Think tank hook-up a "fiasco" for UW-Madison

Bradley cash — not liberals — is pollster's bad juju

Via Mpeterson:

The university described WPRI as a "nonpartisan, not-for-profit think tank" in announcing the partnership last year. But the institute acknowledges a free-market, limited government slant and receives funding from the Bradley Foundation, a Milwaukee group that supports numerous conservative causes.

Quite the tale, this here.

As a result [of the "fiasco"], the university recently asked WPRI to stop using its logo, has stopped providing graduate students for the project and won't publicize future polls.

Definitely well deep into "fiasco" territory. Approaching "goat rodeo."

And this makes no sense whatsoever:

Asked about other schools that would have rejected the deal, then-Interim Provost Julie Underwood said: "They don't have the kind of responsibility that we do because of our national prominence and our great resources."

That's not why you don't reject the deal, that's why you do reject it.

What I don't understand is why Prof. Ken Goldstein is lambasting the "liberals" for his discomforts. It appears he made his own bed with the WPRI gang (which includes just about every local right-wing Republican "pundit" notable). In fact it's difficult to understand why he's even surprised by what all transpired. What did he expect?

Academics aren't that naïve, are they?

By God, if the mere mention of "conservative think tank" doesn't set the klaxons to pealing, then you sure can't follow much politics.

eta: Bit of an update up in here.

And Emily Mills's accompanying photo-illustration is genius.*

Finally, Milwaukee Magazine editor Bruce Murphy gets a lick in:

Claims one former Democrat officeholder: "[WPRI president George] Lightbourn held jobs in budgeting and administration that were considered egghead jobs, but George was often referred to as George Lightbrains."

So mean! By the way, here's Mr. Lightbourn complaining about his overly generous government pension again, courtesy the Journal-Sentinel, which printed nary a word about the WPRI/UW "fiasco."

* Depicted is WPRI propagandist and Journal Broadcast Group superstar of all media Charlie Sykes, for the uninitiated.