Mackinac politics, Mike Duggan’s surprise exit, Muskegon memories, Memorial Day reflections, and why Michigan never stops being complicated.
ML broadcasts from an unlikely luxury retreat — his mother-in-law’s porch in Muskegon, complete with toast and tea — before heading north to the annual Mackinac Policy Conference, where politics, influence, and ambition collide on Michigan’s most famous island.
The big story: Mike Duggan’s sudden exit from the governor’s race. Real ML’s column about it here.
Why Duggan walking away shocked Michigan political insiders
- The Detroit Regional Chamber’s heavy investment in Duggan — and whether it leaves them politically exposed
- Questions about polling, money, and whether Duggan simply saw numbers he couldn’t overcome
- Speculation surrounding federal scrutiny over Detroit demolition programs and whether outside pressures mattered
- Why Duggan’s political instincts — and his obsession with numbers — may explain the move better than conspiracy theories
Then comes the question Michigan power brokers are quietly asking: What’s next for Duggan? The conversation explores whether Duggan could become the next president of the University of Michigan — despite lacking the traditional academic résumé. ML argues universities increasingly need operators, fundraisers, and fire-fighters as much as scholars. The episode also wanders — as Soul of Detroit always does — through:
- Mackinac Conference politics and Charlie LeDuff’s absence from the island
- Why campaign money and influence remain difficult to untangle in Michigan
- The Tigers’ struggles and whether fans are approaching frustration or indifference
- Muskegon’s transformation from paper-mill town to hidden Michigan gem
- Hockey, beaches, and why west Michigan keeps surprising people
Then the tone shifts. A Memorial Day reflection brings the conversation back to sacrifice, loss, and the lasting cost of war. ML shares a personal story connected to a family member lost in Vietnam — a reminder that Memorial Day isn’t about celebration, but remembrance. There’s also time for:
- Movie talk (Project Hail Mary)
- The strange disappointment of seeing famous landmarks in real life
- Theater nostalgia
GEEK OF THE WEEK:
Coachella and it’s legal threats against a local animal charity event.
ROOM 7609:
Howard Jones, ‘80s music memories, and the curse of aging New Wave hairstyles.
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