There's Something About Mary

I must say, Democrat Mary Burke's campaign for Governor is certainly off to an interesting start.  After basically endorsing her opponent, Governor Scott Walker's $100-million dollar property tax cut bill (which is clearly a campaign talking point to compare to Burke's effort to increase property taxes to the maximum allowable limit every year she has been on the Madison School Board) she is now telling the Associated Press that she is going to make no campaign promises.

That's a unique positioning statement, "I'm not promising you anything.".  It can't reassure an already doubtful union base that has been quick to point out that Burke hired only non-union workers at Trek Bicycle.  Obviously, they want a candidate that they know will make every effort to repeal Act Ten and restore their bargaining powers.  However, that was one of the specific points in the interview that Burke chose to side step.

Burke also provided no stance on taxation--either on the rich or on corporate profits.  That has to worry the Progressive wing of the Democratic party who worry that Burke is just your typical born-rich, corporate hack who won't be willing to soak it to the more successful in society to bail out those not putting in the effort.  (Which reminds me, will we see comments about Mary Burke's status in life like we did from the Left against Senator Ron Johnson?  My favorite is still "Born on third base and think's he hit a triple".)

(And aside #2--will Mary address Trek's relationship with Lance Armstrong?  While she can claim credit for the growth of the company under her watch, much of those sales spikes came as a result of Armstrong riding Trek bikes during his 7 Tour de France titles--and his endorsement of their products.  I'm not saying that Burke or anyone at Trek knew that Armstrong was riding dirty in all of those races, but does she see those profits and that growth as "ill-gotten gains"--similar to the "dirty money" that other "Republican" corporations made by outsourcing work or cutting employees but maintaining production levlels?)

Perhaps learning from Governor Walker, Burke isn't throwing any numbers around for job growth targets either.  I'm sure her handlers have done the math and they know that anything they toss out there will immediately be compared to the number of job losses the state incurred while she was serving as Governor Jim Doyle's Secretary of Commerce.

It's still early, and Burke could still come out with actual stances and plans for the future--but for right now, it looks like her main selling point is going to be "I'm not Scott Walker."