Not for the first time do I comment on a politician asking voters to have faith in their leadership abilities but then show weakness by making a less-than-artful political move. Such is the case with Democratic candidate for governor Mary Burke who skipped the chance to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the leader of the free world. Some will argue that is was smart politics not to stand alongside President Obama in Milwaukee on Labor Day. I disagree. In fact, I think that not being on stage with President Obama should dismay all about the state of our politics. Four years ago during Labor Day festivities I stated how un-amused I was with then Senator Russ Feingold who found an excuse not to be with President Obama in Milwaukee. It just was not a very classy thing to do. Regardless of politics you should always stand with your friends. There comes a time when you say, whatever the effects, I will not turn my back on the leader of the free world. The President is coming to my state, and by God I will be there with him. I read a great deal of history and always find visits from a president to generate robust enthusiasm that then creates lingering memories. Just this past week in a map of historical events in Madison it was noted by Isthmus that Grover Cleveland went fishing in Maple Bluff in 1887. I suspect if we traveled back into the newspaper files there are photos of beaming residents pressing close to get within the lens frame so to be seen with the president. We may have partisan points of view about issues and policy but when the president visits there should stir within us a deep sense of respect for the office while knowing that we are witnessing a page of history. That may seem quaint and even corny by some who are reading this blog post. But I suggest what we need–perhaps more than anything else–is a healthy dose of the old-fashioned way we once conducted our politics in Wisconsin. Perhaps the best place that message could have started with big headlines would have been with the appearance of Mary Burke alongside President Obama. We all know that our state has been deeply fractured over the past four years with the election of Scott Walker. Every person who watches political ads on television or reads their mail know attempts are continually made to smear and tar the other side of the aisle. No one needs to remind us that we were not always so split as a state, and that reasonableness can again be restored. To her credit Burke has stated she wants to again find the common path forward in our state and not deepen the political divide, but solve our problems in a more unified fashion. By standing with President Obama in Milwaukee and noting the deep honor such a place on the stage as the first woman nominated for governor means to her, while addressing the deep divisions in Wisconsin and how they must be healed would have sent a strong message. Burke would have shown that she will not be intimidated from doing what is right. When a president visits your state, and you are either a state leader or candidate you show up, shake hands, wave to the crowd and delight in the moment just as the cheering voters in the audience are doing. After all, a visit by a president is a very American moment. She could have sent a strong message that the shallow end of the political pool with their threats of using photos of her with the president are exactly the type of politics that has gotten us to the place we are today, and why a change is needed in the statehouse. The opposition may attempt some mud-slinging but Burke could have stated clearly with her presence on the stage she is a strong woman and not about to be cowered. The could have shown faith in the voters to not fall to mean-spirited politics. If we are sick of the type of politics now taking place than we need to stop repeating them and instead anchor ourselves to the ideals that history shows once led us forward as a state. I am genuinely sad that Mary Burke did not make that effort today.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 15:28:08 +0000
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