took off as 鈥渢hat woman from Michigan.鈥�
Whitmer blames the former president for fueling the political hatred that motivated a plot to kidnap and kill her that unfolded in 2020. In the book, Whitmer is critical of reports that refer to the scheme as a 鈥渒idnapping plot,鈥� saying it was clear the plan was to assassinate her.
Whitmer says her daughters have not returned to the private residence that the conspirators staked out and her husband closed his dental practice following threats.
鈥淣early three years down the road, there鈥檚 no doubt that the apparent kidnapping and murder plot changed me,鈥� she writes.
Whitmer says in the book she wants to meet with a handful of those who pleaded guilty to the charges in the name of understanding, 鈥渢o ask the questions and really hear the answers.鈥� among 14 people charged in state or federal court
One of 12 female state governors and arguably the most well-known, Whitmer writes frankly about how gender-based violence, threats and rhetoric have affected her career and personal life. She shares heavy moments in which she told her two daughters about the sexual assault and, years later, the conspiracy to kill her.
Whitmer said at times it was difficult to return to those events in .
鈥淚 think my way to deal with it is to actually talk about it,鈥� she said.
She writes about how she used to be a partier (she once threw up on her high school principal after drinking) before law school and her relationship with her own body. People from voters to reporters have discussed her appearance and what she wears above her policies, she says in the book.
She is unapologetic throughout, except when she expresses regret for going out to dinner at a dive bar with friends despite pandemic restrictions. Whitmer points out that another Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom of California, was also criticized, for going to a Michelin three-star restaurant during the pandemic.
Newsom鈥檚 name has been circulated alongside Whitmer鈥檚 this past week as a possible replacement nominee for Biden.
Politico Magazine reported July 1 that 鈥渟omeone close to a potential 2028 Whitmer rival for the Democratic presidential nomination鈥� said Whitmer had said Michigan was no longer winnable for Biden after the debate.
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鈥淚 think it鈥檚 frustrating that there are news outlets that will publish something that a potential future opponent鈥檚 staff person would say,鈥� Whitmer said.
Whitmer ends her memoir with 26th President Theodore Roosevelt鈥檚 鈥渕an in the arena鈥� quote, with a colorful reference to her own affinity for wearing pink.
鈥淭he 鈥榤an鈥� may be a woman. And she may just be wearing fuchsia,鈥� Whitmer concludes.
Whitmer said in the interview that she shares the quote with her staff and it鈥檚 about 鈥渄oing the hard, right thing.鈥�
鈥淏ut it鈥檚 a little outdated,鈥� she said with a laugh.
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Volmert reported from Indianapolis.
Joey Cappelletti And Isabella Volmert, The Associated Press
