×

Bernstein still not ready for run

Gov. John Engler sat at the TV debate table and four feet across from him was Democratic challenger Howard Wolpe who had been bankrolled by the trial lawyers. About five minutes before air time, the coy Mr. Engler reached down and pulled up a coffee mug and pushed it across to his opponent who immediately pushed it back. The cup inscription was: Call Sam with his 1-800 number. (Sam Bernstein the trail lawyer.) The governor thought it was funny. Suffice to say Mr. Wolpe was not laughing.

The story serves to underscore how deeply the Bernstein family is woven into the political fabric of this state. The family has written check after check to elect Democrats including two of their own: Son Richard is a justice on the state Supreme Court and son Mark is chair of the U of M Board of Regents and for a time this past month it looked like the family bank account would be tapped again as Mark Bernstein flirted with running for governor.

The phone rang at about 10 a.m. on July 17. Mr. Bernstein was reporting he would not run for governor and would tell the whole world two hours later. It was a shocker because everything up to that point suggested he’d do it.

The story ends there but the roots of that decision go back almost half a year.

Mr. Bernstein was again on the horn talking about his possible bid for governor. He was very clear, “I will run for governor someday but now is not the time.” His biggest reservation was the three people who lived with him. His spouse and his two young elementary school kids. He explained he could not leave them home while he traipsed all over the state from Monroe to Marquette on a mission to be governor.

End of story. Beginning of another.

Now well into the new year, the pundit class in this town were focused on Democrat Gretchen Whitmer who announced she was running. Everyone wondered if Congressman Dan Kildee would get in. He came very close four years ago and bowed out. He had a safe, family-inherited Congressional seat from Genesee County and concluded he would stay put.

As January turned into late winter there were mixed signal from the Kildee camp. “He’s doing everything he should do to position himself for a run in 2018,” was the word on the street. Note that “positioning” is not the same as running.

And so the phone rang again only this time it was Mr. Kildee taking a power. He would not run either.

Since Mr. Bernstein was fixing to be the treasurer for the Kildee run for governor, he had more than a passing interest in this latest and game changing development. With Kildee out, Ms. Whitmer was a shoo-in to get the nomination, unless, of course, somebody else got in.

That somebody else showed in early June on Mackinac Island at a big smooze-fest with business shakers and movers and it was pretty clear Mark Bernstein was testing the waters despite his earlier comments that now was not the time to run.

In a revealing interview, Mr. Bernstein was quizzed about the family aspect of this decision. Yes, he was interested in the post but what about those three loved ones?

Question: When you look in the eyes for your bride and children and ask them if you should run, do they say yes?

Answer: Yes.

And with that frank answer, the door that was shut, appeared to be wide open now. With the green light from his family, he was free to get in.

“This is the closest he has come yet to announcing his bid for governor,” was the headline off the island.

June turned into July and Mr. Bernstein said nothing, but clearly somebody said something because the Bernstein family was having an apparent change of heart.

With the July 17 phone, he had gone from point A to point B and then back again to point A.

“The decision (not to run) was 100 percent based on my family,” he revealed.

Now to be sure there was also concerns about how the Bernstein lawyer shop would survive without him at the helm.

The guessing money is the spouse, who had sent her own signals that she was not overjoyed with a possible candidacy, and the children had another sit-down talk with Daddy and this time the answer was no.

And so it is.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today