Disappointing

I'd call it a sin of omission.

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker delivered his annual "State of the County" address today.

Not one word surrounding the ethically-challenged County Board Chairman.

In fact, he went out of his way to extend an olive branch to Holloway. Speaking about addressing the budget crunch, he said:

Mr. Chairman, I want to work with you and other members of the County Board to take on this monumental task.

Mr. Chairman, I want to work with you.

Lee Holloway, I want to work with you.

This speech was Walker's opportunity to finally express his concerns over the fate of the County Board and its leadership.

Apparently he has none? Or he's made the political calculation that it's best he not utter his concerns as to not anger a specific constituency? Or he thinks he needs to stay above the fray?

Besides being disappointed as a constituent, I think it's bad politics, too. He should be doing everything in his power to distance himself from Holloway. Instead, he went out of his way to explicitly address his desire to work with the current chairman.

Scott's doing a good job in Milwaukee County and was right to trumpet his successes in this speech.

I personally, expected more. And having heard from others today, I am not alone.

If Walker would exert even a modicum of political capital toward the Holloway matter, it just could be enough to make the difference.

He should reread his speech tonight. Especially this:

I like to say that great challenges bring great opportunities. Taking the right course of action, however, is not easy, but it is necessary to ensure the long-term prosperity of the county we love.

Indeed.