DETROIT —
At Tuesday and Wednesday night’s Democratic Presidential debate in Detroit, the 20 candidates talked about a lot. They sparred over healthcare, they tackled immigration, they disagreed on criminal justice reform and they discussed climate change.
But while the candidates were in Michigan— a peninsula state that is surrounded by 6 quadrillion gallons (no exaggeration)— of fresh water, they did not mention the Great Lakes once.
This absence was quickly noted by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
“Hey, remember the time the Dems had 2 days of debates in Michigan and not one candidate brought up the Great Lakes even once,” she tweeted in the minutes immediately after the second debate finished.
Nessel tweeted again emphasizing her disbelief.
“WE ARE LITERALLY CALLED “‘THE GREAT LAKES STATE,’” she said.
Although the candidates did not talk about the Great Lakes, they were asked how they would win back Michigan after President Donald Trump won it in 2016.
And after the debates in the spin room, Gov. Jay Inslee, whose platform is focused on addressing climate change, said his agenda would ensure the future of the Great Lakes.
“We need to eliminate PFAS, and I have done that,” the Washington state governor said. “My climate change agenda protects the Great Lakes. Because acid from carbon dioxide goes into the Great Lakes and their temperature changes. And when their temperature changes, it makes it difficult for fish to live.”
Inslee and Sen. Bernie Sanders are the only two candidates so far who have come out against the Enbridge 5 pipeline.
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