Freaky Friday: Day 5

Next to the restaurant's famous rock!

It is a small world. This morning we started in Bay City meeting the morning crowd at the local favorite, Krysiak’s House. The Bouchards have a lot of ties in the area with my grandparents growing up there as product of the American Dream. My great grandfather came over from Lebanon and began his small business in the area that grew from a grocery cart into a very successful department store, Sams Brothers. After we mentioned our common history, one woman happily recalled she had bought her wedding dress from the store! Even more bizarre, as my dad and I talked to one gentleman (who said he had recently voted for him absentee), he asked what my grandma’s maiden name was before she changed to Bouchard. “Sams,” we said. His eyes widened and he exclaimed,  “I dated Doris Sams my junior year of high school!”  A veryy small world after all!

The rest of our day didn’t have as many surprising discoveries as the first stop, but the conversation was just as fruitful. After Bay City was the Midland Chamber of Commerce luncheon where my dad addressed the group on his platform to revamp a pro-business environment in Michigan. In Saginaw we met with the Young Republicans and I had the pleasure of introducing my dad before he answered their questions on securing the border, his proposed structural changes and his unique back round that sets him apart from the other candidates.

We ended the evening in Grosse Point with the last fundraiser of the Primary Election. (!!!!) It’s still surreal that the polls open in under 96 hours. Monday night, Election-eve, is the big get out the vote rally held at Brother Rice (my dad’s high school). It is sure to be a blow out event with special guest, Joe the Plumber! I have to admit that I don’t know too much about Joe besides what I saw of him during the McCain campaign, but I look forward to meeting him and rallying with YOU on Monday night before the big day! 

Contact the campaign HQ for more info and, as always, keep getting out the vote!

"Stairway to Heaven"

Nothing tops our Michigan views!

Day 4 of the 8-day extravaganza and it was a sweet one. Literally. It began with an opportunity to see my mom, Pam, and youngest brother! Bandit was especially excited to see them and be able to run around a little bit as my dad addressed a large statewide group of individuals looking to make a difference in their community and help those the troubled economy hits the hardest. After his speech our great Secretary of State and her husband joined us for a light breakfast before we once again boarded our separate buses and parted ways. Even for the few minutes we were together, though it was nice to be able to see family face to face instead of playing phone tag and trading voicemails.

A rare joint photo of the whole group before
we split up head off on the second half of the tour!

See what I mean?!
Amongst the sweets with my new clutch in hand!

From there we headed to Gaylord for an interview and handshakes at the Sugarbowl Restaurant, stopped in to the attached collectables store (where I picked up an adorable $5 vintage clutch!) and then over to the must-stop-shop, the Alpine Chocolate Haus. When I said, “sweet,” this is what I meant. Even though they have an unfair advantage playing on every girl’s weakness, I must proclaim them the stop of the day! Not only did they have every possible indulgence in milk, dark or sugar-fee chocolate, but they gave us a tour of the factory! Heading up to the factory you pass a door painted “Stairway to Heaven.” Indeed! I started calling the owner Willy Wonka as he showed us the chocolate creams being dipped and the cooling “Pure Michigan” chocolate bars produced in his little slice of heaven! His store is a great example of the necessity of small businesses. Not only do they represent 80% of jobs in Michigan but they create products second to none with creativity, ingenuity and the ambition to expand the company by delivering better goods and services. The case is also true with the great people at Reeds on the River in Tawas City. They are constantly fighting too much red tape as they try to start and grow a business in a state whose tax structure is anything but friendly.

In true 'I Love Lucy' style!

Michigan's purest treat!

            Those principles of cutting taxes, reforming regulation and reducing government were the focus of our last stop at the Gladwin County Tea Party meeting. The full hall spent almost two hours with my dad hearing his qualifications and asking him questions just like an in-depth job interview. And he agreed—that’s what a campaign should be; an examination of each candidate and deciding which one has the best resume/platform to be hired. In the end, our elected officials represent and work for us. The Tea Party certainly hasn’t forgotten that and more than one person said my dad earned the support of the room by the end of the evening. Even Michael Patrick Shields, statewide syndicated radio host, said that his resume is ideal to be the next Governor and with his running mate, Terri Lynn Land, it’s “as good as a one-two punch!”  

Currently heading to a 24-hour gym to work off some of the chocolate and then catch up on some sleep. Sweetest of dreams!

DAY 3

The Flint Coney Island makes a statement

If there is one thing that I have learned about the campaign trail, it’s that you never quite know what a day holds for you. No matter how thorough of a line-by-line you can refer to, as the saying goes, “When you make plans, God laughs.”  For example, I didn’t know that today’s very first stop would bring an unanticipated family reunion. I haven’t been to Flint, my dad’s birthplace, very often save for playing soccer against their high school back a few years. When we arrived at the Flint Original Coney Island we were greeted by a throng of people eager to sample the restaurant’s famous Coney Dogs they have been serving since 1912! Not only were the owners as generous and sweet as could be, but that was also where we met my Grandma Doe’s long lost cousin! As my dad sat down for an interview with the local ABC station, we chatted about the old family store, Sam’s Brothers in Bay City, and how the election was going. As we snapped some photos outside the restaurant, the owners handed us a box stuffed with probably 25 of their famous dogs! They. Were. Delicious. I only ate one but my dad finished off a whopping 3! (He said he would add on another 15 minutes of cardio to makeup for it) Needless to say, the fridge is still stocked with the Michigan favorite surely to be demolished over the course of the week.

From there we headed over to Treasures Restaurant in Owosso for a Town Hall. The restaurant, totally up my alley, also doubles as a vintage store! As my dad spoke to the crowd, I snuck away and perused the diverse collection of oldies ranging from WWII gear to old records to a retro Chanel ring! I love the one-of-a-kind finds vintage stores offer. You’re never quite sure if you’ll walk away empty-handed or with a new must-have item. As I returned to the Town Hall empty handed, it looked as if the voters had found their must-have candidate. His message of lowering taxes and streamlining government to mirror the private sector continues to resonate with people across the state.

Amidst an Alma interview

Alma, Mount Pleasant and Osceola County were next on the list with a brief oil change in between. The miles are adding up as we get to our goal of 80 stops in 8 days. Hoping the votes are too! Tonight we end in Bellaire for some brief r & r before another full day. As we drive over, after a laughter-filled dinner in at Da Dawg House restaurant in Cadillac on E M-115, I must give them a plug. Their food is absolutely terrific (splurge the calories on the pie!), the atmosphere a fun combination of firefighting and hunting paraphernalia and the hard working owners are fantastic to talk with—new supporters too! As you travel up to northern Michigan it’s the perfect place to stop in and refuel!

With all the running around, events and too much good food, a full night sleep is definitely on the horizon. Tomorrow starts early! Bon Soir! 

With my little Bandit outside Cadillac's Da Dawg House!

Life is a Highway

….or at least it feels like it! 

Bandit relaxing between stops!

80 stops in 8 days!! This is absolutely crunch time and the Bouchards have all boarded buses (My mom with my brother and Secretary of State Land on one, and my dad, my pup Bandit, and I on the other!) to take Michigan by storm and get out the vote in this homestretch of the Primary Election. Day 1 started at 5:50 am in Jackson then over to G. Rap, K-Zoo, Battle Creek, Spring Arbor and everywhere in between. This is the part of campaigns I love. A chance to reach out and meet voters, talk issues and ask for their vote rather than ask for money. (Which the campaign would still very much appreciate, though!)

            Day 1 went off without a hitch featuring meetings at Home Builder Associations across the state, multiple picnics, a Tea Party event, and stops at local restaurants to hear people’s thoughts and answer their pressing questions. It was nice to end at home after the long day only for it to start again bright and early this morning. When we arrived in Frasier this morning, little did I know the vigor that stop would instill. We met Nina Sylvester former owner of Quality Die Sets Inc., and learned her story of being an automotive supplying cornerstone to out of business because of backwards banking policy, an over regulating government and toxic taxes for small businesses. Her daughter brought tears to the group as she said how heartbreaking it was to watch her mom, “a role-model for strong work ethic,” go from having such a successful business and being awarded the Female Entrepreneur of the Year to losing almost all hope as she struggles to find a job during her ongoing fight with banks. The scariest thing was that in the group assembled at the now empty factory, there were many more stories just like hers!

In the former Quality Die Sets factory

After leaving the factory, there was no feeling but that of determination to do something, anything to change the helplessness that I saw in people’s eyes. As my dad said, “I wish I could do something right now to help, but I just have to get there first.” The “getting there” is where I am putting my energy. The rest of the day was filled with stops in and around Lapeer County ranging from packed rooms of people who came out to meet my dad to spontaneous coffee house stops where many of the patrons excitingly said they had either sent in their absentee votes for my dad or were planning on voting for him! The rest of Day 2 is winding down as I type on our Bouchard/Land-bannered-bus and we drive home after two Tea Party stops in Brighton and Milford. The West Oakland Tea Party had almost 500 people attend! Bringing the day to a fabulous end, the group gave him a standing ovation as his speech came to a close. Hoping for more of that energy tomorrow! 

            I will leave you with this—the primary election normally turns out 25% of the electorate; of that probably half of the people will vote in the Republican primary. In a five way primary maybe 25% of that will choose our nominee. That means 25% of 13% can decide our next Governor. If you bring ten people to vote, and ask them to get ten people to do the same, I cannot stress how you can truly alter the outcome of this election. The primary is one week away. Lets get to work, get this done and help elect a Governor who is passionate about helping the people of the great state of Michigan.

At an editorial board in Kalamazoo
which later endorsed him!

Hope to see you in the next 6 days!

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

       Not even a week after the campaign's Right to Work announcement, national media attention has focused in on our campaign. Here's an article from the Wall Street Journal that talks about how this issue has changed the race and could "catapult Bouchard to the nomination"...

In Michigan, the Unions Are Losing
By Stephen Moore – The Wall Street Journal

GRAND RAPIDS – Michigan is one big industrial state in the Midwest where Republicans think they can win the governorship in November. Voters are suffering from what many here call “Granholm fatigue” — eight years of Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm aggravated by an unemployment rate now topping 14%.

The Michigan GOP primary is crowded and tight with contenders. Right now the latest polling has Mike Bouchard, the sheriff of Oakland County, in a tie with Congressman Pete Hoekstra at 19%. Mike Cox, the attorney general, is at 15%. Rick Snyder, a businessman, is at 12%. Last week, though, Mr. Bouchard made a play to separate himself from the pack going into the Aug. 3 vote. He endorsed a plan to make Michigan, one of the most union-dominated states in the nation, a right-to-work state. That means union membership and paying union dues would no longer be a requirement for getting certain jobs.

A political pro in Michigan tells me that right-to-work is “enormously popular with Republican primary voters.” I’m also told that the issue so resonates with conservative and independent voters that it could even single-handedly “catapult Bouchard to the nomination.” Backers of the idea note that former NBAer Dave Bing won the mayor’s race in Detroit by promising to take on the public employee unions. “Companies are going elsewhere and taking their jobs and our kids with them,” Mr. Bouchard said in announcing his position. He added: “Someone shouldn’t be forced to join a union to get a job.”

Already conservative groups are applauding the gutsy decision by Mr. Bouchard. Scott Hagerstrom of Michigan Americans for Prosperity says: “This is definitely a pro-growth reform for us. Michigan is the historical center of union power in the country.” An AFP study finds that since 1990 right-to-work states have grown jobs at twice the pace of forced-unionization states.

Some see the move as politically risky because of labor’s historic muscle in the state. “The union bosses will probably come after me,” admits Mr. Bouchard. But labor’s influence is dwindling because voters increasingly see heavy-handed union strategies as a reason for Michigan’s job losses. Even on the Democratic side, the union chokehold in the Wolverine State is waning. Labor’s handpicked gubernatorial choice, Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, is losing in the polls to Michigan Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon, who has made waves by challenging the union’s power in the state.

Crowning Moments

18 days until the Primary! Since my dad announced his candidacy last June the time seems to have literally flown by. So much has happened—we have met so many wonderful people, witnessed the change of issues facing Michigan and, in turn, spread the message of my dad’s policies to address those issues. These last few days have been especially eventful and I admit to being a bad blogette for not posting sooner. So lets begin at last Friday, the Miss USA Gala! I had such a wonderful time—Rima looked so beautiful and the energy was on a total high. I couldn’t find any pictures of us on the “Pink Carpet” but here are a couple from the evening. Check out my dad’s white jacket (that I helped pick out!) inspired by some classic Humphrey Bogart Hollywood glam.

The iGroup, lead by Tony DiMambro, helped transform the hotel into a posh atmosphere perfect for people to dance, mix and mingle, and munch on sweets from the Cupcake Station and Swirlberry. I had the great pleasure to meet Molly MacDonald from The Pink Fund and hear about her organization, which the gala was benefiting. The Pink Fund gives temporary financial aid to men and women suffering from Breast Cancer so they can focus the fight on the disease rather than finances. I was thrilled when Molly asked me to be an honorary Pink Fund ambassador and will support the project proudly! I also met talented local designer Katerina Bocci whose couture confections, modeled by her lovely daughter, wowed the crowd. We have so much talent in Michigan and the Gala only reaffirmed that fact. My dad said a few quick words to congratulate Rima, who he had previously worked with on a Women’s Self Defense Program last year, and wish her the best of luck in the upcoming Miss Universe contest.

When Friday’s activities finally wound to a close it was well into the early hours of Saturday. We took more of a nap that a night’s rest to be up by 5 am to catch a plane heading to beautiful Traverse City for the close of the Cherry Festival. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for a day of “retail politics” along the parade route as we met voters and discussed our campaign platform. The response was more than encouraging as just about everyone declared how eager they are to elect a candidate like Mike Bouchard as Governor to get things done and change the course of our state. For Southeast voters, the final Republican debate Tuesday night was a prime time televised opportunity to hear each candidate’s platform in the forum moderated by Devin Scillian.

Speaking during the rally with Terry Lynn Land
and L. Brooks Patterson

Before the debate, held at Oakland University, a couple hundred people gathered at the Recreation Center across campus to eat some delicious Noodles and Co. pasta, rally for a Bouchard/Land administration and pump up my dad before the debate. When he walked into the room, greeted by a thunder of applause, cheers and FOX News cameras, he looked around at all the supporters and there was a moment when you could visibly see the passion of the people ignite a fire in his eyes. It was as if the long and tiring year-plus of campaigning was nothing but a walk in the park. We all have those snapshots of memories that are forever imprinted in your mind. For me, that will last as a timeless example of hard work well worth it. The night only got better as the debate began and turned into a very diverse discussion on a wide range of topics. Per usual—I thought my dad walked away with it but I wasn’t the only one! The poll on the WDIV website gave my dad an overwhelming victory…but see for yourself! If you missed it you can watch the debate here!

Finally, a big announcement came out of our campaign just recently. My dad took a firm stance on making Michigan Right to Work while simultaneously releasing a statewide ad on the subject. Check out the ad by clicking here. After looking at the facts and statistics about Right to Work versus non-Right to Work states, the evidence clearly shows that it has a contributing factor to unemployment. In order to become more competitive and revive our Michigan economy, we must allow people to get what they want—a job! As my dad says in his ad, “People want to work. Let’s give them the right to work.”  This issue has already brought in a wave of support from people all over the state that are eager to see Michigan once again become a thriving business environment. For more information on his position click the link above.

For now, the polls show us in a dead heat for first, the primary is days away and the wind is in our sails. All hands on deck! 

A banner we made for the rally where it was signed by supporters! 

What's your sign?

Happy Friday y'all!

Hope you've stayed cool in this week's heat; the campaign is sure heating up with just 25 days 'till the primary! I'm excited to say that today the headquarters received a huge shipment of yard signs!! Please come in and grab one to show the world you're apart of Team Bouchard! Our office is on the corner of Oak and Woodward in Birmingham--you won't miss the big sign or some of our office cuties putting the Bouchard colors together!

Here's another fun picture of some office art....

Tonight is the big Miss USA Gala and tomorrow we're heading up to Traverse City for the Cherry Festival parade! Eee! Very ready for the weekend!

Brought to you Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue

          Fireworks lighting up the sky, flags flying everywhere, parades, barbeques, sunburns, family, friends and country. What is not to love about the 4^th of July?! It’s the perfect opportunity to don your favorite sailor-looking outfit with a splash of red and enjoy a holiday in the sun. There has always been something about streets lined with our stars and stripes that gets me every year. If I could have it my way, the same enthusiasm of flag flying would exist all year round.

         From the time I was a little girl, our 4^th of July traditions have been pretty consistent and this year was no exception. Early mornings with an on-the-go breakfast to be quickly worked off through smiles and waves on multiple parade routes. My mom and I traveled over to Ypsilanti (stopping at some treasure-ridden yard sales on the way!) to walk with the Willow Run Tea Party, an awesome and energetic crowd very supportive of my dad and such fun to spend our time with! I especially loved our ride on the float after the parade ended as we broke out into spontaneous tunes that our banjo-extraordinaire most skillfully supplied. My dad, who I didn’t see until we met back on Sunday night, hit numerous Tea Party rallies, parades and meetings around the state on his own two-day circuit. 

When the family was once again reunited on Sunday, the campaign family joined us as well. My mom made an delicious dinner for the crew and we spent the night relaxing, recounting some memorable campaign stories and talking about the whirlwind that is the next couple of weeks. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. This group is extraordinary. We get a lot of work done but have a great time doing it and that makes all the difference.

           This week was kicked off with another packed parade in Clawson Monday morning and then it was back to the grind! Should be an exciting next few days—I’m particularly looking forward to the Miss USA Gala this Friday night to personally congratulate our girl, Rima Fakih! The Gala is sure to combine glitz and glam “with a touch of pink” as it is benefiting The Pink Fund that supports the fight against Breast Cancer. Pictures to come! We’re also getting a huge order of yard signs in on Friday—stop in, say hi, and grab one while they’re hot!

xx

The Power of One.

            We have all heard the excuses. “I just couldn’t make it to the polls today”  “I don’t even know what’s on the ballot.” “It was raining!” or the worst of them all—“My vote doesn’t make a difference.” AH! Are you kidding? Your vote makes ALL the difference. So many things in the history of our world have been changed by one vote. Here are just a couple examples:

 In 1845, one vote brought Texas into the Union.

In 1868, one vote saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment.

In 1875, one vote changed France from a monarchy to a republic.

In 1876, one vote gave Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency of the United States.

            I already applaud you for reading my blog—it means you are doing your research, following this campaign and becoming an informed voter for the August primary. Now, I challenge you to go one step further and spread the message to rock the vote. If you personally have not registered to vote, carve out some time in your day and visit the Secretary of States office. Ask your unregistered friends and family do the same! Not only will you leave happily knowing you are armed with the power and voice of a vote; but you will also see some pictures of the brilliant and beautiful lady that will be the next Lieutenant Governor, my dad’s running mate and current Secretary of State, Terri Lynn Land!

If you haven’t already guessed it, voting is something very important to me. The saying, “If you didn’t vote about it, you can’t complain about it” is something I live by. I will always respect a difference of informed opinions, but no opinion at all is a crime. Friends don’t let friends sit out. Here’s my call to you to get in the game and bring everyone you know with you! And how perfect that the first vote you can cast could be for Mike Bouchard, Republican candidate for governor!!

With my rant over, I will leave you with a quote from Alexander Woollcott,

“I'm tired of hearing it said that democracy doesn't work.  Of course it doesn't work.  We are supposed to work it.”

See you at the polls! 

Ps. In order to vote in the August 3^rd Primary election you must register 30 days in advance. Get in to the SOS office by tomorrow, July 3, loves!