Jim Doyle as Tony Earl

Ouch. This can't be a comparison that the Doyle campaign will want made very often this summer and fall:

Like former one-term Democratic Gov. Tony Earl, Gov. Jim Doyle performed moderately well during his first term. Also similar to his predecessor, Doyle heads into his re-election bid with a steep hill to climb if he wants to retain the governor's office.

Since being elected by a 45 percent plurality rather than by a majority of Wisconsin voters, he has been unable to win over the 13 percent of the electorate who voted for Libertarian Ed Thompson and other minor candidates in 2002. Doyle also has to overcome a Democratic Party that lacks a unified agenda.

This comparison was made by Walter C. Farrell Jr. in the Capital Times. The Capital Times has not exactly been on the same page as Doyle during his term, but the Doyle campaign cannot be happy that the most liberal paper in the state is comparing Doyle to past Democratic losers (Farrell also tosses in a comparison with Marty Schreiber). It must feel a little bit like having your grave prepared for you while you still have a shot at living.