Messaging, Views on News, public relations • March 8th, 2011

Insert cheap Viagra joke here

by Chris Lato

Hmmm. Is there any doubt that this was dropped because of the ongoing budget repair bill soap opera? This fight has been going on for years, and suddenly the Milwaukee teachers’ union decides it’s not worth continuing the suit?

The biggest surprise is that this didn’t get deep-sixed weeks ago. Talk about a good PR talking point for pro-Walker forces – this lawsuit is hard to defend (see what I did there?). I’m sure the union didn’t want to extend the debate (I’ll be here all week, try the veal!).

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Messaging, Strategic Blueprints, Views on News, public relations • March 7th, 2011

Why must WI get rid of collective bargaining?

by Chris Lato

It’s a fair question - and I’m hearing it from people who are Republicans and support Governor Walker.  The thing is, I don’t know that the administration has done a very good job of articulating the underlying reasons. I suspect that is part of the reason why, at least for now, Walker is losing the public opinion battle.

I realize this is a marathon, not a sprint, polls are just a snapshot in time, and that things will not change because a few polls indicate things aren’t going Walker’s way.

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Views on News, public relations • February 28th, 2011

Double deception

by Chris Lato

Three months ago, everyone with a TV was breathing a sigh of relief that the elections were over and the political ads were going to disappear for a while.

Well, the ongoing battle royale in Madison has brought out big bucks and it feels like a week before the election all over again.

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Views on News, wispundits • February 22nd, 2011

The real Scott Walker

by Chris Lato

I was wondering when this was going to happen. This seems to be the ideal time for the GOP to run a whole lot of legislation through the Senate unimpeded. And now there’s talk of layoffs too. 

One larger question: has the Wisconsin Left found its ‘Obamacare’ – that is to say, the issue they can use as a rallying cry to drive supporters to the polls? How much of what has happened in Madison over the past week is true, grassroots reaction to Walker’s bill? Some GOP legislators may have something to worry about. Republicans in the more purple areas of the state are very likely vulnerable to recalls.

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Leadership, Messaging, Views on News • January 3rd, 2011

Meet the new boss

by Chris Lato

As a new Rasmussen poll makes clear today, everyone wants to be on the winning team. But as the write-up also points out, what comes up will come down, and probably sooner rather than later.

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Views on News • December 23rd, 2010

Odds and ends

by Chris Lato

Team Walker lawyers up. Not necessarily a good sign. As a former Mark Neumann staffer, I have some thoughts on this….but let’s see if all this investigating actually goes somewhere useful before passing judgment.

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Leadership, Views on News • December 22nd, 2010

Is this important?

by Chris Lato

Governor-elect Walker hasn’t named any cabinet secretaries yet, and may not until next week.

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Leadership, Views on News • December 16th, 2010

The end of the road

by Chris Lato

Democrats in the Legislature ended their reign this week with a spectacular implosion that has laid bare the rifts and bad blood that flowed freely by early this morning. The battle was ostensibly about state worker contracts, but the underlying drama felt like there was so much more at play.

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Branding Politix, Messaging, Views on News • December 15th, 2010

Contract battle = contact sport

by Chris Lato

So the (for the moment) Democrat-led Legislature is acting after all on the outstanding state labor contracts. Republicans have asked them to hold off for three weeks until they take control of the Governor’s office and the Legislature, saying the size of Wisconsin’s deficit necessitates further negotiation and concessions.  

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Uncategorized • October 6th, 2010

um…shocker?

by Chris Lato

Nope.

1. If you have the lead and you know it, why risk stepping in it with a debate?

2. Passing on debates folks the opportunity to hear the candidates live and unfiltered. But if you think candidates care about that…well, refer back to point #1.

3. Do folks care about the LG race? As someone who worked for a candidate in 2006 (the awesome Jean Hundertmark) I can tell you interest is…limited.

It SHOULD matter more, since that person is a heartbeat or Administration appointment away from becoming relevant (lookin’ at you, Scott McCallum). So until the LG’s office goes the way of the dodo, yes, it is worth paying some attention to. It may not drive how most people end up casting their ballot, but it’s one of the factors that should be weighed.

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