Governor Jim Doyle had a great seat for the inauguration of President Barack Obama. In fact, the lifelong basketball fan made a point of mentioning that he sat behind Magic Johnson as the 44th president was sworn into office, an event Doyle said was long on inspiration. “Probably the most moving moment for me was when he actually walked out, and you realized this was really gonna happen,” said Doyle. “Here was somebody with such an unusual background, and a real tribute to America. I just think all Americans, including most he voted for John McCain, were just very moved.”
Now the speeches and inaugural balls are over, and it's down to work for the new Obama administration, facing the expectations of voters in Wisconsin and across the country. “I think they want a stimulus package passed very quickly, and not the kind that we've seen before, where money kind of disappears, but one where the package really goes toward helping people get jobs and get to work,” said Doyle. “People understand that the hole that this last administration has put us in to is not something that we're going to get out of in 30 days or 60 days or six months. And I think what they really want is what they're going to see from President Obama, which is someone who's going to work very hard on those problems.”
Doyle will remain in D.C. for a couple of days, to make sure Wisconsin receives its fair share of any stimulus. On Thursday he'll testify on the state's need for railroad infrastructure, before the House Transportation Committee. The governor spoke to Wisconsin reporters in a conference call from Washington on Tuesday.