Political Journalist Ron Fournier Previews Tonight’s Debate, Talks About Returning To Detroit
“There are a majority of people in this community… who are working together to try to keep Detroit moving ahead.”
Detroit native Ron Fournier made his career writing about Bill and Hillary Clinton in the ‘90s. He covered then-governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton, and moved to Washington D.C. to work for the Associated Press as the Clintons moved into the White House.
Fournier went on to become the editor-in-chief and senior political columnist for the National Journal and senior political columnist for the Atlantic. He’s had the kind of career many journalists dream of, and now he’s returned home for the next phase of his career as associate publisher of Crain’s Detroit Business.
“I certainly don’t know what it was like to be here through the hardest years,” Fournier admits to host Stephen Henderson on Detroit Today. “But I know this: unlike Washington (D.C.) – where the story and the narrative and the way of life is fighting each other for position and only caring about one day, Election Day – there are a majority of people in this community… who are working together to try to keep Detroit moving ahead.”
Fournier also helps preview tonight’s presidential debate, the first of this year’s election cycle. He says he’ll be watching to see which Donald Trump shows up to debate.
“That’s the big question, do we see the bigoted, racist, intemperate, bullying, bombastic celebrity who shows little knowledge or interest in policy,” he asks, “or do we see the guy who… is more tethered to talking points and a teleprompter and will show more reasonableness?”
To hear the full conversation, click on the audio player above.
