And absolve Chamberlin Rock of racism!
Whaddaya think of this idea: A TV spot that will put Tom Tiffany over the top in November (pending midnight thumb drives in Milwaukee)! Spot opens with my man standing next to the Chamberlin Rock, more massive than the Deep State conspiracy.
“Hi, I’m Tom Tiffany. I promise you one thing: as your next governor, I won’t do stupid. Five years ago, our great state university removed this 42-ton boulder from its Madison campus.”
Camera pulls out to reveal the noble stone imprisoned behind a chain link fence at a storage site north of Stoughton.
“It had sat on Observatory Hill for 12,000 years — ever since a glacier deposited it there in the last ice age. Generations of geology students studied it.”
Archival video shows construction cranes removing the boulder from campus.
“Why was it removed? Because WOKE stupidity took over the university. A small group of student activists actually accused the rock of racism! An inanimate stone!”
Video of the rock being hauled away:
“While crews were banishing the supposedly racist rock, the campus czar of Woke activism:
• gave himself a $50,000 pay raise,
• treated his staff to conferences on the Hawaiian island of Maui,
• spent $18,000 on student massages, $4,000 for Crocs shoes, and $3,000 for beanie hats.”
Camera close-up of the Republican candidate:
“Our state college campuses from Superior to Parkside are infested with $22 million worth of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion czars, some of them making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Not teaching history or geology. But teaching guilt and grievance. Like accusing a 42-ton glacial boulder of racism.”
Camera pulls back.
“As your next governor, I’ll put an end to teaching stupid. I’ll put Chamberlin Rock back where the Ice Age put it.”
→ Seven in ten Americans in October 2025 said higher education is going in the wrong direction — Pew Research Center
Blaska’s Bottom Line: Makes a political construct — Wokeness — into something tactile while under-scoring its essential absurdity. Appeals to tuition-stressed parents. Draws a contrast with his Democrat(ic) opponent. (David Crowley is on record saying “equity-based efforts … is how we utilize the data to target resources.”) Piggybacks on the constitutional amendment on the November ballot that bans government from granting preferential treatment based on identity politics.
19 responses to “Tom Tiffany should put the rock back on campus”
That’s a great spot and could set the tone for Tiffany appealing to the longtime, proudly Independent
Wisconsin common sense middle- where most of us live…
the truly WISCONSIN Governor that most Wisconsin people long for.
A governor who will operate on good will and common sense.
A Gov who like Tommy, could work effectively across the aisle
and do so in the spirit of “We Like it Here”
and “Escape to Wisconsin”
without the damned partisan games that are too friggin’ clever
by (at least) half.
He can check the top box of most every list:
Is this a ” Do it for Wisconsin” Governor?
He should also demand the return of the “Nail’s Tails” statue on the corner of Breeze terrace and Monroe Street when the Badger went to the Rose Bowl with a 10-4 record.
I wrote a letter to the WI SJ criticizing its removal, which they actually printed. The gist of it was that, whatever its aesthetic merits, which were certainly debatable, “Nails’ Tales” at least made you stop and ponder it for a minute or two, which is considerably more than can be said for any other “public art” commissioned by Madison (or the UW) in the last hundred years. It was replaced by a whole lotta nuthin’. (The same can be said of the spot where the Chamberlain Rock used to be.) The kind of public art now in fashion, especially in cities like Madison, is best exemplified by the raised fist “sculpture” that graced the intersection of Williamson and Baldwin Streets for a couple of weeks–the sort that hits you over the head with its unmistakable social message, one which must, of course, meet the approval of the rabble that raised the raised fist.
A really better public art sculpture would be two wrists held together and presented to the unseen police officer. Under which the legend reads “Resistance may not be futile but it can be fatal.”
Boo!
I want that rock in my front yard!
I’m picturing an AI video with Tiffany and the rock at the top of Bascom Hill and he says “I’m gonna fix Madison” and gives the rock a mighty shove.
Picking up speed down the hill Humanities is obliterated. From there nothing is safe and it ricochets across the city.
Wonder Bar – gone
Social Justice center – gone
The Barry and Pat statues – gone
That pink house on Odana Rd – untouched
What else?
I think this could backfire if they don’t actually know where Crowley stood (past tense) and stands (current tense) on the issue. Crowley is apparently trying to run as a moderate liberal.
Example: What if the ad (which I think is very well thought out) is produced and televised (how many thousands of dollars will that cost?) and Crowley turns around and supports bringing back Chamberlin Rock to the UW Campus and publicly undermining the ones that wanted it removed? Do you want to take a chance and possibly give Crowley a political avenue to show how moderate he is by being inline with Tiffany (even if it’s only partially inline) on an issue?
It also pays to remember that there are lots of people in the extremes of the Democratic Party that have been rather open about extremists remaking themselves to appear as moderates to get elected and then lift the veil after being elected to reveal the snarling extremist that immediately shifts to extremist policies.
Also. I’m not sure it’s within the power of the Governor to force the UW to put Chamberlin Rock back, so running on something that he knows he can’t legally accomplish seems a little futile.
Now if all you’re doing this ad for is to troll the political left and rile up voters then get a deep pocket PAC to redo the ad a little bit without Tiffany directly participating in it and have the PAC pay for it in full, then Tiffany can keep himself and his campaign out of it.
I know, I know; it’s never to early to go negative.
Steve W. asks (in essence) what happens if David Crowley says “Me, too” to Tom Tiffany’s leadership? Is that a good look? Where do all those Hong supporters go when and (a very big) IF Crowley disses Woke? Crowley needs Hong’s supporters.
I don’t know if Francesca Hong could ever ban Thanksgiving, either. But highlighting the issue is a window into one’s soul. In any event, governors appoint university regents. My ad is the equivalent of Trump saying Kamala is for they and them; Donald Trump is for YOU.
Given that the driving force behind the rock’s removal was the Black Students’ Union (or whatever it’s called, I’m too uninspired to look it up), it’s unlikely that a black elected official would support its resurrection.
I wrote, in our student newspaper ca. 1971, “Be careful BSU. You may only BSingUselves.”
Speaking of backfire I don’t think “Data center Dave Crowley” is such a great idea. Personally I’m all for data centers if there’s an ironclad way of ensuring they don’t make me pay more for electricity. Maybe that’s too much to ask but I want to see the discussion not the fear mongering. Tiffany comes off as a Luddite.
I have said it before, I think someone should organize an annual pilgrimage to the rock and hold a solemn ceremony. Blaska could give the inaugural presentation. Participants could put out yard signs days ahead, saying “In this Home, We Believe in the Science (of Geology)”
Jonathan Burack gets it! Chamberlin Rock is tangible. A visible symbol of Woke One mania. Highlights Crowley’s subservience to the Hong crazies. Hauling away a 42-ton boulder to placate the nihilists.
Another suggestion for a yard sign slogan: “In this Home, We Believe You Don’t Give a Rat’s Ass What We Believe.”
Yes. Tom Tiffany should put the rock back on campus and stick Freedom, Inc with the moving expenses.
Or just stop giving Freedom Inc. Government money. Yes, State, Dane County and City of Madison.
Freedom, Inc is one “non-profit” run by shakedown artists. We’ll see how much longer the gravy train keeps chugging along.
As long as BS RAY-cism is a growth industry in Madison. Aerramique is the current poster child.