Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer got one of the most valuable speaking slots at the Democratic National Convention on its last night and in prime time, just a few speakers before presidential nominee Kamala Harris acceptance speech.

And Whitmer used that opportunity to promote the vice president as somebody who understands the challenges facing everyday Americans, is qualified to govern in a crisis and can GSD get stuff done.

Kamala Harris knows who she is fighting for, Whitmer said. Kamala Harris, she gets us. She sees us. She is us.

In touting these qualities, Whitmer made clear the contrast with the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, describing him as a tycoon who had probably never been to a grocery store and as somebody who could not be trusted to manage a crisis.

One day, when youre just trying to get everyone out the door, a news alert goes off, Whitmer said, describing an imaginary crisis. Something happened, something hit the fan. Youll ask, Is my family going to be OK? And then you will ask, Who the hell is in charge? What if its him? What if its that man from Mar-a-Lago?

By contrast, Whitmer said, Harris is tough, tested and a total badass.

Of course, people have said the same thing about Whitmer, who famously sparred with Trump during the COVID-19 pandemic and has emerged as one of the nations fiercest defenders of abortion rights.

In 2022, Whitmer won reelection by more than 10 percentage points. That performance, in a tightly divided state essential to Democratic presidential fortunes, fueled speculation she might end up on a national ticket someday.

That speculation intensified and became more urgent in late June, when it became clear President Joe Biden might drop his reelection bid. Polls testing hypothetical matchups showed Whitmer to be one of the Democrats strongest potential challengers to Trump.

But the matchup was not to be. When Biden announced his decision, Whitmer quickly said she wasnt interested and backed Harris and then, shortly after that, said she wasnt interested in becoming Harris running mate.

The first decision was entirely predictable, given how quickly Harris consolidated her support in the party. The second decision was a bit more surprising, given Whitmers potential to lock down Michigan in the general election although, truth be told, the odds of Harris rolling the dice on a ticket with two women were always pretty low.

Whitmer, for the record, has always maintained she simply wants to keep her commitment to finish out her second term as governor a claim that sounds plausible given her intense, almost goofy boosterism for her home state.