Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer acknowledged Tuesday that her husband dropped her name in an effort to get his boat in the water for Memorial Day weekend but said it simply was a “failed attempt at humor” during a phone call with a recreation business. At a news conference, Whitmer responded to reports that began with Facebook posts by the owner of NorthShore Dock in northern Michigan. Tad Dowker said his staff took a call last week from Whitmer’s husband, Marc Mallory.