It’s not often that four former governors from both parties appear side by side. Thanks to the Mackinac Center and its partners, they did — gathering in Lansing to make the case for civility in an increasingly divided political climate.

Former Govs. Rick Snyder, James Blanchard, Jennifer Granholm and John Engler joined together at a Lansing event organized by the Michigan Civility Coalition. The coalition includes the Mackinac Center, Michiganders for Civic Resilience, Oakland University Center for Civic Engagement, Democracy Defense Project, and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation.

“A Defining Moment for Civility: A Forum with Four Governors” came amid concerns over censorship, cancellations, doxxing, and increasing threats of violence toward politicians, activists and reporters. But the four executives spoke with mutual respect in the face of political disagreement.

Granholm framed the discussion as an opportunity for constructive dialogue. “I am eager to soothe my own raging beast by having a civil conversation with three governors who know the importance of respect and bipartisanship even as we may disagree about the president,” she said.

Several panelists reflected on the importance of cooperation in sustaining democratic institutions. “The greatest threat to America, in my view, is us,” said Snyder. “And that’s our lack of ability to get along with one another. That’s our greatest threat, and we need to do something about it.”

Blanchard highlighted the value of personal relationships amid political differences. “We are friends and we get along and we might not agree on stuff,” he said. “It’s important for you to understand that and know that we’re committed to working together in the future, like we hope all of you will do.”

Engler reflected on governing after elections and the importance of institutional continuity. Discussing post-election politics, he said, “We didn’t then start protesting because we didn’t win. Being able to work through to get solutions to problems is a very civil thing to do. Using issues for political advantage is a very uncivil thing to do.”

Despite their differences, the governors demonstrated a shared commitment to civic engagement. The event drew large-scale news coverage, with stories in The Detroit News, USA Today, and Fox 2 Detroit.

Mackinac Center President Joseph G. Lehman closed the event with an observation about his recently departed father.

“Mainly what people will remember about my dad is how he made them feel,” Lehman said. “And that wasn’t because Dad was some towering exemplar of charisma... It’s fair to say that my dad was civil in ordinary ways, that he was fair, generous. He let bygones be bygones. He acted as if everyone he dealt with was somebody whose help he would probably need in the future,” Lehman said. “And Dad detested politics. So naturally, I ended up at the Mackinac Center. And I’m better off having been associated with each of these former governors over the years, even though we’ve all disagreed back and forth, all of us.”

Lehman concluded his reflection with this message: “If we want to get better as a society, if we want to live in relative peace with one another, if we want to acknowledge one another’s basic human dignity, we need the kind of social progress free speech and civility promote.”