Reading Between the Lines of an Interview with Mark Green

I just took a closer look at the excerpts from an interview a writer for the Journal-Sentinel had with Mark Green this week.

Some interesting stuff if you're willing to speculate a bit and read between the lines. Here are some key questions and answers:

--------------

JS: So why didn't he throw his support to you?

Green: Well, I fully believe that he will. When the next few weeks have gone by, I expect to be campaigning shoulder-to-shoulder with Tommy Thompson.
...

JS: Help me with that: Shoulder-to-shoulder with Tommy Thompson. Who's running for what here?

Green: I feel good about the way things are going.

JS: Who's going to be (running for) the lieutenant governor?

Green: I feel good about the way things are going.

JS: You won't answer my question: You're going to campaign with Tommy shoulder-to-shoulder?

Green: That's what I plan to be doing.

JS: Will you still be running for governor when this happens?

Green: I fully expect to be running for governor.
...

JS: So you are completely confident he's not running for governor?

Green: I am very confident about how things are going to work out.

JS: That's not answering my question.

Green: That is answering the question; it's not in the detail that you'd like. But I feel very good about it.
...

JS: I don't mean to be naïve here, but is there any scenario in which he would run for governor and you would run as his lieutenant governor?

Green: I don't see any scenario like that at all. Again, full speed ahead. I believe I will be the governor come January.

--------------

It seems Green thinks Tommy is preparing to run for something. But he's keeping clear of elaborating on what that might be.

The "side-by-side" comment is particularly interesting. It could just mean that Tommy is planning to campaign for Green, but Green's unwillingness to say anything else about the phrase suggests it's more than that.

As I've mentioned before, I can't imagine Tommy would take on a costly and difficult race against Kohl. Plus, if he did manage to beat Kohl, he'd be the junior Senator from Wisconsin, and towards the bottom of the US Senate totem pole. Toward the bottom is not a place Tommy likes to be -- he likes to be in charge. And there aren't any other significant races this year that could put him in charge besides the one for the governor's mansion.

As Xoff points out today, Green appears to be keeping tabs on his old job just in case. That doesn't seem to be the actions of someone who's confident that he'll be running for a new job this fall.

This makes it seem like "side-by-side" could mean Tommy for Governor and Green for Congress.

John Gard's got to be watching this with wide eyes.