At the Madison forum, Kathleen Falk, the former Dane County executive who polls suggest is Barrett’s principal rival for the nomination in the May 8 vote, reiterated to applause her pledge to veto any state budget that does not restore collective bargaining rights. Falk has the backing of most major unions and Wisconsin for Falk, a union-backed group, is spending an estimated $4 million on her behalf.

In contrast, Barrett told the gathered Democrats: “If we want to have a permanent Scott Walker budget, that's what we would be doing (with a veto threat). We can't play into (Republicans’) hands.” It was instantly clear the exchange between Barrett and Falk over union strategy would dominate event coverage (it did) and has since been perhaps the key difference between the two.

A week later, Barrett tried to reach out to labor without hurting his post-primary message if he prevails next week. He was accompanied by two Democratic state senators, Jon Erpenbach of Middleton and Lena Taylor of Milwaukee, heroes who left the state in an effort to block passage of the anti-union legislation. They brought pro-labor credibility to Barrett’s pledge to work to restore collective bargaining as governor.

Politics, like life, can be unfair.