First Lady's presence in Wisconsin more effective than a duo of scandal-clad governors

Michelle Obama's appearance alongside Mary Burke probably did more good than having Gov. Chris Christie alongside Gov. Scott Walker

Here’s the difference between the two political “celebrities” (for lack of a better word) that visited the Badger State today.

On the left, you had First Lady Michelle Obama. What comes to mind when you think about her? Someone who dares to push for a better America. Someone who doesn’t settle for “good enough,” who thinks that our nation can rise to greatness, even in the shadows of adversity. I’m not afraid to admit that I’m inspired by this woman, and I think that her presence in Wisconsin was a positive one, and very helpful for Democratic gubernatorial nominee Mary Burke.

On the right, you had New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie stumping for current Gov. Scott Walker. Let’s not kid ourselves -- Christie is seen as a rising star on the conservative side, someone who represents the future of the GOP. But let’s also not forget that he's also embroiled in a scandal, with his administration accused of misuse of government resources to score political payback against a community leader that didn’t want to endorse Christie back in his own re-election bid.

Walker himself is surrounded by scandal, ranging from cronyism, illegal use of state resources, and improper coordination between campaigns, among other items. Whether Christie is popular or not across the nation, having these two scandal-clad governors together merely reinforces a meme that Walker would rather have Wisconsinites soon forget.

Both Michelle Obama and Chris Christie did what they were meant to do today, and that is encourage the base. When it comes to luring independent and undecided voters (however few there may be remaining), who was more effective? For my money, I’m betting on the First Lady.