GREEN BAY — Mike Holmgren knows after coaching a legendary football team in the 1990's while living in the smallest NFL market in the country, that Green Bay fans would occasionally second guess some his decisions.
He talked with TMJ4's Charles Benson about why he wants former Vice President Joe Biden in the White House.
"Look of course I never made any mistakes as a coach, you know that," said Holmgren with a laugh. "So, that's not new for me to get the critical look from both sides."
He knows not everyone will agree with his decision to back Biden.
Benson: "So what moved you to go public, knowing that some people aren't going to like your opinion?"
Holmgren: "Yeah, I know, and I thought about that."
The more he thought a out what was happening this election year, Holmgren said he got emotional. He didn't like what he was seeing from President Trump who will be campaigning in Green Bay this weekend. Trump carried Brown County in 2016 by just under 14,000 votes.
"This was quite different, this presidency is quite different," said Holmgren. "So I said: What can I do, what else can I do besides vote, which is hugely important, my one vote."
Holmgren says his daughter, who is a prosecutor in the Seattle District Attorney's Office, encouraged him to get involved - thinking Wisconsin would be another battleground state in 2020.
So the coached who lead the Packers to a Super Bowl Victory, now wants to help Joe Biden in Wisconsin.
He lists President's Trump's handling of the Covid-19 crisis as one reason why.
"I think the pandemic and what's happened to businesses, based on the pandemic, particularly in in places like Green Bay and smaller businesses and things like that It could have been better," said Holmgren. It didn't have to be this bad and had the president acted earlier and done some things earlier. But he didn't and now here we are.
The Trump campaign disagrees: "The facts are clear. President Trump's early, aggressive response to the coronavirus saved countless lives. Now, he is bringing our economy back, while Joe Biden has said he would shut down the economy again," said Trump Victory Spokesperson Anna Kelly.
In August, Biden did say he would shut down the economy if scientist said it was necessary but later walked that back saying, "There is going to be no need in my view, to be able to shut down the whole economy."
Benson: "Do you think Joe Biden would do something differently that he could help control a virus that's very difficult to control, as we're finding out here in Wisconsin with record number of positive cases?"
Coach Holmgren: "Yeah, he has said that Charles, I mean he's made that claim and he's spelled out a plan."
Holmgren says he's never endorsed anyone before and "I probably will never do it again," but felt this time around he needed do something.
