One Quick Note

OK - One quick note…

The Republican leadership in the legislature will cave on the minimum wage issue within the next couple of weeks.  They are trading it for the preemption bill.  Is this a good thing? 

Stay tuned….

Be Patient

Yes, I still have several interviews to post and I will have commentary on all of them, but tonight I’m going to spend some time with my favorite person, intellectual partner, mother of my children, and woman of my dreams. 

The political news and analysis will come, but for now…. it can wait.

Straw Poll

WisPolitics conducted a straw poll at the convention.  Since it’s so far out from the election, the results are pretty much meaningless.  It’s interesting to see the campaigns’ reactions.

STRAW POLL RESULTS
Total ballots: 322

**Which politician would be your preferred GOP presidential nominee in 2008?

Total votes: 315
George Allen: 22 votes (7 percent)
Jeb Bush: 49 votes (15.6 percent)
Bill Frist: 31 votes (9.8 percent)
Rudy Giuliani: 74 votes (23.5 percent)
John McCain: 15 votes (4.8 percent)
Condoleeza Rice: 110 votes (34.9 percent)
Mitt Romney: 7 votes (2.2 percent)

Write-ins:
—Tommy Thompson, 2 votes (0.6 percent)
—One vote each for Newt Gingrich, Norman Schwarzkopf, Alan Keyes, Sam Brownback, J.C. Watts

**Which politician would be your preferred GOP gubernatorial nominee in 2006?

Total votes: 317
Mark Green: 182 votes (57.4 percent)
Scott Walker: 133 votes (42.0 percent)

Write-ins:
—One vote each for Mark Neumann, Tim Michels

**Which politician would be your preferred GOP lieutenant governor nominee in 2006?

Total votes: 279
Jean Hundertmark: 204 votes (73.1 percent)
Sheila Harsdorf: 65 votes (23.3 percent)

Write-ins: John Sharpless, Chris Green, Van Mobley, Jim Villa, Margaret Farrow, Cate Zeuske, Scott Walker, Oscar Herrera, Scott Suder, Steve Freese

**Which politician would be your preferred GOP attorney general nominee in 2006?

Total votes: 312
J.B. Van Hollen: 261 votes (83.7 percent)
Paul Bucher: 47 (15.1 percent)

Write-ins: Mark Gundrum: 3 votes (1.0 percent)
One vote for Robert Lorge

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker

Milwaukee County Executive, gubernatorial candidate, and blogger Scott Walker sat down with Owen this afternoon. 

Thanks for talking with Owen and for giving B&S readers a look at you and your campaign. 

If you like what you see or if you would like to learn more, please go check out Scott Walker’s website.  One of the best things about Walker’s campaign is that they request your input.  I think you will notice that if you have a question about Scott Walker or his views, he wants to give you an answer. 

Read the rest

Sitting on the floor

I’m sitting on the convention floor debating resolutions.  It’s lots of fun.  Kevin is in the back blogging the whole thing so check him out.

On the Docket…

I have a few more interviews to transcribe.  Owen had interviews with JB Van Hollen and Paul Bucher yesterday, and Scott Walker and Mark Green today.  Since Walker’s is the shortest, I will do his next.  After that, I will do Mark Green’s interview because they are running for the same thing.  Then I’ll get to Bucher and Van Hollen.  I hope to be done in time to watch the NASCAR race tonight.  Just sayin’. 

Thank you to all the candidates who took the time to sit down with Owen and give B&S readers an idea of who you are and what you believe.  Thanks.

State Representative Terri McCormick

Yesterday afternoon, Owen sat down with State Representative and 8th Congressional District Candidate Terri McCormick. 

The interview is in the extended entry.  I didn’t include the very beginning of the interview where Representative McCormick asked Owen some questions about what he does for a living and his background.  You guys know all that stuff already.  She wanted to know because she said she likes to know where people are coming from.

Thank you, Representative McCormick, for sitting down with Owen, and for graciously humoring Owen when he asked you which blog is your favorite.   Sorry about that question.

Read the rest

Tidbits

Here’s a few tidbits and observations from the convention:

I had a very interesting discussion with a heavy hitter insider about the US Senate primary last year.  He/She was of the opinion that Michels pulled it out at the end because of his vocal opposition to abortion that rallied the party stalwarts.  I am of the opinion that people voted for Michels because he seemed the most electable. 

The Milwaukee County GOP is in great consternation lately.  Most people seem to think that the upheaval is a good thing for the party and Milwaukee. 

You could have your picture take with Bill and Hillary behind bars in the Bucher hospitality room.  Also, his new daughter is just precious.  Congrats!

Walker is going with a western theme with an emphasis on “W” for his campaign.  I heard a bit of grumbling that it is reaching a bit hard for the linkage to Bush.  Some of that grumbling may have been coming from me. 

On the other hand, the Green campaign is going with a “Green Team” theme that is grasping for a linkage to the Packers (his hospitality suite was called a “tailgate party”).  Although it never hurts a Wisconsin politician to associate himself with the Packers, Green’s efforts in this regard seem a bit overboard to me.  OK - you like the Packers - I get it - now tell me about concealed carry.

I met several readers and want to thank them all for reading B&S.  It’s always awkward for me to meet a reader.  I share a lot of myself on this blog, so the reader knows a lot about me.  Meanwhile, I know nothing about the reader.  I am at a disadvantage in making conversation except to talk about myself, which makes me uncomfortable.  Oh well.  It’s still nice to meet readers

This is for you, Ben

As with any political gathering, I heard a lot of rumors yesterday.  Here’s a list of some of the more interesting rumors.  I have verified some of them, but others are probably just pure speculation.  I’ll leave it to you to guess which is which.

Tim Michels is considering challenging Senator Kohl.

Mark Neumann is considering challenging Senator Kohl, but is closer to a decision than Michels.

Tim Michels is also still considering jumping in late as a gubernatorial candidate. 

Rep. Steve Wieckert will decide not to run for the 8th Congressional District next week (I have an interview with him this afternoon and will ask him).

Senator Sheila Harsdorf will probably run for Lt. Governor.

Rep. Frank Lasee will probably run for the 8th CD (seeing a race between Lasee and Gard would be interesting).

Hello, Pot.  This is Kettle.

Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager is getting involved with the sweet car deal at UW.

Madison - Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager said Friday that she is looking into whether a $700 monthly vehicle stipend for University of Wisconsin chancellors violated a 2003 settlement with the Board of Regents to make public deliberations over chancellor pay.

The Legislative Audit Bureau reported the deal Wednesday in a wide-ranging review of the state’s fleet of 6,669 vehicles. Under the arrangement, chancellors turned in their state-owned cars last summer as part of Gov. Jim Doyle’s plan to trim down the state fleet and started collecting the stipend, along with mileage reimbursement for travel on state business.

Does anyone else find it ironic that of all of the public corruption and misuse of public funds scandals that Wisconsin has seen for the last few years, Lautenschlager chooses a scandal about the misuse of state cars to finally take some action?

Missing the morning

I can’t attend the convention this morning due to some prior commitments.  I did interview Paul Bucher, JB Van Hollen, Rep. Terri McCormick, and John Gard yesterday.  I’m scheduled to interview Scott Walker and Mark Green today. 

All interviews will be posted in their entirety as Wendy or I have time to transcribe them.  Analysis will come over the coming week. 

(If anyone wants to volunteer to transcribe them, I would happily provide the audio and give due credit.)

Jed’s Song O’ The Day - 7 May 2005

Con Te Partiro by Andrea Bocelli