Gretchen Whitmer responds to calls by some Democrats to vote ā€˜uncommittedā€™ in Michiganā€™s primary on Tuesday

Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan governor, pushed back on calls to not vote for Joe Biden over his handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict, saying on Sunday that could help Trump get re-elected.

ā€œItā€™s important not to lose sight of the fact that any vote thatā€™s not cast for Joe Biden supports a second Trump term,ā€ she said on Sunday during an interview on CNNā€™s State of the Union. ā€œA second Trump term would be devastating. Not just on fundamental rights, not just on our democracy here at home, but also when it comes to foreign policy. This was a man who promoted a Muslim ban.ā€

Whitmer, who is a co-chair of Bidenā€™s 2024 campaign, also said she wasnā€™t sure what to expect when it came to the protest vote.

Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat who is the only Palestinian-American serving in Congress, urged Democrats last week to vote ā€œuncommittedā€ in Michiganā€™s 27 February primary.

  • Lopen's Left Arm@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    23
    arrow-down
    11
    Ā·
    8 months ago

    No, this is not hypothetical. Either Biden will win, or Trump will. You can protest and throw all the tantrums you like, thatā€™s what the primary is for.

    Come November, if you donā€™t vote for Biden, youā€™re as guilty as the most ardent MAGA supporter in letting fascism take power.

    • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      9
      arrow-down
      17
      Ā·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      Incorrect.

      The purpose of a primary is meant to select the best candidate possible.

      We can argue if a guy whose consistently thrown unconditional support to a genocidal regime is in fact that, but the primary is not to ā€œthrow tantrumsā€

      And yes, I am pissed that my govenement is currently sending money and weapons to a genocidal regime. I am more than pissed. I expect better of my govnerment.

      But being incensed at genocideā€¦ isnā€™t a tantrum.

      Canā€¦ you do me a favor? Can you just agree that genocide is bad? Or is that too much?

      • Lopen's Left Arm@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        12
        arrow-down
        8
        Ā·
        8 months ago

        Whatever you want to call it, you go act out in the primary all you like, vote for Barney the dinosaur for all I care. But when it comes to November, you put on your big kid pants, suck it up, and vote for Biden, otherwise youā€™re as guilty as any other MAGA fanatic.

        • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          6
          arrow-down
          13
          Ā·
          edit-2
          8 months ago

          Soā€¦.

          We canā€™t agree that genocide is bad?

          Once again: you are talking about a possible future- a very likely future. Protesting the genocide of Gazaā€™s isnā€™t about what might happen in the future. The protests are about what is happening now.

          And what our current, active government is doing to support it. ā€œFirst they came for the Gazans, and I did nothing because Biden was better than Trumpā€ is not something I want to express later.

          Our government is complicit in genocide. Period. It doesnā€™t matter if the current president is better than the alternative. Itā€™s still complicit in genocide- and because it ostensibly represents me- I have an obligation to tell it to knock it off.

          You, on the other hand, are using your right to free speech to enable and defend genocide.

          • Lopen's Left Arm@sh.itjust.works
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            8
            arrow-down
            7
            Ā·
            8 months ago

            You asked me for a favor, and Iā€™m not inclined to do you any favors until you commit to voting for Biden in the general. After that, we can talk.

            • Zaktor@sopuli.xyz
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              6
              arrow-down
              4
              Ā·
              8 months ago

              Why does saying genocide is bad require a favor for you to do?

              • Lopen's Left Arm@sh.itjust.works
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                2
                arrow-down
                4
                Ā·
                8 months ago

                Canā€¦ you do me a favor? Can you just agree that genocide is bad?

                That was the other person, not be. I donā€™t do favors for fascist supporters, of which Iā€™m now convinced they are one.

            • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              5
              arrow-down
              9
              Ā·
              8 months ago

              ā€œDo what I tell you and then we can talkā€

              you sound like a republican. You canā€™t even agree that genocide is bad and you expect me to actually agree to do what you say as if youā€™re some divinely appointed prophet? Fuck. That.

              • Lopen's Left Arm@sh.itjust.works
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                4
                arrow-down
                7
                Ā·
                8 months ago

                Iā€™m not doing you any favors while thereā€™s still some question as to whether or not youā€™re supporting fascism. If you refuse to vote for Biden in the general, thatā€™s exactly what youā€™re doing. So hereā€™s the opportunity to clear the air about how youā€™re going to vote.

                • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  2
                  arrow-down
                  1
                  Ā·
                  edit-2
                  8 months ago

                  Youā€™re not gonna admit that genocide is bad because you donā€™t believe it is. Iā€™m voting for Biden.

                  • Lopen's Left Arm@sh.itjust.works
                    link
                    fedilink
                    arrow-up
                    1
                    arrow-down
                    2
                    Ā·
                    edit-2
                    8 months ago

                    See everyone! Itā€™s not difficult to commit to voting for the only one standing between us and Trumpā€™s fascist takeover of the U.S. Seriously, people act like itā€™s pulling teeth to say theyā€™ll vote for Biden.

                    Yes, of course genocide is bad, and we should immediately stop giving funding to Israel because of it. Like you, thatā€™s not going to inhibit me in the slightest from voting for Biden in the general.

                • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  5
                  arrow-down
                  5
                  Ā·
                  8 months ago

                  Youā€™re concerned Iā€™m maybe supporting fascismā€¦. Fascists just love their genocide too.

                  So maybe since youā€™re so concerned about fascism- check the goddam mirror.

                  And once again: the protests arenā€™t about the goddamn election. Itā€™s about the American government supporting genocide, and speaking against that.

                  Oh, another thing fascists do: silence dissent. They also love loyalty and purity tests.

                  You donā€™t have to do me any favors you donā€™t want to do. But seriously; you want to persuade peopleā€¦ this isnā€™t the way.