Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is a rising star for Democrats and a target for Republicans

On Friday afternoon, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) sat at a table draped in black.

With a sign language interpreter behind her, she delivered a sober update on the coronavirus outbreak in her state, urging residents to stay off the roads and away from gas pumps.

Then she sounded a note of optimism. “This is a moment in time,” she said. “It is not the rest of our lives. This is a moment in time.”