February 21, 2015

Non-Wisconsinites, I need to explain something about Scott Walker to you that you are missing.

Those of you who think that he's a neophyte, that he hasn't yet learned how to step up to answering a question. You don't get it. You are a neophyte. You haven't yet learned how to step up to understanding Scott Walker.

I'm talking to people like WaPo's Dana Milbank, who wrote a column called "Scott Walker’s cowardice should disqualify him," based on Scott Walker's response to Rudy Giulian'is "I do not believe that the president loves America."
And Walker, just a few seats away, said... nothing. Asked the next morning on CNBC about Giuliani’s words, the Republican presidential aspirant was spineless: "The mayor can speak for himself. I’m not going to comment on what the president thinks or not. He can speak for himself as well. I’ll tell you, I love America, and I think there are plenty of people — Democrat, Republican, independent, everyone in between — who love this country."

But did he agree with Giuliani? "I’m in New York," Walker demurred. "I’m used to people saying things that are aggressive out there."
It's interesting that Walker was right there when Giuliani said that, yet he didn't rise to the bait, but it's exactly what I'm used to seeing in the doggedly on-message Walker. He's rock-solidly used to this sort of situation. I think back to the debates he had with Tom Barrett, the Milwaukee mayor who was his opponent in the 2012 recall election.

In the first debate, Barrett, standing right next to Walker, did all he could to turn up the heat, saying Walker "tore this state apart" and started "a political civil war." Walker never quarreled over these inflammatory characterizations. He'd go straight to his message: This is "about our reforms, which are working."

In the second debate, the 2 men were sitting next to each other at a table, and the candidates were encouraged to talk to each other. I said:
This is a great format with the men sitting side by side. Barrett — a larger man — leans toward the governor and speaks with urgency and stress. Walker seems more relaxed. He's earnest, gesturing and explaining. Walker's theme is: the taxpayers.
As in the first debates, Barrett kept calling Governor Walker "Scott," and Walker steadfastly called Mayor Barrett "the mayor." Barrett kept up with the inflammatory tone, at one point accusing Walker of "ripping my face off." As one of my commenters said:
What struck me most was the imperious yet at the same time perplexed look Barrett directed at Walker almost constantly. A combination of ridiculous pomposity and pathetic passivity. Amazing he could pull off such a combo. A talent of sorts, I guess -- for doing himself in. Walker looked relaxed and human and never once reciprocated with any form of rudeness such as he was getting.
Go to 31:33 to 32:00 in the video to see what "ridiculous pomposity and pathetic passivity" looks like.

After all of that, do you really think Walker would feel compelled to weigh in on what the former mayor of New York City spouts off about Obama? Absolutely not. Giuliani was deploying some colorful New-York-City-style rhetoric and purporting to know the emotional contents of the President's heart. There's nothing worth responding to, and the no response is the Wisconsin man's response to nothing. He was "in New York" and "used to people saying things that are aggressive out there."

Implicit in that is: That's not Wisconsin style. Get used to it, coasties.

ADDED: I'M WALKER HERE!

172 comments:

jr565 said...

"I'm talking to people like WaPo's Dana Milbank, who wrote a column called "Scott Walker’s cowardice should disqualify him," based on Scott Walker's response to Rudy Giulian's "I do not believe that the president loves America."

Did Dana Milbank think that Obama saying Bush's reckless spending was unpatriotic should disqualify him?

Farmer said...

As a Wisconsinite, I think what you're missing is the radical difference between the Wisconsin media and the national media. Not to mention the difference between stiffs like Barrett and the bike lady, and people with enormous war chests who hire evil geniuses to destroy candidates like Scott Walker. He may be up to the task. Maybe he'll stay on message. If so, he'll be the first candidate in modern history to do so. But my money's on Jeb Bush's people carving him up and leaving him a quivering mass of jelly.

rhhardin said...

Copying a comment just posted at instapundit:

Love isn't a feeling.

If you don't take your kids to the dentist, people will say that you don't love your kids. They're not talking about a feeling.

If the economy is tanking, and you double regulation, disband all laws of contract and tax more capital, people might say that you don't love the country. They're not talking about a feeling there either.

Alex said...

Of course Walker is relaxed. He's getting millions of dollars under the table from Kochs.

Meade said...

No offense but personally... I'm post-coasties.

Ann Althouse said...

"Maybe he'll stay on message."

In the words of Scott Walker: "I wouldn’t bet against me on anything."

Alex said...

Once you've become a tool of the Kochs, you have no more soul and that automatically disqualifies you for higher office.

Big Mike said...

As a subscriber to the Post I can assure one and all that there are lots of things Dana Milbunk doesn't get. Scott Walker is merely one of them.

SGT Ted said...

The progressive pantie wadding over what Giuliani said is just hypocritical bullshit.

They can fuck off with their fainting couch, pearl clutching sniveling double standard.

Douglas B. Levene said...

Thanks for the explanation, Professor. I suspect you might have to repeat it ten or twenty more times as the campaign wears on, because the folks at the WashPo and NYT are a little slow on the uptake.

Big Mike said...

@Farmer, if Jeb Bush wins the nomination by carving other Republicans up, he will lose the election.

At that point President Hillary will renege on her promise to slip Jeb a billion from the money raised for Haitian Relief but never spent.

YoungHegelian said...

Since we've been quoting Orwell lately, here's a goody:

In left-wing circles it is always felt that there is something slightly disgraceful in being an Englishman and that it is a duty to snigger at every English institution, from horse racing to suet puddings. It is a strange fact, but it is unquestionably true that almost any English intellectual would feel more ashamed of standing to attention during ‘God save the King’ than of stealing from a poor box. All through the critical years many left-wingers were chipping away at English morale, trying to spread an outlook that was sometimes squashily pacifist, sometimes violently pro-Russian, but always anti-British.

Here's the link.

I post this because it's clear that Guiliani's words have hit a nerve, and Orwell's words show that this discomfort with open displays of patriotism go back quite a ways on the Left, even on the more moderate left.

Ann Althouse said...

@rh You're just defining the word "love" out of any significance in Giuliani's remark, which is okay with me. It's hot air. Walker holds himself apart from such frippery.

traditionalguy said...

Interesting to see a last ditch Racist Test being raised by Obama lovers in a coming Presidential contest between white candidates. Is that a paradigm shift into alternate reality?

It will fail to stop Walker because Walker is a Walking dose of reality therapy.

His smiling presence is focused on some reality message, and while mildly amused by it, he refuses to join into the three ring circuses of people's revolution drama that became du riguere since Chicago in 1968.

He is a focused Ronald Reagin without a touch of Alzheimers.

jr565 said...

What Giuliani is getting at is "With friends like this, who needs enemies". If you were to imagine a leader who undermined our own strength in the world, capitulated to our enemies and undercut our economy, not to mention alienate our allies, what would he do differently than what Obama has done?

Bob Boyd said...

Walker's not even a journalist. Why would it be his first duty to leap to the defense of Barack Obama?

Oso Negro said...

I have to say, Professor, your relentless drumbeat for Scott Walker is starting to turn me. If he wins, you deserve a cabinet post.
But which would you prefer? Ooohhh.....how about some cruel neutrality as Attorney General? I can even accept the fix being in for gay marriage in exchange for your intellectual honesty.

chickelit said...

I just started clicking through Althouse's Dana Milbank tag to learn more about him. He seems like shrill and (but excitable) straight version of Andrew Sullivan.

I'm bored.

SGT Ted said...

If saying shitty things about a sitting President was a disqualification, or not denouncing those that do, NONE of the Democrat front runners would be qualified.

Yea Dana MilDouche can still go fuck himselves.

rhhardin said...

They'll be better kids once they have toothaches regularly.

Alex said...

To be fair Thomas Jefferson was far nastier towards George Washington. These current politicians are pikers.

jr565 said...

"It is a strange fact, but it is unquestionably true that almost any English intellectual would feel more ashamed of standing to attention during ‘God save the King’ than of stealing from a poor box. All through the critical years many left-wingers were chipping away at English morale, trying to spread an outlook that was sometimes squashily pacifist, sometimes violently pro-Russian, but always anti-British."
This reminds me of the old discussion between Sean Hannity and Jeanine Garofolo where he tried to get her to speak up for American exceptionalism. And all she could get out was "America has done some good things and America has done some bad things"
Even Obama's wife said that Obama's presidency was the 1st time she had ever been proud of this country. And she was a 40 year old woman.

Heartless Aztec said...

That would be west and north east coasties. South east coasties are of a different sort all together and being lumped in with the north easties and the westies is mildly insulting.

rhhardin said...

The non-feeling performance of love is a regular part of the word.

Love of country is mostly always that, and so part of Rudi's remarks.

You do what is best for the country. This does not mean standing to sing the national anthem but something else.

Michael K said...

"But my money's on Jeb Bush's people carving him up and leaving him a quivering mass of jelly."

Jeb Bush is reduced to saying I am my own man.

The independence and his-own-man-ness doesn’t just ooze from every one of Jeb Bush’s pores, it crackles and pulses in the air around him like an aura of flames.

I'm not impressed.

Michael K said...

"Once you've become a tool of the Kochs"

Alex, haven't you read the DNC's conclusion that Koch madness was counterproductive ?

The lefties come out of the woodwork on any Walker thread.

Joe Schmoe said...

Ann, great post. Milbank is trying to paint this as a big 'gaffe' while missing the point that many of us view it as a perfect response. It's just an attempted media circle-jerk, and Walker was having none of it.

I watched some of those debate clips online even though I'm not a Wiss-CAHN-sin-ite. Walker is good at using these forums for speaking directly to people, rather than devolving into personal banter that is merely meant to generate sound bites. I hope he keeps it up. For non-prog folks like myself, he's been one of the few rays of light in an otherwise dismal political atmosphere.

Joe Schmoe said...

And good for Rudy, a guy with seemingly no big political aspirations anymore, for saying that kind of shit so prospective candidates aren't tempted to. He seems to be taking one for the team. Prog media are going to relentlessly attack any conservative candidate, so kudos to Rudy for diverting their fire, even for a few moments.

chickelit said...

Excellent cite, Young Hegelian and on point.

rehajm said...

Ann's Kanye to Scott's Beyonce!

Reality or understanding or criticism of the misunderstanding won't matter in the end. The meme is being created. It isn't safe to assume the outcome will be the same this time around.

Quality candidates have been brought down by less.

Bricap said...

Why is the Giuliani episode being treated anywhere as a defining moment of sorts? I watched the clip. While Walker might have fumbled a bit as he gave his answer to the question, it is not an unreasonable answer for a politician to give to such a question. There aren't too many good answers for a politician to give to such a question.

Sebastian said...

"There's nothing worth responding to"

There was, but it was wise not to.

I wouldn't bet against Walker either, but implying that savvy conduct in Wisconsin politics shows he's not a neophyte is like saying that being president of the Harvard Law Review is good preparation for being president of the U.S.

Walker still has to raise his game. That includes forcefully taking on the opposition. Wisconsin precedent is encouraging but only a start.

The coasts may not get Walker, but you don't get Republicans. They are unlikely to want a replay of George turn-the-other-cheek Bush. (A potential liability for Jeb as well.)

D.E. Cloutier said...

"When guerrillas engage a stronger enemy, they withdraw when he advances; harass him when he stops; strike him when he is weary; pursue him when he withdraws." - Mao Zedong, "On Guerilla Warfare"

- DEC (Jungle Trader)

Quaestor said...

Did Dana Milbank leap to the defense of GWB when Obama called him unpatriotic? Not being snide, I'm just asking.

According to Drudge Giuliani is now getting death threats. I guess that's just more stuff that's "aggressive out there."

BTW, according to legend the famous "I'm walkin' here!" was Dustin Hoffman's in-character reaction to an actual taxi driver (an out-of-work Robert de Niro -- just kidding) who distracted by the production crew almost hit Ratso on the crosswalk.

Hoffman is one of those Stanislavsky actors who get immersed in their characters in sometimes inconvenient and embarrassing ways. Another legend has it that during the filming of "Marathon Man" Hoffman, who played a character in training for the Boston Marathon, made a nuisance of himself by running hither and dither backstage and on the backlot. On behalf of crew Olivier asked him to cool it.

Hoffman retorted "How else can I prepare my character?" or words to that effect, to which Olivier replied "Try acting, dear boy."

traditionalguy said...

What did JEB have to say about Obama's love? It was not on the news.

Bush III seems to be on the Thomas Dewey path assuming the election is already over and he can't wait to start governing.

Everybody he knows is probably telling him he can't lose with their money and the fact that its the GOPs turn now.

Anonymous said...

There are two kinds of people:

A) The people who do things.

B) The people who talk about the people who do things.

Dana Milbank is in category B. People in that group are far less interesting than the people in A, the people who actually do things, and among this group is Scott Walker.

The people who do things, in the end, are the people who matter.

Michael K said...

There are not many politicians who can show the effect of their policies in so short a time and the violent opposition of the left in Wisconsin insures that credit will not be diffused like Reagan's was for the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Walker lets his actions speak and his only task now is to avoid the Bush interview where he let the reporter quiz him about foreign leaders.

Walker got burned once by the hoax telephone call and should be extra cautious. Good for him.

The Godfather said...

I have 't been able to think of anything that Obama has done or said that evidences his love for the U.S. I read the Milbank column in hopes that he would provide such information, but he didn't. So I conclude that Guiliani spoke an uncomfortable truth.

The idea that Walker is disqualified for the presidency for. not objecting is absurd, no matter what you may think of Obama's love of country.

Lewis Wetzel said...

Milbank is a hack. He once wrote a column addressing addressing the pressing issue of Eric Cantor's sneer:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eric-cantors-slick-upper-lip/2011/07/12/gIQAYqURBI_story.html
Milbank is a shallow thinker. Whatever he writes, correct or incorrect, is or will become the common wisdom of the liberal ruling class.

Bruce Hayden said...

Alex, haven't you read the DNC's conclusion that Koch madness was counterproductive ?

Worse - there were several on the left who spent more trying to influence the last election - most notably Tom Steyer. The Koch brothers ended up somewhere in the bottom half of the top ten, and pretty much everyone above them on the list primarily supported Democrats.

This demonizing of big money on the right is pure projection on the part of the left - they are the ones who depend on it, far more than the right. And, because they know that they can't survive without it, assume that any success that Republicans have must be because of big donors.

Still, you can recognize left wing zoids within seconds a lot of time when their contribution to the conversation involves the Koch brothers. What they apparently don't realize, because of either mental deficiencies, or living in a progressive cocoon, is that a lot of those on the right immediately completely discount anything that they say upon the first mention of the evil words: "Koch brothers". It doesn't work like a talisman here, as it must wherever Alex usually hangs out, but rather a red flag.

Quaestor said...

I point out the death threats against Giuliani because Rudi won't point them out himself -- omerta,and all that. The last time he got death threats was when he was kicking the Columbos out of the Fish Market. Of course those threats came from people who insist on receiving respect, due or not. Proggie death threats, however, are mostly risible, just ask Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Bill R said...

"...they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them "

That sentence tells you everything you need to know about Obama's hatred and contempt for America and hers people.

And he did not get this from actual conversations with real people.

No one ever said to him "Yes sir, Mr. Obama, I have deep antipathy to anyone who is not just like me!"

It's just idiotic prejudice he picked up in the faculty lounge and doesn't have the wit to question.

Paco Wové said...

How cowardly of you not to fall into my trap!

lemondog said...

I read the Milbank column in hopes that he would provide such information, but he didn't. So I conclude that Guiliani spoke an uncomfortable truth.

What does this suggest:

Dana Milbank: Obama, the uninterested president

President Passerby needs urgently to become a participant in his presidency.

richard mcenroe said...

Spot on Alex! And the Freemasons are poisoning the wells!

richard mcenroe said...

Big Mike: Dana Milbank wears loafers for a reason: shoelaces are hard.

hombre said...

Everybody but the Obamadupes - and maybe even the Obamadupes - knows Giuliani is correct. Walker isn't obliged to add his two cents.

Milbank is getting dumber and/or loonier with every column.

Anonymous said...

Scott Walker not directly responding to what Giuliani said is nothing to get upset or worked up about. This is nothing more but a silly distraction that takes attention away from his actual flaws and follies.

richard mcenroe said...

Meade: they've had 239 years to show what they could do and this is what they came up with. They are tired, decadent, and used up. I'm with yez.

Michael said...

As president Walker is going to undo public employee unions at the Federal level. Watch. They will be dismantled.

richard mcenroe said...

Michael K -- The Left probably realized Alex couldn't deliver Wisconsin and dropped him from the cc: file on the strategy e-mails.

richard mcenroe said...

DOES Obama love this country? Of course he doesn't, and it's either fatuous, opportunistic or cowardly to profess otherwise.

At best, Obama "loves" this country in the fashion of someone who tells a prospective spouse they "love them for who they are" but intends to alter their every opinion, activity, opinion and ambition once they are formally wed. At worst, he loves because he's in it for the money like an Orange County trophy wife.

At the VERY worst, he's a faceless and mindless mannequin being manipulated by people who TRULY hate this country and intend to loot its corpse before it even hits the ground, like Valerie Jarrett.

But "love." Assumes facts not only not in evidence, but directly contrary to evidence already on record.

richard mcenroe said...

Farmer: don't mention "jelly" around Jeb, it gets him all excited!

BUSH/CHRISTIE 2016
"Just Get It Over With"

traditionalguy said...

What we non-Wisconsinites eagerly want to know is whether after Walker becomes President, with sitting GOP majorities in both houses of Congress, will this mean the Cheese Head Express High Speed Train from Chicago to Madison gets built.

But I bet that the Keystone pipeline gets built. What Wisconsin should do is share some surplus cold water by building a pipeline out into the Colorado River basin. I bet that would come as no surprise to Garage. He would be for it if Wisconsin charges the going rate for the water and uses it to raise starting teacher salary to a million dollars a year with retirement at highest full salary after 20 years.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of actual issues, I was really hoping that a constitutional lawyer would have chimed in by now about the recent developments in the Walker Administration's regulations regarding people peacefully assembling in the Capitol found to be unconstitutional.

Maybe I missed it early? I admit to not paying as close attention to this blog as some others do.

Lewis Wetzel said...

"As president Walker is going to undo public employee unions at the Federal level. Watch. They will be dismantled."
The independent US civil service originated with reforms in the early 20th century. Before those reforms, civil servants were political appointees. It is a great example of early 20th century progressive ideals; politics were unnecessary, just as politics within a profit-making enterprise were unnecessary. The goals were clear. Centralized, bureaucratic, apolitical, policy-implementing bodies increased the economic efficiency of industry and labor and the delivery of government services to the national population. It was a very Bismarckian form of progressivism.
Virtually no one believes that crap anymore. Well, maybe Robert Reich and Paul Krugman.
These days government civil servants have a hard time justifying their perks. They don't want what other workers get, they want more. In the adversarial relationship between employee and employer, who is their wicked employer?

Anonymous said...

I can understand some people saying that government today is so overpowering and so overreaching that no individual can hope to stand up to its mighty force.

I can also understand some people saying that government is ran by the will of the people and the people would never be adversarial to their employees because they are the people too.



But I can't understand how the same person can say both statements.

Sprezzatura said...

I watched some of that video. You folks in WI must be very sensitive because Barrett looked dull and stone faced to me.

Anyway, I agree with Althouse that Walker is not a neophyte. He's an experienced politician/liar. To me he seems to hide the extent of his ideology. Wants to agree w/ Rudy, but politically cant's, so he demurred. Wants to empower corporations over unions, but cant's say so, until after the election. Wants to have schools teach religion, but can't, a little help with a reshuffled Supreme Court could be helpful here, and with increasing corporate power. Wants to get rid of Russ, but can't remember if he signed up to do so. Not a neophyte. An experienced ideologue/liar.

bleh said...

Althouse, doesn't this post deserve the civility bullshit tag?

Lewis Wetzel said...

Madisonfella wrote:
"I can also understand some people saying that government is ran by the will of the people and the people would never be adversarial to their employees because they are the people too."
Who is saying this?

Drago said...

Alex: "To be fair Thomas Jefferson was far nastier towards George Washington. These current politicians are pikers."

Hmmmm.

Giuliani is not a "current" politician.

Walker is a "current" politician but he uttered nary a nasty word about obama.

So precisely who is Alex speaking about?

CWJ said...

lemondog,

Thanks for the link. That Milbank column reads just like chiding a mafia Don for not knowing and doing something about his own hitmen murdering people. "If only Comrade Stalin knew of our sufferings."

Drago said...

madisonfella: "Scott Walker not directly responding to what Giuliani said is nothing to get upset or worked up about."

Yes, we know.

But someone needs to tell that to the "reality-based", "hyper-intelligent" and "nuanced" lefties.

Anonymous said...

It's not that Mommie Dearest doesn't love you, it's just that you're a continual disappointment to her.

MadisonMan said...

The thing about Barrett is you could tell he didn't want the job. I still don't know why he ran. Because he was told to? It's kinda like Fred Thompson in...hmmm...2004? 2008? He didn't want it either. (And thank goodness, otherwise WHO WOULD BE SELLING THOSE REVERSE MORTGAGES on MeTV!!?)

Mark said...

Barrett was a weird nominee, exactly as you mention MadisonMan. Did he ever appear locally? I do not recall it.

Lewis Wetzel said...

Politics is about values. I have a pretty good idea where the values of all the presidents and all the candidates for president since Eisenhower were developed. I may not have liked those values, but I knew where they came from. Humphrey, the traditional, small town, pro-labor prairie populist who united the left-leaning parties of the upper midwest, little guys banding together to take control of their their government, etc.
If you are a Lefty, where do you think Obama's values came from? Where and how were they developed? He was never poor, never took part in the civil rights struggle, he spent his formative years outside of the continental US. Obama went to a prep school, attended Columbia and Harvard.
The best indicator of who you consider your peers comes from whom you choose as your spouse. Obama chose a Harvard lawyer who worked for a non-profit hospital in a big city. Michelle Robinson chose a Harvard educated lawyer with ambitions to become a big shot in Illinois politics.

CWJ said...

richard mcenroe @ 1:28,

I mostly subscribe to your last puppet based description. The Chicago machine has always had a need for clean compliant ethnic vote getters black white and brown to warm the many city council and statehouse seats that need filling. With his resume and supreme confidence in his own but empty abilities, he could be easily controlled with flattery and seeming deference. In that regard, the machine must have seen Obama as a dream hire for the statehouse and senate. Arranging for him and his wife to have lucrative posts at the U of C was just the high tone equivalent of getting the ward heeler's son a job as the sixth man on the garbage truck.

The joker in the deck was Obama's ego propelling past the senate to the white house. Did he go rogue or did the machine itself have ambitions beyond Illinois. I honestly don't know. The Presidency exposed Obama's and machine politics incompetance at the national level. I think that they discovered that while the graft and corruption was scaleable, governance was not. Pretty much all Obama's handlers except for Jarrett have scurried back to Chucago after this failed experiment.

Johanna Lapp said...

"I'm Walker Here!" should be Scott's campaign slogan and theme. He really needs to re-make that Al Pacino scene and issue it as his video reply to every Dem/MSM trap.

If they won't call upon Obama to stand behind or denounce the horrible things OBAMA HIMSELF says, Walker should not be obliged to endorse or denounce every word out of the mouths of his GOP rivals.

MaxedOutMama said...

I'm not sure how much of this is misunderstanding and how much is a desperate attempt to deep-six Walker's candidacy early while they still can. Walker is scaring them!

If we want politics to be more than a toddler's game of insults, we have to talk about policies. That's how an adult political campaign should look. Any one who tries to divert that is trying to undercut a workable political system, consciously or unconsciously.

Walker IS acting like an adult, and his focus on policy is one reason he has my support at this point.

Johanna Lapp said...

"Harvard Hates America." Wasn't that a political best-seller back before I was born?

I can hear that Obama has no love -- nothing but contempt -- for me and Americans like me.

The Bergall said...

Ann, I saw the title of the article this morning, chuckled and dismissed it. Red meat.

What is interesting is the NYT piece on Hillary doing opposition research on herself.....

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/02/20/hillary-clinton-begins-process-of-vetting-herself/?_r=0

tim in vermont said...

Doesn't the "R" after his name and his flyover country roots disqualify him?

Dana could have written his column in a tweet. But he doesn't get paid to tweet.

Ann Althouse said...

"I watched some of those debate clips online even though I'm not a Wiss-CAHN-sin-ite."

If you were a Wisconsinite, you wouldn't put the syllable break after the "s." The "s" belongs with the "c." That's why we say "Sconnies."

Ann Althouse said...

"I have to say, Professor, your relentless drumbeat for Scott Walker is starting to turn me."

Sorry, but I'm not going to stand back and let all this bullshit pass. I've been watching the Story of Scott Walker for 5 years, and I'm not going to let all these come-lately writers say all their various ignorant things when I'm someone with background on the subject. I have to do it, just like I had to cover the protests. I didn't ask for this, but I happen to be writing from where I live.

Ann Althouse said...

"Ann, I saw the title of the article this morning, chuckled and dismissed it. Red meat."

Yeah, I saw it yesterday and chose not to give it any air, but this morning I woke up and saw the connection to what I knew from the recall debates and I had to talk about it. I'm not taking the bait. I am choosing to take the shots I think must be taken.

Ann Althouse said...

And if anyone imagines I'm looking for an appointment of any kind in a Walker administration, you don't know me. I've never wanted any law job other than law professor, and the only other thing I would do is pure writing -- or utter retirement.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Walker is cool as a cucumber [and what does that phrase even mean you Lover of Language Law Professor?]

tim in vermont said...

Alex, haven't you read the DNC's conclusion that Koch madness was counterproductive ?

I was giving Alex the benefit of the doubt that he is writing ironically. I hope I am right. It would be sort of sad otherwise.

Swifty Quick said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
holdfast said...

Walker is clearly a nice guy. My response would have been "It's not my place to referee a fight between Mayor Giuliani and a failed President.

Alex said...

Wink and a nod. Of course Althouse would take a position in a Walker administration if asked. Nothing wrong with ambition!

MadisonMan said...

I have to do it,

It's teetering close to an obsession. (I'd put a link to the Star Trek episode with the cloud that sucks out blood cells, but I know you're no Trekkie).

It is easy to skip over Walker posts if I want to, though, so I'm not sure why people are complaining. You aren't somehow forcing their eyes to read the words are you, a la Clockwork Orange? That's power!

tim in vermont said...

+3 for the Clockwork Orange reference. Than Anthony Burgess could write, though he didn't like the movie too much, I think I read him say.

Titus said...

"Coasties" lol....

and fuck you flyover state.

tits.

Titus said...

How much love of America is enough?

Do you need to fuck, eat out, pet America to show you huge enormous amount of love?

I Love America!!!!!-except the coasties which are not the real america.

Ann Althouse said...

""I'm Walker Here!" should be Scott's campaign slogan and theme. He really needs to re-make that Al Pacino scene and issue it as his video reply to every Dem/MSM trap."

What Al Pacino scene? "Attica! Attica! Attica!" or "Say hello to my little friend!"

Meade said...

"You're out of order!" Coasties.

Ann Althouse said...

"Althouse, doesn't this post deserve the civility bullshit tag?"

No. It's closer to the opposite. Walker is being lured into greater combativeness, not civility.

The tag is for stuff like Obama's Tucson massacre speech where the demand is that people express themselves with civility. I consider that demand bullshit.

In Walker's case, he is civil, and the complaint is against his politeness and restraint. The complaint is bullshit, of course, but I'd need a different tag.

Maybe hey-sissy bullshit or something. What're-ya-chicken bullshit.

Ann Althouse said...

Women! What can you say? Who made 'em? God must have been a fuckin' genius. The hair... They say the hair is everything, you know. Have you ever buried your nose in a mountain of curls... just wanted to go to sleep forever? Or lips... and when they touched, yours were like... that first swallow of wine... after you just crossed the desert. Tits. Hoo-ah! Big ones, little ones, nipples staring right out at ya, like secret searchlights. Mmm. Legs. I don't care if they're Greek columns... or secondhand Steinways. What's between 'em... passport to heaven. I need a drink. Yes, Mr Sims, there's only two syllables in this whole wide world worth hearing: pussy. Hah! Are you listenin' to me, son? I'm givin' ya pearls here.

chickelit said...

Titus wailed...

I Love America!!!!!-except the coasties which are not the real america.

Titus is coasting on heir.

ndspinelli said...

If he runs against Hillary, Althouse will vote for the fat lesbian. Then there will be the tortured, lawyerly, horseshit soliloquies on why she voted for Hillary. Don't you rubes get the tired act yet for chrissakes??

Meade said...

"All right. This one time I'll let you ask me about my affairs."

chickelit said...

"Scent of a Woman" is a fantastic film. My whole family (plus in laws) watched it over Thanksgiving.

chickelit said...

Didn't you vote for Obama, Nick?

ndspinelli said...

The first time, and I admitted I fucked up. We've been through this before, chick. Take some fucking notes!! And then make me a sandwich.

Ann Althouse said...

"How much love of America is enough? Do you need to fuck, eat out, pet America to show you huge enormous amount of love?"

You need to rave like Al Pacino in "Scent of a Woman."

America! What can you say? Who made it? God must have been a fuckin' genius. The mountains... They say the mountains are everything, you know. Have you ever buried your nose in a mountain... just wanted to go to sleep forever? Or the rivers... like... that first swallow of wine... after you just crossed the desert. Mojave! Hoo-ah! Big ones, little ones, the spotted owls staring right out at ya, like secret searchlights. Mmm. Trees. I don't care if they're Greek columns... or secondhand Steinways. Passport to heaven. I need a drink. Yes, Hillary, there's only 4 syllables in this whole wide world worth hearing: United States. Hah! Are you listenin' to me? I'm givin' ya pearls here.

Scott said...

I don't intend to divert the thread, but what Giuliani has done is brilliant. He's discovered -- what would you call it, the Reverse Streisand Effect? He's thrown his opponents a shovel, and they've furiously started digging. I'll blather about it at the next cafe, perhaps. My apologies.

ndspinelli said...

The topic was pussy.

ndspinelli said...

And speaking of pussy, Bubba told Jennifer Flowers, "Hillary has eaten more pussy than me." NTTAWWT

chickelit said...

America! What can you say? Who made it? God must have been a fuckin' genius. The mountains... They say the mountains are everything, you know. Have you ever buried your nose in a mountain... just wanted to go to sleep forever? Or the rivers... like... that first swallow of wine... after you just crossed the desert. Mojave! Hoo-ah! Big ones, little ones, the spotted owls staring right out at ya, like secret searchlights. Mmm. Trees. I don't care if they're Greek columns... or secondhand Steinways. Passport to heaven. I need a drink. Yes, Hillary, there's only 4 syllables in this whole wide world worth hearing: United States. Hah! Are you listenin' to me? I'm givin' ya pearls here.

Well, that a vision jimbino will never see.

Seeing Red said...

Stuff it Alex!

Anonymous said...

Have you seen Dana? He is a midget, barely 5,2. He is forever hanging near Starbucks close to the WH. He is also slightly obese. He walks with over pronation. That man is ugly that one I threw up in the glass of fine sherry at off-the-record bar across WH. Never trust a midget who moonlights as cheerleader of the Democratic Party.

dreams said...

A Governor who stood up to the corrupt public sector unions and won, he also won a recall election and Dana Milbank considers him to be a coward because he refused to get suckered.

I wouldn't bet against Scott Walker but I also wouldn't bet against the liberal media's ability to define Walker, they'll keep trying till something negative sticks and then they'll run with it. It will be like a lynching mob.

traditionalguy said...

I'm glad to hear your commitment to continue to speak out about Walker, Professor.

When Walker burst onto the national scene only four weeks ago after his Iowa speech, I checked out the stories and reactions at HotAir and Breitbart for the fun of it.

The commenters there had it so wrong that I registered and commented back. You may have seen a traffic increase because I always ended by telling them to start reading AlthouseBlog to get the inside scoop.

Drago said...

Althouse: " I have to do it, just like I had to cover the protests. I didn't ask for this, but I happen to be writing from where I live."

Noblesse oblige.

All kidding aside, it appears events are spiraling out in a way that may, potentially, create a scenario where you (due to your blogging) become a much sought after property for commentary and analysis of Scott Walker on a national level.

I could easily imagine CNN and others contacting you for your insights up and until the time they realize you won't simply come on to insult Walker and belittle his campaign.

At that point Rush might even have you on for a phone call or two.

I would be surprised if he does not.

John Cunningham said...

Patterico really puts it to Dana Mildouche on his blog, asking how much the commie press asked DemonRATs to repudiate--
So, Milbank believes there is an obligation on the part of public officials to disown beyond-the-pale rhetoric? Really? Because I didn’t hear any disowning come from the White House when Obama car czar Steve Rattner framed Tea Partiers as suicide bombers , or when Steny Hoyer (D) said that Republicans want to shoot every bullet they have at the president, or when Rep. Andre Carson (D) said tea party members want to see people like him hanging from a tree or when Rep. Steve Israel (D) blamed Tea Party political rhetoric-turning-violent for the Gabrielle Gifford shooting or when President Obama accused Republicans of holding a gun to the head of the American people, etc. And not to get on my high horse or anything, but I also didn’t hear Milbank level accusations of cowardice at the White House for their silence in these matters.

But really, if the vice-president himself declines to disown beyond-the-pale rhetoric and instead refers to it as “venting”, what’s the problem with Walker not disowning Giuliani’s “venting” as well?

–Dana

richard mcenroe said...

How does Obama Love America?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B-O-INkCEAAGv2K.jpg

Jimmy said...

I first heard of Scott Walker during the recall. He seemed like a very focused and good natured man-unusual in a politician.
Found the Althouse blog during my readings of the happenings.
It is early days, but his non response to twits like milbank is spot on.
And only on this blog do you go from Dana Milbank to the absolute best quote from Scent of a Women. Wonderful wonderful movie.

Quaestor said...

Ann Althouse wrote: [If] anyone imagines I'm looking for an appointment of any kind in a Walker administration, you don't know me.

Thanks for the candor, not that I suspected your motives. Both parties are already well over the Lawyer Event Horizon as it is.

The next administration, whoever heads it, will need fewer lawyers and more "backhoe operators" to extract the Republic from this mountain of bullshit Mr. Obama will have shoveled upon it for eight years. We need a Ricardo to run the Treasury (not Ricky,Titus) and a Wellington if not a Bonaparte at the Pentagon. A Ford (not Tennessee Ernie,Titus) would be welcome at Commerce, and a James Tiberius Kirk should be recruited to administer NASA (I don't to wake up and hear Bones pronounce "he's dead, Jim" over the ashes of the space program.) And we'll need a Torquemada to head the Office of Management and Budget, because nothing short of fucking thumbscrews will get the Washington bureaucracy to live within its means, or more properly our means.

Any experience with the strappado, Professor?

Michael K said...

"This is nothing more but a silly distraction that takes attention away from his actual flaws and follies, or lack of same."

FIFY

Michael K said...

"Pretty much all Obama's handlers except for Jarrett have scurried back to Chucago after this failed experiment."

Pretty good analysis. I posted this in 2008 before the election.

I think it stands up pretty well.

bwebster said...

My liberal friends on Facebook are already foaming at the mouth a bit about Scott Walker -- one of them, an intelligent, talented person, referred to Walker as (IIRC) "corrupt" and "vicious". (Me: "Huh?") And, as some of the other comments here indicate, they seem convinced he's a puppet of the Koch brothers. Oh, and another claims that Walker doesn't believe in evolution (which, of course, is a misrepresentation of Walker's actual answer).

As for Jeb Bush -- he's toast. Doesn't matter what donors he has: poll after poll of actual conservative and independent voters show almost no love for him. He's not going to be able to buy the nomination.

Michael K said...

"Bubba told Jennifer Flowers, "Hillary has eaten more pussy than me."

Beautiful ! I'd forgotten that one.

I swing by after my grandson's baseball game. Have a nice day. I'll be chuckling all day about that Bubba quote.

bbkingfish said...

The Wisconsin style works well in Wisconsin.

CWJ said...

Althouse Althouse Althouse,

Thank you for correcting the previous commnenter's pronunciation. I was going to do it but was faint of heart.

It's something I noticed almost immediately after my original move to Wi-scon-sin. You'd think that years and years after the post office changed the official abbreviation from WIS to WI, the rest of the country might have at least vicariously gotten a clue.

tim in vermont said...

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a leading Republican contender for the White House in 2016, said Saturday he doesn´t know whether President Barack Obama loves his country. "You should ask the president what he thinks about America," Walker told The Associated Press while in Washington for a weekend meeting of the National Governors Association. "I´ve never asked him so I don´t know."

They managed to drag him into it. I am not sure this is going to be a huge election issue, but he has to get better about this stuff. He underestimates the partisan mendacity of the press.

Anthony said...

It doesn't really matter if they "get" him or not; they're doing anything to tear him down no matter how sniveling and just plain dumb it makes them sound.

harrogate said...

Walker doesn't know if Obama is a Christian either.

What a fucked up country this is.

Sebastian said...

"He underestimates the partisan mendacity of the press."

Probably.

Not playing their game is one thing; beating them at their own game is better.

The first will earn him GOP respect, the second enthusiasm.

It seems he is stuck on not playing now: a good start. If his persona can generate a sense of press unfairness in moderate or even moderately liberal voters, that will help him. AA's not-so-cruelly-neutral comments, consistently attacking the attackers, are one indicator he's succeeding.

damikesc said...

Harrogate, why would he know Obama and his professed faith? Going by actions, he's a lapsed Christian at best....but Walker doesn't know him. Why would he speak for him?

Lewis Wetzel said...

It's worth mentioning here that Obama on Rev. wrights "God Dam America!" rhetoric:
"Had the reverend not retired, and had he not acknowledged that what he had said had deeply offended people and were inappropriate and mischaracterized what I believe is the greatness of this country, for all its flaws, then I wouldn't have felt as comfortable staying at the church."
Obama was not just a member of Wright's church, he and Michelle were married by Wright, and he dedicated a book to him.
Obama knows the press will let him and his group of political gangsters get away with outrageously deceptively statements.. When Axelrod was asked about Obama's close relationship with America-hating terrorist Bill Ayres, he said "Bill Ayers lives in his neighborhood. Their kids attend the same school. They’re certainly friendly, they know each other, as anyone whose kids go to school together."
The children of Ayres and Dohrn are much older than Obama's kids. Their kids never went to school together. Their connection was political, not personal.

Michael K said...

"Walker doesn't know if Obama is a Christian either.

What a fucked up country this is."

I guess you should speak to Stephanopolis about this. He's the only one Obama has said anything to about it.

You certainly agree with him on the country.

Big Mike said...

Since Scott Walker wouldn't rise to the bait, folks like HuffPo are rising him up anyway -- the lead says "Obama's love of US questioned by 2016 hopeful," by which they mean Walker (not Guiliani, who actually said the words).

As for me, I don't know whether Obama loves the US, but I'm very certain that he doesn't get the US. His world view seems to come from somewhere not grounded in reality.

Quaestor said...

America! What can you say? Who made it? God must have been a fuckin' genius. The mountains... They say the mountains are everything, you know. Have you ever buried your nose in a mountain... just wanted to go to sleep forever? Or the rivers... like... that first swallow of wine... after you just crossed the desert. Mojave! Hoo-ah! Big ones, little ones, the spotted owls staring right out at ya, like secret searchlights. Mmm. Trees. I don't care if they're Greek columns... or secondhand Steinways. Passport to heaven. I need a drink. Yes, Hillary, there's only 4 syllables in this whole wide world worth hearing: United States. Hah! Are you listenin' to me? I'm givin' ya pearls here.

"...the spotted owls staring right out at ya, like secret searchlights." Classic.

I'm stealin' it. Thanks, Althouse.

Lewis Wetzel said...

Michael K-
Obama ws interviewed by Christianity Today back in 2008. He expressed orthodox christian views; "I believe in the redemptive death and resurrection of Jesus Christ."
I am not going to doubt Obama's words. You don't need to. to know that the press will never ask Obama how science explains Christ coming back from the dead, or how what happened two thousand years ago could redeem Obama's as-yet uncommitted sins against the patriarchial sky-god. He'll never be asked.

Leigh said...

Great post. I tuned into the pomposity spot you marked and kept going, and then checked the other recall debate as well.

In the debate where he was seated at the table next to the mayor, I watched Walker's feet. No movement. Cool as a cuke. (And part of what I do for a living is watch people's feet when they're being questioned under pressure ... foot/leg movements can be terribly revealing).

Some people say Walker is not charismatic. I disagree. Being unflappable is terribly charismatic. He's got it and I predict he'll become more charismatic as time goes on and as the attacks against him increase.

If he looked at Putin or Erdogan or Iran's man and calmly said, "stop or else it's showtime in 5, 4, 3 ..." they'd believe him.

harrogate said...

Because Bush and Clinton and Reagan had to deal with these "is he a Christian" questions: oh wait no they didn't. Walker either is an idiot who thinks it was a reasonable question or he knows full well that the question is nonsense and played along with it to score points with other idiots. Only idiots truly think this an important and unresolved question.

Walker's role in that little exchange is only a small part of the evidence for how fucked up our whole conversation is. It's a marker of national idiocy that this would actually be a real question from a reporter.

In a sane national conversation Giuliani's comment would have similarly been blown off as the ravings of a sad little man. Instead you get reporters not laughing at Giuliani but instead we get the scene discussed in the post above. What does all this say about the GOP and the media and Walker and Jindal and the rest? Not much that is positive.

And yet there are millions of people that think this is serious subject matter. Oh how the whole thing has fallen.

harrogate said...

We have no more or less reason to believe that Obama is a Christian than we have to believe that Walker is one. They both say they are. Good for both assholes! Who cares?

Yet somehow, not only do a lot of 'Murican idiots care, but it's Walker and other GOP politicos who are asked about and weigh in on Obama's religion--precisely because the GOP base is all into the stupid as hell questions.

The eighties called. They want their bullshit lip service as campaigns back

Lewis Wetzel said...

harrogate, all the presidents you mention were open about their religion and referred to it frequently. All -- Bush, Clinton, Reagan -- stuck with the faith they were raised in.
Obama went to a catholic school in Indonesia for a bit, then a madrassa. Do you know what faith he was raised in, if any? I don't. I believe he said in one of his memoirs he joined Wright's church because of its progressive politics, not because of a conversion to protestantism. What would he convert from?
If he is an atheist, he should say so. Obama seems to find it occasionally useful to use religious rhetoric or scripture, and when he does, it comes off clumsy or crazy. He cluelessly mangles scripture. He seems to believe that sin, to a Christian, is being out of alignment with that person's values.

Drago said...

harrogate (spinning furiously): "Yet somehow, not only do a lot of 'Murican idiots care, but it's Walker and other GOP politicos who are asked about and weigh in on Obama's religion--precisely because the GOP base is all into the stupid as hell questions."

Much Shorter Harrogate: The more liberal journalists ask Republicans moronic questions the guiltier the Republicans are for being asked those questions.

Those poor innocent journalists! All they really want to do is ask "real" substantive questions but that darn Republican base won't let them!

Drago said...

And isn't Walker being criticized for NOT weighing in when asked the moronic question by the moronic lefty "journalist"?

This is just perfect for the left.

Walker is simultaneously "guilty" of having been asked a moronic question by the a lefty and then refusing to answer it while also being guilty of "weighing in" on it when asked.

Which he did not do.

Just perfect.

Farmer said...

So much for staying on message

harrogate said...

All the questions are stupid and most of the answers I have heard are stupid. It is, in short, a stupid conversation. That's not spin it's an obvious conclusion. If Walker had said "these questions are stupid" I'd be giving him major props. But he chose instead to validate the stupid questions. It's as though he thinks the questions Giuliani "raised" are real questions!

"This is the dumbest shit I have ever heard." That's the answer to all of this

harrogate said...

Geeee does Obama love the country? Duhhhhh is he a Christian?

I mean just because a sad old man ranted about this kind of nonsense? Who are the people who care? Again, the 80s apple pie time wants its idiocy back

Drago said...

Harrogate: "That's not spin it's an obvious conclusion. If Walker had said "these questions are stupid" I'd be giving him major props."

Sure you would. Sure you would.

Harrogate: "But he chose instead to validate the stupid questions."

He did no such thing.

But now that you're committed to this equally moronic line of fault-finding you have to keep digging.

Not surprising.

Drago said...

Harrogate: "I mean just because a sad old man ranted about this kind of nonsense? Who are the people who care?"

The entire left wing media apparatus.

Which is obviously far too much for you to deal with.

Current day lefty asks Walker a stupid question and what do we get from Harrogate?

Reagan and the '80's.

Way to keep it "real" Harrogate.

Anonymous said...

Hillary isn't sure if Obama is a Muslim. At least, "As far as I know"

Lewis Wetzel said...

"Geeee does Obama love the country? Duhhhhh is he a Christian?"
You must be sad that Stewart left the Daily Show, Harrogate. I bet that it is where you learned to support your arguments in such a hard-hitting, effective fashion.

PuertoRicoSpaceport.com said...

Alex said...

Of course Walker is relaxed. He's getting millions of dollars under the table from Kochs.

No doubt you have some evidence for that, Alex? I'd be interested to see it.

In any event, suppose it it true. I've been worried about Walker's liberal bona fides. I like him and he is a proven winner but I am not sure he is as liberal as I would like.

On the other hand, Charles and David Koch, though not so much the other brothers, have been spending tens, perhaps even hundreds of millions over the past 20-30 years funding explicitly liberal organizations such as Reason, Cato, Mercator and more. In other words, they believe in the liberal ideal and have been putting their money where they mouth is to promote it.

So if they are spending millions to elect Walker, I can only assume that they have done their homework.

Perhaps Walker is more liberal than I had thought.

Perhaps I need to look at him more closely.

I do like what he has done so far in Wisconsin. I like the fact that he makes losers like you all whiney. That tells me he is doing something right.

"Losers" in the factual rather than the pejorative sense. Every time you folks have gone up against him, you have lost.

John Henry

PuertoRicoSpaceport.com said...

Speaking of losers, I would like to thank the WI losers for their service to the country.

You have exposed unions, especially govt unions, as paper tigers. Once the country saw that Wisconsin could take on the unions and not only survive but thrive, other states have done the same thing. Indiana contemporaneously with WI, IL most recently, and other states in between.

Now you are going to expose how weak you are on Right to Work legislation. I predict that this will pass in WI. Then, partly because of all the unsuccessful hoopla by WI losers, other states will see there is no price to pay for RTW.

So thanks, Alex and the rest of the losers. If RTW can be implemented with no consequences in WI, it can be implemented anywhere.

I predict that within 5 years of WI passing RTW, at least 8-10 more states will pass it.

Why not? It plays well with non-union folks and the union folks can't cause any pain other than some ankle biting.

John Henry

Michael The Magnificent said...

In the first debate, Barrett, standing right next to Walker, did all he could to turn up the heat, saying Walker "tore this state apart" and started "a political civil war." Walker never quarreled over these inflammatory characterizations. He'd go straight to his message: This is "about our reforms, which are working."

The one thing I noticed from the debates was that Walker did his best to behave as if Barrett wasn't even there. As if Barrett was so insignificant that he wasn't worth acknowledging, as if Barrett's accusations weren't worth noticing or responding to.

Walker's calm self confidence telegraphed to me that his internal polls told him it was a lock, and as it turned out, it was.

PuertoRicoSpaceport.com said...

When my kids were younger and still in the house, my son used to annoy my daughter from time to time. I think that he found getting a rise out of her just a fun thing to do. I tried to stop it but was never 100% successful.

I finally convinced her to just clench her teeth and ignore him when he did it. No rise, no fun and he quit doing it. In large part, anyway.

She was not completely guiltless of doing the same thing to him.

Seems to me that by the losers perpetuating the battles against Walker, they just set themselves up to lose again and again and again.

They've lost 4-5 times so far, they are going to lose again on RTW. Each time they do, they make Walker appear even bigger nationally.

They might better serve their cause by picking their battles more carefully.

Sort of like Walker is doing on the Giuliani comments.

Unless they actually like losing. I would not discard that possibility.

John Henry

Lewis Wetzel said...

And, as predicted, the MSM begans to push the dem's meme:
Gov. Walker says he doesn't know if Obama loves his country
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/gov-walker-says-doesnt-know-obama-loves-country-171931142--election.html
it's an AP story. AP reporters are unionized. They are under the AFL-CIO. The AP doesn't advertise this for obvious reasons. Wouldn't want people to know that the people writing the news have a financial interest in electing Democrats!

Mark said...

For people who mentioned Jeremiah Wright a thousand times in the run up to Obamas election, the commentariat here seems remarkably dismissive of people saying crazy things while standing next to Walker.

The hypocrisy is neck deep here.

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

Well, Prof., I'm not from Wisconsin, but some of us do recognize emotional argument and ad-hominum attacks, and consider them undesirable traits in our public servants.

While it is the *voters* who place elected public servants in positions of power, some of us do recognize and honor those public servants who govern with deference to the *taxpayers* who fund the gig.

Finally, some of us can recognize and appreciate a person clever enough to see a "gotcha" trap laid by a gutter-scribe and smooth enough to gracefully step around it.

But I'm just a dumb Texan.

Lewis Wetzel said...

Oh, bullshit, mark. Obama didn't attend an event where Wright gave a speech. Obama was a longtime member of Wright's church, Wright married the Obamas, and Obama titled his political book, "The Audacity of Hope", after one of Wright's sermons.
Jesus you lefties don't know how to think.

Bricap said...

Walker's deliberate nonanswer is an interesting contrast to the answer that some of the other potential GOP candidates gave to the same question.

We can talk about how lame the question is, but I have to wonder if it ever would have been asked had Giuliani not made his remarks. Had the remarks come from someone not nearly as moderate and as well known as Giuliani, I doubt this question gets this kind of traction.

I thnk there is a calculation to Walker's answer. It is a tacit acknowledgment of those in the party who agree with the sentiment expressed by Guliani, regardless of his own personal take on it. Some of the others failed to do this by dismissing the question and safely focusing on the universal disdain in the GOP towards Obama's policies.

Gusty Winds said...

If the reporter didn't think their was reason for doubt, or a ambiguity in Obama's Christianity, it wouldn't be asked, or even be on the table.

Walker's answer while evasive was also direct. Nobody knows if Obama is a Christian.

If a repoter asked Obama, "Do you believe Jesus Christ, the son of God, died and rose again for the forgiveness of sins," would we hear a yes?

iowan2 said...

Haven't read all the responses, yet, I will. But the topic is well worth the attention. Seems to me that the political nerds on the left and right know about this particular subject and how it played out. In reality it has nothing to do with Gullinani. This is all about the Democrat press core inventing, or attempting to 'other' Republicans. Claiming that Republicans are required as a condition of running for office, supporting or rebuking every thing uttered by another public figure. Its idiocy, but at this time its all they got. A full year away from the Iowa caucus'
The point is, the people that know about wont change their opinion and the other 85% have never heard about it. Just like Hillary's money laundering from foreign investors and corporations. Nobodys talking about that.

tim in vermont said...

For people who mentioned Jeremiah Wright a thousand times in the run up to Obamas election, the commentariat here seems remarkably dismissive of people saying crazy things while standing next to Walker.

The hypocrisy is neck deep here.


HA HA HA HA HA HA!

Mark's right! Remember when Walker joined the Church of Giuliani? Remember when Rudy married him? Remember when he stole a phrase from Giuliani and used it as the title for the book he based his presidential campaign on?

Wow you Althouse commenters are stupid not to see that these two things are ****EXACTLY THE SAME!******

Never change, Mark, never change.

Bricap said...

@Gust Winds I would say that if the reporter didn't believe that many had doubt, the question doesn't get asked. Obama's religion has been a peculiar topic of conversation for a long time for many, whether it is about Rev. Wright or whether he is a secret Muslim, or even if he just doesn't believe in any religion but still has to publicly profess a religion because not doing so would have been political suicide.

Walker follows his playbook here as well by tacitly acknowledging those in his party who doubt that he is a Christian. If he said he thought Obama was a believer, it might not be what the large contingent of doubters in the GOP would want to hear.

harrogate said...

"Walker follows his playbook here as well by tacitly acknowledging those in his party who doubt that he is a Christian. If he said he thought Obama was a believer, it might not be what the large contingent of doubters in the GOP would want to hear."

Exactly. And the point is that, disgusting as that is, it's even worse that these topics are considered important things. Imagine if everyone, including the reporters and Walker and across parties, just laughed at Giuliani for these remarks. It would be a better country if that was the response.

Mark said...

Tim, does the name Bill Ayres ring a bell?

People have been trying to smear Obama by tying him to people who say nasty crap his whole presidency. Get real.

Perhaps you missed Sean Hannity's show from the summer of 2008 until 2014, but he mentioned it weekly at very least. His radio show intro had audio of Rev Wright.

Mazo Jeff said...

Professor (who actually teaches classes): While your rewrite of the monolog from "Scent of A Woman" is good, I think this is a little better and on point.

"What you has just asked is one of the most insanely idiotic questions I have ever heard. At no point in your incoherent question were you even close to anything that could be considered relevant. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul if you have one"

harrogate said...

"What you has just asked is one of the most insanely idiotic questions I have ever heard. At no point in your incoherent question were you even close to anything that could be considered relevant. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul if you have one"

Ding ding ding! There's the winner!

damikesc said...

Media asked a question they'd never ask a Dem. Walker refuses the bait. Media then piles on how much Obama is totally a Christian and adores America (declining to provide evidence of either).

Has Obama been asked about his VP who fondles women? That seems infinitely more relevant.

Drago said...

Mark: "For people who mentioned Jeremiah Wright a thousand times in the run up to Obamas election, the commentariat here seems remarkably dismissive of people saying crazy things while standing next to Walker.

The hypocrisy is neck deep here."

Is this the part where we pretend Wright, like Ayers, was just some guy obama was vaguely familiar with and not actually obama's mentor and pastor for over 20 years?

Meade said...

"For people who mentioned Jeremiah Wright a thousand times in the run up to Obamas election, the commentariat here seems remarkably dismissive of people saying crazy things while standing next to Walker."

Presidential Barack Obama.

tim in vermont said...

Mark,

Hmmm, does Bill Ayers ring a bell?

William Ayers, author of A Kind and Just Parent: The Children of Juvenile Court(Beacon Press, 1997), says “We should call a child a child. A 13-year-old who picks up a gun isn’t suddenly an adult...."

Ayers, who spent a year observing the Cook County Temporary Juvenile Detention Center in Chicago, is one of four panelists who will speak on juvenile justice at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, in the C-Shop of the Reynolds Club, 5706 S. University Ave.

The panel, which marks the 100th anniversary of the juvenile justice system in the United States, is part of the Community Service Center’s monthly discussion series on issues affecting the city of Chicago.

The event is free and open to the public.

Ayers will be joined by Illinois State Sen. Barack Obama, Senior Lecturer in the University of Chicago Law School, who is working to block proposed legislation that would throw more juvenile offenders into the adult system


http://www-news.uchicago.edu/releases/97/971104.juvenile.justice.shtml

I leave the link in plain text to make it clear that it is from the University of Chicago and not some right-wing web site.


Keep trying Mark.

tim in vermont said...

Former Weather Underground activists Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn were guests at the August 2014 wedding of White House chef Sam Kass and MSNBC anchor Alex Wagner, which was also attended by President Obama and his family, according to a report Thursday in Gawker.

Political incest, terrorists, and Obama at the center of it. What a sentence.

tim in vermont said...

His radio show intro had audio of Rev Wright.

So are you saying that the man who titled his book "The Audacity of Hope" a phrase he stole from Rev Wright was just in the wrong church for 20 years?

Otherwise, it would appear that Hannity was perfectly justified. Explain to me why he wasn't.

tim in vermont said...

Oh yeah, and the event at the U of Chicago was put together by none other than Michelle Obama.

Michelle Obama, Associate Dean of Student Services and Director of the University of Chicago Community Service Center, hopes bringing issues like this to campus will open a dialogue between members of the University community and the broader community.

“We know that issues like juvenile justice impact each of us who live in the city of Chicago. This panel gives community members and students a chance to hear about the juvenile justice system not only on a theoretical level, but from the people who have experienced it.”

Annie said...

Tim, don't forget Obama kicking off his political career out of Ayers livingroom or the Annenberg millions they both redirected to leftwing, communist groups instead of Chicago school children it was earmarked for.

Unknown said...

From a non-verbal communication expert, there's this:

http://www.bodylanguagesuccess.com/2015/02/nonverbal-communication-analysis-no_16.html

Tom Nally said...

Alex: how can I become a tool of the Kochs? Is there an online application or anything? If an interview is involved, Wednesdays are out for me.

jms said...

He did answer the question. His answer was, "It's none of your business what I think about that." It was the correct answer and it was refreshing in contrast to Barack Obama's reflexive habit of commenting on things he has no business opinion on. Louis Gates. Trayvon Martin. Furgason. There are three prime examples where he ... and the country would have been better off by his refusing to comment. Walker understands this important skill and his refusal to answer reflects VERY well on his judgement.

Truthavenger said...

I think part of Walker's demeanor is the "Midwest Nice" aspect to his personality. Most people in the midwest just don't like confrontation, and think it is impolite to criticize or get into a shouting match with someone you disagree with.

This is refreshing on the national stage, to see a politician like Walker who won't rise the bait of the media or political opponents.

I do wonder, though, whether it will work in the long run. If you don't respond to political hit pieces and smears at the national level, you will be defined by them. The question is, is Scott Walker too nice to succeed on the national stage?

jms said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
clarice said...

From Janet at JOM:On Dec. 18, 2008 Milbank wrote a half page article with big pictures celebrating an event of 6 activists throwing shoes at a papier mache likeness of President Bush out in front of the White House.



"For a Last Hurrah, Protesters Give Bush the Boot"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/17/AR2008121703166.html

Here is a picture of the event from the This Ain't Hell blog - http://thisainthell.us/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/pink_10.jpg

So that pitiful gathering of approx. 6 professional activists, 20-25 reporters/crew AT LEAST, & some random people passing by
...gets a half page article.

Throwing shoes at a likeness of the POTUS used to be hilarious.

dWj said...

Very early in Walker's administration, a hoax caller claiming to be one of the Koch brothers got Walker on the line, intending to get something embarrassing on Walker; apparently oblivious to the fact that Walker came off pretty well, he released the recording, and you saw a fair amount of polite refusal to engage with asinine comments even in what was supposedly a one-on-one conversation with a friendly interlocutor.

As for actual political courage, the best criticism of his actual actions as Governor is that the fact that the steps he has taken have been needed has perhaps been too obvious; it did not require, say, a college degree to figure out that the system by which contracts with the public unions were being negotiated was strangling the citizens of Wisconsin. Where he differed from his predecessors, then, was the sangfroid with which he did what was necessary, political headwinds from privileged interests notwithstanding.

Eric said...

Ann Coulter, my second fav blonde with a law degree, linked here on Twitter via RT of Byron York