Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer met with Joe Biden in Delaware this week as his search for a running mate comes down to the wire.
The AP reported:
Whitmer visited Biden Sunday, according to two high-ranking Michigan Democrats who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. The first-term governor of the battleground state has long been on his short list of possible running mates.
Flight records show a chartered plane left Lansing’s Capital Region International Airport for Delaware Coastal Airport at 5:33 p.m. and returned at 11:16 p.m.
The development comes as Whitmer has been increasing mandates on Michiganders to blunt the spread of coronavirus, and said in an interview that she was spending “100 percent” of her energy on being governor.
This week — after her session with Biden — Whitmer issued an executive order declaring racism in the state a “public health crisis” and mandated implicit bias training for all state government employees.
She also tightened restrictions on masks and self-lockdowns.
Whitmer ordered individuals must self-isolate for 14 days if they are in contact for 15 minutes with a person who has a “fever, sore throat, a new uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, new onset of a severe headache, and new loss of taste or smell,” according to Michigan Capitol Confidential.
In May, Whitmer downplayed her interest in being Biden’s running mate and insisted she was spending all of her time combating the virus in the state.
“I was elected to be the governor of the state of Michigan. It is the honor of a lifetime, and that’s where I’m spending 100 percent of my energy,” Whitmer told Today.
“I’m making a little bit of time to stay connected to the campaign, but the most important thing I have to do right now is be the governor of my home state,” she said.
Publicly, Whitmer is conveying the status of the virus in the state is more dire than ever before.
“COVID-19 is still devastating families across Michigan, and it’s crucial that Governor Whitmer continue to take swift action to save lives,” Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said in a news release for another Whitmer executive order.
“We are in a crucial time in our fight against COVID-19, and we must do everything we can to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and the brave men and women on the front lines of this crisis from a second wave,” Whitmer said in the release.
It’s not clear how campaigning in Arizona, Texas, Georgia, and other states would affect Whitmer’s ability to spend “100 percent” of her energy on serving as the governor of Michigan.
Kyle Olson is a reporter for Breitbart News. He is also host of “The Kyle Olson Show,” syndicated on Michigan radio stations on weekends. Listen to segments on YouTube or download full episodes at iHeartRADIO. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook, and follow him on Parler.