This morning I called the $1 Billion dollars in combined savings by government due to Scott Walker's policies sand in the teeth of those who want to see himi recalled. Apparently his likely opponent in that recall, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, was caught flat-footed by the news. This is the best he could do:

Barrett Statement on Walker Savings Claims

MILWAUKEE -- Tom Barrett issued the following statement on claims made today by Gov. Walker:

"Gov. Walker is desperate to distract attention from the fact that under his failed leadership Wisconsin lost 4,300 private sector jobs last month, and lost more jobs than any state in the country last year. What Walker isn't telling the people is that he made the deepest cuts to education in Wisconsin history, our state lost nearly 1,500 teacher positions over the past year, and we still have a $140 million budget deficit even though Walker raised fees on the people of Wisconsin by $110 million. This isn't a record to brag about -- its a record that causes failed governors to be tossed from office."

Here's something rather important: Barrett doesn't try to refute the "claims" made by Walker. Instead he tries, laughingly, to suggest they're unimportant. Democrats are now going to pin their hopes on Walker's jobs record. In reality, his still stacks up well to Jim Doyle's. And the reality is the uncertainty created by non-stop recalls is as much to blame as anything for the soft job market in the state. But to suggest that one billion dollars saved is insignifcant and not worth bragging about is in itself desperation. Barrett doesn't know what else to do with this good news.