The cast of characters at Milwaukee’s May Day events included radical marxists and socialists organizations, Richard Trumka the head of the AFL-CIO and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.
Their chief target: the man who defeated Barret five months ago, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.
Barrett’s appearance at a labor festival is no shocker. But appearing at an event supported and attended by Marxists, socialists and anarchists may raise a few eyebrows. Especially considering Barrett is now rumored to be open to the idea of challenging Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker in a potential Recall election next year.
The contest would be a rematch of the 2010 race, and over the weekend Barrett gave his most stinging rebuke of Governor Walker to date.
According to the political website WisPolitics.com:
Speaking at the annual Founders Day Dinner on Saturday night, Barrett tore into Walker over his push to change collective bargaining and talked about a possible recall election next year.
“Regardless of who the candidate is, I will be out there with you and we’ll be out there together,” Barrett said, firing up the crowd. “And we will make him listen to the people of the state.”
Barrett also said Walker wasn’t listening to the people of Wisconsin when he dropped a “bomb” on the state.
“When you drop a bomb what do you expect to happen? You either expect to obliterate people or if they survive they’re going to come back and fight like they’ve never fought before,” Barrett said. “I’m here to tell you tonight I’m not, and we’re not done fighting for progressive values in this state.”
Given Barrett’s aspirations, it should surprise no one that hizzoner spent the next day rubbing elbows with the AFL-CIO’s Richard Trumka.
But can Barrett be considered a legitimate standard bearer for the Democrats if he’s willing to also join forces with a cornucopia of left wing radicals like the Marxists and socialists organizations he was with Sunday?
Do they honestly think this is their winning coalition necessary to win votes across Wisconsin and defeat Walker, either in a recall election in 2012 or at the next election in 2014?