Why won’t you talk to us, Mary Burke?

By Adam Tobias | Wisconsin Reporter

CAN WE TALK?: The campaign of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke has a track record of not returning phone calls or emails from Wisconsin Reporter.

MADISON, Wis. — Hello? Is there anybody in there?

Just nod if you can hear me, Mary Burke. Is there anyone at home?

Huh? I take that as a no.

Ever since the former state secretary of commerce announced she’d be running against Republican Gov. Scott Walker in the November election, her campaign and press team have tried to avoid Wisconsin Reporter like an Ebola patient.

In every story we’ve done that involves Burke, a Democrat, we’ve always reached out to her communications office for comment, but all emails and phone calls have gone unreturned.

But a blue moon emerged from the clouds Saturday when the Burke camp responded to Wisconsin Reporters’s request for media credentials to cover a campaign rally this past Tuesday headlined by President Obama.

The details in that email conflicted with what we were told by the White House, but hey, at least we made some progress.

Then it happened again. After visiting Burke’s campaign headquarters Tuesday morning, we got another email, this one containing nothing but bad news.

“Per the longstanding policy of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, your request for credentials has not been approved. Thank you for your interest,” the email said.

Since the Burke campaign was gracious enough to start responding to our inquiries, we thought we’d press our luck by sending them additional emails throughout the day, asking for further explanations as to why we were shut out again from a Burke rally featuring the president or first lady.

— 11:38 A.M.:

No response.

— 2:55 P.M.:

No response.