In case you missed it - the new #TeamBurke website is up!

[riversedge]

It is not as bland as her old one.


Mary Burke ‏@Burke4WI 4 Dec

In case you missed it - the new #TeamBurke website is up! http://www.burkeforwisconsin.com

Mary Burke ‏@Burke4WI 4 Dec

Show our grassroots strength and join #TeamBurke right away to support new leadership for Wisconsin: http://www.burkeforwisconsin.com

[Scuba]

1. I'm having real trouble accepting this corporate Dem.

I find the policy positions of Kathleen Vinehout much more appealing.

http://kathleenvinehout.org/

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Dave Obey has now endorsed Burke.

Obey was my Congresscritter for many years. I had no particular problems with him. He was always solid on the issues.

And of course Feingold's Progressives United has done the same.

I think that the big names are falling in place behind Burke because they want to avoid a Dem primary, thinking that it can only use up money that would best be spent taking down Walker, & be divisive, maybe even causing some on the left to stay home next November. I guess I can see their point, but I guess I was never cut out for Realpolitik, especially Wisconsin-style.

As you know, I don't think much of Burke and like Kathleen a lot, but I can also see how the latter would have trouble exciting the Disaffected Middle (low-information) voters, of which we seem to have more than anyone would have guessed during the Demonstration & Recall Petition days.

Does it come down to Burke being marginally better than Wanker, and somewhat more able to secure big funding? Has it descended to that?

Thanks to ALEC, maybe it has.

I think I'm gonna be sick.

[Scuba]

3. I have great respect for Dave's work, but don't see us winning with Republican-lite.

[Jackpine Radical]

6. So we get idealistic, underfunded Kathleen against Trekker Burke in a primary.

Mary will spend a lot of money and most likely win the primary. If Kathleen somehow pulls of a miracle victory in the Primary, she will have no money in November. I know she wants to run a Meet & Greet-style campaign, but I sincerely doubt that she can make it work. If it came to that, though, I would certainly do what I can to make it a reality.

I've quoted Truman around here a lot, and know what you mean about R-Lite, but you know how awash this state is gonna be with Cits United $$$. I think ANY Dem will have a hard time.

Maybe I'll see it differently in the morning, but right now I think we're in a lot of trouble whoever we run.

[Scuba]

8. John Nichols says the Kochs are prepared to spend $10M attacking Burke's offshoring of jobs at Trek.

Kathleen never offshored any jobs, never donated to any charter schools, never voted against any teacher's union.

[postulater]

9. All primary candidates should agree to accept only funding through the state party.

Then the issues will determine who is the candidate. And the party still has money to spend on the general campaign. It shouldn't be about who has the deepest pockets or the brownest nose.

[AdHocSolver]

11. If bland were good, Romney would have won.

The Republicans can outspend Burke 10 to 1.

If the race is all about money, the Democrats have already lost.

The Democratic Party leadership seems hell bent on circling the firing squad.

Having an opponent in a primary race would be good practice for Burke should she somehow win it.

It would give her a chance to learn from a "friendly" competitor a mild form of what to expect in a general election. Major league teams usually sign players who first proved themselves in the minor leagues.

The primary need for the Democrats to win is to motivate enough Democrats (the base) and enough moderates and independents to actually go and vote for the Democratic candidate.

Besides not really addressing the issues, Burke doesn't motivate, and she has two "negative" issues against her on which the Republicans will surely spend millions on attack ads. One issue is the fact that her company outsourced jobs to China, and the second is that she is "just another Madison liberal".

Vinehout has been a dairy farmer, taught health administration courses, and was twice elected to the State Senate from a rural area of Wisconsin. Vinehout is a person that people can relate to.

If Vinehout is the Democratic candidate, people from out of state will donate money to her campaign because the Republican candidate is a poster child for what is wrong with right wing politics in America.

[dragonlady]

13. Taking an idea out of Mike Tate's playbook

If Kathleen Vinehout wins the primary, the Democratic Party inner circle will have to support her, because the only alternative is more misery from Walker. That's the attitude they have about liberals supporting Burke.

[riversedge]

4. Obey came right out and said he does not want a primary. I

read a comment today by him. The commentary said he was upset that Kathleen is looking to enter the race (she hired a campaign manager or something like that and he was responding to it).

[riversedge]

5. Here is the comment by Dave Obey:

.......Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, who campaigned with Burke last weekend in northwestern Wisconsin, expressed concern that a primary with a second candidate could hurt the party's chances in the general election.

"How anybody thinks it would be wise for us to use the next seven months for a contest within a party rather than having a unified contest with Walker is beyond me," Obey told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last week......

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/12/04/3796683/vinehout-takes-steps-toward-gubernatorial.html#storylink=cpy

[Jackpine Radical]

7. Yes, that's the comment.

[AdHocSolver]

12. If Burke couldn't win in a primary, she would definitely lose in a general election.

Obey is spouting nonsense.

This smells of Democratic Party cronyism.

[riversedge]

14. Well, if Burke lost the primary she would not be in the general election

[madrchsod]

10. will burke draw enough votes to change the legislature ?

if there is one thing wisconsin needs is someone who can attract jobs to wisconsin. after talgo gets done with walker i think burke will be a breath of fresh air. hell maybe you'll get that rail money and mary will get talgo to reconsider. right there she'll save wisconsin tens of millions of dollars! it will be interesting what she her stance on the unions are.

right now there`s really no hope for illinois. the republican that probably will run can finance his entire run out of his petty cash. maybe some of our dems will have to hide out in wisconsin!