Michael Kosta Covers the DNC Kickoff in Chicago | Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

You're listening to Comedy Central Jam.

From Chicago, home of the world's most inedible bee.

It's the Daily Shows Indecision twenty twenty four, the Democratic National Convention.

Broadcast with your host Michael Costa, who.

To the deal Shows. My God, I'm Michael Costa.

And we are in Chicago.

Oh man, awesome. It's great to be here. It's great to be here. The weather is beautiful.

I now get why you all live here, because it's like this year round, unbelievable. Plus it's an hour earlier than New York, so I get to start drinking at nine instead of ten am.

There's Chicago. But hey, enough about me.

We're here for the Democratic National Convention, So let's get right into our coverage of Indecision twenty twenty four. As of tonight, the DNC is officially underway, and to hear Democrats tell it, it's going to be a hell of a week.

All either on Chicago.

It is game day for the Democratic Party, the kickoff of the Democratic National Convention, America's Blue Party, a wash in fresh optimism. Everybody and their mom is trying to get the hottest ticket in the Windy City.

Frankly, it'll be like a rock concert. I think people are going to be cheering and pretty excited.

Let's go Democrats. You know, the dumber your hat, the more energy you always have.

No one ever puts on a donkey hat and is like, you know what, let's stay in tonight. But of course Democrats are exciting because this is a chance for them to lay out their specific vision each night.

And let's hear what you.

Got new this morning. We are learning how each night of the convention will highlight her vision for the country. Tomorrow's opening night's theme for the people, Tuesday will outline democrats bold vision for America's future. Wednesday they're calling a fight for our freedoms, and Thursday a message for our future.

Uh a bold policy move by the Democrats. Tuesday is for the future and Thursday is also for the future. How do you have themes that are so vague and then still run of ideas by Thursday. This is like when The Fast and the Furious movies ran out of different ways to say that the movies would be fast and furious, too fast, too furious, faster and more furiouser.

The fastestest and furious system. We get it.

The cargoes room, all right, but it's not all going to be as vague as their daily themes. The Democrats also released a very detailed party platform, and you can tell how much time and energy they put into it because they forgot to replace Joe Biden's name with Kamala's. Yeah, and that's not just lazy, guys, it's risky. Joe Biden's going to read that and be like, guess up the corvette I'm going back in.

But look, obviously there's going.

To be some policy talk during the DNC, but is there gonna be anything that's more fun than that?

We'll have some celebs on hand at the Democratic National Convention. It kicks off today and it's got a few notable celebrities that are actually set to host this week's events. So starting off, we have Scandal stars Kerry Washington along with Tony Goldwyn. They're among the hosts for the four day convention, as well as comic Mindy Kayling and the View co hosts and a Navarro.

Rumors are swirling big time.

Everybody's talking about it that two of the biggest names in music, Beyonce Taylor Swift, might make appearances.

Did you hear that?

A completely unsubstantiated rumor about Taylor Swift and Beyonce.

But in the meantime, give it up for Anna Navarro and Tony Goldwin. Why are our news reporters talking out of their ass like that?

This feels like hosting a birthday when you're thirteen and being like, Hey, my cousin says he knows Tony Hawk, so I don't know he might show up. Wait, even if you can't get into the convention itself, there's all sorts of things to see and do around town, like this thing.

The planned Para Heard mobile clinic has also just arrived, but we're offering free abortion medication IUDs and the sectimies.

A group called Americans for Contraception as a twenty foot inflatable IUD.

Near the United Center. They've named it Frieda Frida. Its name is Frieda. That's a little confusing.

The name Frieda makes me think of my little old grandma, which actually is my preferred form of contraception. Actually, the truth is Frieda is short for you are free dudges inside me.

Now, I I knew, I knew Chicago would love that joke.

Now, some men are out there and they see this and they're asking, is a regular IUD inflatable too, And the answer is yes, Okay. The way an IUD works is you inflate it, you insert it into the uterus and it waves its floppy arms, like get out of here, sperm, get out of here, shoe.

And while you're here, buy a Nissan and mobile v sectomies. Look.

I'm not ragging on it or anything, but if I'm going to get my balls operated on, I'm going to need to be in a.

Structure that won't get towed.

Now for more on this, we go to Grace School and Schmid. Grace, Grace, the Democrats are really emphasizing reproductive rights this.

Week, absolutely, Michael. This week is all about genitals. They've they've got the vasectomy vans, they've got the inflatable IUDs, and look right behind me, they've installed a giant glitterists.

Actually, Grace, I think that's the bean.

Ah, yeah, that's what I.

All right, Grace, cool and Schmid. Everyone.

But while the VNC kicks off, the rest of the campaign is continuing and Donald Trump is laser focused on the issues that are most important to American people. They said, no, her biggest advantage is that she's a beautiful woman.

I'm gone, huh, I never thought of that.

I'm better looking than she is.

I'm a better looking person than Kamala than Camel. Just so you know, man, just because you wear more makeup than Kamala doesn't mean you look better.

Is this?

Meanwhile, Kamala Harrison Tim Wallas just finished a bus tour of Pennsylvania and it seems like they had a good time. You know, you got Tim Walls handing Kamala Dorito's Doug m Hoff also handing.

Kamala Dorito's Kamala.

Looking at that display case, wondering how long that hard boiled egg has been there. Just have the secret service, try a Kamala. That's what they're there for. By the way, you just know Tim Walls is the happiest guy in the world to be spending this much time on a bus.

He's probably on the bus. He's got his own map.

You know, he's giving the driver advice.

Oh, you could take the thirty four tot.

Of sixteen, but honestly, to seven to a fifty.

Three, they got better rest stops. The Walls has also.

Been carving out time for his own campaign rallies over the weekend, he hit a rally in Nebraska, where he grew up, and while he was there, he threw down the gauntlet in a very Nebraska way.

Do you think JD vanshnows one damn thing about Nebraska? He's going to be here next week. You think he's ever had a ronza? You think he's ever had a runza? That guy would call it a hot pocket?

You know it, every one of you in your no.

Extremely regional slam Wall's got him good, I think. I mean, that was the most specific pandering I've ever heard. I had to look up what our runza is. It's basically meat stuffed inside bread, and apparently it's a regional favorite in Nebraska.

Although I always say.

If regional meats are so good, they'd be national meats. And if that didn't happen, maybe they weren't ready for the big time, you know. For more on the runs of Debate, we go live to Jordan Klepper. Jordan, that's right, Jordan. Does all this regional pandering actually work?

Absolutely not, Michael.

Voters are savvy and this kind of pandering is treated them like idiots.

You know.

Focus on the issues like how is Tim Walls going to sustain a bull market because everybody loves the bulls.

Go bulls, you know. Okay, okay, so we agree, no pandering. Stick to the issue.

Yes, well it needs to cut out the food talk, focus on the substance, beef it up, make it spicy.

And everyone everyone.

Knows the only way to do that is to throw a little jardonaire on there.

You know who's hope they don't.

I don't know.

I don't know what that reference was, but obviously you're also pandering to this crowd.

What no, no, no, look Michael, No, I'm going deep on the issues, deep like deep, like this time's delicious and far superior pizza, and.

I want to fail you. I have to failure Michael.

If you have a problem with that, just call me lou mel Doddy captainy the good Ship Pequad because the truth is my little orna. Yes, also Girdano's.

Come on, man, this is cheap. I mean, I can rile a crowd up to if you want.

Me to, like, uh oh, hey, the Willis Tower isn't as high as the stakes.

In this election.

Stop.

Nobody wants your stupid architecture reference as costa. If I wanted a legitimate architecture tour. I take the l down to the West Loops, winged by Portello's, had the East Wacker hupping a Wendela tour boat and gaze off at the flu fatures the architect vander Roh so z oh Costa E's up on the panderin. These folks can see it from a mile away, like the Willis Tower.

All right, yeah, but I said, I said Willis Tower too. Yeah, but you.

Suck, you know, just like the Packers. Let's go Chicago bandor row Ben door Row there, door row.

Ben door row, Jordan Clipper, everybody. When we come back, we take a guided tore up this great city. So don't go away.

But I'm say, well a story I've said, Well, welcome back to the Daily Show.

The Democrats could affect any city to hold the.

Convention, So why Chicago, our own Jordan Klepper spent the day with a local to find out what Chicago has to offer.

Beautiful Chicago my old term where I spent nearly a decade doing improv, comedy and posy like a hip hop magician. But this isn't about me. It's about showing the exotic hotspot Chicago has to offer, and I've got a little help from a local billionaire for tour guide. I'm here with Governor Ja pritz Gar. We're going to see that Chicago has more than this Wrigley Field and a bunch of drug cloaks in bar. Right, there's culture here. What are we gonna say?

We got blues, we have the lake front, we got museum, were towns we are.

Gonna get to.

That's a drink here, we gotta get it.

Let's go.

Let's saved my old play.

It's perfect to get into the right bood.

We eat a local delicacy, my Lord is.

A Chicago special.

So if you come to Chicago, I mean, if you want to be like chicagoan's you gotta have a moward.

Yes, it's a it's a lovely liqueur made here in Chicago, and it tastes like it was made here in Chicago. But it's a leaded I love it. Cheers.

Oh, that's some of the best malord I've ever had.

That's delicious. I have this aftertaste like I was sucking on the leg of a wet dog. It's d NC week. The convention is here in Chicago.

Why Chicago, Well, you know, we've had more political conventions in Chicago than any other city in America.

You haven't always gone great. The demonstrators repeatedly tried to march on the side of the convention.

Things have changed quite a lot, and they're protests at every convention. But the truth is that here in Chicago, we protect people's First Amendment rights and we're gonna put on one of the.

Best conventions of these ever.

Sum there's no city that has a better summer than the city of ship Line.

This is like the Olympics for people who are not athletic.

I know the sense of South excited you. But every delegation fifty states all day they're gonna be meetings among Democrats about the party platform.

You're right, that doesn't sound exciting to see what the R ANDC did. Hulk Hogan, hul Hogan, Kid Rock, how do you beat now? What are you going to get? The guys from jackass?

Honestly, this is going to be the most energetic convention that you've ever seen.

Unfortunately, I see what their energetic convention is to be.

Like Hillary Clinton is out there doing the macharina like nobody's business. So I actually think this is one of the great moments in her history.

I wouldn't attach to her history. Keep it in history just as well. You know, Chicago has been known for a corruption in the past. Republicans are criticizing Kamala for getting in through as they would put it inside maneuvers. How does the party square or something like that?

Are you kidding? Donald Trump tried to steal an election.

He has one insurrection and we're gonna just that's always gonna be. You're gonna tar him with that.

Yes, and and by the way, he says, if he doesn't win this time, he's been cheated.

I gotta ask you, the governor, a big question. Is the Barra comedy or a drama?

Okay, I don't know why it's in the comedy category, but I gotta say it's one of the best shows on TV and shows off Chicago.

Let's this is some of the beautiful Chicago culture.

Fella.

Let's do it all right, put it on the prinz kers. Well, now, you've always say it back in the day. Okay, maybe we just hit one for Bob before we get to that past an it. Let's support yes, you know this, this empty bar takes me back to my improv days. The audience's response back then, but you do it because you love it. Okay, yeah, cheers.

Okay, museums.

Are we talking museums?

No, we're going to museums.

We got to do this.

Let's see this town, this beautiful town, Governor. A lot of culture here, so much good architecture in Chicago.

It is well, you know that started with the great Chicago fire, everything getting burned down, all the great architects and artists.

And I used I used to drink here. We got to get a drink.

See you again.

Have you got a green line?

Let's do it.

I don't know.

Were you surprised about Biden stepping down?

I was, I really was. It happened so fast.

It was about noon on a Sunday.

Oh yeah, it was a Sunday. I remember that because I was in a church, not at a bar.

I was at a church, and a lot of us were concerned about the direction of the election and whether Joe Biden was gonna be able to be competitive because the polls weren't looking good in this moment.

Are you in a text chain with other governors.

Well, actually there were governors talking.

The governors push him out. No, no, no, you weren't nudging an old man to be clear, to be clin like walking by him on the sidewalk, doing with the governor, shake over hair.

Listen, Joe Biden's tough. Anybody's gonna nudge anybody. He's the one nudge in somebody back.

Oh, don't give me this. Look how tough he looks on a bike.

Bullshit.

He's a tough guy, he really is.

And he understands politics better than most. And we don't have any time to waste. And Kamala Harris is our vice president.

We all voted for her, so she's the one. And picking Tim.

Wallas, I think he's actually the perfect kick.

You know.

Immediately, of course he's coming up with hashtags, you know, balls to the walls.

That's the first thing you do. This is what my tax payer money.

Gun.

It was a Sunday.

I'm paying for balls hashtags. I mean, maybe buy the drinks.

Okay, I got it. That guy.

That's fun. Believe, enough of the distractions. Museum, where do we have to go?

Well, you gotta go to a museum in contemporary art. Of course, the Art Institute's got the beautiful lions in front let's don't bring at the Field Museum, right, which the big actual history.

There's culture in this town that you have to focus on.

Oh my god, right Regular, I love it.

We got great history.

Let's do it.

Alah. Walking into a bit of Chicago history is intoxicated. I can smell the stale hot dogs and tears of defeat. Look at this. Huh beautiful day to be here at Regular.

Every day at is beautiful.

Yes, okay, so no baseball today, no.

But when this place is full, it is amazing.

There it seems to be setting up for a concert. This is America's pastime, watching other people do work while you.

Sit on your ear.

Let's go, oh, road, Union Roadies, Let's go Union Roadies. That by the way, I have some parking tickets.

Do you hear everything? I'm not happy as parking tickets.

Sorry, I buy your beer.

That's about I'll take it.

Okay, if the door Welcome back Michigan Governor Gretchen will be doing on the show.

I'm going as before, good body, Welcome back to the Gather Show.

My guest to Night is a two term governor of Michigan and author of the best selling book True Gretch. Please welcome Michigan Governor, Gretchen Whitner.

What aren't they great?

All these all these people who love you aren't even legally allowed to vote for you. You're a Michigander. I'm a Michigander. It dawned on me today in this audience might not like this, but it dawned on me today that one of the best parts of Chicago is the lake, and one of the.

Best parts of Chicago is Michigan.

Right.

No, I think one of the things people love about you is that you have grit, and you seem tough, and you talk.

And you talk about this. You talk about this in your book.

You talk about as a kid's someone pushed you down, knocked your teeth out.

Yeah, what age was that that that happened?

It was about eighth grade. It was church camp.

We're most.

So much violence can happen in church.

Yeah, and then throughout your life, even in the chambers while people are voting, you would pop your teeth out to mess with them, right, yeah.

Yeah.

We have a picture of what sometimes, I mean, this was in the book. I love this. I mean it's like, what is that what is that picture?

Where is that picture that was in high school. At some point I used to play in the Gusmacker Tournament, so three on three basketball, and I was eating a Tutsu roll on the way and both my teeth came out before the game. It was it was a base you know got in their brains.

Is that.

That's a physical toughness, But now in politics it feels more emotional toughness.

Is that right?

Yeah? I think so. You know, one of the nicknames I've earned over the last few years is Big Wretch and my all time new favorite nickname. It used to be Gravity Gretchen because I fall down a lot, hence the teeth. But during during COVID I talked about in the book. But during COVID, you know when Donald Trump turned his ire to me because I observed there was

Well, and we were listening to g Mac Cash's Big Gretch song Downstairs.

Yeah, so whole rap song with written value, which is pretty cool.

It became a thing. You know, the people of Detroy bestowed this nickname on me because I was taken so much heat from the White House and doing what I could to save people. And so this is someone likened it to being bestowed a key to the city when the people Detroit give you a nickname like Big Grutch.

On page on page two, the second page of your book, you talk about your grandmother Nino and how she said always look for the positive and people and I love this quote.

It is even the meanest person might have pretty eyes. Is that a way to govern? I mean, is that you know a lot of people, maybe.

Sadly, were introduced to you through through the kidnapping story. How do you see the positive in those people or in that situation?

Canyon, Well, they say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

So there's the positive.

Yeah, you know, I've learned so much in the last six years. When you get tested, you see what you're capable of and what you're made of, and you also know who you can count on and who you can trust, and so there's a lesson in every tough.

Story, right, Yeah, and there's Yeah, you're the governor of the whole state.

Your supporters love you, but there's people on the other side that maybe didn't vote for you, that are still mad about some COVID restrictions, that are having a hard time paying their mortgage.

How do you bridge the gap with them? How do you speak to them? What do you say?

I think it's showing up. You know, I know that I don't have every person's lived experience. I'm learning when I'm asking what can I do that'll make your life better?

What?

How do I govern in a way that gives you a path to prosperity or takes a barrier out of your way? I love to get around Michigan and ask that question. You know, if I'm lucky enough to get elected, what could I do for you? And people are not shy to tell you. When you ask, they will tell you things you never imagined. But over and over again, when you hear something that is recurring, this is a real problem that people, regardless of their politics, need me

Fold Yeah, A brilliant a brilliant platform because as a Michigander, I've said that to my too, right to whoever's listening, and apparently you were listening if you put it on a bus and your bus was listening. I have to ask you this because I don't often get the opportunity to sit down with the governor of Michigan. But as a Michigander myself, I love our Great Lakes. I love the twenty percent of the world's fresh.

Water is sitting amongst us.

I've lived in Los Angeles, I've toured through Arizona. They want our water, okay, And in all reality, what are you, as governor doing to protect our great lakes? Is this important to you?

Absolutely so. The Great Lakes twenty one percent of the world's fresh surface water. This is a bit.

I said twenty and she was like, it's twenty one.

You heard that.

That's good.

So you know, I'm working hard to make sure that we protect the Great Legs and we make Michigan a place where people move to for opportunities. So I would welcome you to come back to Michigan. Yeah, enjoy the Legs and then maybe you and I can reenact the Klepper Pritzker barkrawl Yoh.

That would be fun.

I haven't gone drinking with Klepper, but I bet there might have been a bucket there where he was kind of like, you know, there's a lot of energy. There's a lot of energy for Kamala right now. There's a lot of momentum.

I'm I'm fearful though, I'm fearful.

That Democrats aren't thinking a few steps ahead. Trump is throwing his tantrums. He's mad that she's doing well. But you know, he's a Competitor's gonna he's gonna pivot. He's gonna come back with something or the strategizing many steps ahead.

I believe. So, But what are you anticipating?

I mean, what are you getting you thinking.

I do in a couple of weeks. I mean, I think he's sitting at home watching the energy, the enthusiasm, the optimism that's going to come out of this week, and I think it's going to hurt his brain.

Yeah, well it is. It is, Okay, Okay, let's hope that happens.

Let's prepare for him to get his head on straight and stop throwing a tantrum like a four year old.

He's talking like a four year old. Eventually they calm down and they figure out the weak spot.

So I'm just hoping the Dems are are you are you you're a co chair on Kamala's campaign or I mean, how does that?

Are you strategizing? Are you talking long term?

Well, I mean this is Michigan. Is Michigan, right, There's Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan. These are the swingiest of states, and we are going to decide the outcome of this election. We got to show up, We got to do the work. We got to be in all eighty three counties. We cannot write off a place because looks Republican in past elections. We're going to show up and we're going to pull people in because this is.

Show up showing up after that, Yeah, yeah, you talk and hear a lot about your gratitude journal, which I love, be specific you with what you're thankful for what you do. But sometimes do you ever just write down super annoying shit? You know, you've had some bad stuff that's happened. Do you ever just write down, well that does this suck? Today's people try to kidnap me.

It's tempting, it's tempting, but no, but there are some days where it says, my dog's my bed in tequila.

Right, yeah, you have rot in hoods. Yet, let's talk about humor.

You know, this is a comedy show. I grew up in a big family. No one ever said I love you and my family, but you teased, you poked fun. And when I read and listened to your book, I love the audio version as well.

There's a lot of.

Humor and it just comes naturally for you. Is this something that is embedded in you from an early age as a kid. Is it something you've worked on.

I think both my folks were really funny, and humor is a great way to I think relief stress, diffuse a tough, tense situation if you can find a laugh. And my mother was kind of the queen of gallows humor. Even in the darkest day she died of brain cancer, and even in the darkest day she was, she could find the light. She could make us laugh. And I think it's just such a powerful way to find common ground. That's why I love I love being on your show with you.

I love that last thing, you know, I told you that a couple of weeks ago.

My daughter, who's four, got pushed by another girl at camp and had a black eye, and I was really sad and I was upset about it.

And then I read your book and I said, holy shit, my daughter is going to be the governor of Michigan. True gretch is available now, Governor versus Whitmer. Let me take a quick bake wet way back after this.

Thank you so so much.

That's our shop for tonight the Daily Shows. Denton Laddock will be your host tomorrow night. Now here it is your moment of ze.

I'm gonna bring up a couple of these great business leaders. But before we do, I'd like to answer some questions from primarily local Philadelphia press. We've got We've got to get out of here and go get a cheese steak. We're gonna go get a cheese steak after this.

Right we are in Philly.

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