Gray Matter

Brett the Jet

Brett the Jet

Okay, so it’s not the most original headline ever. And, you may be thinking, do we really need another column about the cataclysmic events of the last few months that resulted in Brett Favre starting today as the quarterback of the New York Jets? Well bare with me because this time, it’s personal. For, you see, I grew up in Queens, practically under the shadow of Shea Stadium, where the Jets played during my formative years. I first began paying attention to sports the year of Brett’s birth (that would be 1969). That was the year Joe Namath and the Jets shocked the football world by defeating the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in what is now called Super Bowl III. It was the same year when the Amazin’ Mets came from more than ten games behind the Cubs in August to win the East division, the National League and, most incredibly of all, the World Series 4-1. (Brewer fans take note.) And then May of 1970 was when the New York Knicks of Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere and Bill Bradley took the NBA championship by beating the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers. So my allegiance to those three teams was imprinted on my psyche at a tender age and I have enjoyed the highs and agonized over the lows common to most sports fans. Since moving to Wisconsin nine years ago I have developed a strong affection for our local teams, especially the Green Bay Packers. How could you not appreciate the incredible history of this storied franchise? Besides, Vince Lombardi was also a New York transplant and Brett Favre himself and I share a birthday (October 10th, as if you didn’t know). How could any football fan not love and admire Brett Favre? Sure the records are impressive but to simply watch him on the field epitomizes the thrill of competitive sports. The guy just loves to play and seems to give 100 percent every single minute he’s on the field. I learned early on that most Wisconsin sports fans care little about the teams that play elsewhere. I was still acclimating myself to the ways of the Dairy State when the Mets and the Yankees ended up in the first Subway Series of my life in 2000. Did anyone around here give a damn? Are you kidding me, it was Packer season for Chrissakes! Honestly, I didn’t want Brett Favre to leave the Packers. I didn’t believe it would happen. Sure the guy has jerked the team and its fans around every offseason this century. Weirdly, I loved how he seemed to be mentally and physically exhausted each year and needed time to recover before shaking off doubt and once again recommitting totally and completely to the gruelling regimen the game requires. I understand that the team wanted to avoid another offseason without knowing who its quarterback would be. The press conference when Favre announced his retirement was dramatic and painful. The season had been spectacular […]

Agents of Change?

Agents of Change?

Without question, the Republicans helped their cause this week. The Palin pick energized the base and McCain’s speech tried to make the case that the maverick war hero is the true agent of change. Both were smart moves to drive up enthusiasm among social conservatives and attract support from the narrow but critical minority of voters who, somehow, are still undecided. Of course, McCain’s pledge to shake things up did not match his agenda. His policies are right out of the same old Republican playbook. And McCain missed the opportunity to distance himself from any of George W. Bush flawed record (though his distaste for the guy seeps through). He paid tribute to Bush for leading the fight against terrorism then avoided mentioning his name for the rest of his speech. He said both parties were guilty of lapses in ethics and declared that he was a servant not of any party but of the American people. Talk about lofty but meaningless rhetoric! But anyone who sees McCain-Palin as agents of change is delusional. The “Drill, baby, Drill” chant, the opposition to a government role in health care, and, most scary of all, the commitment to continue, even expand, a confrontational approach to foreign policy makes it more than unlikely that these two will shake things up on any critical issue facing our nation and world. As expected, McCain’s personal story of suffering at the hands of interrogators as a POW during the Vietnam War was dramatic and compelling. But the maverick McCain should have used that story to criticize the use of torture by us as well as them. Notably he didn’t and other speakers in St. Paul tweaked the Democrats for suggesting that Gitmo prisoners had any rights. I don’t know how any independent observer could miss that odd dissonance. He vaguely referenced ethical excesses by both parties and pledged to seek common ground but failed to give a single example of an issue appropriate to compromise. His litany of priorities were lower taxes and less government, i.e. more of the same. My friends, Americans want change this year and Senator McCain realizes he needs to appeal to that zeitgeist. But Americans know what change looks like, what change feels like, what change sounds like. Sen. McCain, we know change and you ain’t it.

Country First?

Country First?

John McCain’s choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate calls his judgment into serious question. Let’s start off by stipulating, as Barack Obama has, that family issues like her 17-year-old daughter’s pregnancy and her decision to give birth to a Down syndrome baby are personal and should not be open to analysis. And too much is often made of vice president choices. You have to go back to 1960, when JFK’s pick of LBJ provided the margin of victory by bringing along Texas (that and the shenanigans in Illinois allegedly employed at the behest of the elder Richard Daley). More often, even the lamest picks seem to have little effect on the outcome of the election (think Spiro Agnew and Dan Quayle). But with both candidates competing for the narrow group of voters who somehow have managed to remain undecided their choices may have a more than usual effect this year. Barack Obama’s choice of Delaware’s Sen. Joe Biden leaves little to criticize. McCain backers are asserting that Biden’s long experience in Washington casts doubt on the Democratic ticket’s promise of change. But Obama has already so strongly linked his campaign to change that that dog won’t hunt. Plus Biden promises to bring valuable expertise on many issues, foreign and domestic, that can only give the Obama administration a greater chance of success. As for McCain’s choice, what can you say? Where do you start? He apparently wanted to choose his friend, and fellow Iraq War hawk, former Democrat and current Independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut but all signs suggested that a messy floor fight, possibly even challenging McCain’s own nomination would ensue. So his fallback was to go with a “fresh face” who would appeal to the social conservative base of the party, never all that comfortable with McCain, and possibly appeal to disgruntled Hillary Clinton supporters and other women. The idea that a pro-life, pro-oil industry, pro-NRA female would win over Hillary backers implies a radical feminist demographic that defies logic. Palin’s appeal is to people who weren’t going to vote for Obama anyway. What’s actually scary is the way this choice suggests that McCain relies on his gut instincts, a tendency that may not always lead to the best results in the Oval Office. Heck, he met Palin a mere two times. McCain’s slogan is “Country First” but this pick seems to put electoral considerations, however bizarre, ahead of governing priorities. Perhaps a better McCain slogan would be “WTF?”

Bruce and Barack Rock Milwaukee

Bruce and Barack Rock Milwaukee

What a weekend! If the roar of choppers wasn’t enough to get your blood bubbling then maybe the music blasting from stages all over town might do the trick. Miller Park, Milwaukee Street, North Avenue, MLK Drive and Locust Street were all bursting with music and, of course, the lakefront featured headliners Foo Fighters on Friday and the Boss himself, none other than Bruuuce Springsteen tonight. But the nation’s number one celebrity du jour, Barack Obama promises to outshine them all when he hits town on Monday. Republican candidate John McCain has poked fun that Obama’s popularity is nothing but a trend a la Britany or Paris. But anyone who has heard the man speak knows that there’s plenty of substance to the Illinois junior senator. So if you’re in town on Labor Day you will definitely want to check out Obama at the Marcus Amphitheater. How often do you get a chance to witness something truly historic?

A Good Week

A Good Week

Is it possible that the Democrats have actually pulled off a flawless convention and nominated a terrific team that offers passion, experience, vision and conviction? Each night seemed perfected choreographed to convey a particular message designed to unify the party and demonstrate to the nation that Barack Obama and Joe Biden are the right choice on Election Day in November. And the news today that John McCain has chosen Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, a social conservative, apparently to bolster his support among the party’s base who have little love for the former maverick, adds piquancy to the strength of the Democratic ticket. The Ted Kennedy/Michelle Obama show on Monday, followed by Hillary’s terrific performance on Tuesday, and then Bill and Joe’s one-two punch on Wednesday were all impressive raising the stakes for the main event on Thursday. And Barack Obama did not disappoint. He hit all the right notes, delivering a great speech with all the poetry his supporters have grown accustomed to while also providing plenty of specifics that his critics have charged he has glossed over. Never mind that his standard stump speech has always been chock full of policy specifics that have been essential to his appeal. But most importantly, Obama took the fight directly to Sen. McCain, leaving no doubt that he is ready to take on the War Hero on the question of who has the ideas, the determination and the fortitude to deliver on the challenges facing our nation at this critical juncture. Even the roll call had a dramatic, cathartic and even entertaining quality to it. When the Illinois delegation ceded its time to the New York crowd allowing Sen. Hillary Clinton to call on the convention to nominate Obama by acclamation, policy wonks everywhere were breathless. Granted McCain deserves some credit for seizing the media’s attention by naming Palin, the little known, self-described former “hockey mom.” But after the buzz caused by the surprise announcement dies down independents and other undecided voters will most likely wonder why this choice should convince anyone that the nation’s future is best entrusted to this team. Wow. Whatta week. I’m still kinda breathless.

Hitting the Right Notes

Hitting the Right Notes

My name is Ted and I’m a political junkie. There I was captivated by the television coverage of the Democratic National Convention even though I had bills to pay, dishes to wash, and good books to read. It was a gorgeous late summer evening and I knew I had better things to do. Heck, just leaving the house for a stroll would have been healthier for my body and soul

On Second Thought

On Second Thought

Conventional Wisdom proved on the money yesterday when Barack Obama announced Joe Biden was his choice as the Democratic party’s candidate for vice president. Biden is a safe choice a) because as a two-time candidate for president he has been exhaustively vetted and his weaknesses are well-known, b) his thirty years as a Senator and foreign policy expert gives him a gravitas that many feel Obama lacks, and, perhaps most importantly, c) Biden is a proven counter-puncher who is not shy about engaging in the kind of attack that Obama has at least pretended to be above, so far. Once elected, God willing, there is also the potential for Biden to serve as the President’s consigliere, an indispensible role that can aid in the early success of the Obama administration. The most recent Democratic administrations of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton stumbled seriously out of the gate largely due to an inability (or unwillingness) to build coalitions with Congress. Earlier, I expressed the hope that Obama would make a bolder choice, such as Colin Powell, as a demonstration of his committment to a new kind of politics. But Biden may be the best of both worlds; a good partner during the election who will effectively balance the ticket as well as seerving as a savvy and experienced vice president after the inauguration who has Obama’s full faith and confidence. The polls are tightening but you have to feel good about the chances for the Democrats. First of all, people who would never vote for Obama, because of his politics, inexperience or color, most certainly have already made up their minds. The next seventy days are about reaching the undecideds (and getting your supporters motivated enough to actually vote). Biden is a good choice in this regard, reassuring to the Hillary Clinton supporters and undecideds. But the veep choice rarely makes much of a difference. It will still be Obama’s job to close the deal with the voters. As expected, the campaign has grown uglier this past week as McCain made some ill-advised comments regarding the definition of wealthy as $5 million and up and, of course, failing to have an answer to the quesstion of how many homes he owns. His camp has fired back that attacks on McCain’s wealth reflected a repudiation of the Obama pledge to run a clean campaign (though McCain has been questioning Obama’s patriotism and arguably started this mudslinging himself), declared the gloves are off and went after Obama for his “million dollar home’ purchased with the help of “convicted felon” Tony Rezko. But have no doubt that the Obama camp is comfortable in this arena. If the candidates are judged by their own words then McCain’s flubs and misstatements will only reinforce his own vulnerabilities. And it is only a matter of time before somebody brings up McCain’s connection to the Keating scandal in the 1980s. McCain was sanctioned for his ties to savings and loan mogul Charles Keating and his commitment to campaign […]

Only Hours Away

Only Hours Away

Barack Obama hasn’t publicly announced his choice for vice president yet. I know because his campaign has ensured me that I will be the first to hear. Me and the millions of others who have texted “VP” to 62262 (OBAMA). Chances are good that he will make the announcement in the next 18 hours since The World is expecting his choice to join him at a rally in Springfield, Illinois on Saturday. So this is my last chance to share my thoughts on the Big Choice. The conventional wisdom has lined up behind Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, who has the Washington experience and foreign policy credentials that some say are holes in the Obama resume that need to be filled. Personally, I believe Biden would be a disappointing choice because he is too safe. Granted, he’s run for president twice so his negatives are well-known and manageable. But the trouble is that he doesn’t bring anything that would energize the campaign. Obama knows this choice will be analyzed and dissected more than anything he has said or done so far in the campaign. That includes his remarks about the bitterness of the working class and even his choice of pastor. His choice needs to affirm his campaign theme of change and I don’t think Biden fits the bill. I look for someone older and more experienced but not from the list of usual suspects. Here is my list of eye-openers, holy-cows, and who-would-have-thoughts: First of all, there’s Jim Webb, a first-term Senator from Virginia. CW has focused on the Commonwealth’s Gov. Tim Kaine as more likely but look at what Webb brings; decorated war hero (sound familiar?), experience at the Pentagon as an Assistant Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Army, and a Republican who switched sides to become one of the most-outspoken critics of George Bush. Obama could do worse. You have to believe that Obama is seriously considering a Republican or at least someone with a strong record of working across the aisle. While he has pledged to bring a bipartisan approach to his administration, many independents and Republicans don’t see very much to suggest that in his record. How do you think they’d feel if Olympia Snowe, a moderate Republican who has served on the Armed Services, Finance and Intelligence committees? She has earned the respect of leaders of both parties by developing a keen ability to craft legislative compromise without sacrificing principle. But the 800 pound gorilla of long shots has got to be Colin Powell. Can you imagine? The incredibly highly regarded career military man was dissed big time by the Bush administration. He’s made no secret of his regret about taking cooked evidence to the United Nations to make the case for war. What better way to restore his reputation than as a member of the administration whose greatest challenge will be cleaning up the mess that occurred on his watch? Powell has said he’s not interested but come on. When a […]

Eye of the Beholder

Eye of the Beholder

Maybe you heard that Marie Claire magazine has opined that Milwaukee is one sexy city. Apparently, our rocking lakefront and neighborhood festivals suggest that we know how to have a good time. I won’t argue with that though the magazine didn’t bother to send anyone here to check it out. You gotta wonder if we’d have still merited the honor if a reporter had actually visited and seen the sweaty beer bellies hanging over the cutoff shorts and the hairy necks and backs. And I don’t even want to think about the guys. I kid, I kid! I love Milwaukee and today it’s a happening town. The reconstruction of the Marquette Interchange is officially declared completed today, under budget and ahead of schedule! To policy wonks like me, that’s sexy! And, of course, today is the long awaited unveiling of the Bronze Fonz sculpture along the riverfront (across from the Pabst Theater on Wells) intended to cash in on the nostalgia for Happy Days, the popular television show of the ‘70s. Henry Winkler (the Fonz), Anson Williams (Potsie), and Cindy Williams (Shirley of Laverne and Shirley) are expected to appear at the festivities. Visitors will be treated to a little harmless fun (not to mention free custard) and a good time should be had by all. There is no truth to the rumor that Mike Brenner has rented a plane to pull a banner declaring that “Milwaukee Has Jumped the Shark.” The diminutive sculpture may make you wonder what all the fuss has been about. Meanwhile, enjoy the rest of the summer, y’all. Middle of August and it hasn’t reached 90 yet. Now that’s sexy!

Scary Movie 3???

Scary Movie 3???

Well it’s the dog days of August but things are anything but slow in the world of politics. As many of you may be aware, there is a presidential election coming up in November and once again it’s time to exercise our constitutional right and have a say in what direction we want our country to go. And once again I believe the right choice is obvious. And once again I have that ominous feeling that our marvelous but sometimes wacky country could very easily elect the wrong guy and continue us on a path of boneheaded policies and misguided diplomatic and military high jinks that will lead to dangerous and deadly conflicts around the world, a worsening economy home and abroad, increased polarization between the haves and the have nots, and a continued diminishment of our personal freedoms ranging from reproductive choice to habeas corpus. There is, to coin a phrase, hope. Barack Obama is a superb candidate who is connecting with voters in ways we have not seen since the two Kennedy campaigns of the ‘60s. He draws unprecedented crowds everywhere he goes, not because he is a vacuous celebrity, but because he combines a command of the issues with the ability to present common sense solutions that connect with the average citizen. But, just like in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and other great struggles from history and literature, powerful forces are gathering to oppose the champion of the people. This may prove to be a nasty and difficult election with Obama’s opponents resorting to attacks and innuendoes that appeal to the baser sides of our hearts and minds. It may get ugly; very, very ugly. But don’t panic or despair. Organize and participate. Let’s not let this year’s election send the wrong person to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. What we need here in this country is nothing less than a People’s Revolution in which the disenfranchised rise up and assert themselves not through violence or conflict but by voting and participating in the electoral process. Barack Obama’s campaign is calling on the people of Wisconsin to stand up and be counted. A new office will be opened here in Milwaukee at 744 N. 4th Street (Wells) on August 20 beginning at 5 pm and everyone is invited. Wisconsin is in play and there is something wonderfully exciting and energizing about living in a so-called swing state. The McCain camp is not taking Wisconsin for granted either and if that’s the way you swing, then by all means go out and support your candidate. But as we’ve learned over and over the last eight years, Elections Matter. Register, Volunteer, Have Your Voice Heard, and above all, VOTE. It’s really, really important.

Calatrava’s Wings Get Clipped in NY

Calatrava’s Wings Get Clipped in NY

Santiago Calatrava’s design for the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Quadracci Pavilion (known to most locals as simply The Calatrava) has had an unquestionably transformative effect on our city’s urban landscape. This super-modern, sleek structure helped catapult Milwaukee into the new century. Though not of Milwaukee, Calatrava lent his brilliance, prestige and audacity to our city and we’ve embraced his design as the symbol of how we present ourselves to the world. It was only a matter of time before another high-profile Calatrava project usurped our unique relationship with the architect. His design for the new transit center at the site of the decimated World Trade Center promises to take Calatrava’s fame up a notch and supplant MAM’s position as the highest profile example of his work in this country. So perhaps Milwaukeeans will be excused for feeling a bit of schaudenfrade at the cost overruns and artistic compromises that the New York project is facing. These challenges will be familiar to those who have followed Calatrava’s career and the chances are good that the result will still be spectacular. Only time will tell, of course. But the guy sure knows how to get your attention. Avert your eyes at your own risk.

After the Deluge

After the Deluge

The good news is that nobody appears to have died as a result of the cataclysmic amount of water that fell from the sky on Wisconsin since Friday. So it may be hyperbole to compare this weekend’s natural disaster with the horrible devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as well as the tsunami, the cyclone and the earthquake that took untold thousands of lives around the world in recent memory. But seeing homes collapse in a matter of seconds and hearing people weep that all of their worldly possessions were lost brought to mind the overwhelming force of nature that is common to all of these events. The other theme that connects these disasters is the important role that government plays to anticipate these catastrophes to the extent possible and move quickly and effectively to direct resources to help the people affected and to restore the services necessary to return lives to normal. In a perfect world politics would have no place following such disasters. Certainly, everyone can agree that this is a basic function of government regardless of party or political persuasion. But this is not a perfect world as the image broadcast by ABC World News Tonight last night of Gov. Jim Doyle speaking in Oak Creek with Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker by his side made perfectly clear. Walker’s commitment to shrinking government may be popular on election day but it doesn’t do much good when citizens are desperately in need of help. For Walker to nod in agreement as Doyle called attention to how the rains destroyed property from the Mississippi River to Lake Wisconsin took an amazing amount of gall. Walker has been an outspoken advocate of privatizing government services to the extent that he is open to the suggestion to transfer everything that the county does to local and state agencies and private contractors. Why don’t we just bring in the infamous Mike Brown to manage this cleanup? Brown, you will recall, was President Bush’s appointee to head the federal Emergency Management Agency which was such a phenomenal failure following Katrina. It is important to note that FEMA was an extraordinarily effective agency under President Clinton. Bush came into office pledging to restore dignity to The White House. If only. Under his leadership we have witnessed travesties foreign and domestic. While Republicans made much of Clinton’s personal peccadilloes and his propensity to let contributors bunk in the Lincoln Bedroom, who doesn’t pine for the days when our federal government took its responsibilities seriously? Just today a new report is out detailing how Bush officials bent over to accommodate uberlobbyist, and now convicted felon, Jack Abramoff. They say Wisconsin is a critical swing state and that both Sen. McCain and Sen. Obama will be fighting tooth and nail for our 11 electoral votes. They say McCain will be struggling to distance himself from the current occupant at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. But what are we to think when he comes to town and Scott Walker […]