Mayor BadAss

It started with an urgent plea for help late Saturday night as he walked to his car after a State Fair outing with his family.

And it ended with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett lying in a pool of blood with a broken hand after he rushed to confront a pipe-wielding suspect officials described as a "vicious thug."

By Sunday evening, the suspect was in custody, Barrett was recuperating at a hospital, and his heroics were being recounted on national cable and network news shows.

So Milwaukee's Mayor beats down an attacker and saves a lady and her kid, and survives severe injuries. I have mixed feelings.

I can't say it was the smartest move. You have your family there, your own children, and you start to intervene in a public quarrel. While most would agree it's ballsy (and the woman and her 1 year old likely looked as though they needed help), there could have been greater consequences.

We're talking Milwaukee here, folks, let's not be fooled. There could have been guns or knives and serious injuries, even death.

And Joe Barrett has every reason to be teary. So we'll just announce his heroism and thank Mayor Barrett for his service.