Win on the Merits

First let me say that I have genuinely not decided which Democrat I am personally voting for/supporting in the primary for Governor. We have outstanding candidates that have very different strengths, weaknesses and skill sets. All four of the announced candidates come from different situations that can often require different styles of governing. Obviously I will get behind whoever wins the primary 100% but I really don't like some of the tactics that I have been seeing from my own friends and allies this week.

It started with listening to Sly on Madison's WTDY earlier this week. I normally enjoy going to his show's blog and listening to segments of the show. This is especially true because in Milwaukee we have no real alternatives to the right wing madness traveling our airwaves. However this week Sly has been conducting what I view as unfair one-sided attacks on Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.

In several cases both Sly and his guests have rushed to conclusions that are frankly ridiculous. Tom Barrett = Scott Walker? Are you serious? Barrett is "cozying up to Charlie Sykes"?? Because he did an interview with him? Really? Then he and several of his guests reference a very selectively edited video to draw all kinds of absurd conclusions?

I'm not saying that people should not voice their criticisms of Tom Barrett or any other candidate but at least do so in a substantive way. If you want to spend all of your time renegotiating City of Milwaukee contracts, then feel free to focus on that one issue. But in my view this election is much broader in scope and there is far too much at stake for that approach. And if you are going to make that your primary focus, at some point someone should be offered a chance for a rebuttal.

But these over-the-top smears, out-of-context videos and charged hyperbole are really not necessary. Frankly this kind of an attack is something that I fully expect from Republicans. I don't expect it from friends and allies because it is counterproductive no matter who wins the Democratic primary.

By all means, enthusiastically get behind your favorite candidate! Feel free to make your case to everyone that will listen. But please do it on the merits of your case and not by acting like a Wisconsin Republican or by employing their kinds of tactics.

Keep Your Perspective, Keep Your Focus

Last week I read Wispolitics' Friday Report including its list of whose stock is allegedly rising and falling. Reading it you would have never known that Democrats had just taken two Republican seats in historic recall elections. Dems almost took others seats, even though they were in mostly Republican districts. Although those races were not won, there was a significant surge of votes for Democrats. (see HERE and HERE)

Admittedly I wanted to see Democrats take back the state Senate as much as anyone. So they came up one win short of that goal, but that does not eliminate everything that has been accomplished. Since when is Scott Walker's loss of two seats in the state Senate a win for him? Since when is a surge in votes for Democrats in traditionally conservative districts a win for Republicans? Since when is a massive statewide movement of fully engaged Democrats, progressives and workers a win for the right wing? Republicans losing 100% of their recall efforts is a victory? Give me a break.

There is still much more work to do as we move into next year and we can't allow ourselves to get distracted by pundits or by Monday morning quarterbacks. We need to keep our perspective as we reflect on what has happened thus far and we need to keep our focus on the work that still remains.