The Battle For The Heart Of RPW Begins In Earnest Sunday

Tommy T is flitting around the state sucking up all the attention in the week before the RPW convention. The charismatic former governor is throwing a lot of heat and precious little light while what passes for leadership dithers and waits to see what he has in mind.

Will Tommy go after Herb Kohl's seat? Even though almost all observers believe that Thompson's ego wouldn't be happy as one voice in a hundred his lack of an announcement has kept anyone else from stepping up to take a shot. Poor Tim Michels is relegated to a card table in the parlor while Thompson entertains the adults in the dining room. If Tommy lets Herb off the hook then Timmy has to convince the people of Wisconsin that he was the best choice all along.

Speaking of best choices; How would you like to be Mark Green this week? Thompson's lack of a directional statement has left Green as "The Best Choice...For Now...Unless..But, Maybe." Any Democratic attention that Tommy attracts for his deficits will also reflect badly on Green's time in the lege. Green can't win in this fight. He won't be able to run against his own record in Washington and Tommy only focuses on Green's performance in Wisconsin. Jef Hall comments on the Thompson/Green spending connection.

Belling shows the depth of support for Green when he urged Thompson to:

Do it, Tommy. Your party and your state need you.

Belling is jumping on a bandwagon that hasn't hitched to a team yet. He goes on to list Green's shortcomings for his mainly right leaning audience in a way that those on the left couldn't match.

Around The Cheddarsphere:

Ben has a take on Tommy's "stay or go?" moment while Shark and Shepherd shares a Suessian perspective. Corey reminds us that Tommy gets headlines for saying nothing while Green can't think of anything lead-worthy and that Green couldn't be bothered to skip a fundraiser to make a vote for veterans but that he didn't skip the vote to hand $70 billion to his corporate benefactors.

Seth has comments on Thomspon's intentions in defining the mission of the Republicans in Wisconsin and on Milwaukee radio's reaction to his waffling. Jim McG gets all whimsical. Dean remains non-committal and remarks on the right side of the Cheddarsphere's quiet on the pending fight. Peter isn't non-committal in the slightest. He says that Thompson isn't a Republican at all. Spivak and Bice come down firmly on both sides (so long as they can cover the spat.) Owen keeps it short and sweet. Steve gives odds and an opinion.