Did anyone happen to watch Channel 12’s election coverage Tuesday night, in particular the interview with Michael McGee, Jr?

The tall, mustachio’ed white guy standing just behind McGee as the alderman did his victory interview looked an awful lot like John Balcerzak, president of the Milwaukee cops’ union. Balcerzak had been on the news earlier in the day to say that the union was backing off the full pay for fired cops during the fire and police commission appeal process. If it was Balcerzak — and I’m not stating that it was — can anyone who also saw the Channel 12 interview confirm or refute this? I’m putting this out as part of the process of establishing fact. It was a quick TV interview, though a good one, and the reporter made no note that it was Balcerzak.

It does make sense that McGee, Jr., or the cops working the 6th Aldermanic District would begin some conversations in light of the 6th District’s convincing affirmation of McGee; it doesn’t seem out of the question at all that the cops’ union chief might want to open a relationship. Let’s spark some interactive journalism here at Watchdog. Is this, in fact what is happening?

For the record and the sake of some reportage here, McGee thanked god for his victory and that the recall process was over, and seemed genuinely overwhelmed a bit by the 65% show of support 6th District voters gave him. He said he thought the recall process brought him “closer to his constituents.”

“I want black people to stop killing each other,” he closed. “That’s what I want - what I’m about.”

This was a statement election from the near northeast side of Milwaukee, where I live and vote. McGee has renewed life, has reached a plateau, a solid place where he can stand in confidence knowing that he goes back to city hall with a mandate. Given the realities of this recalll effort and the 6th District, that’s quite a statement indeed.

The city of Milwaukee, not Ald. Michael McGee, needs to change.