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06/01/2006Granholm, DeVos campaign at Mackinac IslandMACKINAC ISLAND (AP) — Republican gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos told those attending the annual Mackinac Policy Conference on Wednesday that his experience turning around a troubled company and bringing people together to improve Grand Rapids make him the best choice to lead Michigan out of its economic doldrums. But Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm said she's already shown in the past year that she can bring jobs to Michigan and has her sights set on moving the state economy to one focused on high-tech manufacturing and life sciences. "Bumper sticker slogans and recycled rhetoric will not take us to Michigan's transformative future," she told a crowd of several hundred people attending a Detroit Regional Chamber fundraiser at the Grand Hotel. DeVos, who announced during last year's policy conference that he was running for governor, came to the event basically tied in the polls with Granholm, helped in part by a massive statewide ad blitz that began in mid-February and the state's continued economic problems. He told the crowd that Michigan needs to become more a part of the global economy, not fight the changes it has brought to domestic automakers and other U.S. manufacturers. He noted that 80 percent of sales by Ada-based direct marketing firm Alticor Inc. now are outside the United States, a transformation he partly oversaw while president of Alticor — Amway Corp.'s parent company — from 1993 to 2002. "Unfortunately the global marketplace had not been good to Michigan over the years," DeVos said. "We're going to need to make it work for us, not against us." It was the second time Granholm and her GOP challenger have spoken at the same event. This event was shorter than a late April meeting in Detroit, and each candidate had only 10 minutes to speak. Granholm will have the advantage at the policy conference, since she is scheduled to speak to the full conference Friday and plans to hold a news conference Thursday morning to unveil the state's new business marketing campaign, along with Jim Epolito, president and chief executive of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. Actor Jeff Daniels will be among the people in the campaign highlighting Michigan business success stories. Ads will appear on television and radio and in targeted print publications, Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd said. "Obviously Jeff Daniels is not only a Michigan native and a well-respected actor, he's also a small businessman," Boyd said in explaining why Daniels was chosen. The actor runs the Purple Rose Theater in Chelsea. Although DeVos didn't criticize Granholm by name, state GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis said in a news release that Granholm's jobs plan lacks substance. "Judge the plan by its performance, because in the end the facts remain the same. Michigan's economy continues to lag behind the rest of the United States. Michigan is 49th in unemployment at 7.2 percent," he said. The Michigan Democratic Party issued its own statement characterizing the DeVos economic plan: a blank sheet of paper. DeVos apologized during his speech for having to leave this morning to attend his third-oldest child's high school graduation and oversee the all-night senior party. "The incumbent governor always has the advantage at something like this, and it wouldn't be appropriate to try to step on that," DeVos campaign spokesman John Truscott said. Besides DeVos and Granholm, other speakers at the conference include Tom LaSorda, president and CEO of DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group, who on Thursday will be talking about fueling Michigan's growth from the auto sector's perspective. Education, health care, work force training, community development and competing in China also are on the agenda. As usual, the conference will include many social activities, ranging from receptions with various business leaders to Granholm's Thursday night fundraiser at the Mackinac Island Yacht Club and a reception the same night for GOP Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema at The Gate House. ——— EDITOR'S NOTE — Kathy Barks Hoffman heads the Lansing AP bureau and has covered Michigan politics since 1986. ——— On the Net:
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