The Plague Year: America in the Time of Covid

by Lawrence Wright

“The whole political reality on the ground changed when Trump singled me out,” Whitmer said. “Up until that point I had pretty good support out of my legislature, which is totally Republican controlled. And when that happened, they stopped extending the state of emergency, they started suing me, they threatened to impeach me.” Protesters not only continued to besiege the Capitol, they showed up at the Governor’s Mansion with assault weapons, wearing tactical gear. Whitmer was inside with her husband and two teenage daughters. “I called the leader of the Michigan senate,” Whitmer said, referring to Mike Shirkey, who represents Jackson, Michigan, one of the spots that lays claim to being the birthplace of the Republican Party. She left a message on his cell phone. “We need to bring the heat down,” she said. “I need your help.” She told him that there had been death threats against her and her family. “He didn’t even return my phone call,” she said.