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Friday, September 11, 2015

Scott Walker Wants Base to Know His Campaign Isn't Dead

Yes, it's gotten that bad, and he was supposed to be one the three 'serious canidates'-along with Jeb and Rubio-who also hasn't done too much.

"Scott Walker was supposed to be the one candidate who could unite all the Republican Party's factions, from the economic conservatives (love that union busting!) to the social conservatives (he's an evangelical and the son of a Baptist minister). With a record of fighting Democrats and getting elected and reelected in a purple state, he seemed ready to leap to the national stage, and sprinted to an early lead in Iowa polls. But now conservative magazines are running articles with headlines like "Scott Walker: What Went Wrong?" and Walker spends his time on the trail trying to convince voters that his candidacy is not yet dead."
http://theweek.com/articles/576352/2016-campaign-reminder-that-elections-are-unpredictable--thats-good-thing

Not yet dead. That's the campaign slogan you want:

"As Scott Walker traveled through New Hampshire’s 10 counties this weekend on a rented Harley-Davidson Road King, the 2016 presidential candidate kept getting questions like these: Are you worried? Are you going to be okay? What about Donald Trump?"

I love that: What about Donald Trump? It reminds me of in 2012 when Mitt Romney was in Europe and the press was asking him 'Governor Romney, what about your gaffes?'

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/scott-walkers-new-mission-convincing-voters-he-is-still-viable/2015/09/08/632243a2-5634-11e5-8bb1-b488d231bba2_story.html

"Walker has plummeted in early polls, falling from being one of the front-runners to registering as yet another Republican hopeful with single-digit support far behind Trump. His decline has been especially pronounced here in New Hampshire, home to the first-in-the-nation primary, where his polling averages resemble a ski slope — dropping from a 20 percent peak in April to just 5 percent now."

"During his two-day tour here pegged to Labor Day, Walker sought to show off his average-guy side — wearing a T-shirt and jeans while riding a motorcycle — and to tout his success in weakening unions in Wisconsin, where he is governor."

"But he instead spent a good chunk of the weekend addressing his viability as a candidate. He talked about former front-runners who never became president. He compared competing in the presidential race to running a half-mile track event in high school, sticking with the pack until the finish line is close. He also likened his strategy to skeet shooting, aiming the gun at the spot in the sky where the clay pigeon is headed, not where it already is. And he said the national media has been focused on the wrong issues, glorifying the wrong candidates and twisting his words."

But is it twisting his words or ignoring them?

Most of the time when he speaks he literally says nothing. Like on the Syrian refugee question, he initially said how can he say as he's not President. Right, but isn't that what a campaign is supposed to determine?

"A few days ago Scott Walker refused to answer a question about Syrian refugees because "I'm not president today, and I can't be president today." This was a novel take on presidential campaign questions, which are—for obvious reasons—all about what you'd do as president. But apparently Walker decided it was unfair to ask him about that before he actually became president. He left unclear what kinds of questions would be left for reporters to ask him."

"Today, unsurprisingly, Walker changed his tune. He decided to "clarify" his answer, which turned out to be simple: he doesn't want the US to take in any more Syrian refugees. We take in plenty already. Instead, he wants to increase our bombing campaign against ISIS. This would probably make the refugee crisis worse, but no matter."

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2015/09/scott-walker-no-longer-understands-his-own-base

The good news is the President has vowed to take in many more refugees next year from Syria-from 1,500 to 10,000.

Even Trump is for bringing in more refugees-as he says it's a huminatarian crisis. But Walker is unmoved by that. His campaign is about how he busted unions in Wisconsin and bragging that he rides a bike.

As far as what he'd do as Presdient-well he'll tell you after you elect him.

"I say that Walker's clarification was unsurprising because he's really made a habit of this.Steve Benen provides the blow-by-blow:Walker’s pattern of stumbling only reinforces doubts about his strength as a national candidate. TPM’s Caitlin MacNeal noted a series of issues and controversies — Kentucky’s Kim Davis, whether sexual orientation is a choice, evolutionary biology, President Obama’s patriotism and religion — on which Walker couldn’t or wouldn’t share his position publicly."

"There are a variety of other issues — birthright citizenship, Boy Scouts, building a Canadian border wall — on which Walker managed to state an opinion, but soon after, that position proved untenable, forcing him to “clarify” his actual beliefs. Asked about Walker last week, an Iowa Republican told Politico, in advance of this week’s incident, “For the last two months [Walker] hasn’t made a single policy pronouncement that he or his staff hasn’t had to clarify or clear up within two hours.”

So no wonder his campaign is the Incredible Shrinking Campaign. That he's running for President is becoming a technicality. When Hillary attacked him yesterday he was probably grateful-at least he got a little attention.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/hillary-clinton-scott-walker-kochs

Kind of funny him claiming her views on abortion are 'extreme' as he doesn't believe in exceptions for rape, incest, or the life of the mother even. Not even making the last exception makes him even more extreme than Jeb!

But the more he talks the less he says-and the further his poll numbers slip. His shtick may play well in Wisconsin but doesn't seem so impressive nationally.


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