Gretchen Whitmer responds to calls by some Democrats to vote ‘uncommitted’ in Michigan’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.

“It’s important not to lose sight of the fact that any vote that’s not cast for Joe Biden supports a second Trump term,” she said on Sunday during an interview on CNN’s State of the Union. “A 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.”

Whitmer, who is a co-chair of Biden’s 2024 campaign, also said she wasn’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 “uncommitted” in Michigan’s 27 February primary.

  • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    If shes so concerned about people turning on Biden, maybe she needs to head to the oval office and tell him to stop fucking funding and equiping a goddamn genocide.

    Cause one thing you forget, Democrats are not cultists. We will not tie ourselves into knots trying to defend your bullshit. We will call out, and criticize you when its appropriate.

    and supporting and equiping a fucking genocide is a pretty goddamn appropriate thing to be criticizing Biden on.

    Its not on the voters to get over it.

    Its on Biden to stop fucking doing it and to tell Israel to fuck off.

    Is Israel apartheid and slaughtering the Palestinians really so important that you’d throw away the election for?

      • Jimmyeatsausage@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Is being noble on Gaza worth risking Gaza being obliterated by Trump and the GOP?

        And Ukraine being destroyed by Russia? And women’s rights further eroding? And LGBTQ rights further eroding?

        Even if you accept the premise that Biden and Trump are equally bad for Gaza, there’s so many other issues on the table.

      • Christian@lemmy.ml
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        9 months ago

        Is being noble on Gaza worth risking Gaza being obliterated by Trump and the GOP?

        I’m going to ignore the implication that “being noble on Gaza” is actually more risky for him and just assume that’s true. What the fuck kind of question is this?? Biden should absolutely change course to being noble on Gaza. Yes it is worth the risk, arguing that he shouldn’t take that risk is saying you’re okay with continuing to sacrifice Palestinian lives over the coming months if it means a better chance of beating Trump and saving them from a theoretical worse fate.

        Sure, there’s a chance Biden will lose the election anyway, but I’m sure they’re capable of understanding how necessary their sacrifice was. I actually kind of hope that you’re one of the people who thinks we all should support Israel and that you’re making a bad attempt to play sympathetic here, because this this is an absolutely ludicrous contortion to justify continuing to fund a genocide.

        No one makes the decision to continue funding the destruction of a people out of concern for what those people might go through if you don’t. Total horseshit.

        • Dagwood222@lemm.ee
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          9 months ago

          Is being noble on Gaza worth risking Gaza being obliterated by Trump and the GOP?

          I was talking about the voters, not Biden.

            • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              They always want to blame the voters. Its always the voters fault.

              Its our fault for failing democracy. Not the candidates fault for betraying it.

              • Dagwood222@lemm.ee
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                9 months ago

                Yes, I do.

                I was contributing to Liz Warren and Bernie in 2019.

                Never got one person knocking on my door to see if I needed a ride to the polls.

                Read up on the Moral Majority and Jerry Falwell. Falwell went to the grassroots of the GOP and got his agenda enshrined because his people worked the system.

                The Left had four years to get Bernie nominated. The Left failed Bernie and me.

                • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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                  9 months ago

                  Congrats for being literally the problem.

                  Maybe hold your representatives accountable, rather than getting angry at other people having the audacity to do what you refuse to do.

                  • Dagwood222@lemm.ee
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                    9 months ago

                    So, I’m the problem because I donated to Bernie?

                    Or because I’d rather have Biden have a big win over Trump?

                    Or because I actually put out a roadmap the Left could use?

      • kava@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Option 1) vote for the guy that we know with certainty supports the genocide - he sends money, bombs, and military aid (aircraft carriers, navy ships, squadrons of fighter jets) in order to defend Israel from other threats

        He diplomatically shields Israel from consequences by vetoing any possible UNSC resolution that would stop the bloodshed.

        Option 2) vote for the guy who probably would do all the same stuff.

        So 100% versus 90%

        90% is the rational decision. If Gaza is your one-issue that determines your voting, you should vote for Trump.

        And you may say how unethical, Trump is racist and helped kill Roe V Wade and he’s a lunatic who wants to take over the country - and you’d be right.

        But are you really going to tell a group of people that are being slaughtered with impunity that your issues are more important than the life and death of tens of thousands of people?

        I refuse to vote for Trump because I’m a one-issue voter too… but likewise I do not want to vote for Biden because they are identical on that issue.

        • Dagwood222@lemm.ee
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          9 months ago

          I would put it this way.

          If Biden wins in 2024, I’m sure I’ll be able to vote for someone else in 2028.

          If Trump wins, I’m pretty sure there’s never going to be another election.

    • a9cx34udP4ZZ0@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      If shes so concerned about people turning on Biden, maybe she needs to head to the oval office and tell him to stop fucking funding and equiping a goddamn genocide.

      Or, maybe, it’s more complicated than that. MAYBE supporting Israel in the middle-east helps keep some semblance of stability in a region that would otherwise be constantly at war, with Iran in particular doing their best to take over all of their neighbors. That’s ignoring the fact that unless you’re advocating us going to war WITH Israel - the second we pull all funding we also lose all leverage we have with them, and I would expect an almost immediate expansion into all Palestinian territory overnight given their current leadership.

      Is the situation fucked? Yes. Is it going to be fixed by pulling funding? Absolutely not.

      • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Oh thank god the middle east is at peace! And we owe it all to Biden’s unconditional support of Netanyahu’s genocide!

        • a9cx34udP4ZZ0@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          So your alternative is what? Other than brainless comments on social media that is, that really seems to be making a significant change in the situation so please keep at it. 50 years of the world’s thought leaders unable to come to an amicable resolution, I’m sure you’ve got all the answers. let’s hear your plan for peace in Gaza.

          HURR DURR IF WE DONT VOTE FOR BIDEN ISRAEL WILL GET THE PICTURE, TRUMP 2024!!111

          • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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            9 months ago

            IF WE DONT VOTE FOR BIDEN

            I have never advocated not voting for Biden in the 2024 election. He doesn’t need to support the genocide you clearly want and love. You want me to have a plan for peace in Gaza? I don’t and neither do you. But we don’t have to be party to genocide. And we don’t have to lie and say that the genocide you keep making excuses for is keeping a non-existent peace in the region.