Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and Detroit Public Schools Emergency Manager Robert Bobb were both among those in the audience to listen to Michigan Democratic gubernatorial candidate Virg Bernero in what’s been deemed a “one-man debate” at Detroit Renaissance High School in the city on Thursday, October 21.

Front row: Heaster Wheeler, Exec. Dtr, Detroit NAACP; Thomas Costello, Pres./CEO, Michigan Roundtable; Debra L. Jones, Pres./CEO, Detroit Alliance for Fair Banking; Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, Pres., Detroit NAACP; Kary Moss, Exec. Dtr., ACLU-MI; Donnell White, Deputy Dtr., Detroit NAACP; Back row: Cedric Middleton, Partner, Commerce Financial; Hector Shamly,VP of Certifications and Integrity Services, MMSDC; Bill Ross, Pres./CEO, BTWBA; Rev. Edwin A Rowe, Pastor, Central United Methodist Church; Dwight Glover, Partner, Commerce Financial; Jason Warley, Partner and Duane Hines, Liaison, Commerce Financial.

Bernero attended the event at the invitation of almost 100 religious clerics from Detroit who called for a second debate between he and Republican candidate Rick Snyder to address concerns the first debate, held on October 10 in Wixom, did not focus enough on the specific set of challenges and problems facing Detroit.

The event was organized by Clergy United, an influential group of Detroit pastors, and aired live on WADL-TV in Detroit.

Bernero engaged in an hour-long conversation with those in attendance that focused on topics such education, safety, and funding for prisons in the state of Michigan as asked by Detroit community leaders.

Clergy and audience members reportedly expressed a strong sense of disappointment that Snyder did not show up for the debate according to wxyz.com. Snyder’s campaign said that a scheduling conflict was the reason for his absence from the event and that he had been in Detroit about an hour earlier according to the Detroit Free Press at another event.

Heaster Wheeler, Execitive Director of the Detroit chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), said he was worried that Snyder’s unwillingness to speak to Detroit leaders now could be an indicator that he won’t be willing to speak to them in the future if elected.

“It is imperative that the two candidates come together to focus specifically on the issues involving the citizens of Detroit. While we can skirt around it, speak to outer edges of Detroit and talk in general terms about Detroit, this does not address the root issues of Detroit. Detroiters deserve more respect,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler was looking for more concrete answers about budget problems from the candidates prior to the debate.

“We have a $1.5 billion deficit and we want to know what programs he wants to cut,” Wheeler said.

His perception of Snyder has altered. He now sees him as less honorable and believes others could follow suit. “I know for a fact Snyder lost votes,” he said.

 Edwin A. Rowe, Pastor of Central United Methodist Church, which is located downtown near Comerica Park, said ignoring the city of Detroit could be a major mistake in the Snyder campaign.

Louis Green, President and CEO of the Michigan Minority Suppliers Development Council, said that MMSDC’s 1,400 minority-owned businesses employ over 48,000 people and contribute over $100 million in taxes to the State of Michigan. Green also stressed that the survival of Michigan will be determined by how the business opportunities in the state are addressed, with particular attention and focus on a strategy to fully engage the city of Detroit.  

After Snyder declined the invitation to debate with Bernero, he made the following statement at the Arab American and Chaldean Council’s annual gala on Saturday, October 16: “The other thing we need to do that we haven’t done as well is restore our central cities — that is fundamental.  For Michigan to be a great state, Detroit has to be on the path to being a great city again.”

During the gala, Snyder told local news that the debate season was over and he wanted to focus on the last few days leading up to the campaign’s end.