NEVER GIVE YOUR OPPONENTS BULLETIN BOARD MATERIAL.

Last month, Donald Trump had to clarify a remark he made about Milwaukee.  "The former president has since said he “loves” Milwaukee, but clarified that his criticism was aimed at the city’s crime rate, which like those of many other US cities rose during the pandemic."  I've also heard his Morale Conditioners spinning "horrible city" as a reference to the late-night counts of absentee ballots.  That's how it works in Wisconsin.  At poll closing time, election workers announce, "The polls are closed.  We are now counting the absentee ballots."  There were more absentee ballots than usual four years ago.

The power couple at "Morning Joe," still offering Acts of Contrition for having given Mr Trump so much free media five years ago, did an extended segment in defense of Sudsville.

“I love Milwaukee!” Morning Joe drinks a toast to Milwaukee after Trump slams the city. (Video: MSNBC) pic.twitter.com/4sthUkskEl

— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) June 14, 2024

That introduction was followed by the cast quaffing some Milwaukee's Best Ice and Earnestly Engaging in Serious Interviews, including Relapsing Liberal Charlie "Half Fast Train" Sykes.

The reaction to the substance of Our Former President's comment follows the predictable divisions.  Dan "Recombulation Area" Shafer sees the Culture War stuff as a cost of doing business.

Trump going off and calling Milwaukee a "horrible city" is a pitch perfect way to kick off the inevitable Milwaukee-bashing from Republicans that will surely be a hallmark of the GOP Convention. Everyone in the city knew this would happen, and now it's happening.

Disdain like this from Republicans directed at Wisconsin’s largest, most diverse city is nothing new. It’s essentially a cornerstone belief of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, both in words and actions. By welcoming the RNC to Milwaukee, we are also welcoming this type of Milwaukee-bashing to the city.

In a letter to Milwaukee's Journal-Sentinel, Milwaukee resident Roger Paulson suggests Mr Trump has a point.  "What other adjective should be used to describe this anti-social behavior? While some places in our city are (still) fine, any honest person who has driven — and risked running the gauntlet of reckless drivers — on West Fond du Lac Ave. or North Teutonia Ave. would likely make the same assessment."  He's referring to the stroad environment on the city's northwest side.  As I'm writing this post, there was an officer-involved shooting, involving police reinforcements from Columbus, Ohio, just to the northwest of the convention site, as the kind of interaction you can get on a hot afternoon in a stressed neighborhood got out of hand.

Milwaukee being the Beer City, it's not surprising that a local craft brewer, MobCraft, in the shadow of Boys' Tech, came up with a limited run "(Not So) Horrible City IPA."  I have to repeat my frequent lament:  "Why the favorite local product these days is frequently an India Pale Ale perplexes me, as Headache in a Glass is a recipe suited to being toted on a sailing ship around Good Hope, but I digress."

Here I stand, I can do no other.  "At Cold Spring Shops, beer is properly dark and to Reinheitsgebot standards."  The Republican convention will adjourn sine die on Thursday, and most of the delegates and journos will be gone by Friday.

Somehow, "Morning Joe" wasn't even broadcasting yesterday as the political types arrived in Milwaukee.  "Morning Joe has long been the embodiment of the most insular and elite of respectable Beltway Consensus. The premise was always both simple and smugly implied — its inside-media nuances are properly the province of a different, devoted piece — but this is where you go to hear the News of the Day, Properly Interpreted."  Maybe they could have toasted the events with something proper, a Sprecher or a Spotted Cow.

A week from Friday German Fest will open the Oktoberfest season.