Michigan Matters: Detroit on the National Political Stage and The Restaurateurs

Southfield (CBS Detroit) - Three veteran Metro Detroit restaurateurs – Johnny Ginopolis of Ginopolis Restaurant, Joe Vicari, President & CEO of the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group, and Sameer Eid of the Phoenicia Restaurant —appear on MICHIGAN MATTERS to talk about the fickle and challenging industry.

They appear with Carol Cain, Senior Producer/Host and talk about their respective enterprises. Ginopolis mentioned working as a bus boy at a restaurant in Dearborn as a 12-year-old and later winning a Detroit News bartender contest to set him on his way before he opened Ginopolis. Vicari discussed opening his first Andiamo and his growing family enterprise which includes a new Detroit eatery. And Eid talked how he got into the business when the owner of the restaurant he frequented asked him to take it over. Eid is overseeing his growing company which includes a new restaurant in Detroit opening this fall.

Then presidential politics takes center stage as the roundtable of Peter Bhatia, Editor of Detroit Free Press, Susy Avery, former Chair of the Michigan Republican Party and Co-Director of MSU's Michigan Political Leadership Program, and Charlie Beckham, longtime city of Detroit executive and now municipal consultant, appear with Cain to discuss the NAACP National Convention held his week in Detroit which included visits from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and a litany of Democratic presidential candidates.

The much-anticipated Democratic Candidate Presidential Debate will be held this week in Detroit. The roundtable offered thoughts on the contest as it stands today and how the Democrats stack up against President Donald Trump in the 2020 race as he faces re-election.

They also talked about Rep. Rashida Tlaib and the Democratic Party as well as the state of the Republican Party as Rep. Paul Mitchell announced he stunned many when he announce he would not seek re-election in 2020.

Watch MICHIGAN MATTERS Sunday at 11:30am on CBS 62