Franklyn Becker and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee

The way the Catholic Church chose to deal with sexually abusive priests is incomprehensible to me.

As a Catholic myself, I react with shock, anger, and disgust.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Hundreds of pages of just-released documents that the Milwaukee Catholic Archdiocese compiled over four decades reveal a coverup of pedophilia that involved top church leaders and touched a prominent law-enforcement official.

The documents, which a California court released as part of a $16.65 million settlement of civil lawsuits in that state, paint more than just another graphic story of a priest who sexually abused children: They could be a harbinger of things to come for the church here as victims of abuse press their cases in the courts and the Legislature.

The archdiocese fought to keep sealed the documents, which focus on Franklyn Becker, an archdiocesan priest who has been accused of sexually abusing nine teenage boys in Wisconsin and one in California, the first case dating to just two years after his ordination.

The records indicate that as early as 1983, church officials sought the advice of E. Michael McCann, then Milwaukee County district attorney, about a priest's record of sex abuse, without identifying Becker by name. The documents say McCann, a Catholic, advised the church to take the priest out of ministry "for about five years, and if no complaints come forth in that time perhaps he can be given another chance."

McCann said Thursday that at the time, he was not told of any criminal activity involving Becker.

He said the conversation about Becker, referred to in a 1983 document, involved a phone call from an archdiocesan official who spoke of concerns about a priest who was "spending way too much time with a particular boy." McCann recalled being told that the boy's mother supported her son's relationship with the priest. The boy had made no allegations of inappropriate conduct, and there were no allegations of criminal misconduct, McCann said.

"Do you think, for God's sake, if they told me he committed a crime that I would say keep him away (from the boy) for five years? . . . If they told me he had committed a crime, I would have acted on it," McCann said.

But a log entry made by Father Joseph Janicki, vicar for the archdiocese at the time, indicates McCann told him the priest "has been given adequate warnings and enough chances and that he should not be assigned anywhere where he could come in contact with youngsters."

Michael Finnegan, an attorney working for the victims, said McCann's recollection that he had been told of only one boy, and that no one chose to make a complaint, seemed inconsistent with the document.

I don't know how accurately McCann can recall events that took place 25 years ago.

Who knows what McCann knew, when he knew it, what he said, when he said it?

Of more concern to me is that this Becker was a known pedophile, "accused of sexually abusing nine teenage boys in Wisconsin and one in California."

TMJ4 reports:

The Archdiocese now admits to having reports of Becker’s abuse from as far back as the 1970's, but very little was done to stop it.

He was sent to nine different parishes in southeastern Wisconsin over 20 years. Becker was finally restricted from ministry in 2002. Months later, he was arrested for sexual assault.

That's inexcusable. I don't know how anyone could permit it.

NINE different parishes?

NINE?

...Becker's misconduct and that of the late Siegfried Widera, another archdiocesan priest who served for a time in California, cost the archdiocese millions in out-of-court settlements in California, as well as legal fees and payments for psychological treatment for both the victims and the abusive priests.

The archdiocese has acknowledged that it knows of more than 40 priests who have been credibly accused of sexual misconduct, but it has refused to release clergy personnel files - such as those released in California.

Last year, the Wisconsin Supreme Court opened a door to lawsuits by victims of sex abuse by priests, saying the church could be sued for fraud for not telling the public about abusive priests before placing them in public ministry. At least seven people have already filed suit.

Further, a bill is pending in the Legislature that would allow lawsuits to be brought despite the age of the allegations - a step that would remove what has been a principal roadblock for victims.

The archdiocese said this week that it faced a $3 million deficit in the current fiscal year and that further cases could push it toward bankruptcy.

Jeff Anderson, a lawyer from St. Paul, Minn., who represents victims here, called the release of that news a "shameful public relations tactic, timed to the release of these documents."

It's not a shameful public relations tactic to put out news of the reality that the archdiocese faces a deficit in the millions and it's likely to grow, possibly to the point of bankruptcy.

It is what it is.

When the abuse victims are awarded money, it's got to come from someplace. The archdiocese's funds aren't unlimited.

As the Church in southeastern Wisconsin faces this crisis, we are so blessed to have Archbishop Timothy Dolan.

Read Archbishop Dolan's Letter to the Catholic Community.

He writes:

[O]ur faith tells us that our Church must acknowledge that poor decisions were made, regardless of how these decisions were reached. And, the Church’s decisions about Becker were badly misguided.

So what do we do next? Do we hide in the corner while the scab of this mess is once again picked open? No! The good work of Jesus Christ and His Church continues, despite this mess and despite any of us. The mistakes of the past do not change the needs of our people today, the needs of today’s community, or the needs of our world.

Nor, do these things diminish the good work that has been done over the past years as the Archdiocese of Milwaukee has ardently worked with victims/survivors and the wider community to bring healing and resolution. Nothing changes our commitment to continue to work together to ensure that we do everything in our power to protect our children and young people of today and tomorrow.

...May I ask that you please pray for people who are victims/survivors of sexual abuse, especially for those whose abuse came about by clergy and Church personnel?

May I also ask that you pray for our Church, especially our Church in southeastern Wisconsin, that the Holy Spirit continue to guide us and give us strength to get through this, and that His Church be cleansed, purified and renewed by the agony of this scandal, sin and suffering.

Archbishop Dolan is dealing with the crisis openly. He's not sugarcoating or withholding this very disturbing information. He's not making excuses for the wrongs.

The mistakes of the past weren't of his making yet it's left to him to guide the Church in southeastern Wisconsin through this. What an enormous, difficult task!

I think he's handling it with great compassion and grace.

There's still a long way to go but I have faith there will be healing.

Ann Coulter Endorses Hillary Clinton

Some conservatives are really going off the deep end over the thought of John McCain being the Republican nominee.

I feel their pain. I really do. But they need to get a grip.

For example, take Ann Coulter.

She writes:

GOP TO EDWARDS: HOW MUCH FOR THAT CONCESSION SPEECH?

The Democrats are trying to give away an election they should win in a walk by nominating someone with real problems -- like, for example, a first-term senator with a 100 percent rating from Americans for Democratic Action and whose middle name is "Hussein."

But we won't let them.

The bright side of the Florida debacle is that I no longer fear Hillary Clinton. (I mean in terms of her becoming president -- on a personal level, she's still a little creepy.) I'd rather deal with President Hillary than with President McCain. With Hillary, we'll get the same ruinous liberal policies with none of the responsibility.

Also, McCain lies a lot, which is really more a specialty of the Democrats.

...[W]hy would any Republican vote for McCain?

At least under President Hillary, Republicans in Congress would know that they're supposed to fight back. When President McCain proposes the same ideas -- tax hikes, liberal judges and Social Security for illegals -- Republicans in Congress will support "our" president -- just as they supported, if only briefly, Bush's great ideas on amnesty and Harriet Miers.

You need little flags like that for Republicans since, as we know from the recent unpleasantness in Florida, Republicans are unalterably stupid.

Republicans who vote for McCain are trying to be cute, like the Democrats were four years ago by voting for the "pragmatic" candidate, Vietnam vet John Kerry. This will turn out to be precisely as clever a gambit as nominating Kerry was, the brilliance of which was revealed on Election Day 2004.

I don't know why Coulter would use her column before Super Tuesday to deliver a defeatist rant.

Why surrender at this point?

It seems that it would have been wiser for her to use her soapbox to promote Romney rather than whine about the stupidity of Republicans.

There are legitimate problems with McCain, lots of them.

Enough with detailing his many, many flaws. Coulter and other prominent voices should be making the case to vote for Romney, play up his qualifications.

This hissy fit over McCain's success to date isn't productive.

The best way to stop McCain is to present an attractive, viable alternative.

You know, accentuate the positive, that sort of thing.

"I'd rather deal with President Hillary than with President McCain."

No. Definitely not.
___________________

Watch Coulter's breakdown on Hannity and Colmes.

She's in the same league as P.T. Barnum.

When she vows to campaign for Hillary because she's far superior to McCain, Colmes begins to squirm. I think he realized that the last thing Hillary needs is such an enthusiastic endorsement from Coulter.

IT WAS HOLMGREN'S FAULT!

I love this article. It substantiates what I've believed for the past ten years.

It was Holmgren.

Bob McGinn writes:

Even now, 10 years after the fact, the cut is deep, the memories fresh and the recrimination endless.

Each time that Ron Wolf tries to get past the Green Bay Packers' 31-24 upset defeat at the hands of the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII, he remembers how the course of history might have and, in his strong opinion, should have been altered.

The retired general manager holds former coach Mike Holmgren primarily responsible for the crushing setback in San Diego, possibly the most haunting in the franchise's 87-year existence.

"Certain calls were to be made that weren't made," Wolf said during a trip to Green Bay in August. "Mike Holmgren refused those calls. There would have been an adjustment on the blocking scheme and it would have been over.

"One of the great things about playing the game of football is you have to adjust. When you fail to adjust in critical situations you're going to lose, and that's what happened here. To be pig-headed about it, I mean, to have the answer and then not apply it, that's a little different."

Wolf was referring to the Packers' inability to handle the blitzing of Broncos defensive coordinator Greg Robinson that changed the complexion of the entire game.

It wasn't a great day for any number of key Green Bay participants, including the late Fritz Shurmur, coordinator of the defense; quarterback Brett Favre; and defensive end Reggie White. But Wolf kept coming back to Holmgren because the simplest solution was his and he didn't execute it.

How was Wolf, who seldom concerned himself with X's and O's, made aware that Holmgren mishandled the offense?

"I found this out about four years ago," Wolf said. "Two people told me about it that were in a position to know. I could tell you who they were but they wouldn't tell you. They were coaches."

...When told of Wolf's remarks, safety LeRoy Butler said there was no doubt in his mind that the issue was Holmgren's refusal to keep more blockers in for pass protection.

"He's my favorite coach of all time," Butler said. "But he wanted five eligible (receivers) out. Keeping guys in was too boring for him. He was trying to show off."

...Some will say the Packers were the victims of their own press clippings. The blame game will be played for as long as Packers fans toss back beers at neighborhood taverns.

In the locker room that night, Wolf would say unforgettably, "We're a one-year wonder, just a fart in the wind." And after being stunned 12 days ago in the NFC Championship Game, the Packers still haven't returned to the Big One.

I admit that I still have a hard time with the Super Bowl loss.

It shouldn't have happened.

I don't plan on really watching too much of the game on Sunday. I'll be happy to enjoy the party, the commercials, and half-time, but I'm not in the mood for dwelling on the what might have been on the field.

John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, and Jay Leno

While in California to pick up the endorsement of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, John McCain was a guest on the Tonight Show.

It was Republican night!

Jay Leno always sucks up to McCain. Introducing him, Leno said his rebounding from a DOA campaign was an "amazing story."

McCain was clearly relaxed. He had the glow of a front-runner. He seemed positively buoyant. There was no trace of the angry, expletive-spewing McCain. It was all jovial Mr. Nice Guy.

He started with a lawyer joke, following the "lawyers telling lawyer jokes" bit that Leno had done in the segment before McCain came out.

Referring to the state of his campaign months ago, McCain quoted Chairman Mao, "It's always darkest before it's totally black."

Leno said that it wasn't a good idea to quote Mao while campaigning to be President of the United States.

McCain talked about being in Iraq with his friend Lindsey Graham. To cheers, he said, "We're winning."

Then, it was on to global warming. "Climate change is real in my view."

He said that "The Terminator" believes that, too. Apparently, Leno's audience must skew toward believers in man-made global warming.

McCain brought up that Chuck Norris said he was too old.

He said, "Schwarzenegger's gonna take care of him."

It seemed like McCain had a good deal of prepared material that he wanted to get out.

After a commercial break, Leno mentioned that McCain and Mitt Romney were a little "snippy" during the debate.

About Romney, McCain said, "Well, it got a little rough. I understand that we're getting near the end here. And I think we've got some momentum. Governor Schwarzenegger, the governor of Florida, Charlie Crist..."

Leno asked, "Do you like Romney?"

McCain responded, "Oh, yeah. I think he's a very fine family man. I think he's a good man. I just think I'm obviously more qualified. So we got some momentum..."

The audience interrupted him with cheers.

"So, it got a little rough; but you try to avoid that as much as you can."

McCain gave a shout-out to the man he owes at least some of his success. He said, "This guy Governor Huckabee is a good guy. He really is. He's a good sincere person."

McCain also mentioned Fred Thompson.

Gee, Ron Paul must feel slighted. He gets no respect, no respect at all.

Leno brought up "conservative radio, Rush Limbaugh especially," saying that the Republican Party is dead if McCain gets the nomination.

Leno asked, "Would you go on his show if he invited you?"

McCain claimed, "I'd go on most any show if I was invited."

Not true. NOT TRUE.

Now it will be tough for McCain to dodge going on some of the talk radio shows that he's been avoiding.

When Leno asked about McCain's choice for the VP, he quipped about Leno's contract being up.

Seemed like a rehearsed joke to me.

Talking about the War on Terror, looking straight at the audience, McCain said, "My friends, I'll get Osama bin Laden. I'll get him, as President of the United States. I will."

Oh, really?

That sounds like a "Read my lips, no new taxes" line.

Leno brought up the age issue and Reagan. McCain joked about running in all thirteen states.

Leno then asked, "How important is the Rudy Giuliani endorsement?"

"Well, Rudy Giuliani is one of the great American heroes...

"Why don't you ask Rudy? Why don't you ask Rudy?"

On cue, enter Rudy.

Leno feigned surprise.

McCain moved over and Rudy took the chair next to the desk.

It was immediately time for a commercial break.

Leno asked Giuliani, "Can you stick around? Can you stay?"

Giuliani said he could and they cut to commercial.

That was possibly the least spontaneous televised moment of the 2008 campaign to date.

Leno said that a lot of Republicans think "you guys are too liberal."

McCain and Giuliani laughed.

Giuliani answered that it depends on how you define "conservative," and concluded that both he and McCain are conservative.

"Conservative" and "Reagan" were probably said more often in the three segments than any other words. I assume that wasn't accidental.

Leno asked Giuliani what accounted for his downfall in the race.

Giuliani said it had a lot to do with what a great campaign McCain ran.

When Giuliani endorses he really endorses.

He also said his strategy of skipping the early primaries didn't work.

McCain said, "It was also an honorable campaign." Applause, of course. It was a love fest.

Leno asked Giuliani, "Would you ever be a running mate?"

Giuliani said, "No one runs for running mate." I took that to mean, "Hell, yeah!"

Leno turned to McCain and asked, "Who would you rather campaign against... Hillary or Obama?"

McCain said both were formidable.

McCain rambled on, "The fact that I am a conservative and I think in tune with most of the American people, and we'll have a conservative Republican against a liberal Democrat, and that will be a respectful but very, very spirited debate."

Giuliani chimed in, "On John's behalf though, John is a conservative. But John also has the ability to reach out, as a number of these primaries have shown, to independent voters and Democratic voters. And it makes him a candidate in states that other Republicans might not be a competitive candidate..."

There certainly was an effort to advertise that McCAIN IS A CONSERVATIVE.

Last question:

Leno wanted to know, "Who do you got in the Super Bowl?"

Giuliani naturally went with New York.

McCain noted that Arizona is the host and squirmed a bit. "Straight talk: Somebody's gonna have to show me how you beat the Patriots."

Giuliani asked, "Will you give me the points?"

McCain laughed, "Yes, I'll give you the points."

Then they left, with handshakes and embraces all around.

One thing that was noticeable though not necessarily noteworthy:

Both Leno and Giuliani were wearing flag pins. McCain wasn't.

Maybe the no flag pin is meant to appeal to independents and Dems, make him seem less Right-wing. Or, maybe he doesn't like to wear his conservativism on his lapel. Or, maybe he lost it.

Barrett, Flynn, and Gangs

Charlie Sykes interviewed Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn on his show this morning.

Barrett and Flynn both insisted that they're going after the bad guys. Really.

I know that Flynn is a new chief, but I don't have confidence that things will change.

At this point, I have no reason to believe that Milwaukee's gang problem will be solved.

Barrett has named names before. I've heard him call out the Latin Kings and the Spanish Cobras.

I'm flashing back to last year's Bay View crime spree.

There was that same "get tough" rhetoric. At that time, Barrett used that same favorite phrase of his: "We're coming after you."

"We're coming after you."

Really?

Do you think he means it this time?

Are the words from Barrett and Flynn empty?

I'm not dissing the excellent work of Milwaukee's police officers. I just don't have much hope for real, as opposed to temporary, improvement. I've heard this stuff before. Again and again.

"We're coming after you."

Yeah, right.

I hope and pray that I'm wrong. I hope no one else becomes a victim of these criminals. I hope no one else is robbed or killed because a gang member is back on the streets thanks to the revolving door justice system.

I want to believe that with Flynn in charge things will be different.

I want to but I don't.

What can he accomplish if judges permit these lowlifes to reenter society?

The pain and suffering of innocents, the killings, the terrorized neighborhoods, the fear, the steady deterioration...

It's the death of Milwaukee by a thousand cuts.

Band-aid solutions won't save the city.

"We're coming after you."

I'll believe it when I see it.
________________

Audio, 620 WTMJ

Berkeley, California and the United States Marine Corps

If I lived in Berkeley, I'd move.

From Move America Forward:

The City of Berkeley, California has passed two resolutions attacking the United States Marine Corps, calling the Marines, “uninvited and unwelcome intruders in the city.”

The Berkeley City Council voted to condemn the Marines on Tuesday night (January 29th) as part of a campaign by anti-war activists to shut down a U.S. Marine Recruiting Center located in the city of Berkeley.

The votes by the Berkeley City Council were immediately condemned by Move America Forward (website: www.moveamericaforward.org), the nation’s largest grassroots pro-troop organization.

“It is disgraceful that in the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement, anti-military activists would attempt to silence the same military men and women who serve this country and give their lives to protect the free speech rights of all Americans, including these ungrateful and despicable people on the Berkeley City Council,” said Melanie Morgan, Chairman of Move America Forward.

The actions by the Berkeley City Council followed continuous protests by Code Pink and other anti-military organizations that vandalized and defaced the U.S. Marine Recruiting Center in September 2007.

One of the two resolutions passed by the Berkeley City Council last night granted a parking spot in front of the Marine Recruiting Center to be used by anti-military activists to harass Marine recruiters. The anti-military activists would not need to apply for a sound permit for the next six months – allowing them free reign to disrupt the day-to-day operations by the Marines.

Move America Forward organized a counter-protest in support of the Marines last October that attracted over 400 pro-troop supporters who stood in solidarity of the Marine Recruiting Center.

“We have hundreds of thousands of military men and women serving honorably overseas to protect our freedoms. Imagine how they feel when they go to turn on the news and see that they are being stabbed in the back by shameful people here at home, it’s disgraceful!” said Catherine Moy, Executive Director of Move America Forward.

The Berkeley City Council is a disgrace.

Supporters of the council's actions are disgraceful.

Enough said.
__________________

Register your complaint with the City of Berkeley via Phone or Email.

GET OUT, HUCKABEE

Read this ridiculous e-mail from Mike Huckabee, "Full Throttle" (Wed, 30 Jan 2008 23:46:10):

When I look at Super Tuesday, I see a number of key Southern states, and other strong conservative states, that are likely to add to our delegate count and put us on the right track towards winning the Republican nomination.

I am optimistic about our chances and the path forward seems clear.

That's positively nuts.

I am also looking forward to a healthy and constructive debate at the Reagan Library tonight as we discuss the issues that will define our Party and America's future.

I received this message after the debate.

I said this yesterday, and I meant it, if the Republican nominee cannot relate to Republican voters on important issues such as border security, anxiety over the economy and is not an unwavering advocate for the family, the sanctity of life than we will not defeat the Democrats in the fall.

If the Republican nominee appears out of touch with regular voters or has cast votes that were an anathema to his Party, that candidate will fail to unite the Republican Party against the Democrat nominee, no matter who that Democrat nominee is.

We have a long way to go in this nominating process. When you look at what we have done, with what we have, it's a remarkable story that is not even close to being over. In fact, we like to believe we're just really getting started. I'm convinced that my optimistic message of hope and change will continue to resonate with voters as we head into Super Tuesday.

That said, we need to pick up the speed. Slow and steady wins the race more often than not, but sometimes you need to open things up and go full throttle.

To help us do that though, I am going to need your immediate financial support today. A gift of $25 or more will help us move closer to our goal of raising $1,000,000 by midnight on Monday from our direct mail and online. Raising this $1,000,000 is critical to our Super Tuesday efforts.

After you contribute please find one other person to match your level of support. Our goal is simple: $1,000,000 raised by Monday at midnight. This money will be invested in our voter contact efforts, new television advertising and our field operations in the Super Tuesday states.

Lets get this done, working together, as we always have.

With the deepest gratitude,

Mike Huckabee

He has got to be kidding!

How can he possibly be sincere about asking for money to help him win the Republican nomination?

IT'S OVER FOR HUCKABEE.

At this stage, I think his fund-raising e-mails can be categorized as Internet scams.

Reporting Internet Fraud

Milwaukee Crime: Perception and Reality

Eugene Kane is lecturing again about crime, perception, and reality.

He writes:

It seems our new chief of police is getting a lesson about the perception of crime in Milwaukee.

Many people believe violent crime is a big problem in this city, even if it's never happened to them personally. When violent crime does happen, it's perceived as more of a problem in some places than in others.

For example, many of the homicides in Milwaukee happen in specific ZIP codes where gunfire is common. These are not the parts of town that Chief Edward Flynn has to worry about in terms of perceptions.

Everybody already thinks those areas are dangerous; when someone gets killed there, few people are really all that surprised.

But when a local business executive is killed after a night on the town in Walker's Point, many people perceive the problem as getting out of hand.

I am so sick of hearing about the "crime is rare" crap.

This statement by Kane is stunningly lame: "Many people believe violent crime is a big problem in this city, even if it's never happened to them personally."

WHAT?

In other words, unless something happens to you, why view it as a big problem? If you're not touched personally by something, stop getting upset about it. It doesn't become a problem until it happens to you.

That's not exactly the most socially responsible approach to take.

...When a scary incident like [Vic Milford's murder happens] in a neighborhood known for its growing nightlife attractions - good restaurants, trendy bars and art galleries - it puts a damper on the preferred ambience of the location. Nobody goes out for a night on the town expecting a tragedy. At the very least, they expect to get to and from their cars safely.

That usually happens in Walker's Point, but now the perception is changed.

Why has perception changed?

Could it be because there was such a senseless murder in Walker's Point? The fact is reality changed when Milford was murdered.

...Milford's senseless death became a way for some to speculate about whether safety concerns could influence the decision on where to build a new corporate location for a combined Miller and Molson Coors. Seems to me, a random street crime shouldn't be a major factor in a multibillion-dollar decision.

But then again, that's the danger with perceptions.

What Flynn has learned is that the perception of crime in Walker's Point - or Avenues West, Historic Concordia, Brewers Hill, Washington Heights, or any number of Milwaukee neighborhoods with fanciful names that suggest a desire for serenity - is more important than the reality.

What Kane HASN'T learned is that citizens are reacting to reality.

I'd like to know where Kane draws the line between "no big deal" crime and "problem" crime worthy of perceiving.

No one in their right mind can sit back and not be troubled by Milford's death.

It's not an overreaction to demand that such violence not be tolerated.

Some readers have pointed out - again - that people don't get as upset about a death in the central city as they do about a murder in Walker's Point. I submit that until murders in Walker's Point happen with the same frequency as they do in the central city, the ratio of attention will never be fair.

Nor will the perceptions.

BS.

That's so unfair. People do get upset about deaths in the central city.

People are horrified by the killing of innocents in any area of the city. To suggest otherwise is an inaccurate representation.

Kane paints Milwaukeeans outside of the central city as uncaring, as if they consider lives lost in the central city to be of less value than others.

That's a terrible accusation to make.

That's the reality.

Latin Kings' Bullets Again

Milwaukee police have moved quickly in apprehending suspects for the murder of Miller executive Vic Milford.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Milwaukee police Wednesday promised a crackdown on the Latin Kings after arresting two members of a violent street gang in connection with the slaying of a Miller Brewing Co. executive.

"The Latin Kings are out there right now throwing their weight around a little bit, and we're going to make sure they feel our attention in a very special way in the next several weeks," said Chief Edward Flynn, adding that the effort will not be a sweep of Latino men, but arrests of specific gang members.

Promises, promises.

Flynn's remarks came during a 5 p.m. news conference announcing the arrests earlier in the day of two suspects, ages 17 and 21, both of whom he said had prior records. The 17-year-old was on probation for a robbery, Flynn said.

The 17-year-old was on probation for robbery.

Well, there's another stunning success story of the rehabilitation of a teen criminal.

The two are expected to be charged in the robbery and killing of Lodewikus "Vic" Milford, 43, after a robbery early Saturday in Walker's Point. Milford, the director of compensation and benefits for Miller, was returning to his car with three women after they had visited a nightclub when they were robbed about 1:10 a.m. Saturday, police said. After they all gave up their wallets and purses, Milford was shot inside his SUV in a parking lot near S. 2nd and W. Walker streets.

Flynn credited the department's homicide and gang units and District 2 police officers for arresting the suspects just a few days after the crime. He also said Miller's $10,000 reward was a "significant factor" in helping detectives break the case.

That's sort of vague. The $10,000 was a "significant factor."

If someone will be collecting that reward, it would probably be a good idea for the person to leave Milwaukee. Make that the Midwest.

It's unfortunate that it takes lots of cash for some people to do the right thing; but if that's what it takes then that's what it takes.

Milford's killing was tragic, but the circumstances surrounding the crime are also rare in Milwaukee, Flynn said. Some 80% of the homicides in the city in 2007 involved a victim who had a criminal record, he said.

I have a problem with that.

Milford's killing was tragic -- period. There is no solace in the rare circumstances of his death.

The rarity provides no comfort whatsoever to his family and friends.

It also should provide no comfort to people in Milwaukee.

FACT: Gang members, cold-blooded killers, are on Milwaukee's streets right now.

While it's statistically highly unlikely for one to become a victim like Milford, it's possible. That possibility matters.

Flynn said he understands that the slaying had a profound impact on the Walker's Point area, but he believes the neighborhood is safe.

"My message to them is that justice will be done in this case. Don't lose heart, and don't lose faith," Flynn said.

The neighborhood isn't safe. A murder took place there.

Other neighborhoods also aren't safe.

Why?

Milwaukee has a gang problem. As long as the gangs are operating, the threat of a horror like the murder of Vic Milford exists.

...Federal prosecutors have indicted large numbers of Latin Kings several times over the past two decades for drug peddling and homicides, including 49 people in a 2005 case. A 2007 U.S. Justice Department drug trafficking intelligence report indicated that other members keep stepping up to take positions of authority in the gang.

And others do some time and resume their criminal activities as soon as they're released.

I wonder what the recidivism rate is among gang members.

...Flynn said police will keep up the pressure on the gang. "Their behavior has been intolerable, and we have a responsibility to our citizens to stop them," he said.

Milwaukeeans have heard that before.

"Let's send a message here," said Mayor Tom Barrett. "If you commit a crime in this city, if you disrupt our neighborhoods, terrorize our residents or businesses, or create fear in our streets, we're coming after you, we will find you and hold you responsible."

Barrett said the same thing when 4-year-old Jasmine Owens was murdered. He said the Neighborhood Safety Inititative would "send a message to the drug dealers, gang members and the thugs: We're coming after you."

Barrett also said that one year ago about the Bay View crime spree, that "we're coming after you" line.

At a community meeting at Bay View High School, Barrett said there were two ways to approach the crime problem.

One is to make it clear to the bad guys that "we're coming after you."

The other approach is to say "everything's out of control." He said that such a reaction to the thugs from leaders and the media and citizens serves to "encourage them."

Barrett claimed, "Public safety is my #1 priority."

"We're never going to throw up our arms and say it's out of control because it isn't out of control."

Mr. Mayor, it is out of control.

McCain: To Be or Not To Be Conservative

Robert Novak asks, Is McCain a Conservative?

There are as many different answers to that question as there are definitions of "conservative."

Each and every one of the past and present 2008 Republican presidential candidates laid claim to being conservative.

I don't recall any of them at any point touting themselves as a moderate Republican or a Left of center Republican.

No matter what they said, no matter how moderate or liberal their positions, they gave lip service to being truly conservative.

This election isn't about labels. It's about substance and actions rather than words.

As a result, McCain isn't being eagerly embraced by a significant portion of the Republican Party.

Novak writes:

As John McCain neared his momentous primary election victory in Florida after a ferocious campaign questioning his conservative credentials, right-wingers buzzed over word that he had privately suggested that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was too conservative. In response, McCain said he recalled saying no such thing and added that Alito was a "magnificent" choice. In fact, multiple sources confirm that the senator made negative comments about Alito nine months ago.

McCain, as the "straight talk" candidate, says things off the cuff that he sometimes cannot remember exactly later. Elements of the Republican Party's right wing, uncomfortable with McCain as their prospective presidential nominee, brought the Alito comments to the surface long after the fact for two contrasting reasons. One was a desperate effort to keep McCain from winning in Florida. The other was to get the party's potential nominee on record about key issues before he is nominated.

Those key issues do not include McCain's firmly held nonconservative positions on campaign finance reform and global warming. Rather, conservatives among the second group want two assurances: first, that McCain would veto any tax increase passed by a Democratic Congress; second, that he would not emulate Gerald R. Ford and George H.W. Bush in naming liberal Supreme Court justices such as John Paul Stevens and David Souter.

That was the background for conservative John Fund's Wall Street Journal online column the day before Florida voted. Fund wrote that McCain "has told conservatives he would be happy to appoint the likes of Chief Justice Roberts to the Supreme Court. But he indicated he might draw the line on a Samuel Alito because 'he wore his conservatism on his sleeve.' " In a conference call with bloggers that day, McCain said, "I don't recall a conversation where I would have said that." He was "astonished" by the Alito quote, he said, and he repeatedly says at town meetings, "We're going to have justices like Roberts and Alito."

I found what McCain could not remember: a private, informal chat with conservative Republican lawyers shortly after he announced his candidacy in April 2007. I talked to two lawyers who were present whom I have known for years and who have never misled me. One is neutral in the presidential race, and the other recently endorsed Mitt Romney. Both said they were not Fund's source, and neither knew I was talking to the other. They gave me nearly identical accounts, as follows:

"Wouldn't it be great if you get a chance to name somebody like Roberts and Alito?" one lawyer commented. McCain replied, "Well, certainly Roberts." Jaws were described as dropping. My sources cannot remember exactly what McCain said next, but their recollection is that he described Alito as too conservative.

I must admit I get a little uneasy when Novak starts discussing sources.

Nevertheless, what matters here is that accounts of McCain's comments about Alito being too conservative appear to be valid.

During Wednesday's debate, McCain made a concerted effort to deny the Alito thing. He was quick to say that he would nominate a judge like Samuel Alito.

MCCAIN: The judges I would appoint are along the lines of Justices Roberts and Alito, who have a proven record of strict interpretation of the Constitution of the United States of America.

McCain claims that he has no recollection of his previous Alito remarks.

Does he really not remember?

If he can't remember what he said about Alito, that's bad.

If he can remember what he said but he's finding it easier to avoid the issue by claiming he can't remember, that's worse.

Forgetfulness is not a good quality for a president, neither is compulsive lying, Bill Clinton's legacy.

Meanwhile, anti-tax activist Grover Norquist is worried because a prominent journalist informed him that a few years ago McCain said to him, off the record, that as president he would have to raise taxes. More recently McCain has told me, on the record, that he would never support a tax increase and, consequently, favors making the Bush tax cuts permanent.

Norquist and McCain have a stormy relationship. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, McCain in 2005 subpoenaed records of Norquist's dealings with now-imprisoned Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Denying wrongdoing, Norquist said that McCain held a grudge against him because he campaigned against the senator's 2000 presidential bid. Norquist told me that he has no animus toward McCain and only wants assurances that McCain opposes higher taxes.

Whatever disagreements there may be on the definition of "conservative," I think there's consensus on opposing higher taxes.

McCain's record on the Bush tax cuts rightfully gives pause to Republicans.

Can McCain be trusted to maintain his current position on taxes?

Simple answer: No. He has shown he CANNOT be trusted when it comes to taxes.

According to exit polls, voters calling themselves "very conservative" supported Romney in Florida by two to one, and McCain still won in a state described as a microcosm of America. McCain survived a scathing conservative talk-radio assault led by Rush Limbaugh. Romney's appeal to the right on immigration backfired, triggering Sen. Mel Martinez's endorsement of McCain and a five-to-one margin for him in the Cuban community.

So is McCain conservative?

I think that question is trumped by this one: "Is McCain trustworthy?"

As Novak reveals, there is a disconnect between the public candidate McCain and the private McCain, the one not in front of a microphone.

So far, McCain has succeeded by duping the voters on his record and his positions.

On Super Tuesday, millions of the voters will have the opportunity to tell McCain that they aren't interested in his brand of crooked "straight talk."

Wisconsin Crime Alert Network

Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has presented an INITIATIVE.

Yes, Van Hollen has been working on something.

Wisconsin Crime Alert Network

What is it?

• It is Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen’s initiative to provide local law enforcement with the ability to quickly alert the business community and the general public about a crime trend or a suspect that may affect them or their business. Businesses with information about those criminal activities can report those activities to local law enforcement.

How does it work?

• DOJ trained law enforcement would send out messages to participating businesses and members of the community using electronic communications that could be selected by region or type of business. For example, in the event of a series of OxyContin thefts from pharmacies in Southeastern Wisconsin, an alert could be sent out by each responding agency to pharmacies in the region who are members.

What is the public benefit?

• By providing information to the business community about criminal activity, law enforcement increases its eyes and ears, more suspects are caught, more runaways are recovered. Businesses have an interest in participating because these alerts can be targeted to criminal activity that affects their particular businesses or their areas. Safer streets and preventing theft enhances business as well as promotes public safety.

Isn’t there a concern that sensitive information about ongoing law enforcement investigations will be disclosed to the public?

• No. All entries into the system for distribution to businesses will be by law enforcement trained on the system and familiar with these sensitivities.

Is there the infrastructure for this?

• Communication would be through a private entity contractor to email and blast faxes to participating businesses and members of the public. The Department of Justice already has relationships with contractors who have built essential capabilities by participating in Amber backups and Missing Endangered Alerts. As importantly, this model has been developed and tested. Attorney General Van Hollen’s plan is based on a Minnesota program that has been providing similar services for more than 10 years. Though infrastructure would need to be built here, it can be easily adapted based on the Minnesota model.

Who will pay for this?

• Ongoing annual costs are expected to be approximately $125,000/year. These costs will be paid for by charging private members, who participate voluntarily, an annual fee. In Minnesota, a slightly smaller state by population, annual fees to business are $12 per year and there are currently over 10,000 members. Attorney General Van Hollen has pledged to fund start-up costs through his discretionary settlement account. Van Hollen is also willing to use the account to cover shortfalls during the initial start-up period while membership grows.

What do we need from the legislature?

• To get the program operational, we will need a law expressly authorizing the ability to charge participating business entities a fee to cover the costs of the program. Only users who voluntarily participate would pay under Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen’s plan. There would be no need for general tax revenue. Representative Garey Bies and Senator Jeffrey Plale are co-sponsoring legislation (2007 AB 737) that would authorize Attorney General Van Hollen to implement the Wisconsin Crime Alert Network.

So if you, as a business owner or private citizen, want to be alerted to crime trends or get information on suspects, you can be notified electronically IF you become a member and pay a fee.

Maybe J.B. Van Hollen could organize a bake sale to raise money to cover the costs of the program.

That would be nice.

I think an informed public is always a plus. Overall, the program should be helpful in raising awareness as to just how crime-infested some areas of Wisconsin really are.

Armed with that information, it will be up to residents, business owners, and patrons of businesses in areas of crime to decide how to respond -- fight or flight.

Tuesday's South Side Shooting

In case you're keeping track, here's information on yet another Milwaukee south side shooting:

An 18-year-old man remains in critical but stable condition today after being shot five times on the Milwaukee's south side last night.

Police are seeking two suspects in connection with the shooting, which occurred about 9:20 p.m. in the 2300 block of W. Burnham Ave.

A Vote for Huckabee

The Democrats will be having a two-person race on Super Tuesday.

The Republicans should be in that same position, but Mike Huckabee isn't cooperating.

Klaus Marre writes:

Romney: ‘In a two-person race, I like my chances’

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said Wednesday that he looks forward to a head-to-head battle for the Republican presidential nomination with Sen. John McCain (Ariz.).

...“We’re finally getting where we wanted to be, and that is to have a two-person race,” Romney said on Fox News, adding, “In a two-person race, I like my chances.”

Romney acknowledged that the continued presence of Mike Huckabee in the race is a problem for him and made the point that the former Arkansas governor is no longer a contender.

“I don’t know what kind of support Mike Huckabee will get going forward,” Romney said. “I think conservatives recognize that a vote for Mike Huckabee right now really means a vote for John McCain. So that may have them re-think that.”

Romney is right.

Now that Rudy Giuliani is calling it quits, his supporters will likely go to McCain or to one of the Dems.

If Huckabee would bow out, he certainly would free up votes for Romney.

That won't happen. Huckabee is determined to play the spoiler.

Here's an e-mail from Huckabee (Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:22:46):

Our focus turns now to Super Tuesday. Recent polling shows us in first or tied for first place in Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee and Oklahoma. Voters in these states will have a chance to reclaim the nominating process for conservatives by casting their votes in support of our campaign. And in the states where poll after poll has shown us in second or third, please spread the word that we are still standing and we have what it takes to win.

Because if I am a Republican voter in a state casting votes next week on Super Tuesday, I am asking two fundamental questions:

Which candidate best reflects my views on the issues?

And does that candidate have what it takes to defeat the Democrat nominee in the fall?

If I am a voter in Tennessee and I care about education, I want a President that has executive experience reforming a state's education system and has a substantive plan to reform education at the national level.

If I am a voter in Georgia and I care deeply about the issues of abortion and marriage, I want a President that will fight tirelessly for life and the family at the federal level, someone with a real record of achievement on these issues not just a politician paying election year lip service on those issues.

If I am a voter in Missouri and I am worried about the economy, I want a President that understands what its like to walk in my shoes and has a plan to stimulate the economy and real world, governing experience to strengthen and help grow our economy.

If I am a voter in California and I am concerned about national security, especially border security, I want a President that has a plan to secure our borders, end amnesty and end the practice of sanctuary cities.

If I am a voter in Alabama and I care passionately about the second amendment, I want a President that understands the 2nd amendment is primarily about tyranny and the right to self-defense not hunting.

If the Republican nominee cannot relate to Republican voters on these important and fundamental issues, we will not defeat the Democrats in the fall.

If the Republican nominee appears out of touch with regular voters or has cast votes that were an anathema to his Party, that candidate will fail to unite the Republican Party against the Democrat nominee, no matter who that nominee is.

I have what it takes, our campaign is still standing and drawing new support everyday and I am prepared to lead America forward. Spread the word. I am fighting for you and will continue to do so every step of the way.

With deep gratitude,

There are two possible explanations for Huckabee's decision to press on to Super Tuesday:

1. Huckabee is clinically delusional.

2. Huckabee is staying in the race solely to secure the nomination for McCain.

There are signs that the first is valid. The second is definitely the case.

Edwards is Out

And then there were two...

By dropping out of the race, John Edwards is setting up a Hillary Clinton - Barack Obama head-to-head showdown for Super Tuesday.

NEW ORLEANS -- Democrat John Edwards bowed out of the race for the White House on Wednesday, saying it was time to step aside "so that history can blaze its path" in a campaign now left to Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.

"With our convictions and a little backbone we will take back the White House in November," said Edwards, ending his second campaign in a hurricane-ravaged section of New Orleans where he began it more than a year ago.

Edwards said Clinton and Obama had both pledged that "they will make ending poverty central to their campaign for the presidency."

"This is the cause of my life and I now have their commitment to engage in this cause," he said before a small group of supporters. He was joined by his wife Elizabeth and his three children, Cate, Emma Claire and Jack.

Edwards said that on his way to make his campaign-ending statement, he drove by a highway underpass where several homeless people live. He stopped to talk, he said, and as he was leaving, one of them asked him never to forget them and their plight.

"Well I say to her and I say to all those who are struggling in this country, we will never forget you. We will fight for you. We will stand up for you," he said, pledging to continue his campaign-long effort to end what he frequently said was "two Americas," one for the powerful, the other for the rest.

That sounds like something straight out of a rejected Hollywood screenplay.

On the way to announce his withdrawal from the race, Edwards talked to some homeless people by a highway underpass?

Hard to believe that wasn't orchestrated. Where are the photos of the encounter? Are we to accept that no member of the press was in tow to capture the event? Didn't an aide have a camera phone?

The former North Carolina senator did not immediately endorse either Clinton, seeking to become the first female president, or Obama, the strongest black candidate in history.

Nedra Pickler characterizes Obama as the "strongest black candidate in history."

I guess you could say she's half right, though Jesse Jackson probably feels dissed by the comment. I suspect that Al Sharpton is somewhat ticked off. He always is.

In any event, two are left standing out of the large Dem primary field, three if you count Bill.

800,000 New IDs

Wisconsin Democrats are so squeamish when it comes to photo IDs.

The Real ID law and the subsequent need for some people to get their driver's licenses renewed early must be making the Dems ill.

Madison -- About 800,000 Wisconsinites will have to renew their driver's licenses early if they want to use them to board airplanes under a federal anti-terrorism law requiring more secure IDs, according to the state Department of Transportation.

The federal Real ID law requires that the new IDs and licenses be issued by December 2014 to people who have not turned 50 by then, but thousands of already-issued licenses don't expire until after that time. Those drivers will have to come in early to get the federally sanctioned IDs if they want to use them to get on an airplane or enter a federal courthouse.

..."This really is a program that the federal government foisted on the states without any input from the states, just said this is a good idea, you guys go do it," Gov. Jim Doyle said Tuesday. "There are huge decisions to be made."

I knew Doyle wouldn't like this.

According to Wisconsin Dems, citizens of Wisconsin can't be expected to get a photo ID for the purpose of participating in elections. That's too much to ask.

Now, some people will have to go in early to get the new federally sanctioned ID if they want to use it to board a plane or go into a federal courthouse.

What a disaster!

U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, a Republican from Wisconsin, helped push the Real ID law through Congress in 2005 to help prevent terrorists and illegal immigrants from getting forged licenses. The law will make the process of getting licenses more arduous because people will have to show their birth certificates, passports or immigration documents to get the new licenses, even if they've held a Wisconsin license for decades.

State officials from around the country have complained about the law, saying it would be costly and create long lines. They've also said the law will create technical headaches because it requires all states to share birth and driving records, as well as other data.

In response, Homeland Security released rules this month that it said would make it easier for states to comply with the law.

This Real ID law is going to be messy for Barack Obama, Jim Doyle's presidential primary candidate.

Obama takes big risk on driver's license issue

Sen. Barack Obama easily won the African American vote in South Carolina, but to woo California Latinos, where he is running 3-to-1 behind rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, he is taking a giant risk: spotlighting his support for the red-hot issue of granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

It's a huge issue for Latinos, who want them. It's also a huge issue for the general electorate, which most vehemently does not. Obama's stand could come back to haunt him not only in a general election, but with other voters in California, where driver's licenses for illegal immigrants helped undo former Gov. Gray Davis.

The Real ID law may be an inconvenience for some citizens but it's going to be an enormous problem for Democrats supporting driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.

The Inevitability of McCain

Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain (R-AZ) addresses supporters at his Florida primary election night rally in Miami, January 29, 2008. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

John McCain is on a roll.

I have no doubt that he believes he will be the Republican nominee.

He's confident, so confident that he's already working on uniting the party, showering Rudy Giuliani with praise and preparing to accept his endorsement.

MIAMI -- Senator John McCain defeated Mitt Romney on Tuesday to win the delegate-rich Florida primary, solidifying his transformation to the Republican front-runner and dealing a devastating blow to the presidential hopes of Rudolph W. Giuliani.

Republican officials said after Mr. Giuliani’s distant third-place finish that he was likely to endorse Mr. McCain, possibly as early as Wednesday in California. They said the two candidates’ staffs were discussing the logistics of an endorsement.

The results were a decisive turning point in the Republican race, effectively winnowing the field to Mr. McCain and Mr. Romney, two candidates with very different backgrounds who have little affection for one another but share a similar challenge in winning over elements of the party suspicious of their ideological credentials.

...Mr. McCain’s victory showed he could win among Republican voters. Florida allows only registered Republicans to vote in its primary, unlike New Hampshire and South Carolina, where Mr. McCain’s victories earlier this month were fueled by independent voters.

With 99 percent of the precincts reporting, Mr. McCain had 36 percent of the vote, Mr. Romney 31 percent, Mr. Giuliani 15 percent and Mike Huckabee 14 percent.

“Our victory might not have reached landslide proportions,” Mr. McCain said, “but it is sweet nonetheless.”

After a campaign in which he was often on the attack, Mr. McCain went on to praise his rivals, especially Mr. Giuliani, who he said had “invested his heart and soul in this primary, and who conducted himself with all the qualities of the exceptional American leader he truly is.”

Mr. Romney made clear that he would go all-out in the coming week, as the presidential race builds toward its biggest day so far, a set of more than 20 contests across the country on Tuesday. He and Mr. McCain fought an increasingly bitter battle in Florida, and they now seem likely to take their messages to the national stage, with Mr. Romney trying to portray Mr. McCain as out of step with his party on critical issues and ill-equipped to deal with the economic downturn and with Mr. McCain suggesting that Mr. Romney’s principles yield too easily to the political winds and that he cannot be trusted on national security.

...Mr. Giuliani, speaking in Orlando, thanked his supporters and talked about his campaign in the past tense but did not drop out of the race. “The responsibility of leadership doesn’t end with a single campaign,” he said in a serious, gracious speech that he leavened with a humorous asides. “If you believe in a cause, it goes on and you continue to fight for it, and we will. I’m proud that we chose to stay positive and to run a campaign of ideas.”

It's over for Rudy.

He's dropping out and supporting McCain. I guess Rudy owes McCain one after he endorsed George W. Bush in 2000.

...Mr. McCain, who ran a more negative campaign than usual against Mr. Romney in the last few days, praised Mr. Romney and his supporters in his victory speech, saying, “The margin that separated us tonight surely isn’t big enough for me to brag about or for you to despair.”

McCain didn't just run a more negative campaign against Romney. He ran a dishonest campaign. That should bother voters.

Clearly, McCain is trying to make nice now. I'm having a little trouble handling his mood swings. I don't know what to expect from him. Will it be the growling, angry, spiteful McCain, or the smiling, "My friends" McCain?

I'm not ready to declare McCain the nominee. It appears to be inevitable. I'm just not ready.

Millions will be voting next Tuesday, and as McCain himself said, the margin of his victory in Florida wasn't that large. Still, it's impossible to deny the likelihood of McCain amassing an insurmountable number of delegates when the results are in next Tuesday.

McCain isn't a lock yet, as anything can happen. But realistically, McCain is looking inevitable.

That scenario is difficult to accept.

Michael Graham is having problems with it, too.

He writes:

Assuming there is no shocking revelation or health issue, the GOP nomination is over. Conservatives need to start practicing the phrase "Nominee presumptive John McCa....."

Sorry, I can't say it. Not yet.

But it's true. When the campaign comes here to Massachusetts on February 5th, I'll proudly cast my vote for any option on the GOP ballot other than You-Know-Who. But it will be a futile gesture. Mr. "1/3rd Of The GOP Primary Vote" is going to be the nominee.

He's going to win the big, left-leaning states on Tuesday. Huckabee will stay in and deny Romney a one-on-one contest for GOP voters that Captain Amnesty would almost certainly lose. The result: More wins for He Who Must Not Be Named, and fewer wins for Romney—regardless of delegate count.

Florida has launched the one ship that Romney's money and Rush Limbaugh cannot stop: The U.S.S. Inevitable. It's gonna happen. Even if there were a realistic pathway to stop him, the media have seized control of the process now and are declaring him inevitable. He is, after all, the favorite son of the New York Times.

So it is over. Finished. In November, we'll be sending out our most liberal, least trustworthy candidate vs. to take on Hillary Clinton—perhaps not more liberal than Barack Obama, but certainly far less trustworthy.

And the worst part for the Right is that McCain will have won the nomination while ignoring, insulting and, as of this weekend, shamelessly lying about conservatives and conservatism.

In spite of all his faults and my reservations about him, come November, I'll vote McCain.

He's better than Hillary. I'll say that much for him.

Don't Cry, T.O.

PHILADELPHIA -- Terrell Owens should set aside part of his roster bonus from Dallas to pay his old team a debt. An arbitrator ruled in favor of the Philadelphia Eagles last Friday on a grievance that was filed by the NFL players' union on Owens' behalf in 2005, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Tuesday, citing a league source.

...Owens was kicked off the team seven games into the 2005 season for a series of infractions, including repeated criticism of quarterback Donovan McNabb and lashing out against management. He was suspended four games without pay and the team withheld his final five paychecks, totaling $955,880. That means Owens still owes the Eagles $769,120.

Dry your tears, T.O.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said this month he plans to pay Owens a $3 million roster bonus, so the All-Pro should have some extra cash to pay the Eagles.

Even with that $3 million bonus, parting with $800,000 hurts.

I think T.O. will be able to get it together and keep a stiff upper lip. Tony Romo doesn't owe the Eagles anything. This isn't about "his quarterback."

Obama Dares to Acknowledge his "Whiteness"

Barack Obama took a big step today.

He went to Kansas, back to his roots.

Obama Visits Grandfather's Kansas Town

For all the talk about Barack Obama's quest to be the first black president, his visit to his grandfather's hometown Tuesday was a reminder that it is only half the story.

Obama is the son of an African father and a white mother from this heartland state, which holds its presidential caucus Feb. 5. "We're family!" Obama said as he took the stage in a packed community college gymnasium for an event that combined politics with a personal story that does not get a lot of attention in his campaign.

Obama told reporters on the flight from Washington that the stop in Kansas would remind voters about his roots and that he was not born into privilege.

It was his first visit ever to El Dorado, where his maternal grandfather, Stanley Dunham, grew up. Obama was raised by his mother and his grandparents in Hawaii; his father left the family when Obama was just 2 years old and then returned to his native Kenya.

Obama told the audience that his story "spans miles and generations, races and realities."

"It is a varied and unlikely journey, but one that's held together by the same simple dream," he said. "And that is why it's an American story. That's why I can stand here and talk about how this country is more than a collection of red states and blue states because my story could only happen in the United States of America."

Obama is a human chameleon.

Only a few days ago, in South Carolina, he was a black man.

Today, he admits that he's a white man, too.

The audacity of... truth!

Sometimes it takes courage to acknowledge the truth.

It's about time that he's letting those white skeletons out of his closet.

In reality, I think it's a Super Tuesday thing.

Giuliani's Florida Gamble

Rudy Giuliani looked at the national polls last year and liked what he saw.

He was the front-runner by far. He believed he had the luxury of taking a shortcut to the Republican nomination. He thought his road to the White House didn't have to go through Iowa or New Hampshire.

It ain't over 'til it's over, but he was probably wrong.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Rudy Giuliani, having bet almost his entire presidential campaign on Florida, hinted for the first time that he may drop out if he doesn't win the state's primary.

Polls show the former New York mayor, last year's national front-runner, trailing badly in the state where he has poured most of his time and energy in his pursuit of the Republican presidential nomination. If he wins on Tuesday, he will have earned the biggest, brashest "I told you so" of his political career.

Lose, and Giuliani may be uttering his final words of the campaign.

"Wednesday morning, we'll make a decision," he told reporters between campaign appearances Monday. "The winner of Florida will win the nomination; we're going to win Florida."

Just last week, he insisted that no matter what the outcome in Florida he would continue running.

...In an unconventional move, Giuliani largely bypassed the early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan and South Carolina, pinning his hopes on a fractured field and the prospect that his moderate GOP record would attract support in the delegate-rich states of Florida, New York, California and Illinois.

Florida has been less than hospitable. Surveys show rivals Mitt Romney and John McCain fighting for the lead, and the state's top two Republicans — Sen. Mel Martinez and Gov. Charlie Crist — endorsed McCain.

Inside an airport hangar, as a crowd of Giuliani supporters dispersed, some grumbled about Crist's decision to endorse McCain, a major slight to the ex-mayor.

"That was a rotten trick. I'm disappointed," said John Fischer, a self-described "geezer from New Jersey" sporting bright red suspenders and a Giuliani sticker plastered to his cap.

The "geezer from New Jersey" is right. Crist did stab Giuliani in the back.

Look at these photos of Giuliani campaigning for Crist, November 5, 2006:


Crist (right) and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani wave to cheering supporters as they board a jet at Orlando Sanford International airport, following the rally in Sanford, bound for St. Petersburg-Clearwater airport.



Republican gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani (right) greet five-month-old Austin Greer and his grandmother, Beth King, as they arrive for a rally at Orlando Sanford International airport in Sanford, Sunday.


Charlie Crist (left) and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani react to cheering supporters during the rally at Orlando Sanford International airport, in Sanford, Sunday.

Giuliani gambled and it appears that he's about to lose big.

I wonder why Crist turned on Rudy.

Could it be McCain made Crist an offer he couldn't refuse?

Obama and Edwards Make a Deal?

Why is John Edwards still in the race?

After his dismal, downright embarrassing performance in his home state of South Carolina, you'd think he'd pack it in and spare himself any further humiliation.

It could be that there's method in his madness.

Robert Novak writes:

Illinois Democrats close to Sen. Barack Obama are quietly passing the word that John Edwards would be named attorney general in an Obama administration.

Installation at the Justice Department of multimillionaire trial lawyer Edwards would please not only the union leaders supporting him for president, but organized labor in general. The unions relish the prospect of an unequivocal labor partisan as the nation’s top legal officer.

In public debates, Obama and Edwards often seem to bond together in alliance against front-running Sen. Hillary Clinton. While running a poor third, Edwards could collect a substantial bag of delegates under the Democratic Party’s proportional representation. Edwards then could try to turn his delegates over to Obama in the still-unlikely event of a deadlocked Democratic National Convention.

This scenario would explain Edwards' self-flagellation.

Pat Dykstra: Drunk and Driving

According to Pat Dykstra, she wasn't thinking when she dialed 911. I buy that.

Her story sounds like something from The Onion. Unreal.

Woman reports her own drunken driving

A rural Fox Lake woman early Sunday was able to give a detailed description of a suspected drunken driver and the suspect 's vehicle to a Dodge County sheriff 's dispatcher.

That 's because the woman was calling from that vehicle -- a tan 2002 pickup truck -- and she was driving it, Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls said.

The woman 's boyfriend in the passenger seat suggested she call 911 to report her own drunken driving, so she did, Nehls said. The boyfriend was not driving, she said, because he was too drunk.

The call came in at 12:29 a.m. Sunday on the county 911 line as a hang-up call from a cell phone, Nehls said.

Dispatchers used a reverse 911 directory and called the phone, which was answered by a woman who identified herself as Patricia Dykstra, 51. She said her boyfriend made her call, because "somebody seems to think I can 't drive home straight. "

When the dispatcher asked her why, she said, "He seems to think I 'm too intoxicated to drive. "

During a relatively pleasant conversation with the dispatcher -- a recording of which Nehls released Monday -- Dykstra gave her name, location and vehicle description before saying she should probably hang up because "I don 't like being on the phone while driving. "

Asked by the dispatcher if she had too much to drink, she said "I don 't think so, ma 'am. "

She said she was almost home and gave the intersection. Throughout the 3 -minute call, however, the dispatcher did not suggest the woman pull over. Nehls said the dispatcher assumed the woman had already stopped, although her last advice to Dykstra was, "So Pat, drive carefully, OK?"

Was the dispatcher drunk?

"Drive carefully, OK?"

Good grief!

The number one thing for the dispatcher to establish would have been that Dykstra wasn't driving at the time of the call.

Dykstra was definitely drunk and definitely driving.

She had consumed a six-pack of beer, she said, and her boyfriend a 12-pack.

Yeah, that would do it.

TMJ4's Lauren Leamanczyk interviewed Dykstra:

She says she doesn't know why she let [her 60-year-old boyfriend] convince her to call 911.

"I'm not sure," she said. "I think I just wasn't really thinking at the time."

That's an understatement.

By the time police found her, she was home and no longer behind the wheel. She was safe. Luckily, she didn't kill anyone.

..."I was already in my pajamas going to bed," she said.

She failed a sobriety test with an estimated .14 blood alcohol content. Police issued Dykstra a [$740] ticket for O.W.I.

Sheriff Todd Nehls says Dykstra did the right thing by calling them. “I think a judge will look at her and say 'you know what, you stepped up to the plate. You did the right thing.' I think it’s commendable,” he said.

Huh?

What is Nehls talking about?

Dykstra didn't "step up to the plate" and do the right thing.

She drunk dialed 911 WHILE she was driving.

There's absolutely nothing commendable about that. Nothing.

Anger, Fear, and the Community Meeting at Bradley Tech

Last night, some of Milwaukee's leaders met with residents of the south side to address neighborhood issues. Police are putting together a plan to tackle crime in the area.

The meeting was well attended. No doubt the recent murder of Miller executive Vic Milford had a lot to do with that.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Milwaukee police will unveil a new plan Wednesday to beef up their presence and tackle crime issues on the city's south side, including the neighborhood where a Miller Brewing Co. executive was shot and killed over the weekend.

Detectives are working some promising leads in the murder of 43-year-old Lodewikus "Vic" Milford, police officials said Monday. But they are still asking the public to tell investigators what they know.

Miller Brewing Co. is offering a $10,000 reward for tips leading to the arrest and conviction of the robber who shot and killed Milford, a South African native who was the company's director of compensation and benefits.

Meanwhile, more than 100 residents from the Walker's Point business and entertainment area voiced anger and concern after the homicide early Saturday near S. 2nd St. and W. Walker St.

Mayor Tom Barrett, Police Chief Edward Flynn and other city leaders listened while residents lined up at Bradley Tech High School during a community meeting to share concern about police response times, nuisance properties, poor lighting, vehicle break-ins and other problems.

"I share your anger, and it's justified," Barrett said. "But we can't let that anger paralyze us."

Many residents of Walker's Point said they don't want their neighborhood to be dismantled by criminals. Police officials said violent crime has dropped in Walker's Point in the past year, but some residents don't agree.

"I lived here for 14 years and had no problems with crime. I walked home from the restaurants at night," said Kyle Cherek, a salesman who told Flynn he's witnessed a 20-person fight, had his car broken into and heard about his friends being mugged in the past year. "This is a real crucial moment."

I don't get this.

Again and again, officials cite statistics that crime has dropped.

Again and again, residents cite instances that prove the statistics don't paint an accurate picture.

Having some official tell you that crime in your neighborhood is on the decline when a man was just gunned down AFTER a robbery is a joke.

It reminds me of what was happening in Bay View last year. Yes, there have been a rash of armed robberies, but the city is really safe, blah, blah, blah.

BS.

It does no good for Mayor Tom Barrett or Police Chief Ed Flynn to toss out numbers in order to convince residents that things aren't as bad as they know them to be.

Such community meetings become little more than venting sessions for residents.

I don't think the officials are really listening. I don't think they get it.

...Flynn implored residents not to give up on their fight against crime.

"We can't let this incident drive a wedge between the community and the Police Department," Flynn said. "It isn't about pointing fingers. It's about being more effective."

I don't think people are frustrated with police officers or the departmant in general as much as they're frustrated with the leaders.

I think residents understand that the officers are doing their jobs and serving the citizens of Milwaukee. It's the higher-ups. They're the problem.

How many times are Milwaukeeans going to hear Barrett say that he feels their pain and then give him a pass?

Fair or not, the buck stops with Barrett.

Milwaukee Police Capt. David Zibolski said two people confronted Milford and three women in a parking lot, and that after they surrendered their valuables it appeared the robbery was over. But then one of the robbers shot Milford after he was in his car, Zibolski said.

Barrett said Milford was shot through a side window.

That makes me ill.

Only a truly evil, soulless individual would do something like that, evil to the core.

I wonder if the shooter was a teen. If so, and he's caught and tired, I hope he loses his freedom for the rest of his life.

Milford's companions have provided their accounts to police, but investigators are hoping to improve upon the limited descriptions they provided. Anyone with information is asked to call the police at (414) 935-7360.

Anyone with information?

That's a laugh. Maybe there were some witnesses, but there's no way others familiar with the crime will come forward.

You know that there are a number of people in the city right now with information on the robbery and murder, but these thugs don't talk.

Forever 4-year-old Jasmine Owens' murder is still unsolved, though it occurred on a crowded street last May. These thugs don't talk.

Even the $10,000 reward from Miller probably won't matter.

TMJ4 offers this account of the meeting:

Vic Milford's murder has touched a raw nerve here in this neighborhood and while many came here to listen they were also looking for answers.

They're upset. "Don't settle for that," one resident said.

They're concerned. Another speaker said "please do your homework because we can use your help."

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Police Chief Edward Flynn listened as residents laid out their long list of concerns.

"Fear can destroy a community faster than crime can," Flynn said.

For chief Flynn it was his first test in the hot seat as he tried to win over the public's confidence.

"That murder took the life of a man it must not take the life from this community," Flynn said.

An angry finger waiving Al Jansen challenged city leaders who were calling the murder an isolated incident .

"It's not acceptable and if any one of our city father's who want to accept I challenge you," Jansen said.

Mayor Barrett shared Jansen's anger but not his accusation.

"Am I mad about it you bet I am," Barrett said. "We are going to fight back."

Barrett has been talking about fighting back for years, every time something horrific like this happens.

He has to fight harder. He has to go on offense.

Residents know the truth. These "isolated incidents" are increasing at a pace that is both frightening and infuriating.

Welcome to Milwaukee, Chief Flynn.

Teddy Betrays Women

The National Organization of Women - New York State is ticked off.

The ladies thought that they could trust the honorable Ted Kennedy. They were wrong.

Teddy betrayed them by dumping Hillary to jump on board with the younger, more attractive, more exciting Barack Obama.

PRESS RELEASE

Senator Kennedy Betrays Women by Not Standing
For Hillary Clinton for President
January 28, 2008

Women have just experienced the ultimate betrayal. Senator Kennedy’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton’s opponent in the Democratic presidential primary campaign has really hit women hard. Women have forgiven Kennedy, stuck up for him, stood by him, hushed the fact that he was late in his support of Title IX, the ERA, and the Family and Medical Leave Act to name a few. Women have buried their anger that his support for the compromises in No Child Left Behind and the Medicare bogus drug benefit brought us the passage of these flawed bills. We have thanked him for his ardent support of many civil rights bills, BUT women are always waiting in the wings.

And now the greatest betrayal! We are repaid with his abandonment! He’s picked the new guy over us. He’s joined the list of progressive white men who can’t or won’t handle the prospect of a woman president who is Hillary Clinton (they will of course say they support a woman president, just not “this” one). “They” are Howard Dean and Jim Dean (Yup! That’s Howard’s brother) who run DFA (that’s the group and list from the Dean campaign that we women helped start and grow). "They" are Alternet, Progressive Democrats of America, democrats.com, Kucinich lovers and all the other groups that take women's money, say they’ll do feminist and women’s rights issues one of these days, and conveniently forget to mention women and children when they talk about poverty or human needs or America’s future.

This latest move by Kennedy, is so telling about the status of and respect for women’s rights, women’s voices, women’s equality, women’s authority and our ability – indeed, our obligation- to promote and earn and deserve and elect, unabashedly, a President that is the first woman after centuries of men who “know what’s best for us.

This is a stunningly stupid press release.

So because Teddy endorsed Barack Obama that means he doesn't respect women.

How lame!


It means he prefers to support Obama for president and he probably has some scores to settle with the Clintons.


Teddy was under no obligation to endorse Hillary.

Anyway, is Obama so bad? Do these women consider Obama to be against women's rights?

Did NOW-NYS complain when Teddy trashed Condoleezza Rice? Was that a betrayal to women when he did that? Was it an indication that he has no respect for women's rights, voices, equality, and authority?



I didn't hear anything from NOW then.

How hypocritical!

Really lame.

Brian Williams, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama

Rather than discussing President Bush's speech, NBC's Brian Williams interviewed Hillary Clinton and then Barack Obama.

Did the President deliver his State of the Union speech tonight?

I think Brian Williams has a short term memory problem.

Kathleen Sebelius

The Governor of Kansas Kathleen Sebelius delivered the Democrats' response to President Bush's State of the Union speech.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

State of the Union

As President Bush entered the chamber this evening to deliver his State of the Union address, Barack Obama and Teddy Kennedy were shown next to each other, yucking it up. What a coincidence!

Once again, it appeared that Nancy Pelosi has chapped lips. A close-up of her was not kind. Her blinking is maddening.

On to the speech--

Bush wants to make tax relief permanent.

The Republicans jumped to their feet and cheered. The Dems sat motionless, as motionless as John Kerry's Botoxed forehead.

Dems and Republicans alike stood and applauded Bush's call for a balanced budget. He demands that earmarks be cut in half, or else -- veto.

Helping the housing market, making health care more affordable, establishing health savings accounts, increase accountability in education...

Bush really is rushing through this speech. I'm getting dizzy.

He's already talking about trade and passing free trade agreements.

During applause lines, the camera shows Hillary, the lonely lady in red, and Obama next to Uncle Teddy.

"Democracy leads to a better life." Applause.

Energy -- Reduce dependence on oil, and fund new technologies. That pleases both sides of the aisle. I think that line has been in the SOTU since Nixon was in office.

I should be counting how many times Obama is on the screen. He's in close-ups and wide shots.

Hillary is seated next to Joe Biden. They look thrilled to be sitting next to each other. Absolutely thrilled.

I see Chuck Schumer looks like he was at Happy Hour before the speech.

Now, Bush is on to stem cell research and breakthroughs that don't require the destruction of embryos.

He calls on Congress to pass standards of ethical practices, to prevent the buying, selling, patenting, and cloning of human life. Again, the Dems aren't very enthusiastic.

Already on the subject of judges -- Bush says nominees deserve a prompt up or down vote.

He highlights the good works of volunteers.

Bush scolded Congress for failing to address entitlement spending and immigration. He wants them to save Social Security and Medicare.

On ILLEGAL immigration, Bush sounded a lot like John McCain. Can you say "amnesty"?

Now on to foreign policy--

It's on freedom and liberty when Bush speaks most passionately.

Bush insists we will deliver justice to our enemies.

"For the security of America and the peace of the world, we are spreading the hope of freedom."

Bush thanked the Congress for supporting the mission in Afghanistan.

Bush noted that changing strategy by launching the surge has changed the course of life in Iraq. He said our military personnel are serving with courage and distinction and they have the gratitude of our whole nation.

That produced the longest sustained applause of the speech.

Republicans applauded the specific achievements of the surge. Dems did not.

He said, "Some may deny the surge is working."

To cheers from the Republicans, Bush said that al Qaeda is on the run and this enemy will be defeated.

The Dems weren't so confident.

Bush then spoke directly to the men and women on the front lines.

He said, "We make you a solemn pledge. You have will have all you need to protect our nation." Bush promised to fully fund our troops.

Russ Feingold? Did you hear that?

Bush announced that more than 20,000 of our troops will be coming home. Any further draw down will be based on conditions in Iraq and the judgment of commanders on the ground.

That incessant blinking by Pelosi is really weird.

Bush pointed out the importance of a free Iraq compared to the consequences of a failed Iraq.

"We will not rest until this enemy has been defeated."

While discussing extremism in the Holy Land, he expressed optimism of having Israel and a Palestinian state live side by side in peace.

On the Iranian threat-- Basically, he told the leaders of Iran to quit screwing around when it comes to threatening our troops and our allies and playing with the world when it comes to its nuclear aspirations.

Bush noted some of the specific terrorist attacks that have been prevented since 9/11. He said we need to be able to track terrorist threats and we must have the tools to do so. The Republicans cheered. The Dems... Crickets were heard chirping.

He said that America opposes genocide in Sudan and is assisting in eradicating global poverty and hunger.

Bush said America is leading the fight against disease, like Malaria and AIDS. He called for billions in additional aid.

He said we need to provide for our wounded warriors, as well as the families of our military.

Bush ended with strong and inspiring lines about trusting the people of America, "We the people."

Transcript
____________________

Watching Bush, I got the feeling that this is a man unconcerned with his legacy.

He had a calling after 9/11, to protect the American people. He has done that.

I get the feeling that Bush doesn't care about being a lame duck president. When it comes to the most pressing matter of his presidency, he has succeeded.

There has not been another terrorist attack on our soil since 9/11.

That was his mission. Mission accomplished.