Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer released her first memoir on Tuesday. The book, titled "True Gretch: What I've Learned About Life, Leadership, and Everything in Between," is as much a representation of her political self as it is her introduction to a more national stage. From her grandmother's advice to her personal accounting of an attempted kidnapping, Whitmer's book sets the table for conversations about her political future.
Zoe Clark and Rick Pluta, co-hosts of It’s Just Politics on Michigan Public, offered their insights on one of the most anticipated political books of the season, and talked to us about what it says about Whitmer’s leadership style and national image.
Whether or not this book is a move toward a broader national presence seems to be a foregone conclusion.
"There is not a lot in here that is stunning or particularly surprising," said Pluta, but it does get Whitmer's story out to people beyond the Lansing press corps. And as much as the book is, ultimately about Whitmer herself, the governor emphasizes how much listening to people—whether potential voters or political opponents—has shaped her career.
"The throughline of the book is her learning from people," said Clark.
Hear our full conversation with Zoe Clark and Rick Pluta above.
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