The young reporter with zippo experience writing a weekly political column was hired to do just that, so it was off to the Rolodex (anybody remember those?).

Who to call for some wisdom from someone who was seasoned in that gig?

“Hughey, how does one go about writing a column?”

On the other end of the line was Hugh McDiarmid, the irascible-yet-lovable columnist for the Detroit Free Press.

“You’ll be fine,” he began with his fatherly and desperately needed guidance. “The toughest part is coming up with an idea, and, after that, you just sit down and pound it out on your Underwood.” (Anybody remember those?)

Well, last Friday morning, with no subject within 10,000 miles, Hughey came to mind. He was spot-on: It was tough when nothing came to mind.

Can you say “dry hole?”

Then, at 10:30 a.m., the cup runneth over.

“SCOTUS scraps Roe v. Wade.”

Within minutes of that historic headline, the phone was ringing off the hook.

Can you bang out a story for the 6 o’ clock newscast?

We need something pronto. Can you?

So much for a quiet Friday segue into a restful weekend.

Where to begin?

The health care industry, of course, had the most important ramifications to ponder after the nation’s highest court moved to the states the authority to ban or embrace abortions. To be sure, more states would be in the former category than the latter.

But, apart from the human-life implications of all this, there were political implications to also consider that could impact the political lives of office-seekers this critical election year.

In unison, the five Republican gubernatorial candidates, Tudor Dixon, Kevin Rinke, Garrett Soldano, Ryan Kelley, and Ralph Rebandt, applauded the ruling.

Over in the office that they seek to occupy next January, the response from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was anything but joyful.

“This is devastating,” she said in a news release.

And, later, on the state Capitol steps, she shouted to the pro-abortion rights citizens in front of her that she would “fight like hell” to preserve the rights of women to choose.

Pundits in this town are eagerly trying to figure out who will be motivated to vote in protest of or support of the ruling.

“Democratic women,” opines Michigan pollster Richard Czuba. “Their motivation is going to shoot through the roof. It’s already high. I’m surprised Democratic women are not already in line to vote.”

The Republicans for governor will clearly harvest the anti-abortion vote in August, but, Michigan pollster Bernie Porn warns, in the general election, not everyone is anti-abortion.

If candidates would not allow abortions in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother, Mr. Porn reports, 55% of Republican primary voters favor those exemptions.

The unanswered question is, will those voters pick their candidates based on that issue?

Michigan pollster Steve Mitchell predicts they won’t. And, while he once agreed with his two polling buddies, he concludes, “almost all the polling shows that this is not a factor now. Not nearly as much as inflation.”

He concludes so many voters are so upset with the standing of the sitting president of the United States that they “will walk across broken glass with bare feet to get to the polls” to vote against Democrats, and he does not see the same motivation from the Democrats.

But Mr. Czuba does.

Go figure.

While the 1931 Michigan law banning abortions is on hold while being decided at the state Supreme Court, abortions will continue here, but the debate will not cease. In fact, it will only intensify, as it looks like a constitutional amendment that would legalize abortion will be on the statewide ballot in November via a petition drive now wrapping up.

So, as one might say, if you thought the state was divided before, imagine how much deeper it will get after this emotionally fraught battle between these two divergent camps … both of which think they are right.