Stumbling, And Hearing Neumann's Footsteps, Walker Attacks Barrett

Scott Walker, the Milwaukee County Executive, and a primary candidate for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, is attacking Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, the Democratic candidate for Governor, over sewerage system overflows after Milwaukee's Biblical rainfall last month.

The attack is insincere, since Walker has no record as an environmentalist, and, in fact, had to rely on MMSD and private sector funders five years ago to restore the county's premier Bradford Beach after it was discovered that county storm sewer pipes were spilling beach-closing contaminants and E. coli bacteria directly on the sand and into wading and swimming areas.

You can read about that here.

Walker's efforts to politicize the overflows underscores these three political realities:

1. Walker has had a bad few weeks, as events have raised doubts about his managerial competency.

He's had a fatality at a county parking ramp when a 13-ton part fell onto a group of people; another injury at the county-run airport when a piece of a ceiling hit a customer; a large chunk of masonry fell off the County Courthouse; exterior panels were found to have moved on the outside of the County Transit system center downtown - - and it was revealed that Walker had cut money from the County budget to pay for building inspections.

2. Then came the flood - - and Walker chose to go out of town and campaign during the weekend of the cleanup - - a huge political mistake. He'd have been smarter to be out in the community, helping shovel mud instead of digging around out state for votes, but running for Governor has been Walker's constant #1 priority ever since he replaced the recalled incumbent, F. Tom Ament.

3. Rival GOP gubernatorial nominee Mark Neumann's campaign is picking up steam. I'm not a Neumann fan. He's as conservative as is Walker, but he sent Walker's camp a no-nonsense, I'm-not-going-anywhere punch in the nose by showing how spending under Walker went up faster than in state government during Gov. Jim Doyle's terms in office.

I hear that doubt is bubbling up among some GOP regulars over Walker's malaise and Neumann's stubborn outsider effort - - into which Neumann has committed perhaps $3 million - - when a few weeks ago dismissive insiders gave Neumann no chance.

So Walker dredged up the Deep Tunnel.

Does anyone think he'd support the many billions in tax-supported borrowing and spending needed to separate the combined sewers in Milwaukee and Shorewood if he'd cut $150,000 from the budget to inspect county facilities?

Nope: As Joel McNally pointed out, you'd have to believe in big government to do that. Better to take potshots from the campaign trail, and snipe via Twitter.

Like this (read in reverse order for the chronology). First the attack - - tap, tap, tap, LOL, IMHO, OMG! - - then on to the State Fair!

1. At the @WIStateFair 4 opening ceremonies. Maybe I'll get another cream puff! about 13 hours ago via HootSuite
2. RT @ScottWalkerHQ: "Flushing Out the Truth: Barrett is Wisconsin’s #1 Polluter" http://ow.ly/2lt9H #wigov #believeinwi #tcot about 13 hours ago via HootSuite

I think the campaign reveals a fundamental political fact: Compared to Barrett's gravitas, and Neumann's corny-quirky "Hi, Folks," yet more authentic demeanor, Walker has little to offer, except Tweets.