For those of you with short attention spans, here are a few of my takes on the stories of the day:
--"Business Leaders Begin Effort To Help Bucks, Bradley Center" says the headline in Monday's Journal/Sentinel . The NBA is still on strike and the Bradley Center still needs work--not just the improvements the local basketball team says it needs to bolster the building's revenue streams but just plain basic maintenance. As it is, the BC doesn't look it's age, at least not to customers, but the lack of a steady funding stream remains an issue no one in this town seems to want to take on. While the Arena, Frontier Airlines Center and the white-elephant that is the Milwaukee Theater enjoy the tax support that comes with being part of the Wisconsin Center District, the Bradley Center is on its own. Ridiculous as that set up is, it's even more insane that it continues. What should be an easy fix is a lingering embarrassment.
--Broke some news on Monday's show as recall organizer Mary Jo Stoelb told us they reached their goal of 41 hundred signatures, meaning they have enough to go after Mayor Bob Ryan. The petitions will be taken to city officials tomorrow, which is the deadline for submission. Recall fatigue dots the Wisconsin landscape with Governor Scott Walker among the targets. The debate about that, and the recalls of other lawmakers, is the stuff of another blog. Ryan's situation is far different. I stick to my original take: situations like Ryan's are exactly what the recall law is designed for. This isn't about his politics, it's about his conduct and how it could affect his performance. He admitted his job woes drove him to his latest fall off the wagon, a three-day drinking binge he originally downplayed. Ryan vowed to continue alcoholism treatment and to quit if he lapsed again, and his supporters say that what the mayor does on his own time is his own business. Personally, I think a mayor is always on the job, 24/7, as events warrant. Ryan's lapses call into question his readiness. His quest for treatment is to be lauded, but his judgment is definitely in play and voters can now decide if they want him to finish out his term.
--Bernie Madoff's relatives are out in force, telling their stories to "60 Minutes", Barbara Walters and NBC's "Today" show. It comes as the widow of Madoff's son unveils a new book on their life together, as well as the dad's Ponzi scheme that led to the son's suicide. As fascinating and sad as the Madoff saga is, I'm guessing more than a few of you are having a hard time conjuring up much in the way of sympathy for the family. Madoff certainly gets none as he makes his case to Walters behind bars. He should shut up and rot. As for his relatives, there are sure to be those who figure they HAD to know what the Old Man was up to, content to live with the secret while rolling in ill-gotten dough. I don't know that for a fact, but it's safe to say the sins of the father certainly made life miserable for those who shared the Madoff name.
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