Gretchen Whitmer, UAW pres to skip Biden’s Michigan rally

Whitmer, who is co-chair of Biden’s campaign, will not be in Michigan for the event when Biden comes on Friday, per the Associated Press. UAW President Shawn Fain, as well, will not be attending with Biden at the appearances. Biden actively courted the UAW and Fain during last year’s strike; however, Fain has started to have reservations about Biden going up against Trump for the presidency. With the UAW president not in attendance, some may question his trust in Biden to get enough votes in the state known for car manufacturing.

Another Biden ally that will be missing includes Sen. Gary Peters, who has been a steadfast supporter of Biden. In the visit to Michigan, Biden is hoping to shore up support from his base and drive home the campaign's message at Detroit’s Renaissance High School. Biden held a rally there in 2020 and won the state that year after Trump beat out Hillary in the state by a thin margin in 2016.

The campaign rally is slated for 6 pm Eastern time, per PBS. In his 2020 appearance at the high school leading up to the election, Biden said, “I view myself as a bridge, not as anything else. There’s an entire generation of leaders you saw stand behind me. They are the future of this country.” The incumbent president was asked about these comments on Thursday in his "big boy" presser,

The reporter asked on Thursday, " In 2020, you referred to yourself as being a “bridge” candidate for a younger, fresher generation of Democratic leaders. And I wanted to know, what changed?"

Biden responded, saying, "What changed was the gravity of the situation I inherited in terms of the economy, our foreign policy, and domestic division. And I think — I — I won’t put words in anybody’s mouth. Most presidential historians give me credit for having accomplished more than most any president since Johnson and maybe before that to get major pieces of legislation passed."

Michigan will be key for Biden if he is going to have a chance in competing against Donald Trump in the upcoming election.