MIRS Monday Podcast

MIRS Monday, Sept. 14, 2020

It's a behind-the-scene look at media credentialing at the President Donald Trump event in Freeland with Andrea Bitely of Truscott Rossman giving a public relations perspective. What can Democrats do to deflate enthusiasm for Trump? MIRS Editor Kyle Melinn offers a different perspective. 

Former U.S. Rep. Joe Schwarz talks about his new initiative "Vote Safe Michigan" and why he now considers himself an "independent" as opposed to a Republican. 

MIRS' Monday Podcast, Monday, September 7, 2020

MIRS' Publisher John Reurink and Editor Kyle Melinn sit down with Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Brock Swartzle, who was recently nominated by the Michigan Republican Party to the Michigan Supreme Court. Hear his take on running for the Supreme Court in the Covid-19 era. 

Also, Ron Beiber, the President of the AFL-CIO, talks about Labor Day as well as the issues unions and workers face with Covid-19.  He also answers the question of whether union members are slowly migrating to the GOP.  

 

MIRS Monday, Aug. 31

Fred Wzsolek of Unlock Michigan is asked about who is funding the effort to repeal the 1945 emergency powers act among other questions. Democratic Party-nominated Supreme Court Justice candidate Elizabeth Welch checks in on running for a statewide office during a pandemic and Sam Singh of Public Policy Associates on research he's doing on COVID-19 and whether he'd want to go back to the tumultuous East Lansing City Council.

MIRS Monday, Aug. 24, 2020

Attorney General Dana Nessel says President Donald Trump would be violating numerous federal and state laws if he followed through on a threat to order law enforcement officers into the polls on Election Day (10:08). Nessel addressed numerous other subjects, as well.

We also have the first part of an Aug. 13 pollsters conversation with Bernie Porn of EPIC-MRA, Ed Sarpolus of Target Insyght and Steve Mitchell of Mitchell Research & Communications.

MIRS Monday, Aug. 17, 2020

David Hecker from the American Federations of Teacher-Michigan talks about the possibility of a "health strike" among Detroit teachers. Would Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey turn down additional federal money if it came to Michigan? Hear his response.

Brian Began of Grassroots Midwest explains how the current state House map was drawn to keep Republicans in majority for 10 years. He should know. He helped draw it.

MIRS intern Samantha Shriber begins her final round of in-person classes at Central Michigan University. She talks about the "witch hunt" that's going on with students shaming other students for not social distancing, among other observations from Mt. Pleasant.

And the MIRS crew talks about the U.S. Postal Service, the education package and more.

MIRS Monday, Aug. 10, 2020

Is Michigan Republican Party Chair Laura Cox concerned by Tuesday's primary election turnout numbers? Does Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) Chair Lavora Barnes stand by her comment that those who support President Donald Trump are racist? Both chairs answer these questions and more.

Jenell Leonard of the Marketing Resource Group and T.J. Bucholz of Vanguard Public Affairs each give their predictions on Joe Biden's pick for Vice President, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer visiting Delaware last week and the primary election highlights in this week's edition.

MIRS Monday, Aug. 3, 2020

The head of the Whitmer Recall effort allegedly gambled away as much as $2,000 from the campaign and then claimed a girlfriend stole it? An odd tale about the doomed effort to recall Gov. Gretchen Whitmer from office as uncovered by Simon Schuster from the Michigan Campaign Finance Network (38:20). 

 

How to cut $3.1 billion from the state budget with Eric Lupher from the Citizens Research Council. Sen. Tom Barrett gets COVID-19 and the impact on the state Senate. Why Republicans may need to move off the nursing home story and Sinclair Broadcasting's Mikenzie Frost's last podcast before her move to the Baltimore media market on this week's episode.

MIRS Monday, July 27, 2020

Learn a little about a cyber school from someone whose been running one for 11 years, Bryan Klochack, superintendent of Michigan Connections Academy (:15-13:15).

 

Elizabeth Battiste of Martin Waymire sits in with the MIRS crew about the House Democratic incumbents and candidates raising $3.5 million in 2020 to House Republican incumbents' and candidates raising $2.3 million. (13:34-29:51), U.S. Senate candidates debate (29:52-36:05), and state government's uniquely deep $3 billion budget hole (36:06-39:39).

 

Special guest Michael Patrick Shiels, host of Michigan's Big Show, and the MIRS team talks about the state of the media in COVID-19, among other topics (39:40-55:03).

MIRS Monday, July 20, 2020

He spent roughly 40 years helping Republicans get elected in Michigan. Now Bob LaBrant, former Michigan Chamber of Commerce political affairs vice president, sees the "disaster" of a Donald Trump presidency ending after the November election. Why does he expect Republicans to spend several years in the "political wilderness" as a result?

 

Also, Andrea Bitely from Truscott Rossman joins the MIRS crew to talk about lengthy Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) responses, boring congressional races and travel to Jacksonville, Fla., among other places.

MIRS Monday, July 13, 2020

Political consultant John Yob says the last few months haven't been positive for President Donald Trump and now is the time to "Burn the house down" and hold Democrat Joe Biden "accountable" for his record. 

Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum says claims from Sen. Ruth Johnson that Michigan's election security is at risk are "ludicrous." She urged the Senate Election Chair to quit "fear mongering" and pass bills to help clerks count absentee ballots quicker on Election night.

And Detroit organizer Leon Hister talks about the 313 Liberation Movement and how cutting police budgets 50% would force a reinvention of law enforcement that would make communities safer.