Politics

Regular readers know Rasmussen is not my favorite pollster, not by a long shot.  It's a Republican firm with results that often lean to the right,  That said, this is interesting:

With Republicans engaged in a bitter primary fight, Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin has a lead over all her potential GOP rivals in Wisconsin’s U.S. Senate race.

Robin Abcarian@rabcarian

There are those (Fighting Ed Garvey, for one) who suggest that Democrats who run against Scott Walker in the recall shouldn't raise money, but make an issue of how much money Walker has and where it's coming from.  (How he/she would communicate that to voters isn't entirely clear,)

Those are often the same people who claim TV advertising is overrated, and that negative commercials don't work.  We know Walker will have millions more than the Dem candidate, and will undoubtedly run negatives against whoever it is.

Can a Democrat beat Walker by being passive?  Can pigs fly?

Maybe what happened to Newt Gingrich in Florida could be instructive.  Politico reports:

I’m going to be really honest with you: after all the fights at the mall to get just the right present for everybody and the giant hassle of going to the Post Office so I can get the perfect stamps for my cards – and then worrying that I left someone off the list – I am just not in the mood to do a 9/11 story.

And it’s been getting worse every year. I mean, just like the “It’s Christmas Every Day Store”, I know there’s one of the “9/11 Every Day” stores open, in the all-too-human form of Rudy Giuliani, and I’ve learned to live with that, but it seems like they got started with the 9/11 earlier than ever this year – and by the time the TV memorials and analysis and retrospectives are all over, to paraphrase Lewis Black…I’m going to hate freedom.

In an effort to stave off this fate, we’ll be headed in a different direction today: I have three stories to pass along; each is important enough that you really should know about them, and yet they’re each very much bite-sized and easily digestible.

It’s all good stuff…so let’s get right to it.

But I Still Keep My Subscription 

Solidarity Walker

I spent the majority of my last two weeks canvassing outside of my county in two of the most historical elections in Wisconsin's history. Many of you reading this are probably saying something like, "Well  he should be working for a cause." or "That Steve, he just likes to talk." or "It's about time he gets off his ass and does something." I'm sure many of you may be saying something quite different as well. If a common Wisconsin media outlet were to have covered me here's likely what the "story" would say: 

Headline: Dem Canvasser Makes Little if any Impact in Recall Races

On Saturday, May 21, over 600 people arrived at the Northern Wisconsin Fairgrounds in Chippewa Falls to spend a day listening to and sharing their progressive ideas at the first annual Fighting Bob Fest North event. Although there were several "headline" speakers such as: Former US Rep. Dave Obey (D), US Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Wisconsin State Sen. Kathleen Vinehout (D) and John Nichols of The Nation; one would hardly know it by reading or watching the local media. The Chippewa Herald newspaper did cover the event, but none of the Eau Claire broadcast or newspaper organizations bothered.

"Get out now before you make a bigger fool of yourself.” -- Russell Fuhrman, an Iowa Republican voter, to Newt Gingrich.

Somehow, we seem to have missed this vice presidential boom, repoirted by the Oshkosh Northwestern:

Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson has only been in office four months, but political blogs and Web sites have already tabbed him as a dark horse with the potential to be a Republican vice presidential nominee in 2012.

 

Johnson, R-Oshkosh, says he’s more focused on his tasks representing Wisconsin: Helping citizens navigate federal bureaucracy, reining in spending and making the federal government operate more efficiently.

 

“Obviously, someone has given serious consideration to (me being a potential running mate), but I’m focusing on my role in the Senate,” Johnson said. “I wake up every morning wondering how I can most address spending and reduce the (federal) debt.”

Dark horse?

That's the understatement of the century. Here in Wisconsin, most people have forgotten he's their senator. He's rarely surfaced since taking office in January, and when he does poke his head up, he doesn't say anything.

He would add a bit of mystery and intrigue to the ticket, however -- sort of like Chauncey Gardiner. He likes to watch.

UPDATE: We have found the culprit:  Roll Call included RoJo on a list of 14 members of Congress who could be in the veepstakes.   But it ain't necessarily so.  Good grief!