Covering the gov's race, then and now

To those who experienced the 2002 governor's race firsthand and close up, there is a marked difference in the media's expectations and demands of the candidates to offer specific ideas and plans to handle the state budget deficit.

In 2002, the media held the candidates' feet to the fiscal fire.

I've mentioned before the drill the Journal Sentinel put us through, demanding a written plan with specific items and dollar figures from each candidate. Before the primary, Jim Doyle, Tom Barrett, and Kathleen Falk spent an evening -- from where I was watching it seemed like a week -- on Wisconsin Public Television, trying to make their budget cuts and proposals add up to the amount of the deficit. The real number, when Doyle took office, turned out to be much bigger.

But enough from me. Brew City Brawler has compared 2002 coverage of the race with what we're getting so far in 2006 from the state's biggest newspaper. How's it stack up? I don't want to ruin the surprise.