Snyder's campus visit overshadows Bernero's
Editor's note: This is an evaluation of the recent on-campus campaign stops of both major-party gubernatorial candidates, and not an endorsement of either candidate.
Recent visits to CMU by gubernatorial candidates Virg Bernero and Rick Snyder could not have been more different from one another.
Snyder’s well-oiled, meticulously-planned appearance Wednesday wins out over Bernero’s spontaneous outdoor rally, due to sheer effectiveness in notifying the public.
Snyder, the GOP candidate, spoke his piece and managed to avoid directly answering most questions, but made sure he got his media coverage. It was clearly just another campaign stop for Snyder.
When Democratic candidate Bernero attended a rally on campus Aug. 26, it came off as last-minute. He was in the area, had contact with the College Democrat registered student organization and organized the appearance through the RSO. It was sparsely publicized and the university community at large only knew about it a matter of hours before it happened.
Snyder’s campaign went through the university, booked the Charles V. Park Library Auditorium and notified the media over a day in advance of the event.
But Bernero was things Snyder was not.
He was personable and approachable, more candidly interacting with attendees who didn’t have to wait to be handed a microphone. He shook hands and mingled with them at the same level versus standing upon a stage. Granted, it was just the nature of the event.
But how much does that matter if l fewer people are there to hear about it?
If this informal and largely unpublicized campaign stop is indicative of how Bernero’s campaign is being run, it could spell doom for his pursuit at the governor’s office.
Although less personable and more rigid in his message, Snyder made it clear that CMU was not an afterthought to him.
Universities, especially state-funded universities, should be a major priority for gubernatorial candidates.
Snyder has sent a clear, efficient message to the CMU community, and put the ball back in Bernero’s court as far as reaching out to this region again.
Simply put, if Bernero wants to continue to put himself forth as a “man of the people,” he must reach more people. And give mid-Michigan fair warning next time.
