Center Stage, with Milfred and Hands
by Wisconsin State Journal
They're the "Click and Clack" of Wisconsin politics. Scott Milfred, editorial page editor for the Wisconsin State Journal, and Phil Hands, the newspaper's political cartoonist, analyze the most important issues and debates from the Badger State with political independence and a sense of humor. Instead of tedious talking points from the left and the right, "Center Stage" broadcasts from the sensible center with audio clips from the Wisconsin Capitol, from State Journal editorial board meetings, and from political events across the state.
Episodes
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David Crowley's last, best pitch for Wisconsin governor
David Crowley won the Wisconsin State Journal's endorsement in this past Sunday's newspaper, and the editorial board's opinion got more than 34,000 views online. Milfred and Hands play clips from Crowley's meeting with the board and analyze his strengths and weaknesses as Tuesday's election...
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Tom Tiffany seeks the Wisconsin State Journal's endorsement
U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor, met with the newspaper's editorial board recently and discussed his experience, priorities, the 2020 election, UW-Madison and more. Milfred and Hands analyze and play clips from that meeting on their latest political podcast…
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Who will be Madison's next mayor?
Scott Resnick, a former city alderman who ran for mayor in 2015, helps Milfred and Hands size up the strengths and weaknesses of the growing list of candidates for Madison mayor. Incumbent Satya Rhodes-Conway wants to become the first Madison mayor to win three, four-year terms in a row. The...
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Mandela Barnes knows 'exactly what I’m up against'
On their latest political podcast, Milfred and Hands talk housing, Ridglan Farms and more with Democratic candidate for governor Mandela Barnes. He says his narrow loss to U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, four years ago is a big reason voters should trust him to win now. “I went through that…
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Sara Rodriguez has 'always been on the front lines'
On their latest political podcast, Milfred and Hands talk ICE, affordability and ERs with Democratic candidate for governor Sara Rodriguez. She's Wisconsin's lieutenant governor, a former state lawmaker and emergency room nurse who has been surging in the race for the Democratic nomination. She…
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Who’s Joel Brennan? He might be Wisconsin’s next governor
Milfred and Hands talk with Joel Brennan, one of the least known Democratic candidates for governor with the most executive experience. Brennan has been far back in the polls and didn’t do well in the straw poll at the recent Democratic Party convention. Yet he’s raising a lot of money and…
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Francesca Hong wants to 'get sh-t done' as Wisconsin governor
Milfred and Hands talk with Democratic candidate for governor Francesca Hong about raising the minimum wage, instituting a wealth tax and smoking cigars with Republicans. Hong surprised many people by leading early polls for the Democratic nomination among a crowded field of candidates. But can a...
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David Crowley says Republicans fear him most for Wisconsin governor
Milfred and Hands talk to David Crowley about his bid for Wisconsin governor, which he says the GOP fears because of his broader appeal. He won reelection as Milwaukee County executive with 85% of the vote. But only 16% of voters in the Madison region know who he is, according to the Marquette…
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Kelda Roys wants to 'build what comes next' in Wisconsin
Milfred and Hands talk with state Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, about her bid for governor. Roys says she's the most experienced leader with results who best measures up against presumptive Republican nominee U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minoqua. "I'm the candidate who can actually say, 'Here's what…
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Wisconsin's connection to Oscar-winning 'One Battle After Another'
Milfred and Hands talk politics and film with Wisconsin native Michael Bauman, the cinematographer for "One Battle After Another," which won six Oscars last month. Bauman, who grew up about 60 miles northeast of Madison in the Fond du Lac County village of Brandon, was nominated for an Oscar and...
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Will data centers devour Wisconsin's climate goal?
Milfred and Hands assess the flurry of data centers being proposed across Wisconsin in communities such as Mount Pleasant, Beaver Dam, Janesville, Grant County and, until recently, DeForest. The billion-dollar projects are needed to support our phones, computers, electronic devices and artificial...
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Wisconsin political predictions for 2026
Milfred and Hands play Nostradamus, with apologies to Conan O'Brien, predicting who will win the races for Wisconsin governor, state Supreme Court, Trump's affections and the Big Ten conference in 2026. Milfred sees a future with lots of candidates lining up to run for Madison mayor. Hands makes…
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Which of these 2026 predictions will look smartest 12 months from now?
This week, we're sharing something a bit different: Scott Milfred joins Richard Kyte and Scott Rada on "The Ethical Life," Lee Enterprises' podcast exploring ethical questions in contemporary life. Instead of the usual Center Stage format, you'll hear Milfred as a guest in a three-way…
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Sean Duffy vs. Elon Musk for control of NASA
Milfred and Hands explore the "Game of Thrones" conflict between Sean Duffy, the Trump administration official acting as head of NASA, and Elon Musk, the former billionaire buddy of President Donald Trump who leads SpaceX and Tesla, both of which Duffy now regulates as the secretary of...
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Who will be Wisconsin's next governor?
Milfred and Hands size up the candidates for Wisconsin's top job, including those who have declared bids and others who are likely to follow. Our political podcasters agree that one Democrat and one Republican are best positioned for success in party primaries, now that incumbent Gov. Tony Evers...
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Madison's 20 mph speed limit ... is ... too ... slow
Milfred and Hands test drive Madison's "20 is Plenty" edict that feels cementy when you actually try to drive that slow -- not that many if any people ever will for very far. Sure, driving so slow in theory makes it easier for a car to stop. But "slow speeders" aren't the problem. Real speeders...
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Ron Johnson's big, beautiful 'no'
Milfred and Hands tout U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson's resistance to the House-passed "big, beautiful bill" that would further burden our children and grandchildren with debt. But he's only half right in focusing on spending while mostly ignoring the cost of tax cuts.
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What's the holdup on legal weed in Wisconsin?
Milfred and Hands get the bottom of Wisconsin's long-overdue legalization of medical marijuana and the stubborn Republican resistance to pot for recreational use -- even though GOP President Donald Trump is for it.
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Wisconsin voters shred Elon Musk's fake cheese
Milfred and Hands dissect Elon Musk’s impact on the Wisconsin Supreme Court race last week and look ahead to next year’s midterm elections in the swing state and beyond. President Donald Trump's billionaire buddy spent more than $20 million trying to elect Judge Brad Schimel to the Badger State's...
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Run, Tony, Run? Or done?
Milfred and Hands analyze Gov. Tony Evers' prospects for a third term, should he decide to run for governor again next year. Only one governor in state history -- Tommy Thompson -- has served a third (and part of a fourth) term. Milfred thinks Evers could be well-positioned as the antithesis to...
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What's behind Derrick Van Orden's impeachment ploy?
Milfred and Hands impugn U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden's impeachment ploy. The Prairie du Chien Republican wants to throw a federal judge out of office for daring to stall one of President Donald Trump's priorities in court. The New York judge paused the Trump administration's attempt to scour the...
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Ron Johnson vs. Donald Trump on tariffs
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, calls tariffs a tax. President Donald Trump says they'll make Americans rich and powerful. It's a tale of two tariffs. Milfred and Hands break down the (so far) polite fray on trade between Wisconsin's senior senator and his party's president who backed off…
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Jay Rothman on UW funding, free speech, football money and 'Marxist maniacs'
Milfred and Hands play clips from the Wisconsin State Journal editorial board's meeting last week with Jay Rothman, the "change agent" president of the Universities of Wisconsin. Rothman touts his $855 billion request for increased funding from the Legislature. In many ways, his business-like…
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Wisconsin is still the deep purple state
Milfred and Hands analyze Donald Trump's comeback win for the White House and why Wisconsin voters also chose progressive U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, who in many ways is his polar opposite. Our political podcasters try to temper lefty Madison's loss by talking up checks and balances as…
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Tammy Baldwin seeks the Wisconsin State Journal's endorsement
Milfred and Hands unpack the Wisconsin State Journal's endorsement meeting with U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, who is being challenged by her seat in the Nov. 5 election by Republican businessman Eric Hovde. The race in this closely watched swing state could decide control of the Senate....
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Eric Hovde seeks the Wisconsin State Journal's endorsement
Milfred and Hands play audio clips from and comment on the Wisconsin State Journal editorial board's endorsement meeting with U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde.
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Why do so many farmers back Trump?
Milfred and Hands interview Brian Reisinger, the Sauk County author of "Land Rich, Cash Poor," who worked for big-name Republicans such as Gov. Scott Walker and U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson. He offers a clear-minded assessment of rural economics, politics and culture, based on his own family's challenges.
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Tim Walz vs. JD Vance in Wisconsin: Who won?
Milfred and Hands assess the Middle America cred of both presidential candidates's salty surrogates. Both VP picks visited Eau Claire, talking guns, drugs, inflation, freedom and what's really weird. Our political podcasters play clips and comment each candidate's points and provocations.…
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Kamala Harris woos Wisconsin. Will it work?
Milfred and Hands play clips from and analyze Vice President Kamala Harris' speech last week in West Allis. They also assess her chances of winning Wisconsin in November, now that she's the Democrats' presumptive nominee. Harris is a far better campaigner than Joe Biden had been in recent months,...
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Madison's new school leader: 'Zero tolerance isn't zero care'
Milfred and Hands play audio clips from the Wisconsin State Journal editorial board's meeting with Madison's new school superintendent, Joe Gothard. The Madison native, former La Follette coach and principal who left the Capitol City for Minnesota and ran the bigger St. Paul, Minnesota, school...
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Can a felon win Wisconsin?
Milfred and Hands analyze the impact of Donald Trump's guilty verdicts on his bid to win the crucial swing state of Wisconsin this fall. Trump had been slightly ahead of President Joe Biden in the latest Marquette Law School poll of statewide voters. Will Trump's convictions for falsifying…
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Tammy Baldwin vs. Eric Hovde is tighter than it should be
Milfred and Hands analyze the two candidates for Wisconsin's U.S. Senate seat, including their recent ads, positions on key issues, and Hovde's dip into a frozen Lake Mendota. Milfred is surprised Hovde is polling so well. Hands needs a haircut and pledges to never grow a mustache like the...
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6 takeaways from Trump's rally in Green Bay
Milfred and Hands react to Donald Trump's first visit this year to Wisconsin, the crucial swing state he badly needs to win in November. Hands compares his hardcore devotees to a Grateful Dead following. Milfred counters Trump's dark take on Whitewater -- both its accuracy and political impact.…
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How secure are Wisconsin's elections?
Milfred and Hands tackle the integrity of Wisconsin's elections with top municipal clerks from Kohler and Sun Prairie. The two clerks rank the security of your vote on a scale of 1 to 10.
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Yoga in the middle of State Street? That's just one idea for a pedestrian mall in the heart of Madison this summer
Milfred and Hands highlight last week's discussion at the Edgewater Hotel about the future of State Street. Prominent landscape architect Ed Freer and Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway offer their visions as the city plans to test the concept of a true pedestrian mall on the bottom half of State...
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Wisconsin's Ron Johnson tag teams with Elon Musk
Milfred and Hands react to U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson's social media event with Elon Musk on Musk's digital platform X. They sought to undermine the U.S. Senate's bipartisan support for military aid to Ukraine against Russian aggression. Hear clips from Johnson and Musk, who insist Ukraine can't win…
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The case for more condos, especially in Madison
Milfred and Hands 'go condo' by urging state and federal officials to encourage more condo development, rather than favoring endless apartment buildings. Despite Madison's rapid growth, virtually no condominiums have gone up in the capital city in recent years. And that's true across much of the...
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Biden is old, and that's not ageism
Milfred and Hands respond to criticism that a recent political cartoon was ageist. It depicted Joe Biden's presidential lectern as a walker. Our political podcasters agree that making assumptions about older people is wrong. But when it comes to the president of the United States, lots of…
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Songs of holiday jeer target Biden, Trump, Ozempic
Milfred and Hands sing political lyrics set to holiday songs. This year's jingles, written by Rick Horowitz, target Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Bob Menendez, Mike Johnson and more. Hands finds Santa leading the North Pole's curling team at a bonspiel in Madison. Hands tries to convince the jolly old...
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Rob who? Meet the GOP senator who lauds UW-Madison
Milfred and Hands interview Sen. Rob Hutton, R-Brookfield, chair of the Senate Committee on Universities. The UW-Whitewater grad and southeast Wisconsin businessman talks about streamlining the Universities of Wisconsin with a smaller footprint, funding UW-Madison's new engineering building and...
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Robin Vos flips the script on fair maps in Wisconsin
Milfred and Hands analyze the Republican Assembly speaker's dramatic flip-flop on the Iowa model for nonpartisan redistricting. They also highlight the Democrats flip of their own, searching for excuses to oppose a bill that's virtually the same as what they have long proposed. The Democrats are...
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Making sense of Madison's housing crisis with UW's Kurt Paulsen
Milfred and Hands talk all things housing with UW-Madison professor of urban planning Kurt Paulsen, who has been studying the region's expensive market for most of the last two decades. Paulsen explains why housing in the Madison region is so pricey, and what we can do about it.
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Who's going to take on Tammy Baldwin?
Milfred and Hands analyze a dozen potential Republicans who could challenge incumbent U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, for her seat in 2024. Baldwin appears in a strong position and has always been good at raising money. She's inoffensive to many Wisconsinites and has won over many rural…
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Republicans got what they wished for -- and now they're in trouble
Most Republicans celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade last year, but the high-court decision is costing the party votes -- especially with young people and suburban women in swing states such as Wisconsin. On their latest political podcast, Milfred and Hands analyze recent statements by U.S....
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Sour grapes and the 'Fab Four' moment after Wisconsin's high court election
Milfred and Hands analyze the spring election results and what they mean going forward. Democrats boosted turnout and drew broader support April 4 for their candidates largely because of their push to restore abortion rights. The winning candidate statewide and in Madison also had a lot more…
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The race for Madison mayor isn't over just yet
Milfred and Hands analyze the April 4 election for Madison mayor while explaining the Wisconsin State Journal's endorsement in the race, which pits incumbent Satya Rhodes-Conway versus grassroots challenger Gloria Reyes. If you plan to vote next Tuesday, you'll want to listen to this.
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Sing along to the year in politics
Milfred and Hands sing about the biggest political news from 2022 -- all set to holiday songs. On two numbers, they channel Kermit and Miss Piggy with festive flare. Hands tries to convince a downsized Santa to return to the North Pole. All of the lyrics for today's podcast were written by Rick...
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Mandela Barnes on the first thing he would do without the filibuster
Milfred and Hands play audio clips from the Wisconsin State Journal editorial board's recent endorsement meeting with U.S. Senate candidate Mandela Barnes. Our political podcasters quiz the Democratic challenger on climate change, cash bail and the first thing he would do if a…
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Tony Evers seeks the Wisconsin State Journal's endorsement
Milfred and Hands discuss and play audio clips from Gov. Tony Evers' meeting this week with the Wisconsin State Journal editorial board, seeking its endorsement. The Democratic governor outlines his accomplishments and answers questions about abortion, redistricting and why he thinks voters…
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Politics are infecting our courts, making judges more of a target
A Wisconsin judge is dead, and a U.S. Supreme Court justice was targeted for violence. Court officials have always faced threats because their decisions can send people to prison, overturn laws and settle financial disputes. What’s different and worse today is the influence of partisan politics…
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About this show
They're the "Click and Clack" of Wisconsin politics. Scott Milfred, editorial page editor for the Wisconsin State Journal, and Phil Hands, the newspaper's political cartoonist, analyze the most important issues and debates from the Badger State with political independence and a sense of humor. Instead of tedious talking points from the left and the right, "Center Stage" broadcasts from the sensible center with audio clips from the Wisconsin Capitol, from State Journal editorial board meetings, and from political events across the state.
Hosted by
Wisconsin State Journal
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