Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by David Wise
WI governor’s race coming down to Hong vs Stop-Hong
Like any public opinion poll, there’s enough wiggle room to satisfy Harry Truman’s two-handed economist* in the latest Marquette Law School poll released today. For one thing, it was conducted before Sara Rodriquez pulled out and David Crowley got back in, which limits its predictive value. Professor Charles Franklin’s poll showed nonetheless than Francesca Hong had nearly doubled her support among Democrat(ic) voters to 26% from 14% in the last poll, conducted in April.
Nine big problems for Democrats running for WI governor
No matter who Democrats wind up nominating for governor, they’re already backed up against their own goal line against Republican Tom Tiffany. (If we can use an analogy from the real game of football. The one that has what we like to call “action” and “excitement.”) If Tom Tiffany is smart (we think he is) he will keep some daylight between himself and the unpopular election conspiracist in the White House, who is all about Himself and No One Else.
New jail is already over-crowded
Did we warn you? Did we tell our Platinum Subscribers that the anti-cop progressives who run Dane County were making a big mistake? Didn’t we say they were building a new jail that would be too small on Day One? Which is where we’re at.
We’re keeping chairman Schimming
Fair warning: Blaska is going to convention this weekend and he’s loaded for bear. Blaska’s mission is to prevent a self-inflicted blood letting in full view of a hostile news media. What should be a moon-shot send-off for Tom Tiffany for governor and Eric Toney for attorney general may disintegrate into an attempt to shoot down hard-working and popular party chairman Brian Schimming.
Waukesha County is RINO country
Three days after an abortion-without-limits lobbyist won election, we’re thinking even Trump-Only Republicans (RITOs) should welcome back into the party a few more RINOs like Brian Hagedorn on Wisconsin’s supposedly non-partisan Supreme Court. Hagedorn, former chief counsel for Gov. Scott Walker, incurred the enmity of MAGA world when he cast the deciding vote refusing to overturn Donald Trump’s 2020 defeat here in Wisconsin and thus, the presidency itself.
We’re no Peggy Noonan but …
Hey Mr. Know-It-All (that beloved Rocky & Bullwinkle savant), why did the President’s address to the nation last night leave us colder than yesterday’s oatmeal? Maybe because we remember Ronald Reagan and how he could salve the nation’s soul in times of trouble. We heard FDR’s recorded fireside chats and Churchill’s promise of blood, sweat, and tears.
Robin Vos never subscribed to the Big Lie
Not many Assembly speakers have cut so wide a swath as Robin Vos or engendered so much bilious spite — from members of his own Republican party. A record 14 years leading the majority party is itself historic, especially considering that my Republicans are less disciplined than feral cats on catnip. Republicans (too many self-employed small business people) just don’t fall in line like the community organizers in the other party.
Whistle a stupid tune
Where is an unmarked police car not unmarked? In Madison WI. Where are undercover plain-clothed officers clearly marked as the constabulary? Here in Progressive Madison WI. Where can scofflaws speed off into the sunset unmolested? In Defund the Cops Madison WI — at least until unfettered police in nearby Monona track them down.
Keeping an uncivil tongue
President Trump says he is bypassing this year’s Super Bowl being played on the West Coast — too far to go, says the man on Air Force One. A shame because even violent sports like football demand fair play. The Seattle Seahawks likely will start Tariq Woolen, even though their cornerback’s unsportsmanlike conduct almost cost his team the Super Bowl.
The Big Lie is 5 years old
Tuesday is the five-year anniversary. January 6 is a date that many of my non-RINO Republicans would rather sweep down the memory hole. The more delusional, subconsciously shamed by that abortive insurrection, concoct grassy knoll scenarios to shift blame and exonerate the guilty. Trump, so the theory goes, was robbed by Deep State Democrats and also by RINO Republicans who, inexplicably, wanted Joe Biden.
Sen. Johnson intervenes in Troupis electors case
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson is asking the Department of Justice to review the case brought by Wisconsin’s attorney general against retired Dane County circuit judge James Troupis “to determine whether any wrongdoing has occurred.” Judge Troupis represented Donald Trump in his challenge of Wisconsin’s 2020 presidential election results, which narrowly favored Joe Biden. In his letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, dated Thursday 12-11-2025, Sen.
We thought it was a good idea
But what do we know? A slew of elections looms on the calendar — city, county, and school boards galore, all non-partisan, supposedly. That won’t stop the Democratic Party of Dane County WI from endorsing candidates across the board. And funding them; and setting them up with web designers, campaign lit artists, door-to-door canvassers, and proven voter lists.
Were Democrats blinded by the light?
Being tormented again today by gorgeous photographs of the Northern Lights populating our social media feed. Not from Norway or Nome but right here in Madison WI. Hellz bellz, they’re seeing them in Arizona! Once again Wednesday night 11-12-25 the Head Groundskeeper ventured out from the Stately Manor into the wilds of the Town of Middleton to view the aurora borealis. Once again, nothing but black skies coming our way. What are we doing wrong?
Nothing is too big or small for progressives
“Everybody in America knows our current health care system is broke, it is dysfunctional, it is cruel … by far the most expensive health care system in the world.” Bernie Sanders said that. Them’s his own words, delivered on the floor of the Senate Monday 11-10-25. Fifteen years after a Democrat signed “ObamaCare” into law. That is what 40 Days and 40 Nights of the Schumer Shutdown was all about. Bailing out the Democrats’ broke, dysfunctional, and cruel health care system.
Give it up, people!
They’re still at it! You’ll never guess who was responsible for the insurrection that attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Not the peace-in-the valley Proud Boys nor the kumbaya Oath Keepers. Not even Mike Pence for “failing to do the right thing.” No, the villain of 01-06-21 was — are you ready for this? That wily 4-D chess grandmaster, Nancy Pelosi! Who sez? The noisy coterie of Election Deniers who continue to beclown my Republican party, is who sez.
Prosecute your enemies
If Donald Trump can bring peace to the Middle East maybe the strum und drang of this presidency will have been worth it. (Norway should worry how he’ll react to the Nobel Peace Prize sleight.) Now maybe the President can bring peace to these shores! This 33-year dues-paying RINO experiences a fair amount of borborygmus as the President forces his political enemies to do the perp walk. It’s historic, this Presidential dragnet. Jefferson tried former vice president Aaron Burr for treason in 1807.
Woke just got canceled in prime time
The biggest news story of the day: Bari Weiss is hiring on to run CBS News. Reason magazine, libertarian in its politics, summed it up: “Bari Weiss Has Won the War on Wokeness in Media.” It’s that big. Ms. Weiss co-founded an on-line publication called “The Free Press” after giving “a blistering kiss-off” (in the words of the Wall Street Journal) to the New York Times, where she had been an opinion writer until cancel culture came for her.
Disagreement is not evil
My fellow Republicans lose the argument when they call our political adversaries schoolyard names like “Demon-rats.” Progressives might be more credible if they would dial back the hyperbole. Donald Trump is not Hitler — not even close. Nor does the President represent the “end of democracy,” Gov. Pritzker. Like the idiots who burn flags, you are telling the world you’re out of intellectual ammunition.
Free speech and the Constitution took a bullet
— Gov. Bryan Cox, Utah Maybe we were too old to fully appreciate Charlie Kirk in his too-short lifetime, but the young man was engaged in free and open debate on the issues of our time where it mattered most: on our blinkered college campuses. (His “Prove Me Wrong” tour visited UW-Madison 09-04-2024.) Sure, he was provocative. To some commentators we’ve heard, that was a defect. The implication being that if you poke the sacred cow expect to get gored.
Is Justice Bradley the canary in the coal mine?
Is Micah Parsons the second coming of Reggie White? Creating almost as many shockwaves as the Packers signing the mega-millions edge rusher away from the Cowboys is the retirement announced Friday 08-29-25 on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Conservative jurist Rebecca Bradley will not seek another term — a gut punch to Republicans. Her fundraising might have been a clue — she had done none.
Shooting children as young as 6 years of age praying in their church at the start of a school day is about as depraved as it gets. The shooter was someone who “transitioned” from male to female. 23-year-old Robin Westman could not have been in his/her/whatever right mind. Got to be crazy to do something so hateful. Maybe he was crazy before he became a she. Maybe the other way around. A subject for further study. Maybe Bobby Kennedy Jr. will trace it back to the recombinant Covid 19 vaccine.
WI GOP looking for someone to make the peace
We’ve been monitoring the rumblings among the deepening factions of the Wisconsin Republican party with morbid fascination. Yes, it is a party in transition — reinvigorated by the Tea Party 15 years ago, broadened by Trump 10 years ago. Republicans snatched working people from the party of FDR, we’re winning minorities, but we’re smarting from recent defeats. Got the issues on our side.
Democrats are stuck on fly paper
The Head Groundskeeper is old enough to remember fly paper — a mainstay of every farm house in those days. Suspended from the light fixture over the kitchen table, a sticky strip of inch-wide paper buzzed with the desperate death struggle of the common housefly, inches above our daily bread. We thought of that background buzzing after the arrest of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan, from all the usual suspects. Our progressive Democrat(ic) … acquaintances cannot help themselves.
What’s it all about, Alfie?
At some point, the law of diminishing returns kicks in, we tell the good gummint goo goos who want to limit campaign spending, especially after the hundred million dollars spent on the recent and lamentable WI Supreme Court race. How many prematurely released pedophiles — beyond the wildest nightmares of the kookiest QAnon addict — can a campaign postulate before voters become anesthetized? It’s like images of grieving mothers out of Gaza — sorry, we get it, already.
Democrats need to lighten up
We bribed the orderly to allow us to stay up late and watch The Trump Show starring Jim Carrey Tuesday night 03-04-25 on the Manor’s b&w Philco. Not since the shoot-out at the Oval Office last Friday have we enjoyed such political bread and circus! Tuesday’s State of Disunion address had it all! The Nielsen ratings aren’t in yet for the President’s Siegfried and Roy act but we’re guessing his numbers challenge the Oscar telecast.
Immigrants are eating our cats!
There’s usually one big takeaway from every debate, especially at the Presidential level. From Tuesday nights must-watch TV, Blaska’s lasting impression was this: Donald Trump’s scowling face. One look the whole two hours. Reminded the groundlings splayed out on the carpet in front of the b&w Philco of Big Brother from the Orwell book. Maybe the nation is going down the tubes (dare we say it?) like you’ve never seen before.” Maybe we are a failing nation; seriously in decline, being laughed at.
Kamala for the prosecution
On the nekkid lady calendar out in the carriage house, we’re circling Tuesday, September 10. That night at 8 CDT the first (and maybe only) debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will air on ABC TV. We’re installing fresh new vacuum tubes in the b&w Philco and wearing raincoats for the blood spatter. Kamala is going to kill. Her opponent is going to throw more spaghetti on the wall than Oscar in the Odd Couple (it’s linguini!) but none of it is going to stick.
Fake elector scheme began in Wisconsin
The liberal law firm that brought suit against the WI alternate presidential electors makes the case that the scheme that culminated in the January 6 (2021) assault on the Constitution began here in Wisconsin. Law Forward has put out a timeline of that effort, much reliant on a stream of e-mails between Wisconsin attorneys Kenneth Chesebro and James Troupis, our friend.
Uncle Joe buys votes of college deadbeats
The platform of the Democrat(ic) Party can be summarized in three words: More Free Stuff. While we were distracted by the partial eclipse of the sun Monday, the President of the United States dropped out of the sky to reinforce that single truth here in Madison WI. The irony is that the President chose Madison (Technical) College, not the University of Wisconsin campus, to unveil his latest scheme to cancel $146 Billion in student loans.
But is he FIT?
This just in: Joe Biden won Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election. That means Donald Trump is eligible to run for president in 2024 after all because it won’t be his third term! The 10 “fake electors” who signed and submitted electoral college ballots declaring Trump Wisconsin’s winner have bailed out of a civil lawsuit brought by Democrats by acknowledging what is obvious to everyone but Donald Trump and his cult.
‘False electors’ may be a scheme
but is it a crime — or a legal stratagem? Even this 33-year dues-paying RINO can differentiate between the attempted insurrection of January 6 (2021) and the so-called “false electors” scheme. The former was criminal and violent. It did succeed, albeit for only about 12 hours. The latter did not succeed and falls within the rubric of the previous court challenges, however much a Hail Mary. Hardly criminal.
When will Madison get restored! Last we checked, John Nichols has not been run out of Mayberry for hawking the progressive snake oil of “restorative justice.” Neither has he folded his tent. “Restorative justice” is the hair of the dog that bit ya wherever critical race theory is practiced. Just not so much in Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco after 06-07-22. Tuesday’s recall of their soft-on-cime district attorney is what they call “an inflection point.” The day the Left’s earth stood still.
Things that can beat us in November and go bump in the night! Blaska may be paranoid but that doesn’t mean he’s stupid. The race between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan was neck and neck until voters overcame Bedtime for Bonzo in the last week. How, given another week, Hubert Humphrey would have beaten Richard Nixon. George W. Bush was cruising until the October surprise of a drunk driving conviction.
Voters are the grandest of juries Purge not, lest ye be purged! The Werkes labors to free the Republican party of crazy and stupid. Madison Cawthorn, Lorene Boebert, Matt Gaetz, Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs are toxic to our brand. The red queen of crazy is Marjorie Taylor Greene. We tuned in to C-Span to watch, live, her inquisition by a Left-wing interest group before a state government tribunal that will determine whether the Georgia Republican will be stricken from the ballot.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with David
Contact David, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack