The World Needs Giants IX

I like to think that the better angels of my soul would have led me to march with Dr. and Mrs. King. But the cruelties of being born too late, and of a death too soon, prevented such a divine encounter with a giant of humanity.

When I look at this photo, I don't see a black family, I see an American family, which was just one Dream that King longed to achieve.

With the passing of Coretta Scott King, who among the Black community will carry the torch that this photo represents - the Family; the foundation of hope, security, creativity, safety, knowledge and wisdom, faith, ambition, generousity, tolerance, and love?

Black children are only half as likely as white children to be living in a two-parent household and are eight times more likely than white children to live with an unwed mother. For black children under six, the most common arrangement applying to 42 percent of them was to live with a never married mother.
Maggie Gallagher, The Abolition of Marriage

Seventy-five percent of all black children born in the last two decades are likely to live for some portion of their childhood with only their mothers.
Bumpass, L.L. and J.A. Sweet, “Children Experience in Single-Parent Families: Implications of Cohabitation and Marital Transitions.”

“African Americans are the most unpartnered group in America. Census figures show that 35% of Americans between 24 and 34 have never married. For African Americans, that figure is 54%.”
Audrey Chapman, Marital Therapist

And here at home, from the Manhattan Institute

Wisconsin had the lowest graduation rate among African-American students with 40%, followed by Minnesota, Georgia, and Tennessee.

Cleveland City had the lowest graduation rate among African-American students with 29%, followed by Milwaukee, Memphis, and Gwinett County, Georgia

One thing I am sure of, the African-American community doesn't much care what a white kid from Janesville, Wisconsin thinks about black families, but the Black Alliance for Educational Opions may enlighten the skeptics.

Fond du Lac, Guns, and Scott McCallum

After Governor Doyle’s State of the State address (post), I was scratching my head as to why he would suddenly skip-off to Iraq.

The boilerplate tactical operation following a State of the State is to jump on planes, trains, and automobiles to canvass the state. The name of the game is to maximize exposure. Hit the newspapers. Stand-by in the Green Rooms. You’re the Governor, take advantage of it. Keep making news by visiting some sleepy hollow that according to the local octogenarian, a governor has never visited.

But then I was reminded by the boys over at Boots and Sabers (Here) and (Here) of what the legislative calendar had waiting for Team Doyle – a veto of conceal/carry and the subsequent override vote.

I see the strategery; go to the war zone, wrap yourself in the flag and appeal to the same folks back home who support conceal/carry. Split the baby in half.

Every campaign, every campaign, has a defining moment. For Governor Doyle, being the first governor to suffer a veto override in 20+ years may prove to be that moment.

And a bit of sweet irony serves as subtext to Doyle’s reelection efforts.

The state Rep. from Fond du Lac, John Townsend, the same hometown of temporary Governor Scott McCallum -- the 2002 vanquished opponent of Jim Doyle -- Fond du Lac’s legislator appears to be the swing vote to push Jim Doyle closer to the fate of the last Democrat Governor, Tony Earl.

Representative Townsend, Scott McCallum on line #1, NRA on line #2, RPW on #3, Mark Green on Line #4 and Scott Walker on #5. Jim Kreuser is standing in reception.

Nobody’s Governor But Yours

Burke, Jensen, Chvala, Foti, Ladwig, Adelman Travel, Reuben Anthony, Nick Hurtgen, Tom Delay, Jack Abramoff, Bear Stearns, Duke Cunningham, Georgia Thompson, CTE Engineers;

Where does it end? Don’t answer, that was a rhetorical question.

It is not going to end. Already, bloggers Jessica McBride and Charlie Sykes have opened a new front on Team Doyle. Like Lazarus, Doyle campaign manager Rich Judge has been raised from the dead in retaliation for Doyle’s linkage of Green campaign manager Mark Graul to Capitol Hill corruption.

I am tempted to jump off message here to say the caucus scandal that snared Judge has matured way past his place on the food chain. And Graul went to a Bucks-Wizards game at the MCI Center. That in itself is punishment enough.

But the real issue is, we have an incumbent governor seeking reelection against an incumbent congressman and an incumbent county executive.

The common thread is Incumbent parties and those who feed off of Incumbent parties.

Herb Kohl recognized this way back in 1988. His bio is familiar to everyone; department store heir, Bucks owner, philanthropist.

When Bill Proxmire announced his retirement from the US Senate in September, 1987, the first candidates to announce were Tony Earl, Ed Garvey and Susan Engeleiter. Earl was notable for an unremarkable term as governor; Garvey was limping-off an ugly US Senate race, a razor thin loss to Bob Kasten, and St. Senate Minority Leader Engeleiter, who was immediately rejected by conservatives.

1988 was ripe for someone to break from the past.

And so is 2006.

State Republicans are courting 2004 US Senate nominee Tim Michels – as they should be. Tim owns a bio that not only mirrors the business acumen of Herb Kohl, but far surpasses Kohl in the Lookinig-Killer-In-BDUs and the My-Kids-Are-Cuter-Than-Your-Kids imagery.

Kohl, though, has never been captured by the Incumbent Party mentality. His Nobody’s Senator But Yours slogan ranks up there with other genius marketing slogos like GM’s Like A Rock, or Mitch Henck’s Good Feet ads (inserted for a cheap laugh).

By running for the US Senate against Herb Kohl, Tim Michels would be risking an opportunity to begin an historic political career.

Given the political smell in Madison; given the bruising GOP primary for governor that will leave one of our current two choices both busted and nearly broken; Republicans are recruiting Tim Michels for the wrong office.

Nobody’s Governor But Yours could launch Tim Michels.

Tell me he couldn’t beat Governor Jim Doyle.

Tell me he is the one Republican who represents a complete break from the past.

Governor Tim Michels. Timing is everything.

To read more on what the Green-Walker-Doyle camapign will look like click here

Plantation Politics

From my buddy Gordo over at DC Spectator;

Hillary "Plantation" Broadside Against
GOP Smart Politics

I was on campaign time when Hillary dropped the plantation-bomb late last week, so I am playing catch-up.

Sure as the sun rises in the East and the Pope is Catholic, Hillary is the Democrat nominee in 26 months.

Raise Your Pitchforks, Blackberry subscribers

From BFD-Takes,

Blackberry users, we are are powerful anti-incumbency coalition. This is yet another example of politicians receiving special considerations for the sole reason that they are the government:

The court has discretion. In a worst-case scenario, an injunction could force RIM to shut down the BlackBerry system, potentially affecting most of RIM's approximately 4.3 million U.S. subscriber accounts. NTP has said an injunction would not affect BlackBerry products used by U.S. federal, state, or local governments

.Jeesh, how did government function before the cyber-age?

paul R nelson for congress

So I gotta ask, why include the middle initial "R" in the campaign banner? Is there another Paul Nelson on the ballot? Is it a branding strategy, like Toys 'R Us?

I couldn't say for sure, but in a congressional district where dairy cows outnumber voters 3 to 1, this level of formality may not be needed.

Bullets and Beer

Bill would push driver permit age to 17

Illinois sent their brand of political corruption across the border into Wisconsin.

Maybe they are making amends by showing us how to keep our children alive.

And still, responsible enough to vote for a U.S. President who may send your butt to war, but too young to drop-by the VFW for a tapper and camaraderie before shipping-off to Camp Shoot-At-My-Ass.

Define Responsibility

Bill would allow 8-year-olds to hunt

8-year-olds, sitting in tree stands on opening day, peering through a scope, ready to blast a buck;

16-year-olds, grabbing the family car keys, racing towards a county road to meet their buddies and lay some rubber;

18-year-olds, carrying a weapon, standing guard, patrolling a sector in Iraq – can’t have a beer for another 3 years.

For Doyle, Reelect Begins Tonight

Assuming you're not a lobbyist, in that case, you'll be on billable hours, stalking legislators entering the Assembly chambers; And assuming you're not staff, in that case, you'll be pouring pitchers at the Silver Dollar, mocking your bosses from a barstool; the remaining 2.7% of Wisconsinites who care will be kicking-back in Lazyboys watching the Governor's State of the State address this evening.

Look for Governor Doyle to give his best impersonation of Tommy Thompson tonight, without droppin' his "g"s . Tommy wrote the textbook on delivering a televised statewide address, and as an iconic figure, why mess with the recipe.

Doyle will veil his speech in words like, cooperation and bipartisanship. Only acting governor Scott McCallum would ever use the State Address to whack local town board members as big spenders.

The governor will be greeted at some point with groans from the Republican majority, probably as he begins a 16 minute subchapter on public schools being Great Schools. Look for WEAC's Stan Johnson to take a bow from the gallery.

Janesville will be another subchapter within the address. If Team Doyle could find a way to hoist the all new Chevy Tahoe into the gallery, Assembly Sergeant of Arms Rick Skinrud would be found Wednesday morning reclined, sleeping on the passenger side.

Sports teams must be recognized in a State Address, and since Mike Sherman will be introduced at Louisiana Governor Blanco's state Address, Doyle raises the roof by intro'ing new Brewer coach Robin Yount, during the subchapter of returning Winning to Wisconsin.

Another subchapter will be dedicated to UW Research and stem cells, yet another to something important to the Northwoods, and after that it's all white noise.

As temporary governor McCallum proved, only the gaffes are remembered, along with Hall of Famers sitting in the gallery.

It's all about image, and for Team Doyle, tip-off is tonight.

If Only Madison was It's own House District

Would somebody please tell me again how the heck Beloit ended-up in the same congressional district as Madison, or the Dells?

So much for communities of interest.

The best thing about Wisconsin's lack of population growth is, when we lose yet another House seat to redistricting, Dave Magnum will finally win this seat.

In 2004, Baldwin pledged to reduce the amount of out state donations to her campaign. However, she broke her promise and raised more out state donations in 2004 than she did in 2002, according to the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics (www.opensecrets.org).

Magnum pointed out that California, one of Baldwin's favorite fundraising haunts, competes aggressively with Wisconsin for the title of America's Dairyland

Quotes like the above score big points with the the surrounding Ag community.

Be Colorblind, and Vote Republican

Republicans can honor Martin Luther King's vision today by...

I look forward confidently to the day when all who work for a living will be one with no thought to their separateness as Negroes, Jews, Italians or any other distinctions. This will be the day when we bring into full realization the American dream -- a dream yet unfulfilled. A dream of equality of opportunity, of privilege and property widely distributed; a dream of a land where men will not take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few; a dream of a land where men will not argue that the color of a man's skin determines the content of his character; a dream of a nation where all our gifts and resources are held not for ourselves alone, but as instruments of service for the rest of humanity; the dream of a country where every man will respect the dignity and worth of the human personality.

...sending $25, $50 or your most generous contribution to Lynn Swann for Governor (PA), Ken Blackwell for Governor (OH), or maybe look forward to 2008 with Condi Rice for U.S.A.

As for Harry Belafonte, the Democrats can tally both him and that stupid Banana Boat song.

Great Schools? Great Ad

Milwaukee’s Charlie Sykes (props to Milwaukee), has the school choice TV ad currently running in an unknown number of WI media markets -- sure beats the bejesus out of those say-nothing, self-serving, inane Great Schools ads WEAC airs with great repetition.

The ad is a base-clearing shot over the deep center field fence.

School choice is one of those 80-20 issues that both motivates the GOP base and plays well with moderate suburban voters.

And it’s those suburban voters that an incumbent Democrat governor so desperately needs; what with being stuck in the mid 40s on reelect after defeating an accidental governor with about the same percentage.

The Doyle team misses policy dude Kirk Brown, a former partner of Paul Maslin, Howard Dean’s pollster.

How brilliant was it to place your campaign pollster on the inside, sitting at your side, whispering public opinion numbers with each zig-zag that the Republican legislature sent over? Very. And he is clearly missed.

WEAC is sure to respond to this school choice shot, but Team Doyle seems to be struggling; which may be why he skipped-out to Ireland.

Milwaukee; 'Nuff Said

OK. I learned something from all you Milwaukee cheerleaders -- busting on a city is like polling on a congressman; they're all worse than mine.

For the record, I will be at Opening Day, now that the Seligs no longer own/run the team and The Kid is back in a Brewer uniform. It will be my first visit to Miller Park (both Tommy and I swore never to attend as long as a guy named Laurel was in charge).

Calatrava is indeed a beautiful addition to the lakefront.

Brett Favre's Steakhouse is a -- oh, closed, right? Well, I still love the Tamarack, best sandwiches in town.

And if it weren't for Milwaukee, we'd be just another Nebraska (TGT; circa 1995).

So, I apologize for sticking it to Milwaukee (TGT; circa 1995).

When is a Blog, A Column?

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Spivak and Bice have their own blog?

Isn't that, oh, I don't know...REDUNDANT?

Here's one more for those who believe Milwaukee is the coolest city in Wisconsin; they once had 2 daily newspapers.

At the end of the Walk there is a Key

The hits keep coming, but I take solace in knowing 100 years from now, Milwaukee will have fewer residents to swamp me with pro-Milwaukee rhetoric.

Actually, if population trends continue, the city will return to village status around 2075.

What's In A Name

Sports writers in the Northwest are refusing to mention the Seattle Seahawks' play-off opponent by mascot, saying the label, Redskins, is offensive to that region's Native American population. The 'Skins are simply mentioned as Washington, the Seahawks' opponent this weekend.

I'm conflicted.

As a Blue-Collar Kid from Janesville, I see the silliness and stupidity in expressing moral outrage over a sports mascot.

As an enlightened graduate of a private, East Coast university, I object to a mascot that refers to government-sponsored genocide of aboriginal peoples; returning dead bodies to collect bounties became too cumbersome, so hunters simply lopped-off the portion of Indian skulls with hair. The red skins were proof of a dead "savage" and bounties were then disbursed.

On one hand, the huge volume of Indian-themed mascots speaks to the ultimate heritage of our nation - a compliment of sorts. On the other hand, well, should we memorialize our heritage with images of Cleveland's Chief Wahoo?

And there's the conundrum.

The Cleveland Indians doesn't bother me any more than Jeep Cherokees. Braves, Chiefs, Warriors; it all has become so ingrained into our marketing culture.

If we look long and hard enough, we can be offended by nearly everything. As the most diverse nation on earth, and the freest nation on earth, someone is bound to offend someone, somewhere.

Speedy Gonzalez, Aunt Jemimah; stereotypes have sold everything from Irish whiskey to kosher wine.

Immigrants remind us of why they come to America -- we invite them;

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door

But once here, the rest of us reserve the right to make fun of the new kids in class -- it is our heritage. We make fun of you until you win your own power -- corrupt Irish cops, Italian mafia bosses, Jewish bankers -- preceding immigrants have always exerted power over those immigrants that followed.

Ellis Island was not a social security office. After we Americanized their names, to make it, immigrants had to earn it, or had to take it.

But here is where the story separates. Indians, as we are all reminded every Thanksgiving, were already here. And soon enough, pilgrims became cowboys and politicians and set-out to kick ass over anything that blocked our Manifest Destiny.

Read this book.

Redskins? Redmen? Funny way to honor our American heritage. Not.

But go 'Skins!

Why People Leave WI

This post from Playground Politics is dead-on right; there is nothing cool about Milwaukee.

It's a dying city, a red-headed step-child of Chicago. Talk to anyone living there and at some point in conversation, they will tell you the last time they were in the Windy City - as if that is where they imagine they are living.

By the way, those of you from Milwaukee, no one who portends to be as hip as Milwaukeans think they are would call Chicago the Windy City in conversation.

Milwaukee is to the U.S. what Warsaw is to Europe; a city trapped in time by the socialistic policies of a militaristic ruling elite. And I am not talking about the Seligs.

Think of Milwaukee, and beer, Harley-Davidson and maybe Summerfest come to mind. Visit Milwaukee, and see a baron lake front, an abandoned river, and a neon-clad casino lighting-up a pathetic skyline.

Kenosha, now there's a city on the rise.

Keep York Alive

Don't go, Denny

I actually know who Dennis York is and have not revealed it; not wanting to tug on Superman’s cape, spit into the wind, or pull the mask off the ole Lone Ranger.

York and Playground Politics are among the best commentary out there, or here, in cyber-chat land. And while I have a fairly good system of deciphering who the anonymous are, including PP, I would rather be entertained by their creativity than educated with their identities.

Which brings me back to Saving Private York - the story of sacrifice.

Sacrifice is a holy endeavor. Since DY nailed me to the cross of writing a terrible blog, (too much Bert Blyleven for the flannel-pants one), I offer Free Will up for sacrifice.

It takes a lot of brain cells to write a blog on a daily basis and the reward is what, watching a rolling site meter that badly trails Jessica McBride or Xoff?

Those two are real reporters, with real journalistic writing skills. I'm just a Blue Collar Kid From Janesville with a thing for Will Rogers - interested in the world and see the ridiculousness in everything.

My writing skills end at, please send your $100, $50 or $25 contribution today

Dennis owes more to his readers than I do mine. Besides, by sacrificing Free Will, I free-up several libel lawyers to pursue other First Amendment practitioners.

Pitchers, Catchers Report in 5 weeks

I've never had lunch with Bruce Sutter, but I know one thing, Bert Blyleven, by surpassing 50% yesterday in the Hall of Fame vote, will make the Hall before the decade is gone.

Maybe Goose will be on the same winning ballot --

If Blyleven had pitched for the Mets that year instead of Minnesota, he might've won 25 games and inched ever closer to the holy grail, 300 for his career.

What was it that made him so tough to hit? What made him so special? It was that curveball, obviously. I remember its huge, looping trajectory, wondering how the hell he gripped that pitch and generated so much spin.

"Oh my God, that fucking curveball was unreal," (Goose) Gossage said. "People used to talked about (Dwight) Gooden's hook, I swear Blyleven's was better. I've never seen anything like it -- then or now. You know the expression, 'dropping off the table?'

That's what his curveball was like. It just disappeared. And the thing is, he threw it hard, then he'd blow that fastball right by you up in the strike zone. Guys had no chance."

So when I asked Gossage if he thought Blyleven deserved to be in the Hall, I could almost see his eyebrows flexing, as if to ask: are you kidding me?

"Hell, yes," Goose said. "Dominant pitcher, great pitcher.

Congrats Joey!

From the Lakeland Times

I first met former state Rep. Joe Handrick - calling him a former is as weird as it was calling him Representative in the first place - back in 1988.


Joe was a buck-and-a-half foot tall (still is) and baby-faced (still is), running against Democrat dinosaur St. Senator Lloyd Kincaid. I was living in Wausau throwing hay-makers at Congressman Dave Obey.

Neither of our campaigns won that year.

And now we both have retreated to the comfort of local government service.

Bert "Be Home" Blyleven

Almost forgot, in addition to being a (soon-to-be) Hall of Famer, Bert Blyleven - 23 years in the Major Leagues Bert Blyleven - is a great guy.

Not a whiff of ego - didn't even wear one of his two World Series rings to lunch - the friggen World Series, and he's got 2 of 'em!

Jeesh, guess I should stop waving my 1992 & 93 Madison city softball trophies around like a plaque from Cooperstown - which Bert will be adding to his career stats soon.

Have you ever Lunched with a HOFer?

On my most recent trip to Florida, I had lunch with a Hall of Famer, Bert Blyleven.

It has been years, well, since Bert's playing days, that I could recall baseball stats like reciting the TV Guide. So, when I got back to Wisconsin, I had to call my best bud to hear his take on whether Bert had a HOF career.

His answer was a shake of the head, and a hell yes. Me and ESPN agree.
_______________

Upon further review Blyleven in Hall

...First, if you compare Blyleven to his fellow pitchers of the division-play era, he high-jumps off the page. He ranks No. 1 in complete games, No. 2 in shutouts (one behind Nolan Ryan), No. 2 in innings pitched (again trailing only Ryan), No. 5 in whiffs and No. 6 in wins (behind only Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers).

...He found Blyleven had the worst run support of any pitcher in the group except Don Sutton and accumulated the most "tough losses," a stat James invented personally to measure losses in which pitchers deserved better. There is zero doubt Blyleven already would be a Hall of Famer if he'd won 300 games. And that research helped explain the mystery of why he didn't.

...According to that encyclopedia, Blyleven allowed 344 fewer runs in his career than the average pitcher of his day. In the live-ball era, only eight pitchers have done better in that department. And those eight comprise a group that essentially consists of the best modern pitchers who ever threw a baseball: Roger Clemens, Lefty Grove, Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Tom Seaver, Carl Hubbell and Bob Gibson.

...If you look more closely at that stat, you also find it wasn't just a tribute to longevity. Blyleven had six seasons in which he allowed at least 30 fewer runs than the average pitcher. That's as many seasons like that as Tom Seaver -- and more than Steve Carlton,Sandy Koufax, Juan Marichal or Jim Palmer.

So does that sound like a Hall of Famer to you? In the end, it did to me.

Good Luck Coach Sherman

Mike Sherman writes final column

...How we respond to adversity and the difficulties we face are a healthy part of our lives. We should view them and respond to them as challenges, rather than obstacles or failures.

Sometimes good things happen. Sometimes bad things happen — and ironically, in the end, you realize the good wasn’t so good and the bad wasn’t so bad. You often don’t have control over what happens. You do, however, have control over how you respond and your attitude as each challenge presents itself.

You have control over how you handle your success, as well as your failures, and what you take from each. You have control over your willingness to adapt to life as it unfolds itself to you.

...We must make sure our life doesn't just happen to us but rather we make our life happen for us. It's our choice, we must choose wisely.

Mike Sherman was, and is, a class act. Having been fired from a job I truly loved, I wish I had these words to read 10+ years ago.

When Mike Sherman returns to Lambeau sometime in the future -- and he will someday stand on the opposite sidelines -- I hope he delivers a huge, colossal, stinging loss to Ted Thompson's staff, albeit the one loss for the Packers amidst a 15-1 season.

He deserves that much.

Kohl Vulnerable with...Left Coast Seniors

Click here to confirm what I tell you...

His campaign photo is an oil canvas painting...
Treasurer Paul Rux highlights a Ph.D status...
The candidate bio emphasizes he only recently moved to WI (2004)...
Just to be "near his grand kids.."
Is a perennial losing candidate...
In California...
As a Libertarian Party candidate...
And now a Republican Party candidate...
Is running because the incumbent is "semi-retired..."

Wow. On how many levels is this just whacked?

Lemme see; A divorced grandparent who moves to my state barely two years ago after many failed efforts at public office in California, sets-out to instruct me that former President William Howard Taft is the right role model for the US Senate and the nation; a president many considered a dithering idiot, including his predecessor, Teddy Roosevelt.

Hmmmm, why am I hearing children's voices pleading, no Grandpa, please don't saddle me with this. High school civics is tough enough without having to read a case study on how not to run for elected office - featuring my grandfather.

UPDATE: The Political Graveyard has California Libertarian candidate Dave Redick still living, as of 1982.

Conservatives vs. Republican Incumbents

Peggy Noonan, oh how I wish I could write like her.

Her steamroller metaphor is a bit tame for me, and she dances a bit too much in this piece, but the message is there for all Republicans; stop being the Incumbent Party.

...This is essentially why conservatives of my generation and earlier generations don't like big government. They don't even like government. We know we have to have one, that it is necessary, that it can and must do good, that it has real responsibilities that must be met.

...But conservatives are not supposed to like big government. It's not our job. We're supposed to like freedom and the rights of the individual. (Individuals aren't virtue machines either, but they're less powerful than governments and so generally less damaging.)

...Twenty-five years ago this month the conservative movement came to Washington, and much good came of its arrival.

...Eleven years ago this month came the Gingrich revolution and the Contract With America. That contract could be boiled down to these words: Stop the Steamroller. Take away its gas, make it smaller, term-limit it.

Too many Republicans that I hear from these days have traded their Revolutionary clothes for Incumbent Party VIP passes.

It’s past time to get our Party back on message.

Rootin' for Russ

When Russ Grimm's name was mentioned as a possible coach for the Packers, it got me thinking and smiling.

Second semester of my junior year at American University.

I was in a limo, bar-hopping with the All-Pro lineman from the Redskins and a Playboy centerfold.

I was working one of my three jobs that put me through college; managing the the campus Tavern for Marriott Corp. My other job was for Budweiser distributor, Superior Beverage. I was a campus rep for the D.C. area -- moving promotional products to Georgetown, GW, Catholic U, Maryland, James Madison, George Mason, even Howard University and Galludet.

It was mid-way through my usual Friday night shift, a night when many students stayed on campus and drank at The Tavern for the live music and cheap beer. Saturday night was for Georgetown pub crawling.

So my Superior Beverage boss, Bruce, finds me making pizzas and tells me to lose the apron and find a coat. He has a suprise for me. After some arguing about my responsibilties, Bruce is compelled to tell me he is with Russ Grimm and Kathy Shower and their VIP appearances for Budweiser are done for the day.

Minutes later, sure enough, I am climbing in with Bruce, Redskins' Russ Grimm, fresh-off the 1985-86 Pro-Bowl, and Kathy Shower, Miss May, 1985 and yet-to-be PMOY, 1986.

Ahhhh, college days. Why was I writting about this again? Oh yea, right; wonder if I can get Packer tickets from Russ if he becomes the next head coach?

Politics and Football

From USA Today

Lynn Swann for Governor

Maybe the most perfect wide receiver of his time.
Howard Cosell
Monday Night Football
November 17, 1980

...the Baryshnikov of football...
Curt Gowdy
Super Bowl X
January 16, 1976

In related news from Wisconsin, Bart Starr will run for US Senate, Ted Hendricks for Governor, Brian Noble runs in WI-8, Ezra Johnson for Milwaukee County Sheriff, Jon Staggers will challenge St. Senator Mary Lazich for the GOP nomination, Leland Glass for Milwaukee mayor and Charles Martin for Attorney General.

Seriously, having worked for AFL MVP Jack Kemp, the RNC should continue recruitment from the retired NFL ranks.

Who would you rather have defending your bill from The Well of the House Floor, wimpy Christopher Shays or tough-guy Conrad Dobler?

Sell-Outs

Jack in the Box

From the Washington Post

Jack Abramoff represented the most flamboyant and extreme example of a brand of influence trading that flourished after the Republican takeover of the House of Representatives 11 years ago.

Now, some GOP strategists fear that the fallout from his case could affect the party's efforts to keep control in the November midterm elections.

From the Wall Street Journal:

It remains unclear which lawmakers prosecutors are looking at, and also how persuasive Mr. Abramoff could be in helping to make potential cases against any of them stick. A onetime chairman of College Republicans -- a close ally of such party luminaries as Tom DeLay, Ralph Reed and Grover Norquist -- Mr. Abramoff says he has information that could implicate 60 lawmakers.

From the Chicago Tribune

ABRAMOFF FALLOUT
Charity to get cash lobbyist gave Hastert

____________________________

MEMO
TO: Republican Members of the House
FROM: Newt Gingrich, Pat Buchanan , Brian Christianson

You sold-out the Revolution. For what, box seats, golf junkets, and oh, reelection dollars.

Now go back where you came from -- selling used cars, pest control and earning a working wage of $28k a year with a mortgage and kids in braces.

Where's the Next Bill Cowher?

From Jan, 2005;

The Steelers finished last season with a 6-10 record, and then the real bad breaks began. Nearly half of Bill Cowher's coaching staff, including both coordinators, departed for one reason or another. The team missed the premium free-agent player it wanted. One star receiver boycotted all of the Steelers' spring practices and the other threatened to skip training camp. Then they stood by and watched starter after starter disappear from the lineup through one mishap or another, beginning one week before training camp and continuing through the end of the season.

Oh, and the Steelers were forced to start their No. 3 quarterback, a rookie, from
the third through 15th games.

Through it all, they lost only one game. At 15-1 they have the best record in the NFL.

_______________

2006 Packer Season:
1. Favre returns
2. Walker, Green, Davenport all healthy
3 Easy Schedule
4. Top 5 draft pick
5. Sophomore players blossom
6. Weak NFC North
7. Must win at Lambeau
8. Free Agent Money
9. Defense improves from #25, to #7, to top 4 with Bates
10. RB, offensive line, return to better form

NFL - Not For Long

Two Down, one to go...

No, Ellis Won't Jump

Ellis weighs costly race
State senator says $10M tag may halt bid for governor
_____________

Mike Ellis will live to regret not running for governor, just as Tommy Thompson surely regrets not running for President.

But just as 2000 was not the year for Tommy (1996 was), 2006 is not the year for Mike (2002 was).

Luck has been defined as when preparedness meets opportunity. Much of winning an election is simply luck; luck and timing.

For all of us political consultants who get credit for winning big races (Brandon Scholz with Scott Klug in 1990, myself with Paul Ryan in 1998, Bill Christofferson with Jim Doyle in 2002), the truth is, the right mix of events collided. After that, as they say, you can’t beat some body with nobody.

Candidates win races, not consultants.

Which is why Ellis would have taken the nomination away from Scott McCallum in 2002.

Had Ellis ran in 2002, most of his colleagues would have endorsed him against acting Governor McCallum. Today, Ellis’s colleagues are already with Mark Green.

Had Ellis ran in 2002, the business community may not have abandoned him in the general election against Jim Doyle, as they did with McCallum. Today, big-money markers are already placed with Doyle, Green or Scott Walker.

Had Ellis ran in 2002, he would have creamed McCallum in debates. OK, bad example; a high school student president could cream McCallum in debates.

Had Ellis ran in 2002, he’d be governor today.

As the incumbent, Ellis’s conservative credentials would be stone solid coming-off 2 budgets since the 2002 gubernatorial election. And as an independent maverick (see previous post), Mike Ellis would own the statewide bully pulpit to showcase his big ideas and move public opinion in his direction.

Many Republican donors fear Mike Ellis - especially in the wealthy suburbs of metro-Milwaukee. His opposition to the taxpayer-financing of Miller Park threatened their world. And earlier, across the state in LaCrosse, Mike dared to call-out once uber-lobbyist "Uncle Billy" and SWIB's sweetheart deals that cost the state millions.

And look at what that family tree has sprouted from its trunk.

Senator Mike Ellis; say what you want about his style, but no one can argue he has been a consistant conservative.

Had Ellis run in 2002, we would not be saddled with Jim Doyle today. And something serious would have been tried to tame property taxes.

Yes, Feingold Jumps

He tests the waters, but will he jump in?
Feingold may want presidency, but desire alone won't win it
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I’m no Democrat insider, but I have been a staffer to a presidential exploratory committee and the ensuing presidential campaign, and one thing is near certain, Russ Feingold is running for President.

Pointy-headed academics who court the political media aside, presidential politics is all about the future, not the past, so remove losers John Edwards, John Kerry, Joe Biden and Al Gore from the list of top tier Democrats.

The last nominee retread to win successive nominations was Adlai Stevenson. Mass communications and the professionalization of political campaigns simply will not enable any nominee a next time.

For that reason, Gore and Kerry are not Feingold’s competitors for the Democrat nomination.

At this point in the marathon, Feingold’s only competition is himself. He occupies space in the race that no one else can grab as their own. Campaign finance reform? War opposition? He’s a liberal’s rock star and yet, in Wisconsin particularly, he’s perceived more maverick-ish, anti-establishment, libertarian than George McGovern-esque.

Wisconsin loves a maverick -- GOPers Lee Dreyfus in 1978, Bob Kasten in 1980 and Tommy Thompson in 1986 – Feingold holds the US Senate seat once held by Good Night and Good Luck movie target Joe McCarthy.

My former employer, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), really blew it during Feingold’s reelection. Bailing on Tim Michels they way they did, and then allowing the VFW-PAC to endorse Russ Feingold – a treasonous political move – guaranteed a Feingold Presidential campaign.

Every time Russ Feingold smacks the Bush Administration in Iowa or New Hampshire, the subsequent national news coverage will remind independent, non-aligned suburban voters that come the general election campaign in just over a year, we Republicans have had our opportunity.

In campaigns, 14 months is measured in dog years. But by not helping to end Feingold’s 12-year run here in Wisconsin, the NRSC gave the country a liberal wolf in sheep camouflage.