"You can't pose for photos with Trump one day and talk constitutional crisis the next

[senseandsensibility]

without making people deeply cynical and harming the party brand." Jonathan Cohn on bluesky. He's talking about Gretchen Whitmer, who is now saying that we are in a constitutional crisis in a pod cast that will be released Friday.

I agree with that statement. To me, it goes way beyond her personal ambitions. I actually think she hurt those, but this kind of doublespeak hurts the party as a whole.

[harumph]

1. It absolutely hurts the brand. It's irresponsible.

[delisen]

20. But are we a brand? Brand is an economic system, marketing term.

We are suffering as a society from people who are trying hard to erase us as a society and make us only an economy as though the worth of human beings is only of value in economic terms: producers, consumers, workers. They envision a world where robots will power industry and most humans will be of little or no value, and therefore there will be no need for human services.

If we agree to define ourselves and our value only in economic terms the anti-society people find it easier to treat us as commodities or non-humans, and convince others that we are undeserving o life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Thus they justify the destruction of the safety net we created for delivering human services, and feel justified in trying to turn people into materials to be processed in prisons and institutions and concentration camps for some corporation’s profit.

I don’t know what term I think better than “brand” Maybe “image.” But I do think that language we use does make a difference in how we see ourselves and how others see us; and if we accept that we are just “consumers” or workers, it makes it easier for for the anti-society bad actors to treat us as surplus labor and surplus goods.

[dutch777]

2. Have to wonder what her thinking is on this approach? Ambassadorship, help for her state or just not thinking?

[intheflow]

8. I'm sure she's thinking jobs

that will spring up around the AFB. But what she's really doing is collaborating with the dictator to create a larger border presence that may be used against citizens or for an invasion into Canada. I used to really like her, but 24 hours later... never supporting her again.

[Ponietz]

3. Hugged him after hiding her face the week before

She needs to think things through.

[senseandsensibility]

4. I agree, for someone with a good rep leading into this

she is mangling the optics horribly.

[Celerity]

10. pics

[Cha]

17. Oh No! She "hugged" the Reason We're Haing a

"Constitutional Crisis"! And the Reason So Many People Lost their Jobs and their Homes And Country.. And Turned the Sane World Against Us

[Scubamatt]

5. Sorry, Governor

but you've lost any credibility here.

[Blue Owl]

6. The Whitman-Fetterman Foundation for Spineless Appeasement

[intheflow]

7. She did more than a photo op.

She fucking hugged the Nazi. Gross. Your political star has set.

[Midnight Writer]

9. "Never go full MAGA!"

[LuvLoogie]

11. This saddens me.

Maybe Newsom got to her.

"Run as my VP. This is how you do it."

[Oopsie Daisy]

12. I admire her. She does not deserve the contempt being given to her.

[dchill]

16. I did, too.

[flamingdem]

13. A HUG?

He really did a number on her. She fell for it or wanted these optics?

Was never convinced that she was presidential.

[senseandsensibility]

14. And this was AFTER

the Oval Office debacle. She can't really claim not to know what the reaction would be.

[Genevra]

15. she was on a mission

Whitmer secured 850 million for economic relief in her state, saving 30,000 jobs. What she did was set her disgust aside and worked for her people in Michigan.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/us/politics/whitmer-trump-michigan-selfridge.html?smid=url-share

[Cha]

19. Oh Wow.. Mump gave Michigan $850 Million...!

I bet Arkansas in Jealous.. the last I read.. he wound's give them $$$ for Tornado Wreckage.

[Martin Eden]

22. When you HUG the Orange Tarbaby, that shit sticks to you

If Gretchen Whitmer knew that going in, but did so anyway to secure $850 million for her state, it qualifies as a selfless act.

Unfortunately, it also qualifies as reinforcing the power of an absolutely corrupt despot and a broken system for dispersing federal funds.

[BidenRocks]

18. Bye Felicia!

With our country on the line, if you don't know this yet, GTFO!
NEVER appease a dictator!

Hey Gretchen. Ask Sarah in Arkansas how 'her' ass kissing worked out.

[aocommunalpunch]

21. I'll say HER WORDS again

I’m not the leader of the opposition. I recommend listening to her.