As I watched the Ed Show tonight and contemplated writing this diary, I kept thinking that I had to find a creative way to stress my 100% support for the Democratic winner of tonight's Wisconsin recall primary. Right on cue, the best reporter of all things Badger in the history of the world, John Nichols, came on the screen with Ed. He said that everywhere he went today shadowing Tom Barrett, Wisconsin citizens kept repeating the same phrase when talking to Barrett.
"One hundred and ten percent." No matter which of the four fine Democratic candidates they voted for, they assured Barrett, who has been leading in the polls, that if he is the nominee, they will support him 110%.
The phrase is silly, of course, a humorous bit of hyperbole and not very creative. If I remember correctly it came from a deodorant commercial. But it's the best way to describe how over half of Wisconsin feels right now at this critical moment in our state's history.
A winner has just been declared. The winner is Tom Barrett. Let me be one of the first to say that I am behind our nominee 110%. Union members, farmers, teachers, cops, correctional officers, students, grandparents, cab drivers, college professors, homeless veterans, labor leaders, computer programmers, bus drivers, doctors, state legislators, snow plow drivers, fire fighters. Every one of us is behind Tom Barrett 110%.
Was he everyone's first choice? Not this morning he wasn't, but now the answer is yes. Hell yes! He is our first and only choice. We will once again do a task that many have said we could never do. Tom Barrett is about to be astonished. He has not yet personally experienced the wave of creativity, passion, patriotism and love that has turned Wisconsin politics on its head over the past 15 months. For 15 months we have been focused mainly on who we are against - Scott Walker. We've had times when we could divert some of our energy into a positive flow - during last summer's Senate recalls or when the Wisconsin 14 returned from Illinois, for example - but now we get to train all that energy in one, steady new direction. FORWARD!
Tom Barrett is going to win. We will make it happen. We will not let him lose.
We will still demand accountability from our new governor. We will never again assume anything about the guys who are supposed to be on our side. We will participate and watch. We will complain when necessary and praise when appropriate, but first things first. It is time to unify. One goal, one voice, one hundred and ten percent.
Hang on, Tom Barrett. You are about to experience the ride of your life. Full throttle and then some.
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UPDATE, just to do a quick recap.
Walker wins the Republican primary over "progressive Republican" Arthur Kohl-Riggs.
Tom Barrett wins the Democratic primary for Governor with more than 50% of the votes.
Real Democrats declared winners against fake Democrats:
Mahlon Mitchell (Lt. Gov.)
Lori Compas (Sen-13)
Kristen Dexter (Sen-23)
Donna Seidel (Sen-29)
Real Democrat leading fake Democrat with only 23% reporting:
John Lehman (Sen-21)