Well That Sucks

Team Burkee/Walz is now only Team Burkee.

It was fun while it lasted.

Burkee and Walz get the WaPo Treatment

A pleasant piece on the Burkee/Walz campaign in the Washington Post leads to some press in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Edward Headington out in sunny California takes note of the campaign. (Which got me thinking about the possible merits of doing a little fund-raising in areas that have felt the wrath of Tex. I don't see many at the moment, but you never know.)

Josh Schroeder directs readers to an online only ad.

Should Congressmen Gamble?

What the hell is Jim Sensenbrenner doing playing the lottery?

The Republican from Menomonee Falls won $1,000 Aug. 30 playing a Wisconsin lottery game, and that followed another $1,000 prize he won last spring in the state lottery.

That's pocket change compared with the $250,000 jackpot he won on a $2 ticket in the District of Columbia lottery in 1997.

The dude is already rich, yet he clearly enjoys gambling ... curious, no?

MORE: ABC News ... CBS News ... The MJS has this charming anecdote:

His 1997 win came after he purchased a ticket at a Capitol Hill liquor store where he had gone to buy Wisconsin beer for his office Christmas party.

Oooh, it was Wisconsin beer! That justifies everything!

Does that mean the purchase (including the lotto tickets) was written off as an office expense? Were tax-payers funding, not only a boozy shindig on Capitol Hill, but also gambling?

I actually love that narrative coming from a Congressman: I didn't mean to get lucky gambling, I was just on beer run!

MORE STILL: OK, I clearly must've missed this in the first few articles, but from the Politico:

This time, Sensenbrenner won the “Super 2nd Chance” from the Wisconsin lottery where people mail at least $5 in losing tickets to try for a $1,000 prize.

So it's not like the first time when he went to the liquor store to pick up some Wisconsin beer to get his staff all shitfaced for the holidays, but he actually hoards his losing lottery tickets and resubmits them to the Wisconsin Lottery just in case he might win on the second go around!

He's either the stingiest gambler in the history of gaming or the man actually has the ability to squeeze blood from a penny.

Now for the big question: Will Sensenbrenner get to have his picture posted on the Winners board at the Wisconsin Lottery web site?

We can only hope.

News from the Burkee/Walz Media Blitz

* Rep. Sensenbrenner is clearly taking the competition for his 5th CD seat serious. So seriously that the prolific junketeer spent some of the congressional recess in Germany, no doubt lobbying the distant relatives of his largely Teutonic district. This is a bold electoral strategy, and likely an expensive one, but if there is a seasoned global traveler who can pull it off, Sensenbrenner's the man for the job.

* A Sheboygan Press editorial calls the Burkee/Walz effort "a breath of fresh air," which is a phrase that can also be used to describe a yawn.

* James Wigderson offers his two cents:

So when Walz and Burkee make all these promises about running nice-nice campaigns, it’s because there is nothing at stake for them. There is no chance either one of them is going to win.

"Nice-nice?" Surely a columnist can find a better adjective. I realize the rhetorical angle Wigderson is going for here is making the strategy of a cordial campaign seem naive and juvenile, but "nice-nice" just sounds lazy.

* Burkee's niece appears to be helping out from a distance.

* This dude seems on board.

* All in all, there's really not a whole lot to pass on. If the B&W team was trying to take advantage of the end-of-summer media lull and hoped to fill that void by inspiring some good-natured human interest think pieces on the nature of contemporary political discourse, it didn't really work. It probably would have made more sense to kick off the campaign after the beginning of the school year since they are relying on students for much of their campaign staff and support, and it's a lot easier to rally that group together once they're back on campus.

Burkee/Walz on the TV

Take it away, Mr. Schroeder.

Burkee/Walz: Getting Retro

In an effort that in no way, shape or form resembles Newt Gingrich's famous Contract with America, Team Burkee/Walz have signed a "Pact with the People" proving once and for all that bipartisanship = alliteration.

Here's the text of the Pact:

1. Fiscal Responsibility. I pledge that as your representative in Congress I will not, during times of economic growth, vote in favor of any legislation that relies on deficit spending. I will also support a Constitutional Balanced Budget Amendment.
2. Term Limits. I pledge that, if elected, I will serve no more than three consecutive terms.
3. No Lobbyist Gifts. I pledge that, if elected, I will refuse any financial gifts from lobbyists or other organizations, including meals, travel and lodging.
4. Daily Debates. I pledge that, if I win my party’s nomination, I will debate my opponent at least once each day that I am in the district during the campaign.
5. Issue-Oriented Campaigning. I pledge that, in the course of the campaign, I will not run negative ads or engage in personal attacks against my opponent.
6. No PAC Money. I pledge that I will only accept contributions from individuals to my campaign and will reject any support from political action committees or other outside organizations.

Cynics will call this stuff a gimmick, but guess what: it's worked before.

Ball's in your court, Tex.

MJS at Burkee/Walz Campaign Roll-out

Graphs of note:

Both candidates acknowledge the reality that no collective "we" can go to Washington, but say that the campaign isn't about individual victory. Certainly it has attracted media attention, including The New York Times and, at Sunday's rally, a video cameraman filming for NBC's "Today" show.

It also makes for some unusual twists in campaign finance. Cash contributions - legally limited to $50 per donor or $100 per family - will be split equally if neither candidate is designated.

[...]

Burkee and Walz also plan to sign a pledge - "A Pact with the People" - to refuse all political action committee and special interest money. They will not use negative or personal attack ads. If elected, they will not accept large lobbyist gifts, will stick to their budget pledge and limit themselves to no more than three terms in office.

Burkee/Walz Strikes Fear into the Hearts of the Opposition

Josh Schroeder points out that Jim Sensenbrenner has discovered the wonderful world of information technology consulting and has a redesigned web site up.

This is something of a disappointment to us because we just looooooooved his old site, which looked like it was constructed by a recovering computer science major who defected to the art history department after failing Intro to Web Design.

Alas!

Schroeder brings up a good point about the timing of this capital investment in the campaign's online infrastructure: Sensenbrenner's site had not been updated in eons (and boy did it show). This, of course, leads one to ask: is Sensenbrenner afraid that the Burkee/Walz campaign will make him work a little harder than he's used to next year? Or did he just catch a killer power point presentation on the value of a good-looking web page at a GOP retreat at the Greenbrier this summer?

Only time will tell.

Team Burkee/Walz: Out for Blood!

The Burkee/Walz campaign for congress will kick off this Sunday in Cedarberg. In the first of what is likely to be at least three or four press releases, Burkee held back nothing as he mercilessly laid into Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner:

“We could sit here and talk about how bad Washington and Congress and its leaders have become, or we could start taking some responsibility,” said Burkee. “We will hold our leaders accountable, and it’s going to start right here with this campaign.”

Snap!

Incidentally, Tyler Williams, who is apparently serving as the campaign's press liaison, appears to be from Oklahoma City (provided the number listed is his cell phone).

Burkee/Walz Update

Owen Robinson on Burkee/Walz.

NPR on Burkee/Walz

An unusual political campaign is unfolding in Wisconsin. Later this month, two professors will launch joint campaigns for the congressional seat long held by Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner. What's unique is that one professor will run as a Democrat, and the other as a Republican. They are sharing everything from yard signs to campaign headquarters. They say their goal is to change the nature of political campaigns.

Let the Kids Play!

The New York Times runs yesterday's story from CQ, which inspires Bill Christofferson to call the idea "wacky" and advise the professors to go spend their time elsewhere. He of the late (and missed, I might add) Xoff Files suggests that the Democrats should get a "serious" opponent to run against Sensenbrenner and not get too wrapped up in the Burkee/Walz sideshow.

But, seriously, why bother?

There hasn't been a "serious" threat to Sensenbrenner pretty much ever in what is without question the most knee-jerk bat-shit conservative district in the state, not there will likely nor be one in the near future. So ...

Let the kids play.

Sensenbrenner can't be dragged through the mud because he's neck high in a pool of his own horse shit already -- and his constituents love him for it. Well, why not get two amiable guys to simply demonstrate just how big of dick the guy actually is? Sensenbrenner has demonstrated time and again that he lacks the requisite degree of shame to be considered a human being -- maybe it's time he be reminded what that most basic of human emotions feels like.

Sensenbrenner is the consummate Washington insider, so inside that he no longer fears appearing to be professional to those he's elected to serve. The contrast between that and two professors on a mission to elevate the debate should, and can, at least succeed in exposing the Congressman -- if not to his constituents, then at least to the rest of the country -- for what he really is: a walking parody of a man in power.

Basically, I'm all about the Burkee/Walz ticket because: (a.) It's asymmetrical warfare in a part of the state where a conventional Democratic party campaign is next to futile. (b.) It's an experiment. I like experiments, and especially when they don't work. And (c.) because I think it has great potential for sticking it to Sensenbrenner, if only in a small way that might result in him getting some jocoserious ribbing at the hands of his GOP colleagues back on the DC cocktail circuit.

And let's not forget the all important reason (d.): In essence, this is a Democratic campaign. Burkee, the Republican professor, will never ever ever never ever ever never ever never never ever ever ever ever never ever ever never ever beat Sensenbrenner in a GOP primary as a moderate Republican in the 5th district. Never. Ever.

If Christofferson's wants a more "serious" opponent, let's start hearing some names and let's get down to some recruiting. But so long as Waukesha County is, well, Waukesha County, this is probably the best option available.

Other news outlets to have picked up on the story: the Janseville Gazette, the Huffington Post, and these two guys.

More Tilting at Windmills

Burkee and Walz already have a respectable internet footprint. Here are some highlights:

* A Wikipedia entry (the true sign that someone's made in America in this high tech age) on the political action committee that is being transformed into the organization for their campaign.

* An April '07 jointly authored Op-Ed in The Hill on the need for bipartisan ship.

* A January '07 Op-Ed in the L.A. Times by Burkee pleading for a president who doesn't have the surname Bush or Clinton.

* A February '07 Op-Ed in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel by Walz on President Bush's Iraq policy.

* A February '07 Op-Ed piece in in the S.F. Examiner on energy economics by both Burkee and Walz.

* An October '04 article in the WI State Journal on the role of faith in choosing presidents.

At the end of the first day of their campaign for congress, the Burkee and Walz announcement has been picked up by just a few newspapers: the Journal-Sentinel, CQ, the Post-Crescent, the Rhinelander Daily News, and the Racine Journal Times. More surely to follow.

Hop in the Sidecar, Sancho!

It looks like Team Walz/Burkee is out of the gate with a good jump. CQ has a brief profile on them this morning with more juicy details on just how they plan to spend the next 15 months:

"In a show of bipartisan comity rarely, if ever, seen before in congressional politics, Burkee and Walz will launch a joint campaign Web site at Burkeeandwalz.com and produce joint advertising, bumper stickers and yard signs..."

[snip]

"Although only one of them can be elected to Congress, Burkee and Walz discuss their joint campaign in terms of what would happen if “we” win. They said they would continue teaching at Concordia as they served the district’s constituents, bringing back the idea of citizen legislators instead of career politicians.

"So far they have not contacted their state parties or the national party campaign committees, and they’ve said they do not intend to. Walz, a professor of political science at Concordia, described the campaign as a collaboratively run grass-roots effort they hope to keep 'outside of party support and outside of the party apparatus.'

[scene missing]

Seniors from Concordia University and the University of Wisconsin will staff the campaigns, and the congressional hopefuls said they have received strong support from their home university. “We often times hear about the apathy in America, the apathy among students, but to have two professors modeling good citizenship is . . . a valuable learning experience for our students and for our university,” Walz said.

Gary C. Jacobson, a professor of political science at the University of California San Diego and an expert in congressional elections, said he is not aware of such an arrangement in any past congressional elections, and gave the candidates slim chances in the general election.

“It’s a gimmick that will get them some attention but ... I don’t see how they could possibly expect to win,” Jacobson said.

Whatever happens, I think Burkee and Walz appear to have more of a plan than they're letting on to having at the moment. Unfortunately, I think their strategy primarily involves educating their students and the voters of their district more than any kind of actual electoral game plan.

But that doesn't mean they won't surprise voters. Sensenbrenner is about as pleasant as a root canal and last year the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel finally found the cajones to tell the Congressman as much (and in no uncertain terms) in it's endorsement of Democratic party sacrificial lamb Bryan Kennedy:

[Kennedy] will be a competent, thoughtful congressman who can restore a sense of dignity and balance to the 5th District. It's time for that after years of folly from Sensenbrenner.

Sensenbrenner has too often been an obstructionist to good policy. Given the reins of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, he had a chance to lead for the common good during a congressional session when few representatives had even a notion of what that meant. Too often, he didn't.

Sensenbrenner was wrong on immigration. His enforcement-only plan included making felons of undocumented immigrants and a useless 700-mile fence that will do nothing to solve this national problem. Worse for Republicans, his obstinacy split his own party and cost it a rare opportunity to significantly broaden its base.

Sensenbrenner was wrong on the USA Patriot Act. We need many of its provisions in this era of terrorism, but the version he championed strode upon the liberty of every American.

Sensenbrenner was wrong on Real ID, which will cost states millions of dollars to implement and which fixed something that wasn't broken.

Sensenbrenner was wrong not to dig deeper into the National Security Agency's domestic spying program. Sensenbrenner sent a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales but didn't bother with the real spade work.

Sensenbrenner was wrong to waste taxpayers' money by taking more than $160,000 in junkets since 1994, not to mention the more than $200,000 in world travel paid for by lobbyists and think tanks over the past six years.

Sensenbrenner was wrong to push bills that would make it harder for police agencies to track illegal guns and to crack down on rogue gun dealers.

Sensenbrenner was wrong to indict Milwaukee as "fast becoming the murder capital of the U.S." and wrong to lash out at Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, calling him a "crybaby" for having the brass to criticize Congress. It's but one example of the congressman's increasingly belligerent and unproductive tone.

They may be longshots, but what others will want to throw away as a "gimmick" may have to potential to tap into a strain of anti-divisiveness that may sweep over the voters of the 5th district (though that's extremely doubtful given the demographic make-up of Sensenbrenner's current domain). Regardless of what happens, the Burkee/Walz ticket will likely be the most innovative contribution Wisconsin makes to political science this election cycle.

Quixote Rides!

This story would be interesting if it were in any other congressional district but the 5th, where on election day church bells ring to summon legions of the undead to the polls to vote for the 2006 Human Events Man of the Year Jim Sensenbrenner. (See highlights of his stirring, kick ass acceptance speech to a packed crowd at the annual American Conservative Union Conference in DC. What the audience lacks in numbers it makes up for in the cavernous echo of a few lonely, yet vocal, attendees.)

I can't imagine either Walz or Burkee having much of a prayer at being elected, but they might be able to pull off some solid media attention if they demonstrate a cordial, substantive, and professional report on the campaign trail that would likely contrast well with the cantankerousness frequently displayed by Jabba the Sensenbrenner. (And, for the record, let me just say that it's never been the Congressman's physical similarity to the intergalactic crime syndicate magnate that's led me to draw the parallel, but rather his Wisconsin accent, which is so thick that I often wonder if Mr. Sensenbrenner is not fluent in Hut (or at least one or two or of the regional dialects).)

I can't imagine the Concordia History Dept. will be as serious as candidates as they should be -- after all, they will have papers to grade, T.A.s to ogle, etc. -- but I think the structure of their campaign might set them up for the inevitable "moral victory" (barring an unforeseen drunken driving episode, or the like, a month before the primary). Plus they will be able to publish what will have to be a thoroughly enjoyable article in the Journal of Contemporary Political Discourse or whatever low-circulation academic pub will get them tenure.

Messrs. Walz and Burkee, we here at The Chief salute you and wish you God speed.