One of those little indicators that Wisconsin politics is decidedly different today shows up in the Sunday Milwaukee Journal Sentinel opinion section.
In a guest column signed by Paul Jadin, chief executive of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (formerly the Department of Development) and Reggie Newson, secretary of the state Department of Workforce Development, the first three sentences contain this easy to overlook surprise:
Wisconsin faces a workforce paradox ... . It's this paradox that Gov. Scott Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch are aggressively working to address.
Is it odd that Walker administration officials would throw a big bone to the governor's office, mentioning their chief executive prominently in yet another "But, but, it's working, Wisconsin!" sales plea? No.
What is odd is that they go out of their way to mention Kleefisch. Historically, governors ignore their lieutenant governors as much as possible, because they are, after all, potential rivals for power.
So what's different today? This:
Kleefisch is the subject of a recall campaign, along with Walker. Republicans are very nervous that not only will both petition drives succeed, but that both subsequent recall elections will succeed, too.
So the administration's cabinet officers are likely under political orders to make very sure they include our very own Becky Sharp in their campaign pitch the fact that Kleefisch is "aggressively working" alongside Walker.
Not really. She's been at a desk, calling individual businesses and reminding them that "Wisconsin is open for business." Truly effective and aggressive, don't you think?