Monday, August 23, 2010

Crickets on the Right

UPDATED BELOW

Dan Bice's story in the Journal Sentinel on August 8th about the outrageous behavior in office of Tea Party Talk Radio (TPTR) sheriff David Clarke generated an interesting response from Clarke's usual friendly mouthpieces on local wing-nut radio.

Crickets.

Apparently, the word went out on the GOP talking points regularly distributed to Belling, Sykes, et al, that there was no defense to Clarke's disturbing meeting with one of his employees who happened to be an officer in the deputies union and that they should just ignore the article.  Even bottom-feeders of the free Republican advertising outlet known as "talk-radio", such as Jay Weber and Vicki McKenna, who usually have a direct hot-line to the sheriff any time he wants to promote himself or his phony campaign as a Democrat, kept away from discussing Clarke's profane, boorish and -- in terms of labor relations -- probably illegal behavior.  The Silence Edict from whoever feeds these people their unoriginal lines was certainly in effect the first couple days after the story was published and, as far as I know (I can only listen to so much of this crap), they still haven't said anything about it.

And, as is the case with too many of their campaigns and strategies, it worked.  Bice's story about the worst personal behavior ever alleged against an elected  in Milwaukee County should have been a bombshell, but quickly drifted into the background noise of the gratefully forgotten.  Even the outrageous assertion by Clarke stooge Edward Baily, who was present during the tirade, that "the sheriff makes the policies [prohibiting discourteousness]; he's not subject to them" couldn't get the increasingly wimpy Journal Sentinel editorial board off its ass to express the slightest dismay.

Chalk up another victory in the relentless talk-radio campaign to promote and protect Tea Party Republicans in an election year; even if, like Clarke, they falsify their nomination papers by claiming to be a Democrat.  The use of Republican talk-radio to frame and ignore the issues on a 24/7 basis is the biggest obstacle Wisconsin faces to clean elections and good government.

UPDATE:  It is interesting to hear the response of the Clarke campaign operative -- he knows who he is and so do I -- pitifully hiding behind the Anonymous label to try to change the issue in the comments below. For all the phony tough-guy posturing of his boss, you'd think he'd have more balls and be a little more forthcoming.
And the issue he tries to change to is whether Clarke's primary challenger, Chris Moews -- who is just as qualified as Clarke was before he hitched his political career to the right-wing star -- is really a Democrat because a board he was on endorsed McCain. Even if Moews did cast his vote for such an endorsement, it doesn't make him less of a Democrat - lots of Democrats voted for McCain; a lot more Republicans voted for Obama without losing their overall affiliation.

This phony "issue" is a cheap dodge to avoid dealing with Clarke's cynical political ploy to be listed as a Democrat on the ballot because that's the only kind of candidates that get elected in partisan county-wide races in Milwaukee. The fact is that Clarke's very filing of nomination papers as a fraud and a lie designed to get him elected to a position to which he couldn't possibly get elected if his nut-right tea party Republican affiliations were more well-known.
 
Also laughable is the campaign stooge's claim in the comments that "Clarke DID respond to the Bice story."  Clarke's press release -- put out on Office of the Sheriff, not campaign, letterhead -- was a classic non-denial denial.  Most of the tripe in the release is an attack on the deputy that was subjected to Clarke's two-hour temper tantrum as a "political operative".  He vaguely states that the meeting was "misrepresented" and that the meeting was "very different", but tellingly does not deny the essentials.  In fact, he pretty much confirms his contempt for anyone not named David Clarke by claiming the sole mantle of people-protection;  saying he "will aggressively put that responsibility above all others", including, we can assume, the labor contract he is bound to, commmon decency and the law.  
 
What is entirely clear in this entire episode is that David Clarke is an arrogant menace with a badge, which is a bad combination.  Who the hell does David Clarke think he is?

14 comments:

Jay Bullock said...

Clearly, our best option is to petition the national wingnuts, like Malkin or Red State, and tell them that a black Democrat sheriff was engaging in this behavior and the local media is ignoring it. The just let nature take it's course.

Anonymous said...

If this sissy of a sergeant can't take a dressing-down by his boss, how the hell is he going to handle the pressure when lives are on the line in the heat of a gunfight?

And if this guy's feelings were soooo hurt, why did he wait FORTY-FIVE days before whining to the media about it?

The truth is that the voting public doesn't care about internal crap like this. What they care about it whether their parks, lakefront, and freeways are safe. They don't care about an employee (one who has publicly campaigned against his boss) whose feelings have been hurt.

Anonymous said...

Is it possible that the story never broke because those privy to the details understand that there is no story and it's campaigning by labor unions? The ALLEGED incident was a reaction to an extreme event. I can honestly say I am encouraged that my Sheriff would act passionately about securing a DEADLY facility, and vehemently disagree with someone who was second-guessing his authority.

In the same way you are accusing an office holder of using talk radio, the story was an attempt to obtain free campaign coverage by an unqualified, underfunded candidate and his supporters (i.e., disgruntled labor unions). If you want to talk hypocrisy, let's go...

Ask Moews, the self-appointed "True Democrat," who he endorsed while on the Milwaukee Police Association board in the most recent Presidential election. I'll give you a hint, his last name didn't start with an "O." Funny that hasn't been picked up by Crickets on the Left.

Anonymous said...

The MPA board endorsed McCain but the endorsement wasn't unanimous - check the press release they did on it. Furthermore, it was a voice vote, so you basically have NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that Moews supported McCain. His mom was an Obama volunteer for godsake (I know because I volunteered with her) and she said her son was voting for Obama.

As far as the Bice story goes, I figure the reason they didn't talk about it was because Clarke's campaign explicitly asked them not to, as he's in an election and probably wants this thing to go away. Too bad the voters will remember anyway.

Anonymous said...

Oh, well, Moews' mommy says her little boy voted for Obama so therefore it's got to be true.

Moews ADMITTED today on radio that he was on the board that voted to endorse McCain, he didn't back down or say that he didn't endorse him. Whoops. From the horse's mouth no less.

And Clarke DID respond to the Bice story. Do you your research anony.

Anonymous said...

So Moews votes to endorse McCain and that makes him a 'true democrat?' Am I missing something? Keep spinning...

And a republican can't get elected in Milwaukee County? Then explain how uber-conservative/Republican candidate Walker keeps getting re-elected? Maybe voter fraud that isn't happening accord to local/state Dems?

Your contempt for Clarke is borderline psychotic. You'd endorse a Ham Sandwich over Clarke.

Gasp! Clarke talks to and is friends with Sykes! Reality is that he's on-air with WOKY and WMCS more but don't let the facts get in the way of a good wing-nut rant.

Mike Plaisted said...

Endorsing McCain doesn't make you a "true Democrat" but it doesn't prevent it. Being a member of the Democratic Party makes you a Democrat. Clarke has expressly refused to be a card-carrying member Democratic Party, has he not?

I didn't say a Republican couldn't get elected in Milwaukee County -- I said a Republican couldn't get elected in a partisan election. County Executive is not a partisan election. Although it should, it doesn't say "Republican" next to Walker's name on the ballot. If it did, he would still be following Scooter Jensen around, looking for political scraps.

Clarke isn't "friends" with Sykes. They roll over in bed in the morning and give each other hugs and smootches. Also, does he really spend more time on WOKY and WMCS than he does playing kissy-face with Weber, Sykes, Wagner and McKenna? When does he find the time to abuse his employees, dream up boot camps and find other ways to continue to mess up the House of Correction? There just isn't enough time in the day to fit all that self-promotion in his busy schedule. Besides, he spends time on WMCS for the same reason most of his campaign posters are in the inner city -- so their listeners will forget that guy in the posters is a fire-breathing tea-party nut-bag.

Finally -- I don't need a ham sandwich. I have the fully competent and qualified Chris Moews.

Anonymous said...

Yes, qualified, the man who oversees 6 people as a detective. Boy he sure is ready to manage 1200+ employees.

Clarke has also refused to join any party, has he not? Also, has Moews been a card-carrying member of the Democrat Party? I'm guessing he joined this year when he realized in late-May that he wanted to be Sheriff. But alas, it doesn't matter, just him saying he's a democrat is enough for the lemmings on the wing-nut left.

Come on, every voter knows that Walker is a republican...he was one before he was Co Exec...and he's still one as a Gov candidate. Nice try.

Mess up the House of Correction? Do your homework Mikey. Your client base will have to realize that jail means JAIL. http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/90035522.html

Rudy said...

Anonymous,

Sadly, I assume i work with you, (probably my superior- as you have drank the Kool-Aid, and likely received a "yes man promotion").

I see your fear as it permeates from your on going posts...it's as if you post- think about it and get even more mad- and then post again. Your days of Clarke protecting you so long as you kiss ass are nearly done. You will not be able to kiss ass under the new Sheriff.

Enjoy while it lasts, while the rest of us sane deputies will live through three months of lame duck Clarke that SHERIFF Moews will have to fix.

Anonymous said...

Well, as one of at least two people posting anonymously, I highly doubt I work with you, but you can be as paranoid as you want.

The fact is, Clarke has excelled in cutting costs and securing the House of Corrections, all the while making our parks safer places to visit. The problem is, this has come at the expense of the left wing beloved deputy union. Of course they're not happy and they'd do anything to back Clarke into a corner. Including embellish a story (remember that point from earlier?) about a fervent sheriff doing his job. I don't want to hear about some wimp in law enforcement who can't take being yelled at, and cries about it nearly two months later.

Rudy said...

Clarke is TMZ. He smiles for the cameras like the two faced person he is. You know he lost all class and temper in the meeting...over a tragic death--something he is supposed to have a pre-planned response to at any given moment.

Gee... How many times weekly does MPD deal with tragic deaths/homicides/officer shootings? I don't see Ed Flynn or his predecessor Nan Hegarty getting all bent out of shape when the $%#^ hits the fan. Why? Because they know how to handle tough situations and still follow their officer's contract. Clarke gets his one tragedy per election cycle (remember Alexis Patterson?), flips out in a "sky is falling mentality", and holds excessive press conferences.

His leadership style is divide and conquer, rotate disposable "yes men", deflect arguments that he's a politician,and quote other famous leaders.

The sad thing? Previous to Clarke scaling the agency in half, we had a plan: Jail skeleton crew and use the extra 50-70 deputy sheriff's to calm an emergency. Too bad Clarke cut that option. I didn't see any Correction's Officers guarding O'Donnell Park. I guess he created his own mess.

I'm very sorry your hero will be a loser three weeks from today.

Anonymous said...

I'm guessing that Flynn would get pissed if a low-ranking officer decided to publicly undermine and second-guess him after a tragedy like O'Donnell Park happened under his watch. Oh wait, since Flynn isn't elected his employees can't publicly campaign against him and run to the media (with the backing of the union) to whine, bitch, and moan about how hard their job is.

With $500 in his campaign account as of June 30, how do you expect Moews to get his name out to all county voters and tell his story? If this was such an important and winnable race as you say, where's the county party to help him? Where's the state party? Shouldn't they be flooding his campaign with money and running ads for him on their behalf non-stop?

Rudy said...

Ah, man you're right. Shucks never thought of that one!

I guess Moews has no money and no strategy. Darn!!! *Sarcasm*

Anonymous said...

Every time I see Clarke in his cowboy hat I think: this is a guy that is all hat and no cattle.

This election is will be mostly Democrats voting in the Democratic primary and Clarke --a DINO Democrat in Name Only-- will probably be beat.

Lt. Moews is a respected law enforcement professional. Clarke is a tea party right wing nut.

A retired cop.