Best Scott Milfred Podcasts (2024)

1
Madison's new school leader: 'Zero tolerance isn't zero care' 27:34

23d ago27:34

27:34

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 to run the bigger St. Paul, Minnesota, school district. Now he's back for the top job here. Gothard talks about prio…

1
Can a felon win Wisconsin? 18:24

1M ago18:24

18:24

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 business records to cover up hush-money payments to a porn …

1
Tammy Baldwin vs. Eric Hovde is tighter than it should be 31:53

3M ago31:53

31:53

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 challenger.…

1
6 takeaways from Trump's rally in Green Bay 30:09

3M ago30:09

30:09

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. Our political podcasters play clips from the rally and…

1
How secure are Wisconsin's elections? 26:23

4M ago26:23

26:23

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.

1
Yoga in the middle of State Street? That's just one idea for a pedestrian mall in the heart of Madison this summer 24:02

5M ago24:02

24:02

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 Street this summer. Buses no longer roll down and cro…

1
Wisconsin's Ron Johnson tag teams with Elon Musk 22:47

5M ago22:47

22:47

1
The case for more condos, especially in Madison 19:32

5M ago19:32

19:32

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 country. Regulatory and legal rules favor rentals -- …

1
Biden is old, and that's not ageism 26:14

6M ago26:14

26:14

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 evidence from public appearances suggest he's lost a step, t…

1
Songs of holiday jeer target Biden, Trump, Ozempic 16:15

7M ago16:15

16:15

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 elf Hands deserves to be on the nice list. Milfred p…

1
Rob who? Meet the GOP senator who lauds UW-Madison 40:05

8M ago40:05

40:05

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 encouraging free speech on campus. Unlike some of his …

1
Robin Vos flips the script on fair maps in Wisconsin 24:42

9M ago24:42

24:42

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 hoping a liberal-leaning state Supreme Court will hel…

1
Making sense of Madison's housing crisis with UW's Kurt Paulsen 36:18

1y ago36:18

36:18

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

1
Who's going to take on Tammy Baldwin? 23:54

1y ago23:54

23:54

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 voters with talk of protecting American jobs and sticking …

1
Republicans got what they wished for -- and now they're in trouble 24:00

1y ago24:00

24:00

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. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, and U.S. Rep. Derrick V…

1
Sour grapes and the 'Fab Four' moment after Wisconsin's high court election 29:15

1+ y ago29:15

29:15

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 money. Our political podcasters aren't fans of judicial e…

1
The race for Madison mayor isn't over just yet 31:31

1+ y ago31:31

31:31

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

1
Sing along to the year in politics 20:22

1+ y ago20:22

20:22

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 Horowitz of Milwaukee, a writing coach and former colu…

1
Mandela Barnes on the first thing he would do without the filibuster 29:58

2y ago29:58

29:58

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 Democratic-controlled Senate eliminated the filibuster. Milfred and Hand…

1
Tony Evers seeks the Wisconsin State Journal's endorsement 24:37

2y ago24:37

24:37

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 should reelected him Nov. 8: "The alternative really sucks…

1
Politics are infecting our courts, making judges more of a target 35:11

2y ago35:11

35:11

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 on judges, juries and rulings. Milfred and Hands talk …

1
The Democratic primary heats up and thins vs. Ron Johnson 29:09

2y ago29:09

29:09

Milfred and Hands play audio from and comment on the top four Democratic candidates seeking to challenge U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, this fall. They all have strengths and weaknesses. Milfred and Hands weigh in on who has the best shot. The conspiratorial Johnson is underwater in public opinion. Yet he's still formidable, given the Republican…

1
Farm kid, scuba diver, investigative journalist: Meet the new editor of the Wisconsin State Journal 33:02

2y ago33:02

33:02

Milfred and Hands quiz the State Journal’s new executive editor, Kelly Lecker, about her Wisconsin roots, spelling championship and passion for journalism. Lecker grew up milking cows on a Shawano County dairy farm, then graduated from UW-Stevens Point with degrees in journalism and Spanish, and a minor in military science. She's worked for several…

1
Ron Johnson finds another excuse for Trump 21:45

2+ y ago21:45

21:45

Milfred and Hands play and comment on U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson's latest political ad in which he blames the media for getting President Joe Biden elected. That's not what Johnson said last fall, when he was caught on camera at a GOP rally saying Trump lost because not enough Republicans in Wisconsin voted for him, and that nothing was obviously skewed…

1
Which Republican has the best shot to beat Tony Evers? 34:30

2+ y ago34:30

34:30

Milfred and Hands assess the GOP field seeking their party's nomination for governor against Democratic incumbent Tony Evers this fall. Former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch is ahead in the polls, thanks to a big advantage in name recognition. But most voters don't know who any of these three are. That means Kevin Nicholson, who lost a bid for the part…

1
A better way to elect School Board members 27:32

2+ y ago27:32

27:32

Milfred and Hands endorse a new way of electing School Board members in Madison that will increase competition and voter choice while improving the dialog between candidates. Joining them is Wayne Strong, a member of the State Journal's community editorial board who narrowly lost a bid for School Board. Instead of pitting individual city-wide candi…

1
'Redneck' on hidden video did better than you think 29:26

2+ y ago29:26

29:26

Milfred and Hands won't defend state Rep. Elijah Behnke, R-Oconto Falls, for saying on hidden video that his party needs to "cheat like the Democrats or bend the rules." When the rookie lawmaker joked about wanting to punch the governor, who is 30-plus years his senior, it smacked of elder abuse. This self-described "redneck from the North Woods" a…

1
A booster dose of Dr. Remington's sage advice as omicron takes over 52:10

2+ y ago52:10

52:10

Milfred and Hands interview Dr. Patrick Remington, a UW-Madison expert on the spread of disease, for the third time since the pandemic began two years ago. Remington, who worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and who teaches the public health experts of the future, says science has learned a lot about COVID-19, including the omi…

1
An off-key Christmas with skeptical Santa, merry Michael Gableman and not quite the Mormon Tabernacle Choir 20:08

2+ y ago20:08

20:08

Milfred and Hands sing political lyrics set to holiday songs, including "God Rest Ye, Merry Gableman," "Hark! It's time to diss Beijing" and "Good King Rodgers." For the "Hallelujah Chorus," our political podcasters sing "Gerrymander!" -- forever, and ever. Hands tries to convince a skeptical Santa Claus to get a vaccine. Who knew that Kris Kringle…

1
What's next for struggling State Street in Madison? 34:43

2+ y ago34:43

34:43

Milfred and Hands take the pulse of Madison's most famous street with Downtown dynamo Susan Schmitz. The Madison City Council narrowly failed to advance the cause of turning State Street into a pedestrian mall without buses recently. But the long-held dream of creating a grand promenade without motorized vehicles all the way from the UW-Madison cam…

1
The scariest things about Wisconsin politics 31:21

2+ y ago31:21

31:21

Milfred and Hands offer chilling commentary on the most frightening things about politics on the left and the right in Madison, across Wisconsin and in our nation's capital. Incivility -- including dead rats on a school board member's lawn -- terrifies Milfred. Hands' face turned pale when he saw the 9% increase in his Madison property tax bill. Ou…

1
Madison's best salesman wants to win over Wisconsin 16:56

3y ago16:56

16:56

Madison is growing fast. It's attracting lots of young talent. It's economy is poised to rebound quickly from the pandemic. That's not just good for the capital city, it benefits the entire state -- and Zach Brandon, president of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, has the data to prove it. Yet politics keeps getting in the way of Madison and …

1
Keep the schoolhouse doors open 17:59

3y ago17:59

17:59

Milfred and Hands urge school officials not to panic at the first outbreak of a COVID variant. Our political podcasters celebrate the return to five full days of classes a week in the Madison School District and elsewhere across most of Wisconsin this fall. Following a lost year of learning during the pandemic last year, schools should mask up -- a…

1
Which Democrat has the best shot to beat Ron Johnson? 32:37

3y ago32:37

32:37

Milfred and Hands assess the crowded field of 11 Democrats hoping to win the party's nomination to take on U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, in next year's election. Wisconsin's Senate seat is one of three toss-up Senate races across the country. That means voters here could decide who controls the U.S. Senate. Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes is …

1
A grand promenade on State Street in Madison moves closer to reality 28:09

3y ago28:09

28:09

Milfred and Hands tout the "likely" result, in the words of Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, of the lower half of State Street becoming a true pedestrian mall without any motorized vehicles, including city buses. Our political podcasters also tout the need to keep buses and imposing transit stations off the top half of State Street to keep exciti…

1
Madison's mayor is all about buses -- to the detriment of State Street 25:30

3y ago25:30

25:30

Milfred and Hands love Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway's commitment to improving public transit in Madison. A faster and modern bus system is long overdue. But those long, snazzy "bus rapid transit" vehicles that she's bringing to Madison -- with $80 million of help from the federal government -- don't need to rumble up and down State Street, the city's …

1
The GOP feud runs right through Wisconsin 22:31

3y ago22:31

22:31

Milfred and Hands highlight Liz Cheney's and Elise Stefanik's connections to Wisconsin and its political leaders, including Cheney's birth in Madison and Stefanik's rise as a confidant of former House Speaker Paul Ryan of Janesville. Ryan was a young Republican star who quickly became a party pariah during the celebrity-driven rise of Donald Trump.…

1
The politics of Aaron Rodgers 19:55

3y ago19:55

19:55

Liberals seem to prefer Aaron Rodgers, and conservatives lean toward Brett Favre, as the Green Bay Packers' greatest quarterback (not counting Bart Starr). Milfred and Hands highlight how politics shapes our views of Rodgers' controversial standoff and potential split with the Packers. And they delve into the not-so-subtle political opinions of Rod…

1
The good doctor on the bad virus -- one year later 43:45

3y ago43:45

43:45

Milfred and Hands quiz Dr. Patrick Remington, a UW-Madison expert on the spread of infectious disease, a year after their first podcast with him about COVID-19. A lot has changed. Remington says "clearly the worst is behind us," yet continuing to vaccinate more people is key to avoiding more contagious variants. Remington advises the vaccinated -- …

1
The sleepy spring election wakes up with a jolt 19:56

3+ y ago19:56

19:56

Milfred and Hands analyze the results of Tuesday's voting, which included a big upset on the Madison City Council, two incumbents defeated, and an emphatic rejection of a full-time council. Republican state Sen.-elect John Jagler got a scare, while Jill Underly had an easier time becoming state superintendent of schools, as expected. The candidate …

1
6 big moments from our State Journal endorsement meetings 26:40

3+ y ago26:40

26:40

Milfred and Hands play clips from the Wisconsin State Journal's recent endorsement meetings with 22 candidates in the April 6 election. This includes the two candidates for state superintendent of public instruction -- Deborah Kerr and Jill Underly -- responding to questions about Kerr's controversial tweet and who is better to improve learning for…

1
Madison's favorite alderman is thinking big about State Street 43:48

3+ y ago43:48

43:48

Madison merchants "overwhelmingly support the campaign to turn State Street into a promenade," according to the city's longest serving and most popular alderman. "There absolutely is widespread support." Ald. Mike Verveer, who has represented Downtown Madison on the City Council for 26 years, tells Milfred and Hands on this week's episode of "Cente…

1
Madison's new police chief backs body cameras on officers 19:24

3+ y ago19:24

19:24

"I believe that progressive, 21st century police departments should have body-worn cameras," Chief Shon Barnes tells our podcasters just a few weeks into his new job as Madison's top cop. Madison is one of the few cities of its size without cameras on patrol officers and one of only a third of police agencies in Wisconsin that haven't embraced the …

1
Still a Republican, Dale Schultz faults Act 10 27:05

3+ y ago27:05

27:05

On the 10th anniversary of former Gov. Scott Walker's strict limits on public sector unions in Wisconsin, Milfred and Hands talk about Act 10 with the one Republican senator who voted against it a decade ago. Dale Schultz, of Richland Center, once the GOP’s majority leader in the Senate, still faults his political party for the deep division it cre…

1
How to save Madison's struggling Downtown 30:36

3+ y ago30:36

30:36

Nearly half of State Street's 150 storefronts were boarded up in Downtown Madison last week. COVID-19 has ravaged the local economy and cost thousands of jobs, especially in the hospitality and retail industries. Looting and vandalism that followed local protests against police violence in Minneapolis, Kenosha and elsewhere caused further damage. W…

1
Speaker Vos pretends he's the boss 21:06

3+ y ago21:06

21:06

Milfred and Hands break down last week's unusual State of the State speech. Because of COVID-19, Gov. Tony Evers delivered his annual address as a recorded video message, rather than in person. Yet Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and other Republican lawmakers showed up in the Assembly chambers at the state Capitol in Madison anyway. That's where Vos de…

1
Why our schools should reopen 23:34

3+ y ago23:34

23:34

Milfred and Hands tout Dr. Anthony Fauci's support for bringing back students to school buildings sooner than later. The health of our children is at stake if they don't get back into classes with teachers and peers. Milfred and Hands talk about the strong reaction to the State Journal's recent editorial on the controversial topic. Unlike many dist…

1
The mom pushing to legalize marijuana in Wisconsin is no pothead 31:07

3+ y ago31:07

31:07

This week's potcast goes up in smoke with Sen.-elect Melissa Agard, D-Madison, the unlikely face of efforts to legalize marijuana in Wisconsin. Agard is no pothead. She's the opposite of the "Cheech and Chong" stoner cliche. She's a single mom of four boys who tells Milfred and Hands she's never had the drug but is absolutely convinced that legaliz…

1
Did Madison just cancel Thanksgiving? 18:00

3+ y ago18:00

18:00

Did Madison and Dane County just cancel Thanksgiving? Our political podcasters talk turkey about the latest COVID-19 restrictions locally and across Wisconsin. Milfred won't invite Hands to his house for a holiday dinner if Dane County Executive Joe Parisi is going to be outside with binoculars trying to bust them for a public health violation. Han…

1
Why Wisconsin flipped and won't change with a recount 23:09

3+ y ago23:09

23:09

Milfred and Hands recap the 2020 election, higher turnout, the eroding suburbs and Dane County surge. President Donald Trump isn't conceding to President-elect Joe Biden just yet and might not ever. But if history is a guide, the president's pledge to recount Wisconsin's votes won't change much. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Scott Milfred Podcasts

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