MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee’s mayor has bloody cuts on his face, smashed teeth and a fractured hand — but he’s not exactly hurting politically.
Since he confronted a metal-bar-wielding man near the state fair, Tom Barrett has become an urban folk hero, with T-shirts comparing him to Superman or saying “Our Mayor Ain’t No Cream Puff.” President Barack Obama gave him a get-well call, and some are saying the incident might help if he decides to run for governor.
“That story is a great story for any candidate, and they’d love to have that,” said University of Wisconsin-Madison political science professor Charles Franklin.
The 55-year-old mayor has downplayed his efforts to help a woman who was crying for help Saturday night. Police say a man beat Barrett after he tried to call 911. “I can’t think of a situation like this where people would not have responded the way I did,” Barrett said.
