Transcript
Oct 10 5:30pm
WOOD Newsreader #1 We have two and half hours now until the second debate between Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm and Republican challenger Dick DeVos and its happening right here at WOOD TV 8. The moderator of tonights debate, 24 Hour News 8s Suzanne Geha. Shes on our debate set now with a look at what we can expect, Suzie.
Newsreader #2 Thanks Brian, this is all where its going to be taking place just in a short time. For weeks no we have been asking for your input. We wanted to know what you wanted to know about the candidates vying for the top job in Michigan. As of fiver thirty, just a few minutes ago, more than seventeen hundred of you sent in questions for the candidates including a couple hundred alone today. Youre asking all kinds of questions, about the economy, jobs, education, health care. And many of you have been expressing frustration about all the negative ad campaigns by both the candidates. 2000 people let their voices be heard on our online poll. 89% said jobs and the economy top of their mind in this election. 51% saying they want a governor who creates jobs. 38 percent saying improving the economy is the biggest issue. Four percent are concerned about education and four percent taxes. Again, you can watch that debate right here on WOOD TV starting at 8 oclock tonight. You can also watch it online at woodtv.com. Tonight we will be sitting down with a group of undecided voters form the area to watch the debate with them. Were gonna find out if tonights discussion changes their minds about the candidates. Im Suzanne Geha, well see you back here at six oclock tonight, Brian.
Total Time: 1 minute, 32 seconds
Oct 10 6pm
WOOD Newsreader Well the countdown is on as you might imagine, very busy for us tonight with more than thirty media organizations descending on our turf right now as we put the last minute touches on what will be the second debate in the race for governor here in the state of Michigan, a debate with now national implications in scope. It will be broadcast live from WOOD TV on C-Span as well. And 24 Hour News 8s political reporter Rick Albin is here with a preview of what to expect tonight and what the candidates want and hope to achieve, Rick.
Reporter Larry, this is where its all going to happen, right here in two hours. Democrat Jennifer Granholm their, Republican Dick DeVos here, in a classic debate that will give hundreds of thousands of voters a chance to make up their minds.
Reporter Its not just 24 Hour News 8 thats interested, to make sure that everyone gets the message we have transformed part of the station into a media hub. More than seventy media representatives have signed on to cover this one, and hundreds of viewers have e-mailed questions.
Tim Steele (WOOD 8) Weve had over 1800 questions come in submitted, and overwhelmingly the topics that they want to know about are jobs, the economy, healthcare, public education, those kinds of things.
Reporter The goal for the candidates of course, is to win the final poll of the season. That one will be taken by you, in just four weeks. It is interesting to look back at the polls for past performance. The red and blue lines show the progress of Dick DeVos and Jennifer Granholm respectively since March. You can see after the DeVos campaign started airing ads, the governors numbers declined, DeVos went up. By late June the lines crossed again, this time with Granholm going up and DeVos keeping pace but with slightly lower totals. Then in August DeVos numbers tapered off while Granholms leveled off. After last weeks debate, they both took a small hit in the polls. Both candidates come in her tonight knowing what they have to do, they have to instill confidence, create an air of competence and make people like what they have to say. Remember, after last debate, the one category that was the big winner was undecided. Its not just the candidates. There are some protestors, they show up at most debates and there are some here tonight as well. Now this debate will begin at 8 oclock on WOOD TV, you can also see it online at woodtv.com. Ill see you back here at 8 oclock. Im Rick Albin, 24 Hour News 8.
Total Time: 2 minutes, 28 seconds
Oct 10 11pm
WOOD Newsreader The second gubernatorial debate, infused with more energy, more attacks on each other, and more specifics on how each would try to get Michigan back work, and it all happened tonight in this studio. My co-anchor Suzanne Geha is moderator.
DeVos I saw the governor of the state of Michigan look straight into the camera and lie to the people of Michigan.
Newsreader That, right out of the gate. Opening statement referring to the first debate and the DeVos connection to Alterra, the criminally troubled nursing home chain, but it never came up again. They did get to what polls showed you want to know most, more specifics on creating jobs, both agreeing the single business tax is history, and..
Granholm Second, I intend to make sure that we train workers who are victimized by this global economy and we have more of those workers than any other state in the county. Third, we want to make sure that we lift our standards for public education to make sure we create a workforce for the 21st century. Fourth, we have to speed up building projects in Michigan to put forty thousand people to work over the next three construction seasons.
Newsreader Granholm also wanting to invest two billion in diversifying the economy and provide universal access of affordable healthcare. The DeVos plan
DeVos Second I would expand the number of trade offices that we have around the world. Third, I would introduce a thirty day plan for a shovel ready permitting process. Number four, I would expand agriculture, eliminate, to include process agriculture as well as ethanol production. Number five, eliminate the personal property tax and the problem it causes to our manufacturers in this great state. Number six, I would expand tourism.
Newsreader From there, it was on the attack, and counter attack.
DeVos There it goes again, this is again sad, the Governor doesnt understand the facts.
Granhlom It is a fact that he invested 200 million to create thousands of jobs in China.
Newsreader If the Granholm camp asked her to tone it down from the first debate as we heard, it didnt happen. If the DeVos camp asked him to pump it up, it did happen. How will it play in the polls later this week? How many of those large number of undecideds could now be decided.
Newsreader #2 That Larry Neinhouses report, now to 24 News 8s Rachel Ruiz live in the back lot of the News 8 Studio where reporters, television reporters are filing their eleven oclock reports around the state. Tonight Rachel spoke with a group of undecided voters to find out what they had to say about the debate, Rachel?
Reporter Minutes before the debate they began meandering in. A group ranging from their twenties to their sixties, five we gathered in all, hoping to most about
White Male – The economy.
Black Female Political affiliation swinging like a pendulum right to left and some dead in-between. But the common denominator
White Male Undecided.
Reporter So with a pen in hand one took notes, all listened hard. Two threw there hands up when the candidates didnt give specifics. When all was done, all our undecided voters remained just that.
White Male my mind is still not made up.
Reporter But they did agree on a few things.
White Female I think that Governor Granholm performed much better. I think she has had more experience, shes a politician.
White Male Both of them spent too much time trying to make points at their opponents expense, and were not spending enough time giving out their own message.
Reporter And because no one walked away leaning one way or another,
White Female #2 Im going to get online and look at both of their proposals with their plans.
Reporter One voter when asked who they would vote for tomorrow if they absolutely had to,
White Female #2 I would have to go for a change. If I had to vote tomorrow, I think I probably would.
Newsreader Now again, of the five undecided voters joining us tonight, none say they have decided on a candidate at this point based on tonights debate. But all say they plan to watch the third and last debate which is next Monday in Detroit. Now weeks of planning and lots of hard work went into the second gubernatorial debate here at 24 Hour WOOD 8. Our parking lot was flooded today with satellite trucks, cables, reporters from all across the state and our staff faces major logistical challenges to get everything just right hopefully we did. The debate was even picked up on C-Span and broadcast across the nation for those that were interested. And if you want a glimpse at what you could not see, behind the scenes work, go to woodtv.com online blog there. There is even an online forum where you can sound off on this debate.
Total time: 4 minutes, 38 seconds
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