In inevitably will come roaring back sometimes in highly toxic ways. Last week, i worried here that Wearing Masks would become the latest red state blue state divide. Consider in michigan, protesters gathered in michigan to protest the slow of the spread of coronavirus. And this image from ohio the angry crowd at the window of the state house, it went viral. In utah protesters held signs that said resist like its 1776. And america will never be a socialist country. A reopened North CarolinaFacebook Page quickly attracted 42,000 members. Even in new york, some residents took to the streets on thursday, despite the empire state being the epicenter of the virus. Yesterday, in texas, Governor Greg Abbott encouraged state retailers to Begin Operating next friday as retail to go. Customers can order items ahead of time. And take curbside delivery. On friday, the president fired off a series of tweets, liberate minnesota, liberate michigan, liberate virginia among them. Ground zero has been michigan. Governor Gretchen Whitmer added more restrictions. You cant travel to a second home you that own. You cant take out a boat or jet ski on the water but kayaks are fine. She also ordered all large stores to cordoned off the Garden Centers as part of an activity of not necessary items. And it doesnt include lottery tickets and liquor, or cannabises. Michigan State Government stripping powers from the governor which she said shell veto. Likewise in pennsylvania, the Republican Controlled Legislature passed an attempt to overturn the restrictions posed by democratic governor tom wolf. Here state wine and Liquor Stores closed. Beer distributors are open. You cant buy a book but you can buy a gun. Golf is a nono. Real estate agencies are closed even though people have signed contracts and they had cant move in. In florida, the wwe, which initially was closed is now deemed essential as part of a group of sports and Entertainment Media with a national audience. The events will continue without an inperson audience, of course. In nevada, las vegas mayor Caroline Goodman pushed back against the states shutdown saying this this shutdown has become one of total insanity in my opinion, for there is no backup of data, as to why we are shut down. From the start. No plan in place how to move through the shutdown or how to even come out of it. Friday, when the president was asked about the lockdown protests, he said this the governments what theyve done is too much. These are people expressing their views. I see where they are, i see the way theyre working. They seem to be very responsible people to me. But, you know, theyve been treated a little bit rough. The president had Just Announced guidelines for the nations governors regarding the restoration of the American Society. These guidelines were a reversal from his stance earlier in the week when he declared that the president s power over state responsibilities to coronavirus is, quote, absolute. Instead, we saw a tacit acknowledgement that its the governors who will now be calling the shots in the days, weeks and months ahead. Thats probably the best outcome where government often functions best where its closest to the people. But this ensures were about to see a patchwork response to a virus that didnt respect International Borders and will likewise transmit between states if everyone doesnt act responsibly. It remains to be seen whether the governors are going to demand the same degree of rigor from their medical advisers in justifying continued restrictions on personal liberty and economic wellbeing as they demand from their citizens in complying with the restrictions. Our governor is going to diligently examine each restriction to determine if its still justified and only maintain those restrictions that are clearly necessary. Perhaps a patchwork process is akin to what Winston Churchill once said about democracy. The worst approach, except for all the others. I want to know what you think. Go to my web slig slight smerconish. Com, answer the question, restoration of American Society should take place state by state, regionally or nationally. Joining me the senator from the great state of minnesota recent president ial candidate amy klobuchar. Senator, thank you so much for being here. Thank you, michael. First things first, hows your husband . Hes been fighting covid19 . Well, hes doing so much better. He was out of the hospital after coughing up blood and having a really bad case of pneumonia and low oxygen, and just hes a ton better. I learned, michael, to follow the rules. He didnt go to things even when he felt a little sick. And he actually would have exposed people at his work and other places. And he didnt. Secondly, you know, you cant be there, you cant hold their hand. You cant hug the Health Care Workers that are taking care of them. We all know for some of the worst cases its their Health Care Workers who are holding up their phone when the family is trying to say their last words to their loved one. Its a very horrific disease. Godspeed and thanks for the update. Your governor Just Announced hes reopening bait shops, outdoor shooting ranges, Marina Services where people are supposed to adhere to proper distancing and other measures meant to stop community spread. But like other states, minnesota doesnt have enough tracking capacity yet to figure out where things stand. What reservations, if any, do you have about that move . Well, i trust what our governor is doing here. He cares so much about the people of minnesota. Tim walls, he was in congress, a veteran, and he has a lot of faith in what hes doing. Everyone is not going to be happy with everything that the governors do. I think it was andrew cuomo who said, sure, i know im not making you happy. If youre mad, call me. You know what, does the president of the United States say that . No. He starts out his political career at the Republican Convention by saying i alone know how to fix this. Then the next thing you know, when we have a crisis, he says hes backup to the governors. Then he flips the other way and says hes in charge, now he says which is correct under the constitution that its up to the governors. I think its okay is that we have different governors making different decisions in different states but let me tell you what isnt okay. And that is that there was never a National Strategy for testing. And there was never a National Strategy to prepare our country. This is a global pandemic. A national pandemic. And if we had not lost those precious months when donald trump was worrying about his rallies and other things, we could have been in a better, better shape right now. For the testing. And that would have helped governors, it would have helped businesses. Everyone, to gradually reopen. Because if you have the testing, as weve seen around the world, youre in a much better place to control those hot spots. And especially when we start seeing drugs and other things and promising therapies, you want to be able to know where the hot spots are and immediately attack them. Im worried about our election. What went on in wisconsin a week ago was a bit of a cluster. How do we ensure that doesnt happen nationally in november . That answer is more straightforward, michael. That answer is about making it safe for people to vote. So they dont have to choose between their health and voting. I will never forget that image, and i dont think any american will, of those people in wisconsin bravely asserting their right to vote in garbage bags and masks when did didnt have to happen. And one of the most interesting things in that case, the voters voted. A lot voted by mail. And that is your answer. Make it easier for people to vote by mail. Thats the bill i lead with ron wyden, we got 400 million. We need much more to make this big scale for the country. You see republican governors, republican secretaries of state rolling this out all over the country. They need the funding because theyre going to to have postage, new workers, and at the same time, making sure the polls are open 20 days in advance across the country. Making the training of new poll workers a priority. All of this can happen. They just had a successful election in south korea, despite having the pandemic there. You can do this. But you have to have a will. And im just excited that theres growing support across the country for this. And wisconsin is the symbol of this should never happen again. By the way, you know who voted by mail . Donald trump. He requested the ballot at 1600 pennsylvania avenue so why couldnt those people have the same right . To vote in florida. Uhhuh. Understood. Is there not a tenth amendment issue here . Isnt it the business of the states to set their elections . Written l wheren lies the authority. Sure, its the state. Thats why they have their own ballots, theres all kinds of things but this is an election in the middle of a pandemic. Almost every secretary of state wants funding for early mailin voting. Two, all were doing is setting standards nationally. Think about it two days early for polling locations. A lot of republican governments are already starting to waive requirements and do that anyway. Number three, making sure we break down some of these barriers. In six states you have to get a notary or two witnesses in order to get a mailin ballot. 16 states you have to get an excuse for a mailin ballot, but four states including a republican have already wavered those standards. We have to get minimum standards for the entire country and thats what senator wyden and i now have. Theres a word that the Trump Pence Campaign is using, march ve harvesting. Where theyre asking people to pony up money. We must get rid of ballot harvesting. Will you respond to the criticism that mailin voting is a heightened subjectivity to fraud . You know what, maybe President Trump should ask some of his own republican officials such as the republican secretary of state in Washington State who has made it very clear that this is a safe way to vote. And in fact, you have paper ballots when you have by mail. Something we dont have in a few of our states right now. Ask the governors, republican governors in maryland and in New Hampshire and in ohio, that want to transform their elections into mailin ballots. I dont think hes attuned i think hes using it to raise money for his base but when he does that, hes messing with peoples health. I think the best answer is how the people in wisconsin voted in that judges race. They were mad. They saw through it. They saw that the Republican Legislature was not just messing around politically with their right to vote, they were literally putting their lives at risk. And look what happened. I think theres going to be a huge backlash if they dont help us with funding for this. I think theres a perception on the republican side of the aisle that this benefits democratic candidates. But the data, when you delve into it much more complicated than that and its not a clear answer . You know what the states are that have 90 or 85 . States like utah. That is not exactly a blue state, although were doing better and better there. States like arizona has actually a high rate, not the highest, but a very high rate of people voting by mail. Colorado which is a purple state. They have nearly all voting by mail. Now, let me make clear, you still want to have polls open for people with disabilities, for people that maybe forget to get their ballot in. Theres all kinds of things but the less people you have congregating at the polls, the better off we are all the are. Senator klobuchar, senator warren was asked a direct question this week and gave a direct answer, if asked would you accept a position on Vice President joe bidens ticket . What is your answer . My answer is the same as the very beginning. Right now, im focused on my state, focused on our country leading the efforts to vote until november. Im not going engage in hypotheticals. I know one thing for sure. Joe biden was a great Vice President. He knows what it takes to be a good Vice President. Hes going to make that decision. Ill put that down as a maybe. Thank you for being here. Thank you, it was great to be on, michael. What are your thoughts . Tweet me smerconish or the facebook beigpage. What do we have from twitter, i think, as for the protesters who are saying that we will never be a socialist country, i would like to ask them if they would be returning their stimulus checks . Look, folks are pentup, you can find one that is objectionable in that ground and characterize that group. I get it. My commentary at the outset was simply designed to illustrate what i fear is coming which is a patchwork approach that the virus is is not going to expect. But i dont have a better solution. I think its probably the best we can do and hope it works. I want to know what you think at this hour. Go to smerconish. Com and answer, restoration of American Society should take place state by state, regionally or nationally. Up ahead, whose name should be atop the democratic ticket with joe biden . I was just asking that of senator amy klobuchar. Well, michigan governor zbrec n Gretchen Whitmer has been. Were tired not being able to buy what we need. 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Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer has been having a moment in the spotlight her name is floated as possible vp nominee for joe biden. Michigan, of course, one of the three battleground states that trump carried in 2016. As of late, her response to coronavirus has caused backlash. Thousands of cars came on michigan this week as four county sheriffs informed residents they would not be, quick, strictly enforcing witmers new order. And say while we understand her desire to protect the public, we question some restrictions that she has imposed. Michigan has the fourth highest number of coronavirus cases in the country. But the vast majority are in the detroit area. Some state residents think the strict policies are who broad and in overreach. So did she take it too far . The Washington Post head line is suggesting that. Gretchen whitmer may have taken herself out of the veepstakes. Joining us to discuss it who knows the state well, former michigan governor jennifer granholm. Governor, did she extend herself too far in this regard . No, shes obviously been consulting with health care experts. Shes not going to do things that are restrictive just to do them. She doesnt want to do them but she wants to protect people of the state, all regions of the state, democrats and republicans, and as she has said, this has an an end date to it. They will phase in opening up but shes not going to do it when peoples lives are at risk. That protest, michael, the fact that people that came to that protest blocked ambulances to the hospital in their effort that they were handing out bare handed to children, candy, bare handed to bare handed, that are putting people at risk. That selfishness must stop. They can say they have freedom all they want. They have freedom, but other people have freedom to live, or should. And they shouldnt be inflicting or putting others at risk. Restrictions make for great sound bite to talk about, say, kayaking versus jet skiing. When you actually scrutinize each one of them can they be defended . For example, i know if i kayak, im alone and i dont need fuel. Im not going to gas up. If i jetsky, cooper sooner or l im going to need fuel. Have you thought them through on a granular basis . I think thats why you have that zrikz. From her point, shes saying your germs last on a gas pump, your virus lasts for 72 hours. All the people who came to protest, if they filled up, who are they putting at risk . Completely unsuspecting folks in their community, including the people who may work at the gas station, who may be lower wage people. Theyre not thinking.