See Dick and Jen Run (PDF)

The writing of this book began in January of 2006, long before anyone knew how intense the race would be. A variety of players inside and outside the two campaigns agreed to share information with the author with the understanding that none of the information would be released until after the election. The premature release could have aided one side or the other in their strategic planning. As with all political events, the "truth" is in the eye of the beholder. Two people with different political perspectives can look at the same event and reach two different conclusions, which is why politics is not an exact science. The one good thing about elections is that at the end of the day there is a winner and a loser, and there can't be any debate over that. See Dick and Jen Run is the inside story on how the winner and loser got there. For 11 months Tim Skubick doggedly covered every aspect of the bitter race between the rising star in the Democratic Party, Governor Jennifer Granholm, and a guy who used his enormous wealth to come out of nowhere to challenge her. He was former Amway heir Dick DeVos. Skubic, the political correspondent who has anchored more debates, covered more campaigns, and written more about Michigan politics than any other journalist, was given unprecedented access to both candidates and to the key architects from both camps. National attention focused on the race as all sorts of players got on stage, including President George W. Bush, former auto icon Lee Iacocca, Karl Rove, former President Bill Clinton, president wanna bes John Kerry, Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton. The Detroit Tigers got into the act as well and became a factor in the final outcome. The high stakes fight was against the backdrop of a crumbling U.S. auto industry and an unemployment rate that refused to budge.Despite that, incumbent Granholm began the contest with a hefty 20-point lead considered by many to be insurmountable. But within a few months and following a barrage of campaign commercials, DeVos not only wiped out that lead, he took it from her. You read the headlines, but that was only part of the story. What Skubick saw was much more, and he shares it all with you here for the first time. Senior Capitol Correspondent Tim Skubick began his journalistic career in 1969 and has been on the Lansing beat ever since. He covers the state capitol for a variety of media outlets including Michigan Public TV where he anchors the Emmy-awarding winning "Off the Record" series which is now in its 35th year. Since 1970 he has been the Lansing Bureau Chief for WWJ NewsRadio 950 in Detroit. He also covers the capitol for the Michigan Radio Network which includes over 60 outstate radio stations. He writes a weekly political column for 22 statewide newspapers including the Lansing State Journal, the Oakland Press, and the Macomb Daily. He is also a daily contributor to the Michigan Information and Research Service (MIRS) Newsletter. WILX-TV in Lansing also carries his reports. Skubick was inducted into the Michigan Broadcasters Hall of Fame and received four Emmys from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for his work at WKAR-TV in East Lansing. He holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from Michigan State University. See Dick and Jen Run follows his first endeavor called Off the Record which was also published by the University of Michigan Press and the Petoskey Publishing Company. On October 2, 2006, over one million citizens watched the first televised debate in the race for governor between Jennifer Granholm and Dick DeVos. Michigan political history was made that night. Here is the fascinating, first-hand account that explores the ins and outs and the ups and downs of the most...