Bracing for the election results....

The dangerous thing about our detached incidental governor Scott Walker is his ability to win in a purple state. It could also go national...

Walker Bashes Burke's campaign "Surrogates" same day he brings in Chris Christie!!!

Scott Walker doesn't need no surrogates. And if he had one, Walker says, it's because they asked to visit and he just couldn't say no...you believing this? From WPT's Here and Now:

Mary Burke lost 130,000 jobs after she caused the Great Recession.

Okay, this is an obsession of mine and I can't stop posting stories it. I'm talking about Scott Walker's unbelievable lie: Former governor Jim Doyle and Mary Burke caused the Republican Great Recession that wiped 130,000 jobs in Wisconsin.

It's ridiculous of course, but the media has resisted correcting Walker for the last 4 years...yes, a whole 4 years. Only a few times was Walker asked about the absurdity of the claim, like this from Upfront with Mike Gousha, but even then he was able to word salad his way out of it:



Here's the latest attempt to get people to forget how the Republicans caused the Great Recession, and shift the blame to Mary Burke. Maybe it's her fault, says Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce:

Walker's positive and stolen "Comeback" campaign includes Mary Burke Bashing Reince Priebus...all in good fun?

Our classless Governor Walker couldn't help but take a jab at Mary Burke's outside support from Michelle and Barack Obama, President Clinton and others who didn't follow Walker's own campaign trip through Wisconsin. Poor Mary Burke, stuck in old Milwaukee again?

But as WPR reported, Walker's snide remarks pale in comparison to RNC thug Reince Priebus's screed, as he played an even "badder cop" bashing Mary Burke with old and new disproved attacks on her character. The audio clip ends with a call from "Phil" bashing Burke for not denying she was ever fired from her Trek job. She must be guilty? Reporter Shawn Johnson disproved that talking point as well:  

Hell Froze Over: Conservative Wisconsin State Journal endorses Democrat Mary Burke!!!

For most of us, it makes sense. But “stand with Walker” supporters contend we’re all a bunch of dipsh**s and dummies when defending Scotties policies. Hard to argue with that rabid reasoning. 

I'm going to pass along a few sections of their editorial for future reference if Walker is reelected. The words of the editorial board may come back to haunt us. 

The State Journal editorial board endorses Burke for governor in Tuesday’s election: A pro-business Democrat, Burke isn’t your typical Madison liberal. The teachers union opposed her bid for Madison School Board. Burke isn’t flashy. She’s matter of fact and analytical. She has integrity, heart and smarts.

Burke earned a finance degree from Georgetown and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard. She quickly became an entrepreneur … Trek reports that its European sales soared during her tenure. She later served as director of forecasting and strategic planning for nearly a decade.

Free-market Republicans have oddly attacked Burke for outsourcing jobs at Trek. What she and her family’s company really have done is succeed in a highly competitive global marketplace.

So it’s easy to dismiss as last-minute politicking the accusations last week by two former Trek executives. The two men — both conservatives who back Walker — questioned Burke’s success as a young woman running Trek’s European division more than two decades ago. One of the critics is a highly partisan Republican Party official who was fired from Trek and lacks credibility. The other had a falling out with the Burke family years ago after he took over a rival company.

As governor, Burke wants to capitalize on university research. Wisconsin is a leader in filing patents yet lacks the private investment needed to push great ideas into the marketplace. She would quadruple Walker’s inadequate $30 million venture capital fund to leverage more private dollars for innovative small businesses. Unlike Walker, she would allow the fund to invest in biotechnology.

Walker’s signature jobs agency, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC), has been sloppy and disappointing. State exports slipped last year, and job growth has been slow — less than half what the governor promised. Walker’s first term was bogged down by his repeal of collective bargaining … he could have achieved many of the same results — without two years of tumult — by suspending collective bargaining, rather than ending it … once the state’s balance sheet improved, the governor and Republican-run Legislature prioritized showy tax cuts over fiscal responsibility. Now a $1.8 billion budget shortfall looms, plus $1 billion in spending requests.

Our editorial board met with both candidates for governor, and we’ve closely followed their public lives and careers. Our endorsement of Burke isn’t a prediction of who will win. It’s who we believe is best to lead Wisconsin forward. Mary Burke is that candidate.

Great New Burke Ad Exposes Walker's former Trek Hit Man!!

The party of racist bigots gets a little sunlight in Mary Burke's new ad. While Scott Walker smirks claiming, "I know nothing," his October surprise may just secure any doubting independents...or will it?

I would hope something this dirty would turn a lot of people off to Walker. Maybe if voters got a look at the guy who sprung this personal attack they would see the Walker connection. Big surprise:



Just to be clear, the claim made by this slimy Walker stooge was no accident:

TPM: Ellerman first made the accusation that Burke was fired. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel notedthat Ellerman serves as chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party and ran as a fake Democrat two years ago in order to fight a recall of Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R).

Will Wisconsin reelect the Dirtiest, Nastiest political Thug in the country, Scott Walker?

Right, Mary Burke would run for governor on her record at Trek, knowing she was fired?

Scott Walker blamed a fawning press that never bothered to vet Burke's record. Check out the the Journal Sentinel's look at the Republican/Walker operatives behind the smear, it's breathtaking.

Watching Walker's well rehearsed response to reporters, our incidental governor continues to act completely removed from this nasty October surprise, except for his carefully crafted pot shot at Mary Burke. Walker is not known for thinking quickly on his feet. From WISC:

Walker: "Any other candidate at any other time in this state's history wouldn't have made it through the primary with the kind of scrutiny that it would have warranted here. You all cover things like my thumb way more than you cover my opponent. You cover the bald spot on my head more than you cover my opponent. Wipe that whole story off the table and I think we make a convincing case with or without that, that her whole campaign in the last year since October 2013 has overwhelmingly been based on what she's against."

Funny how prepared Walker was to continue the personal assault on Burke...

Walker: "Any other candidate at any other time in this state's history wouldn't have made it through the primary with the kind of scrutiny that it would have warranted here. You all cover things like my thumb way more than you cover my opponent. You cover the bald spot on my head more than you cover my opponent." 

As you can see, even this sociopath was having a hard time containing his glee over the irreparable damage his campaign lobbed with this bomb. Smugly calm too.

Mary Burke responded to the political hit piece:

No ax to grind?

She answered questions about recent allegations that she was fired from her job at Trek Bicycle and going after those who shared the story, including former Trek president Tom Albers and Human Resources Director Gary Ellerman. Burke said her position was eliminated in a re-organization and stands by her performance at Trek.

"These are complete lies and fabrications. Tom has an axe to grind, Gary Ellerman has an axe to grind with Trek, and it just shows Scott Walker is not going to stop at anything …these are lies and the voters should look at my track record of exactly what I have accomplished."

Here's WKOW's Greg Neumann with the complete story, a tale oddly released just before the election. Weird huh? Walker said, "They can say anything they want..." leaving the issue out there for his breathlessly in the bag voters:

Walker desperation throw smears Burke, attacking her business strength to win it all. Real governor/presidential material there.

I won't dignify this very effective act of desperation to seal the deal for Walker. Real class act:

Burke and Trek Bicycle called the claims outrageous, pointing out that the statements are being made by former Trek employees who had to leave the company, are both conservative and are airing them just six days out from Tuesday's tight election.

Burke said it was "the kind of smear that has gone on since the start of this campaign."

I just heard Mary Burke shoot back that at least a million people in Wisconsin wanted to see Walker forced out...FIRED. Nice one. 

Walker, Schimel pulling away with 6 days left...Wisconsinites love confident GOP Smokescreen.

The amazing shift in Wisconsin’s political leanings is becoming more pronounced, as conservative voters realized they've got a united, single minded lock step agenda that energizes their entire base. Republican turnout is almost impossible to believe.

Walker has managed the magic 50% mark, to Mary Burke’s 43%. But Burke’s disapproval numbers have gone through the roof. jsonline:

Among registered voters, 38% view Burke favorably while 45% view her unfavorably. Among likely voters, 39% view her favorably while 49% view her unfavorably.

And again, not only are Democrats unable to articulate a strong clear agenda, they don’t seem motivated enough show up to vote:

In Marquette's last poll, 82% of Republicans and 80% of Democrats said they were certain to vote. In the new poll, 93% of Republicans and 82% of Democrats said they were certain to vote. Those numbers are similar to what voters were reporting before the recall election of 2012, which Walker won by 7 points.

Wisconsinites vote no for Democrats, vote Yes for their Platform: Had Democrats been pushing their agenda as hard as rabid dog Republicans, they would won on the war of ideas. Try and figure this one out:

■ 60% said Wisconsin should accept federal funds to expand Medicaid coverage; 25% say it should reject expansion.

■ 57% back a hike in the minimum wage; 39% oppose it.

Of course voters are also convinced of voter fraud, and like it or not, will continue to see heavy regulations and tighter restrictions in the coming legislative sessions. Representative democracy is slowly slipping away, and we have ourselves to blame:

60% support a requirement of a photo ID to vote; 36% are opposed.

And it’s a sweep with the attorney generals race, that will leave GOP legislators insulated from legal challenges.

Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel is leading Jefferson County District Attorney Susan Happ 43%-39% among likely voters. The two are tied at 40% among all registered voters.  

There's some truth in the fact that this blog and many others preach to their choir. Conservatives will never challenge us or mention out names in their own media bubble. What their listeners don't know won't hurt them right now.

Walker won't say Burke's name!!! Says he's not running against anyone...condescending much?

Scott Walker couldn't be more clear about how much respect he has for his gubernatorial challenger Mary Burke.

Walker: "...my opponent."

Walker's disregard for women is evident by what he has signed into law, and not by what he chooses to say, or more importantly, not say.

Walker: "It's a lot more effective not to personalize the contrast. I'm not running against someone, I'm running for the state."

Not personalizing it by referring to her by her name? I've gotta say it, Walker's "her, come on, get serious" attitude makes my blood boil.

And for those unquestioning "stand with Walker" followers, the governorship isn't the place for a woman.

Here's WKOW's Greg Neumann with video of Walker's listless and dehumanizing sociopathic commentary:

Chuck Todd comes to Madison, Wisconsin.

Here's Chuck Todd's visit to Wisconsin at Madison's Babe's Restaurant:

He said Wisconsin may be closer to breaking the clutches of political polarization because of what the state has endured in recent years through protests and the 2011 recall effort against Gov. Scott Walker. "They're a little further down the process here of trying to heal the divide simply because they stared into the abyss in a way that maybe even Washington has yet to stare into," Todd said in the video.

Burke leads Walker 49% to 48%

No other information provided:

The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Wisconsin Voters finds Democratic challenger Mary Burke with 49% support to incumbent Republican Scott Walker’s 48%. One percent (1%) like another candidate in the race, and two percent (2%) are undecided.

Another of Walker's Biggest Campaign Lies: we have a $535 million budget surplus!!!

Who didn't see this one coming? "Stand with Walker" drones, that's who:

Here's how slick Scotty did it again; it's the old career politicians double standard trick:

Walker’s own budgets report the "structural deficit" number using the method the Fiscal Bureau used to come up with $1.8 billion. Indeed, Walker has used the "structural deficit" estimates to his advantage in the past and even has made it the centerpiece of his re-election campaign.  the governor is seeking to have it both ways, trumpeting the bureau’s method when it suits him and rejecting it when it does not. Walker told debate viewers: "The next state budget will begin with a surplus of over half a billion dollars -- $535 million to be exact."

That rosy number flies in the face of the official estimate that uses a long-established method used by members of both parties, and the governor’s budget office.

We rate the claim False.

Ed Schultz talks with Mary Burke.

Here's Big Ed Schultz with Mary Burke...for governor:

College Republicans low information talking point dummies!! Doesn't bode well for the future of the GOP.

Republicans have always ripped college students for their idealism, liberalism and naivety. For many of them, students are too young and too misinformed to even vote. Age brings on the onset of senility…I mean conservatism.

Well, talk about projection and being misinformed, the College Republicans are simply embarrassing. In the most unlikely criticism of Mary Burke, former CEO at Trek Bike, and the most unlikely portrayal of career politician Scott Walker, the College Republicans posed this madness:

Wisconsin will be acting as the employer Nov. 4, and we, as Wisconsinites, are going to hire a candidate for governor based on his or her previous job experience. By making the decision to vote for a candidate, we are essentially hiring someone to manage a business in which we all are stakeholders. 

Hiring Burke would be like hiring a recent business school graduate to be the new CEO of Walmart. While the graduate might be a great person, they have no relevant experience as a manager or as a corporate executive. While working for Trek, she made plans to send jobs oversees even though she could have kept the jobs right here in Wisconsin.

First clue: Mary Burke didn't have anything to do with the decision to outsource, that was just another phony talking point by WISGOP. Sure that discredits everything these dunderheads would write before and after, but this is way too much fun.

You’ll love this next point posed by “some pundits,” which I would assume to be an elite class of conservative idiots:

Circus act? 

There is another red flag on her résumé that voters should check out. After her brief time at Trek, Burke embarked on what some pundits have described as a year-long snowboarding sabbatical. While Burke should be able to spend her money in any way that she wants too, this should still be a red flag for any employer. If anyone were to take a spontaneous year off work, any serious employer would have questions about the gap in my résumé. Everyone regardless of their political affiliation should want to question Burke about this sabbatical. 

This was a huge issue with my conservative friend in Milwaukee. Funny thing, while Republicans complain about people being on unemployment too long, they're also saying those same people shouldn't be given a job…so, they should stay on the public dole? Confusing? That's how they think.

They also had this funny bit of projection, a point I recently blogged about dealing with Walker’s lack of answering all questions. It’s really Mary Burke’s problem?

The employers should refer to her interview. During the second debate that Burke had with Gov. Scott Walker, she never really seemed to offer any real solutions. She did a great job saying that there are some problems with our state, but she rarely, if ever, gave real, tangible, actionable solutions. 

Funny, those tangible, actionable tax cuts for our job creators haven’t done anything at all. She actually gave a number of different ways to get industry going again in the state, and it isn’t another tax cut.

While we don’t know about the other employers, we do not intend on hiring the recent college graduate to be the new CEO of Walmart.

Weird and stupid, but that's why I'm posting this. "Stand with Walker" drones think it’s best to hire a college dropout with no corporate executive experience at all. In another press release, the College Republicans said this:

“No matter what Mary Burke says on campus today she can’t hide the fact that she still refuses to commit to another 2 year tuition freeze. UW-Madison students deserve to know if she is planning to raise tuition if elected like her predecessor Jim Doyle chose to do.

She answered this already, saying she would freeze tuition if the state starts funding our state colleges again. After all, they're a huge money maker and job creator. 

Burke takes command, Walker feigns "folksy" anecdotes.

The one thing I've noticed about Mary Burke is her no nonsense delivery. They's nothing political about it. The Journal Sentinel editorial board treated Burke like a politician, but got back a straight shooting business executive, and it baffled them. Especially Dan Bice.

She answers questions. No phony anecdotal stories from strangers passing along their own skewed misinformed Fox News influence political point of view. Facts, business.

Here's a link to a story on Walker's cuts to the Shot Spotter program, which he backs wholeheartedly now. Here's a list of my favorite tweets...

 

Burke on message with Minimum Wage Hike, taking people off Assistance.

Scott Walker's campaign is self destructing, turning to odd old messages about plagiarism, jobs, and even bragging that he didn't create nearly as many jobs as he promised. Yikes.

Walker is also picking up on past comments made by folks who didn't agree with Burkes hard nosed business tactic running the Department of Commerce. Because you know, women aren't supposed to be so aggressive and disagree with the opinion of men who are angry about not be getting what they want.

I thought Republicans were all about "leadership." Not when it's Mary Burke, and not when it's a business woman with executive experience.

Summing it up perfectly is WISGOP's Brian Schimming,

"We've grown in personal income here in Wisconsin while he's been governor. Ah, the jobs are growing. All those good indicators are happening. That's what we have to focus our time on. Instead of getting "political" about minimum wage or any other issue."

But Wisconsin voters are more concerned about their wages and job security. In fact, raising the minimum wage is proving to be an upward trending issue completely dismissed by Walker:

Another poll has confirmed that the issue of the minimum wage has put Scott Walker’s reelection chances in serious danger. The poll, conducted by Public Policy Polling, found that 44% of Wisconsin voters, including 38% of independent voters, say Walker’s opposition to increasing the minimum wage makes them less likely to vote for him. 

“Scott Walker is losing ground because of his refusal to raise Wisconsin’s minimum wage,” said Jon Green, deputy director of Working Families. “It’s no coincidence that his lead disappeared at the same time he was saying $7.25 is a living wage.” The new poll results follow yesterday’s Marquette University Law School poll, which found increasing support for the minimum wage while Mary Burke eliminated Scott Walker’s previous 5-point lead. 

Burke responded:

"By raising the minimum wage, we put more money into our economy because that money is going to be spent. We reduce the budgets, whether it's federal or state in terms of public assistance, and people are better able to support themselves." 

WKOW's Greg Neumann reported this on the other day, including Schimming's and Burke's comments:

Burke Destroys Walker's Big Medicaid Expansion Lie, as Journal Sentinel reporters get schooled.

Scott Walker is protecting us from a broken federal government that keeps reneging on their Medicaid funding. Walker says it's worth giving up hundreds of millions of dollar now and billions long term so we're not left holding the bag. Walker based the rejection on a wildly ridiculous story that went unquestioned by the press. He says they've done it before and pointed to a few completely untrue examples.

Walker lied boldly, convincingly. The ultimate con man. First the debunking facts from way back in February:

There’s a major problem in Walker’s contention. The federal share -- known as the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, or FMAP, fluctuates annually and varies from state to state based on a formula dating to Medicaid’s inception in 1965 … "designed so that the federal government pays a larger portion of Medicaid costs in states with lower per-capita incomes relative to the national average.”

In other words, the standard federal share of Medicaid costs is not promised or guaranteed to hold steady; it must only stay between the statutory minimum of 50 percent and maximum of 83 percent. In fact, Wisconsin saw its federal rate rise from 2009 to 2010, and also got a big additional bump to more than 70 percent for almost three years under the federal stimulus law and a subsequent legislative action, both of which applied nationally.

So instead of the state spending just 10% after three three years at 0%, we're paying around 40%. Sounds career politician-ish, doesn't it? Even after PoltiFact's debunking, Walker still went on the following short irrational rant yesterday that even he seems to believe. I don't:



Today, Mary Burke was asked about Medicaid expansion too. She smartly brought up PoltiFact in a very convincing, bold way, making the reporter look deservedly stupid:

Burke ahead...

Hey, it's still very close.

Walker’s Shocking Disrespect for Women!!! Says “People around (Burke) have to set her up to be angry at me,” and debate was “largely to ignore my opponent.”

A double Romney moment for Walker? You won't believe...

Scott Walker made it very clear where he thinks Mary Burke belongs, and it wasn't standing next to him as a respected candidate for the governorship.

In a stunning moment of rightwing authoritarian arrogance, Walker couldn't hide his glee over the resulting GOP spin regarding Burke’s hesitation to compliment him, as if he deserved it. jsonline:

Republicans noted after the debate that Burke appeared ungracious when the candidates were asked to name something that they admired in the other.

Walker said, "You think usually when you go second you get a moment to catch your thoughts. I think that's probably a reflection of the people around her (who) have so set her up to be angry at me."

Yea, we need to fill Burke's empty head with anger. Reflecting his attitude and ruling style that relegates the opposition to second class status:

Walker said his goal during the debate was "largely to ignore my opponent and really just spend my time talking to the people of this state."

Seriously, did he just say this?