How is the annual State of the State speech written? In that message, how do speech writers balance bad economic news with the goal of leaving a positive impression on Wisconsin residents - and members of the Capitol press corps, who will interpret the speech? Two veteran speech writers, Rick Berg, who contributed to messages given by former Gov. Tommy G. Thompson and wrote ex-Gov. Scott McCallum's 2002 address, and Ron McCrea, communications director for former Gov. Tony Earl, talked about the long process that led to the their boss standing in the Assembly chamber and delivering what they had written. Gov. Jim Doyle will give his eighth, and last, State of State speech at 7 p.m. Jan. 26.

Capitol reporters handicapped what they expect Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle to say in his final State of the State speech, the long list of bills Doyle wants lawmakers to pass soon, whether Republican Terrence Wall is the strongest opponent for Democratic U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, and the political lightning that struck Washington twice last week – the victory of Republican U.S. Sen.-elect Scott Brown in Massachusetts and the U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down limits on corporate political spending. Capitol Roundtable panelists were JR Ross of wispolitics.com, Jason Stein of the Wisconsin State Journal and Bob Hague of the Wisconsin Radio Network.

Capitol reporters Patrick Marley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, JR Ross of wispolitics.com and Bob Hague of Wisconsin Radio Network reviewed the fall legislative session that ended on Nov. 5. They analyzed the failure to send Gov. Jim Doyle a drunk-driving reform package but votes that put education reforms, public financing of Supreme Court candidates, and a change in who appoints the state's top environmental officer on the governor's desk. The panel split over whether Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett decides to seek the Democratic nomination for governor. The show was recorded at WisconsinEye's Madison Studios on November 11, 2009.

WisconsinEye Senior Producer Steve Walters hosted a roundtable discussion about U.S. Rep. Ron Kind's decision not to enter the 2010 gubernatorial race, developments in the 2010 race for Lt. Governor, and key issues of the 2009 fall legislative session. JR Ross, Editor for WisPolitics.com, Bob Hague, News Director for Wisconsin Radio Network, and Stacy Forster, Capitol Reporter for the Milwaukee State Journal participated in the discussion. The show was recorded at WisconsinEye's Madison Studios on September 29, 2009.

Steve Walters hosts a roundtable discussion about Governor Doyle's decision not to seek a third term and its effect on the 2010 gubernatorial race. Scott Bauer, Capitol Correspondent for the Associated Press, Jason Stein, Capitol Reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal, Bob Hague, News Director for Wisconsin Radio Network, and Stacy Forster, Capitol Reporter for the Milwaukee State Journal participated in the discussion. The show was recorded at WisconsinEye's Madison Studios on August 20, 2009.

Steve Walters, Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, was joined for a discussion about the recently passed state budget by Stacy Forster, state government reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; JR Ross, editor for WisPolitics.com; and Bob Hague, news director for Wisconsin Radio Network. The discussion took place at WisconsinEye's Madison Studios on July 2, 2009.

Steve Walters, Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, was joined for a discussion of state politics by Patrick Marley, reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Scott Bauer, Madison correspondent for the Associated Press and Shawn Johnson, state government reporter for Wisconsin Public Radio. The discussion took place at WisconsinEye's Madison Studios on June 5, 2009.

Steve Walters, Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, was joined for a discussion of state politics by Bob Hague, news director for Wisconsin Radio Network and Jason Stein, capitol reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal. The discussion took place at WisconsinEye's Madison Studios on May 14, 2009.

Steve Walters, Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, was joined for a discussion of state politics by Mark Pitsch, Capitol Reporter, Wisconsin State Journal; Shawn Johnson, State Government Reporter, Wisconsin Public Radio; and Andrew Beckett, Reporter, Wisconsin Radio Network. The discussion centered on the state budget and was recorded at WisconsinEye's Madison Studios on March 13, 2009.

Capitol reporter Jessica Aarp and WisPolitics.com editor JR Ross joined host Steve Walters for a Capitol Roundtable to discuss the state budget. Also joining the discussion was Deputy DOA Secretary Dan Schooff. The discussion took place in the WisEye Studio on February 20, 2009.

Capitol reporters Jessica Aarp and Scott Bauer joined host Steve Walters for a Capitol Roundtable to discuss the State of the State Address. Also joining the discussion was Deputy DOA Secretary Dan Schooff, who weighed in on the State of the State and the federal stimulus package. The discussion took place in the WisEye Studio on January 29, 2009.

Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Steve Walters, leads a panel of state Capitol reporters in a discussion of the week's major news stories in state politics. JR Ross, editor of WisPolitics.com, Bob Hague, news director for the Wisconsin Radio Network, and Mark Pitsch, a capitol reporter with the Wisconsin State Journal, participated in this week’s edition. The show was recorded in WisconsinEye’s Madison Studios on January 12, 2009.

Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Steve Walters, leads a panel of state Capitol reporters in a discussion of the week's major news stories in state politics. Mark Pitsch, capitol reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal, Bob Hague, news director for Wisconsin Radio Network, and Scott Bauer, Madison correspondent with the Associated Press participated in this week’s edition. The show was recorded in WisconsinEye’s Madison Studios on November 6, 2008.

Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Steve Walters, leads a panel of state Capitol reporters in a discussion of the week's major news stories in state politics. Mark Pitsch, capitol reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal, Bob Hague, news director for Wisconsin Radio Network, and Scott Bauer, Madison correspondent with the Associated Press participated in this week’s edition. The show was recorded in WisconsinEye’s Madison Studios on October 10, 2008.

Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Steve Walters, leads a panel of state Capitol reporters in a discussion of the week's major news stories in state politics. JR Ross, editor of WisPolitics.com, Shawn Johnson, state government reporter for Wisconsin Public Radio, and Scott Bauer, Madison correspondent with the Associated Press participated in this week’s edition. The show was recorded in WisconsinEye’s Madison Studios on September 11, 2008.

Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Steve Walters, leads a panel of state Capitol reporters in a discussion of the week's major news stories in state politics. JR Ross, Editor of WisPolitics.com, Stacy Forster, Capitol Reporter with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and Scott Bauer, Madison Correspondent with the Associated Press participated in this week’s edition. The show was recorded in WisconsinEye’s Madison Studios on June 25, 2008.

Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Steve Walters, leads a panel of state Capitol reporters in a discussion of the week's major news stories in state politics. Jason Stein of the Wisconsin State Journal, Stacy Forster of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Shawn Johnson of Wisconsin Public Radio are guests on this week’s show. The show was recorded in WisconsinEye’s Madison Studios on May 19, 2008.