The Governor takes many calls everyday. Throughout this call the Governor maintained his appreciation for and commitment to civil discourse. He continued to say that the budget repair bill is about the budget. The phone call shows that the Governor says the same thing in private as he does in public and the lengths that others will go to disrupt the civil debate Wisconsin is having.Walker opponents would love to make something of this phone call, but all they have are a few over-the-line things the Koch impersonator said like "You gotta crush that union." Walker just ignores that stuff and goes on with his standard points, which is probably the standard strategy that most politicians use when people interact with them.
You could say that it's bad that the prankster got through, but that shows that he's willing to talk to a lot of people and also that David Koch isn't a frequent caller who gets special treatment and is recognized by his caller ID and his voice and manner of speaking.
Doesn't this prank call prove that Scott Walker is not close to Koch? He doesn't recognize his voice! He doesn't drift into a more personal style of speech. He treats him like a generic political supporter.
(Here's Monday's NYT article floating the theory that Walker is too close to the Koch brothers. In my frequent forays to the protest at the Capitol, I've seen many signs depicting Walker as a creation or puppet of the Koch brothers.)
Posts
238 comments:
1 – 200 of 238 Newer› Newest»It's not as bad as getting caught shoving a cigar into the vagina of a young intern.
"It's not as bad as getting caught shoving a cigar into the vagina of a young intern."
Now that's funny.
The unions are getting nervous.
I wonder if caller id takes you back to Organizing for America or the SEIU?
Beautiful, just beautiful what it reveals.
Shhhhhh. You're going to make Garaji and R-V cry.
If the Koch brothers didn't exist the left would have to invent them.
I read that New York Times article and it's a dog's breakfast of left-wing talking points. Sad, really. The farm-team gets no credit.
This confirms my pre-established bias.
(the other kev)
At least he didn't advise a pimp on how to declare his stable as dependents. Keep that in mind when Garage and the rest of the bottom feeders trumpet this as the end of Walker's career.
roesch-voltaire said...
Beautiful, just beautiful what it reveals.
And that would be?
Oh, the SEIU has nothing better to do, obviously.
Do you purposely try to belcown yourself on this blog?
It's not as bad as getting caught shoving a cigar into the vagina of a young intern.
LOL. Good point. However, I must object to that, as I am very much against cohibatation.
Leftwing progressives are great at pranks, fraud, and harassment. They know it well.
Prank calls are straight news when the real news is bad bad bad.
Next step: bring on Tina Fey.
Then stick a fork in it, cuz it's done.
AllenS,
A man's choice of humidor is a very personal thing. I don't judge, but the resultant corruption to the cigar maker's intended flavor is troubling.
Beautiful, just beautiful what it reveals.
Yes. Ducking direct questions to your statements reveals quite a bit.
Instead of a Gotcha, they got a Notcha
Some staffer is in very deep dudu though.
Powerline Fisked the NYT article that tried to connect Koch to Walker:
Lipton leaves that claim hanging, and never tells his readers how much the Koch PAC contributed to Walker's campaign. In fact, the total was $43,000. That was out of more than $11 million that Walker raised, and $37.4 million that was spent, altogether, on the 2010 race for Governor of Wisconsin. Which means that people associated with Koch Industries contributed a whopping one-tenth of one percent of what was spent on last year's election. So why is the Times running scare headlines about the "Billionaire Brothers' Money?"
Guess who the largest campaign contributors really were and which side got all their cash? You won't read about those special interests in the NYT
Oh, the SEIU has nothing better to do, obviously.
Yes, they do. In Colorado, SEIU likes to single out black teapartiers and hurl stereotypes at them.
Bye bye Scott.
So the left is resorting to prank calls as their cutting-edge political strategy.
What's next? Noogies, gushies, and purple nurples?
The WaPo guy, Plum, writes, "Walker doesn't bat an eye when Koch describes the opposition as 'Democrat bastards.'"
Can anyone here tell me how a Plum can ascertain that Walker didn't bat an eye from a recording?
A Democratic Congressman from Massachusetts is raising the stakes in the nation’s fight over the future of public employee unions, saying emails aren’t enough to show support and that it is time to “get a little bloody.”
“I’m proud to be here with people who understand that it’s more than just sending an email to get you going. Every once and awhile you need to get out on the streets and get a little bloody when necessary,” Rep. Mike Capuano (D-Ma.) told a crowd in Boston on Tuesday rallying in solidarity for Wisconsin union members.
But hey, Walker was prank called OMG!
Ezra Klein, in a desperate effort to spin this as something, says the fact of the call is lethal. Why? Because Koch can get Walker on the phone....but the Democratic senators cannot.
It apparently does not occur to Klein that the Democrats could simply return to Madison and do their jobs, and they could talk to Walker.
Of course he isn't going to listen to them while they are holding themselves hostage.
roesch-voltaire said...
"Beautiful, just beautiful what it reveals."
Go read Michelle Malkin's post, which includes a video of the head of AFL-CIO saying he is at the White House 3-4 times a week, and talks to someone in the White House every day. "Every day," he repeats proudly.
Bye bye Scott.
Cryptic, and yet oh, so welcomed.
I'm a Shaaaaark, that was funny! And clever.
How does this make Walker look bad? From what I can see he maintains the same stance in private that he does in public.
Bye bye Scott.
Yesterday, garbage, you predicted that Scott would use his TV appearance to concede defeat.
You've become America's Politico.
Did Scott Walker Get Crank-Call Pwned?
someone got something
He admits he thought about planting troublemakers in the rallies. This was a big theme not too long ago on this blog, but has since gone way down the memory hole.
So, this might shift opinion of some in the center against Walker? Is that the goal?
The left already thinks he is a Koch-funded anti-union big-business shill. The right thinks he needs to balance the budget without raising taxes, and doesn't care if he guts the unions in the process or who funded his campaign.
I guess it might piss off those who don't like the idea of outside interference in the business of Wisconsin. Always be suspicious of Minnesotans offering advice on your fiscal policy (looking at you Pogo).
Henry said...
If the Koch brothers didn't exist the left would have to invent them.
From where I sit that's pretty much what they did. Any resemblence to actual persons is pretty much coincidence.
Bye bye Scott.
LOL...I was self-centered enough to think that was GM putting the ol' ignore on me.
He admits he thought about planting troublemakers in the rallies. This was a big theme not too long ago on this blog, but has since gone way down the memory hole.
He thought about something, but did nothing?
And, so what?
And, we're taking your word that that's what he really said, which is quite a leap of faith.
Liberals need psychiatric help. They think they are so f-ing smart and so plugged into the inner workings of govt and politics they convince themselves they can actually see their nightmare's worst boogeymen.
I notice that none of you who have referred to me as a "union thug" or union thugs in general picked up on the fact that Walker agrees to bring a baseball bat to the meeting with the Senate Dems.
Also. Walker isn't Reagan, and there's no Berlin wall around here. How come walker won't take my call?
Crank Yankers guy is right!
Aren't prank calls supposed to be funny/inflammatory? This is pretty much the most boring prank call...ever.
Oh, hey, Althouse got an Instalink today for the camel video! Congrats!
He admits he thought about planting troublemakers in the rallies.
Exactly. That's a great way to tell someone you've considered the advice they are giving you and came to the conclusion it wasn't good.
I notice that none of you who have referred to me as a "union thug" or union thugs in general picked up on the fact that Walker agrees to bring a baseball bat to the meeting with the Senate Dems.
That's not what was reported. What was reported, Dose of Spoiled Brat, was that Walker said he had a bat.
I have listened to the phone call. But, that's what's been reported.
That's not what was reported. What was reported, Dose of Spoiled Brat, was that Walker said he had a bat.
I have listened to the phone call. But, that's what's been reported.
I have. Shush. It's too damning to defend.
So now we can add crank calls to the high-minded tactics of the enlightened Left? Good. Screaming "Hitler", ditching work and abusing livestock is so last week.
Doesn't the Koch brothers conspiracy sound just like the kind of thing the left would denegrate if Glenn Beck brought it up?
I notice that none of you who have referred to me as a "union thug" or union thugs in general picked up on the fact that Walker agrees to bring a baseball bat to the meeting with the Senate Dems.
Actually, that's not what he said. He said, "I have a Slugger, with my name on it". That's pretty much it. No, "Yeah, I have a bat and I'll bring it with me." or "Yeah, I got one, and it's got the union's names on it..." or anything even remotely threatening.
Good try though. But the points for trying won't get you a passing grade, son.
I have. Shush. It's too damning to defend.
Interestingly, Dose of Spoiled Brat, you didn't contest my statement.
So, I gather it's true. You lied. Walker didn't say he was bringing a bat to a meeting.
He simply stated that he had a bat. The prank caller suggested that he bring a bat to the meeting.
So, you're a liar. No surprise there.
What else are you lying about?
Dose- soo...you seriously think Walker is going to bring a bat to his meeting with Democrats? And do what with it, exactly?
What is emerging is that the spoiled brat union members and their leaders will resort to any type of lie, and any type of vicious tactic to keep their luxurious salaries and benefits.
Dose of Spoiled Brat is Exhibit A.
Pathetic, just pathetic what it reveals.
That you liberals would find it some grand gotcha just shows how little you got going right now.
They've lost the argument.
Time for the smears.
The old Alinsky/Clinton nuts and sluts campaign.
Probably searching Walker's garbage as we speak.
WV: kiling - Whoa there, word verification getting violent with me.
I'd point out that I've never done anything whatsoever to suggest I've been a thug, yet I've been called it.
Now, if walker doesn't agree with the sentiment, why when he's told to bring a bat does he go "I've got one right here in my office!".
Any human with half a brain hears that as an affirmation. Of course they are joking. Of course it would never happen. That's not the point.
When something stupid happens, admit it. Don't brush it off as "he only says he has a bat". Call it a bad joke or whatever. You guys are unbelievable.
If the Koch brothers didn't exist the left would have to invent them.
If Bill/Hillary Clinton, George Soros, and quite a few others died and were buried, wingers would dig them all up!
Such is the nature of Rep argument the past (30) years ie but, but, but Carter/Clinton, especially when apologizing for cheney/bush.
Funny that Reps wanted soooo badly to run against Hillary in 2008, but alas, not to be. Instead, their worst case scenario came true lol as it turned out to be a package deal ~ Obama and Hillary.
Reps always need a boogeyman ~ Willie Horton, Saul Alinsky, Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright, etc. etc. And of course before and since Obama was freely elected president, birthers, deathers, truthers, 10thers, 14thers, teabaggers, secessionists yada yada yada ie sore losers have done their best to portray him as a Communist, Marxist, Islamo-Fascist, Socialist, wealth distributor, Muslim born in Kenya who wakes up every morning hating America and Americans.
Rinse, lather, repeat as this has been ailes/atwater/turdblossom's scorched earth presidential politics meme since the late 60s ~ fear, hate, misinformation ie the Reps, as a rule, are just better at discombobulating the message, and basically still are, god love 'em.
>
ok, as per usual, I'm ready for a slew of ad hominems to be thrown my way, but please get rid of the sucks to be you dinosaur as hadn't heard that one in 3/4 years before I frequented Althouse.
hmm, don't disappoint, as now I expect several "sucks to be you" lol
Again ~ rinse, lather, repeat which is basically what happens 24/7 at political blogs ie redundancy ~ repeating oneself over and over and over again.
but, but, but Carter/Clinton :)
take care
You are allowed to bring a bat to a meeting in Wisconsin as long as it is not concealed.
You are allowed to bring a bat to a meeting in Wisconsin as long as it is not concealed.
See? Now that's funny. :)
shiloh looks to change the subject.
Troll
Any human with a preconceived bias to expect the worse from a Republican hears that as an affirmation.
And yes, a human with half a brain might hear it that way, too. But a person with a whole brain? No, not without a preconceived bias.
When something stupid happens, admit it. Don't brush it off as "he only says he has a bat". Call it a bad joke or whatever. You guys are unbelievable.
What happened, from my reading of parts of the transcript, Dose of Spoiled Brat, is that a caller posing as David Koch tried to bait Walker into agreeing to dirty tricks and violence.
Yes, something stupid happened, but it doesn't speak very well of you or your side that you think this makes you look good.
Makes me wonder, since your side seems so well versed in dirty tricks and violence, just what you're willing to do.
Actually, to be fair, the "Birther movement" started on the Left, among Hillary supporters - and then there are the 'Truthers', consisting of so many "Bush did it!" types. But why let a little thing like 'facts' (those inconvenient thingies) get in the way of a good smear attempt?
Any human with half a brain hears that as an affirmation. Of course they are joking. Of course it would never happen. That's not the point.
Then what is the point?
Any human with a preconceived bias to expect the worse from a Republican hears that as an affirmation.
And yes, a human with half a brain might hear it that way, too. But a person with a whole brain? No, not without a preconceived bias
A: You should cut your lawn.
B: I've got a lawnowner in the garage with my name on it.
Uh. Pretty certain we'd all agree B agreed with A.
Didn't Linda Tripp's problems originate from the fact she recorded phone calls without the other party's permission?
The old Alinsky/Clinton nuts and sluts campaign.
Right on cue lol as wingers never fail to disappoint, eh.
Any human with half a brain hears that as an affirmation. Of course they are joking. Of course it would never happen. That's not the point.
Then what is the point?
That I'm attack the posters here as being giant f-ing hypocrites? Going on and on about "Union thugs", and passing over that comment as "he just said he had one in his office".
How do you think the reaction would have been if an union member said the exact same thing?
The point is that, having failed by all legitimate means to implement (preserve, as the case may be) their agenda, the Left, (particularly the grubby Union thugs) have been reduced to extrapolating the results of a prank into a national action item. They are a pathetic lot.
wv: barible
The thought of what kind of people are teaching in WI is UN-barible.
BTW, I think Walker handled himself very well. I loved it when he said "we're going to get some of our freedoms back".
This guy's got real potential. Democrats must be worried about him.
Dose of Sanity said...
A: You should cut your lawn.
B: I've got a lawnowner in the garage with my name on it.
Uh. Pretty certain we'd all agree B agreed with A.
Nope. Depends on the tone. A could be trying to change the subject through a tangentially related statement. Which is pretty much exactly what happened with Governor Walker.
I'm trying to remember: were you one of the liberals who insisted "whoever recorded this should be shot in the head" wasn't a threat?
Governor Walker should have said, "In light of what happened in Tucson, I find your joke about bat violence reprehensible. Rather than donate any money to my reelection fund, I ask you to divert those funds to the new Tuscon Center for Civility. And learn some tolerance. Good day, sir. I said 'good day'!"
@Maggotetc... I think Wisconsin is a One-Party state.
I mean when it comes to recording phone calls.
shiloh looks to change the subject.
lol as this whole thread has been one winger deflection after another apologizing/rationalizing for Walker.
carry on
@ Martin
Really? Did you listen to the tone? That's a friendly good ole boys laugh walker's doing as he says that.
Doesn't this prank call prove that Scott Walker is not close to Koch?
I would say the prank call along with the camel proves that liberals haven't reached a level of maturity beyond age 17.
Governor Walker should have said, "In light of what happened in Tucson, I find your joke about bat violence reprehensible. Rather than donate any money to my reelection fund, I ask you to divert those funds to the new Tuscon Center for Civility. And learn some tolerance. Good day, sir. I said 'good day'!"
I love this defense. HE COULD ONLY HAVE AGREED! All else would have been foolish.
Examples of non-foolish responses: Just laughing. "That probably wouldn't work". "I don't need it to convince them". "Don't they bring the bats to meetings?" "I leave the bats to brewers".
Don't be stupid.
Dose, you're clearly tone deaf.
Really? Did you listen to the tone? That's a friendly good ole boys laugh walker's doing as he says that.
Yeah, but good ole boys never mean-ed no harm...
/Jumps cop car in Dodge Charger
shiloh said...
...but, but, but Carter/Clinton...
Again ~ rinse, lather, repeat which is basically what happens 24/7 at political blogs ie redundancy ~ repeating oneself over and over and over again.
but, but, but Carter/Clinton
Wow, you were so right.
WV dulnes- How does it know?
Really? Did you listen to the tone? That's a friendly good ole boys laugh walker's doing as he says that.
Gold ole boys laugh!
Dose of Spoiled Brat finally brings in the Hate Whitey bit!
Your protests, Dose of Spoiled Brat, have been virtually 100% white. Can't tell them apart from a Klan rally.
The only token black you've been able to find is that reliable old race hustler, Jesse Jackson.
Walker didn't say anything he hasn't said publicly.
Nothing to see here, just a stupid attempt by the left to discredit the governor. No surprise.
THE LEFT
"People who know so much about things that simply aren't so for over 100 years".
wv - coomo
andrew coomo, gov of ny
I have to admit, things look BAD for Walker now. This is just the turn of luck the unions were looking for.
Walker didn't say anything he hasn't said publicly.
Swing voters don't like to hear things like "crushing unions" or "laying traps". Watch them flee back to the Democrats in 2012.
Wow, you were so right.
Please look up sarcasm in the dictionary.
take care, blessings
@Alex
"Swing voters don't like to hear things like "crushing unions" or "laying traps". Watch them flee back to the Democrats in 2012."
Allowing your point to stand, the worst one can conclude is that Walker is guilty of plagiarism.
So what?
Oh, speaking of violence...
‘Take the Bastards Down’: SEIU’s New Favorite Song Has Violent Ring to it
The band Dropkick Murphys wants to do its part to stand with the Wisconsin protesters. What does that look like? Actually it sounds like a new song, released on union websites including the SEIU’s, that screams such phrases as “take the bastards down!“ and ”we got to smash them to the ground!”
Swing voters don't like to hear things like "crushing unions" or "laying traps". Watch them flee back to the Democrats in 2012.
The phony caller said those things, not Walker.
Outright lies should be beneath you.
Koch Brothers are the new Diebold.
Whatever happened to the Diebold Boggeyman?
Oh that's right the Democrats won 2008.
Now when they lose....
This is what yo get.
“As part of the band’s efforts to support the workers, they are working with SEIU and other unions and labor federations to have the song available to be played at rallies across the country,” a post on SEIU’s website says.
Dose-
Do you have a link for the audio?
The unions threatening the taxpayers over this issue isn't much different than a teenager threatening to roll his parent for cutting back his allowance.
Pathetic ingrates, one and all.
"Koch: [Laughs] Well, I tell you what, Scott: once you crush these bastards I’ll fly you out to Cali and really show you a good time.
Walker: All right, that would be outstanding."
That should finish him.
If there's no connection between Walker and Koch, how the heck did the fake Koch get to talk to the governor? Maybe Walker doesn't know Koch's voice, but that doesn't mean there's no connection...
Can the real Koch brothers file a lawsuit against the false posing fraudster?
Its instructive that the left and its unions servants have to lie and cheat to score political points.
This is the lesson from the teachers cohorts to the children of America..
The ends justifies the means.
I wonder how that lesson would be applied in the baseball/soccer and football fields of America.
I dropped the Dropkicks from my "list" when I heard it this morning. No big loss, they've been singing the same song over and over for twenty years.
LOL...I was self-centered enough to think that was GM putting the ol' ignore on me.
Sorry, still laughing about all this. And the comments here are just as funny.
"Koch: [Laughs] Well, I tell you what, Scott: once you crush these bastards I’ll fly you out to Cali and really show you a good time.
Walker: All right, that would be outstanding."
That should finish him.
Yeah, because it couldn't possibly be a politician being polite on the phone to a constituent/donor/citizen or anything. Too simple.
"Koch: [Laughs] Well, I tell you what, Scott: once you crush these bastards I’ll fly you out to Cali and really show you a good time.
Well, if he were President, he could have the taxpayers fly him out to Cali to be shown a really good time by billionaires.
It sucks to be a lowly governor.
Undercover conservative journalists reveal Planned Parenthood helps pimps get underage abortions.
Bile! Outrage! Demands for criminal charges against the journalists!
Liberal makes a phone call w/a stolen identity and reveals Scott Walker is polite.
Bile! Outrage! Demands for recall of the governor!
Desperation setting in, John and rkw...
All right, that would be outstanding.
Vague statement of nothing. Prankster makes inflammatory statement. Walker doesn't respond to substance.
Maybe Walker doesn't know Koch's voice, but that doesn't mean there's no connection...
Yet, just yesterday, Koch was Walker's puppet master.
Desperation is really setting in.
The hoped for entrapment didn't work.
gm:
Sorry, still laughing about all this. And the comments here are just as funny.
Why - because you think we're all in utter denial as to Walker's flame-out?
As one of Tammy Baldwin's constituents, I wrote to her today and asked her to issue a statement strongly condemning her colleague Mike Capuano's call for violence. I also called his office and was told that Rep. Capuano was giving an unscripted speech and that his word choice was unfortunate. Meanwhile, I'm waiting for my Democratic state senator, Fred Risser, to show up at the capitol and do the job that I'm paying him to do....
(**crickets**)
Can the real Koch brothers file a lawsuit
hmm, isn't it Reps who always say Dems are "lawsuit happy"
Did mama grizzly file a suit after she talked to Canada's Prime Minister lol.
Better to have a sense of humor than no sense at all ...
If there's no connection between Walker and Koch, how the heck did the fake Koch get to talk to the governor? Maybe Walker doesn't know Koch's voice, but that doesn't mean there's no connection...
And, let's say that there is a connection between a republican and another republican. This means what? Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy?
Is it illegal now to be connected to someone else in legal ways? All you have is a "connection"? LOL. You guys are funny. Almost.
Cute stunt, but there's nothing Walker says that can be used against him.
Radish
Liberal makes a phone call w/a stolen identity and reveals Scott Walker is polite.
Bile! Outrage! Demands for recall of the governor!
Well it also shows-their resorting to this-that the-
Union is not winning on the merits.
Cute stunt, but there's nothing Walker says that can be used against him.
gargage believes he has the smoking gun.
Unforced error by Walker, but probably not a serious error. It's pretty clear that Walker had never talked to a real Koch brother before, in spite of all the flapflap from the left about being a puppet. He could have made a stronger response to some of FauxKoch's statements, but he did not say anything truly outrageous. It's probably a phone call he should not have taken, and certainly a call that someone should have vetted. It makes him look a little careless.
Remember, the head of the AFL-CIO talks to the White House "every day." Repeat: Every Day.
Well it also shows-their resorting to this-that the-
Union is not winning on the merits.
Doesn't matter. This is not about playing fair - this is about winning.
I also called his office and was told that Rep. Capuano was giving an unscripted speech and that his word choice was unfortunate.
I'd be more willing to give him the benefit of the doubt if, you know, he didn't already have a history of 'unfortunate word choice' in the past, such as "Nothing wrong with throwing a coffee cup at someone if you’re doing it for human rights."
I personally think that this is all over because the clown car has shown up and that is the end of the circus pararde.
@wordsmith2
"Meanwhile, I'm waiting for my Democratic state senator, Fred Risser, to show up at the capitol and do the job that I'm paying him to do...."
Undoubtedly, the hon, Mr. Risser is paying homage to the 'Statue of Cowardice' located just inside Illinois.
Of course, had the R's pulled this kind of a stunt, the outcry from the left would be something to behold. Probably as dissonant as the cry we hear from the unions and all their Obot thugs.
Unforced error by Walker, but probably not a serious error.
Garage is LOLing.
People writing phony doctors notes, legislators not facing their responsibilities and fleeing the state.. people using up the Governors time with prank calls..
The only thing this bunch has not done is spit on a golf course.. But I guess that would be too low even for leftists and their union thugs ;)
I think Wordsmith2 may have hit on the real reason the Left is frantically propping up the prank call story. The headlines should be about Bloody Mike Capuano, and they know that's poison to their perpetual partisan narrative.
Cute stunt, but there's nothing Walker says that can be used against him.
Like thinking about planting troublemakers at the rallies? I don't think that will play well.
It also behooves you to watch American Idol tonight as it is "Beatles performance" night where groups of contestants will perform Beatles songs before they are eliminated because they have the wrong haircut.
I even heard a rumor that wheelchair fiance guy will get the ax.
Notice that the liberal commenters are not highlighting this:
WALKER: We thought about that. My only gut reaction to that would be, right now, the lawmakers I talk to have just completely had it with them. The public is not really fond of this.The teachers union did some polling and focus groups...
This stunt tells you how the internal polling and focus groups turned out.
Hopefully the citizens of Wisconsin stop being the unions patsies and -
Sugar Daddies all at the same time.
Like thinking about planting troublemakers at the rallies? I don't think that will play well.
garbage, you keep shooting yourself in the foot.
thinking about isn't doing anything.
And, why do I distrust your reporting?
Because you are a scam artist. Apparently, a liar, too.
Well, if you guys want to talk about this call in terms of Walker, here is my two cents (sense?)
I'm disappointed that Walker took a call from "Koch". However, Koch is a major donor, so part of a politician's job is to baby their big donors. Throughout the call, Walker gives answers that are coherent and follow his public talking points. I may strongly disagree with him, but it's good to know there isn't much two face deception. As far as calling the liberals bastards, 60s liberals, baseball bat, plant protesters, etc etc it seems obvious he's doing that to appease the "Koch" caller's request - none of those were brought up unsolicited.
I wish Walker was willing to negotiate, didn't view himself on such a grand scale (taking down those commies!) and wasn't looking for legal loopholes like "once in session" (but the Dems definitely opened the door to these sorts of tactics).
All in all, Walker did decently well. It's reassuring to know he doesn't know Koch's voice. (as far as what his company tells him, I'm less convinced, but that's cynicism for another day).
garage-
Do you have a link to the audio?
*******
@garbage pail
"Like thinking about planting troublemakers at the rallies? I don't think that will play well."
Right. Just like a smoker that sees another smoker and tells him smoking is bad for him. Idiot.
Like thinking about planting troublemakers at the rallies? I don't think that will play well.
So, garbage, are you asserting that those doctors violating professional ethics by writing sick notes were planted by the Republicans?
The whole Koch thing strikes me as Soros envy. The dems want a shady bond villain billionaire nemesis too!
As far as calling the liberals bastards, 60s liberals, baseball bat, plant protesters, etc etc it seems obvious he's doing that to appease the "Koch" caller's request - none of those were brought up unsolicited.
The hoped for entrapment didn't work.
And, how, exactly was that attempt at entrapment into violence and dirty tricks supposed to shine a favorable light on the unions?
OK Here is part one of the audio if anyone is interested.
Walker-Fake Koch audio
*****
thinking about isn't doing anything.
LOL. Keep defending this douchebag, I would expect nothing less.
Are there two people posting as "Dose of Sanity"?
LOL. Keep defending this douchebag, I would expect nothing less.
I'm no defending anybody.
I'm calling you a douchebag for using these douchebag tactics.
"Garage believes he has the smoking gun."
Turns out it is only his dick. Hardly a dangerous weapon to anyone.
John Henry
garage-
Do you have a link to the audio?
While we are at it.. Does Wisconsin have a telephone call recording notification law.. where the recording party must notify the other party that he/she is being recorded?
We might have some law breaking here.
PS thinking about planting trouble makers at rallies.
The dems didn't just think about it, they did it to the tea parties over and over again. Unfortunately their complete inability to face who tea partiers actually are, made the plants rather easy to spot.
So is this the most horrible thing a human can do (when a Republican thinks about it) or a wonderful patriotic dissent (when Democrats actually do it)
Like thinking about planting troublemakers at the rallies? I don't think that will play well.
To whom?
Walker isn't up for election this year.
Watching your impotent little frenzy is kind of entertaining, I must admit...
There's a transcript here.
Walker comes off looking great, actually. I was glad to hear he wasn't planning to back down, and realizes how important this is. The bit about the governor of Nevada was funny, too.
Are there two people posting as "Dose of Sanity"?
Nope. I am fairly reasonable and very left leaning.
It's too much for many on this board to deal with it.
Cue incoming oxymoron post in 3..2..
Try prank calling and baiting a union boss or a far-left Democrat and see what kind of result you get. They might even encourage union members to "get a little bloody".
Oh wait...a Democrat already actually said that publicly.
@garbage pail
"LOL. Keep defending this douchebag, I would expect nothing less."
I'll put Walker up against your band of misfit humans any day.
THE LEFT
"Defending incompetence, stupidity and outright theft for over 100 years".
lol as this whole thread has been one winger deflection after another apologizing/rationalizing for Walker.
There is nothing to "apologize" for as he did nothing wrong.
@Dose of dilaudid
"Nope. I am fairly reasonable and very left leaning.
Cue incoming oxymoron post in 3..2.."
Beat me to it.
While we are at it.. Does Wisconsin have a telephone call recording notification law.. where the recording party must notify the other party that he/she is being recorded?
We might have some law breaking here.
I'm thinking there may be some as well. My thoughts revolved around the fact that the call was certainly interstate. Federal law and fcc may apply. I believe (though this is top of the head with no research) that both sides must consent.
Silly bloggers trying to prank call.
Ann, you couldn't have read the Buffalo Beast article and you couldn't have listened to the complete tapes. Otherwise you would be profoundly embarrassed for what you posted. There is no conceivable way for you to have drawn any of the conclusions you did from the tapes. A blog can be partisan, but it ought to try to just spin, not change the facts. As I was taught in law school, long before you came along there, a lawyer gets to argue the facts, but doesn't get to change them.
Try these on for size:
"Koch": We'll back you any way we can. What we were thinking about the crowd was, uh, was planting some troublemakers.
Walker: You know, well, the only problem with that -because we thought about that... My only fear would be if there's a ruckus caused is that maybe the governor has to settle to solve all these problems.... GOD FORBID THE GOV HAS TO TRY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.
Koch: [Laughs] Well, I tell you what, Scott: once you crush these bastards I'll fly you out to Cali and really show you a good time.
Walker: All right, that would be outstanding. ...
THIS IS AFTER WALKER, EARLIER IN THE CALL, QUESTIONS THE ETHICS OF THE DEM 14 POSSIBLY HAVING THEIR EXPENSES PAID IN ILLINOIS.
Hey Dose,
Koch is a major donor to Walker?
I saw how much he donated. Something like $40,000 or less than 1/10 of 1% of the total Walker raised.
That is some major donor.
There seems to be some major fear going on here. Fear because Walker shows no signs of backing off. Fear because if he holds out til Monday he wins unconditionally.
Were I him, I think as a matter of image I would give the unions something. Perhaps recertification every 3 years instead of every year. Perhaps allowing union members to voluntarily allow a dues checkoff. But those who want to pay directly still could.
Not much more than that, if that much.
I think annual certification is counterproductive. I think it should be 3 years. Or maybe 2 or 4. Certainly not every year. It should be a equirement that recertification by vote of members of the bargaining unit take place periodically and fairly frequently.
John Henry
John Henry
@Dose of dilaudid
Don't be afraid of spell check. You were going for "deluded". Good try though.
Like thinking about planting troublemakers at the rallies? I don't think that will play well.
Walker didn't think it would play well either. That's why, you know... it didn't happen.
I guess you could try saying "how DARE he even THINK about doing such a thing", if it wasn't for the fact that the Left does it all the time. :)
Ok, I'm pretty up to speed on things generally, but where did all this Koch brothers stuff come from? I nvere heard of them until about a month ago, and all of the sudden they are the biggest threat to the republic since Jefferson Davis. If your side had George Soros bankrolling you, why do the Koch brothers give you fits?
I just read the transcript (twice, to be sure I didn't miss any nuance or hidden "gotcha" moments) and Walker has absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about (apart from poor call screening). He leaves the crank hanging every time he tries to get something stupid out of him.
Have fun swinging this dead cat around for a few more days, idiots.
@Dose of dilaudid
"Don't be afraid of spell check. You were going for "deluded". Good try though."
No moron, dilaudid is a strong narcotic, but had I chose to use deluded, it too would have been fitting.
THIS IS AFTER WALKER, EARLIER IN THE CALL, QUESTIONS THE ETHICS OF THE DEM 14 POSSIBLY HAVING THEIR EXPENSES PAID IN ILLINOIS.
You really don't see the difference? Pity.
No dose, he meant the drug. Dope.
Either way Walker is fucked. Either he's beholden to the Koch brothers, or he's such a dumbfuck that he can't detect a prank call. So Wisconsin either has a crook or a moron for governor. Game, set match Unions.
Ha!
This is great stuff.
No wonder the Washington Post did the-
[......] Editing what Walker goes on to say about the union poll results.
Walker:
MSNBC -Who watches that?
Ha!
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btw-Do not be afraid to listen to this-Walker does a big pregnant pause when "Koch" mentions the plants.
You can almost tell that Walker is thinking-"crazy" to himself.
When "Fake Koch" mentions the trip to California -Walker moves to end the conversation-starts the hang up procedure.
The unions don't have anything if you go listen to it yourself.
Don't let The Washington Post helpfully edit it for you.
*******
Walker didn't think it would play well either. That's why, you know... it didn't happen.
Not because, you know, it would be wrong. But that's how the ghouls on the right wing think, so nobody should be surprised.
I am not sure if I understand the outrage. Apparently a leftist pretending to be Koch got through to the governor, said some outrageous things, the sort of things that leftists think that conservatives say, but really don't, and the governor says, "All right, that would be outstanding".
Somehow that is supposed to turn everyone against the governor. It sounds to me like a politician saying as little as he can so as not to piss off someone he believes to be a big conservative donor. Or, at least someone who might be. But, also, someone the governor doesn't know.
Obviously, this was an attempt to mimic what Breitbart does so consistently with the left. But I think that the mistake made by the leftists is that this isn't how conservatives talk, and most people know it.
I just don't see a smoking gun here, but rather just a lot of very wishful thinking on the left today. They are potentially losing part of their biggest funding source, along with a lot of electioneering foot soldiers, with these states cutting back on government employee unions, and they are grasping at any straws that come their way.
IN the end, I think that all the dirty tricks being played by the Democrats and esp. the government employee unions, in particular, will backfire. More people every day are discovering that this isn't about workers rights, but rather, voters rights and taxpayers rights. And, it makes no sense to pay government workers better than the people paying them, and then keep paying them close to, or even above, their ending salaries (with suitable inflation adjustments) for the next 20, 30, 40 years after they take retirement, when the people paying for all this don't have any of these perks.
No, it isn't a human rights issue, but rather, a Democratic party funding issue. And that is why the left is trying anything that it can think of to slow up the momentum of this movement.
Not because, you know, it would be wrong. But that's how the ghouls on the right wing think, so nobody should be surprised.
Because if only it was EXPOSED what right-wing ghouls THINK the people would vote 100% Democrat?
Let me clarify -- there would have been nothing wrong with the Republicans planting people in the rally to disrupt it. Its a dirty trick, sure, but one that the left has been pulling for years. If disrupting the protests was the best way to get the bill passed, Walker would have an ethical obligation to do it.
But like he pointed out, there's no point in disrupting the protests because the protests themselves are counter-productive.
@ John.
Thoughtful post. I hope that Walker does consider negotiating.
As far as major donor, you are right 49,000$ is a small amount. However, he's also responsible for the standwithwalker group and for other financing concerns. (PAC against Barrett, for example). Direct contributions are kept small to prevent appearance of influence. Unions do the same thing, on the other side of the aisle.
I wasn't saying it in a negative manner. The fact that Walker took the call leads me to think he agrees with me.
Walker comes off looking great, actually. I was glad to hear he wasn't planning to back down, and realizes how important this is. The bit about the governor of Nevada was funny, too.
Yep. Plus Sandoval is hot. OK that's probably useless information but he's a really good speaker too.
*******
No moron, dilaudid is a strong narcotic, but had I chose to use deluded, it too would have been fitting.
I'll eat my words on that. Forgive my lack of knowledge on strong narcotics.
Lem
I found the audio I posted it up thread.
Go take a listen-you're going to like it!
****
I just don't see a smoking gun here, but rather just a lot of very wishful thinking on the left today.
Just today?
Anyway. Nicely put.
Revenant-
I went to the transcript at madison.com that you linked.
Walker: You know, well, the only problem with that -because we thought about that. The problem-the, my only gut reaction to that is right now the lawmakers I've talked to have just completely had it with them, the public is not really fond of this... My only fear would be if there's a ruckus caused is that maybe the governor has to settle to solve all these problems.... Let ‘em protest all they want...Sooner or later the media stops finding it interesting.
They are editing the HELL out of that.
Just guess what they don't want you to hear?
Damn media-they are selectively reporting-no surprise.
*******
Walker should have known about the possibility of prank calls and the fact the MSM will twist his words. Incompetent fool. Garage wins.
Alex: "Either way Walker is fucked. Either he's beholden to the Koch brothers, or he's such a dumbfuck that he can't detect a prank call. So Wisconsin either has a crook or a moron for governor. Game, set match Unions."
And yet, the deceitfulness that has characterized the left since this whole thing started (phony absences from work at taxpayer expense, fraudulent excuses written by doctors, now fake phone calls intended to entrap this governor) doesn't bother you one damned bit, I'll bet.
Correct me if I'm wrong, please.
It starts at the 4:30 mark.
Walker: The teacher's the teacher's union did some polling and what they found out is that-
the public turned on them when they closed down school for a couple of days.
(It goes something like that.)
****
The unions are losing this stunt proves it.
And yet, the deceitfulness that has characterized the left since this whole thing started (phony absences from work at taxpayer expense, fraudulent excuses written by doctors, now fake phone calls intended to entrap this governor) doesn't bother you one damned bit, I'll bet.
Correct me if I'm wrong, please.
Irrelevant what I think, I'm not a Wisconsin voter. But WI swing voters will not want a crook/moron for a governor. The MSM has already overlooked the 14 missing Democrats. They focus SOLELY on Walker.
If you thinik the transcript was heavily edited,listen to the tapes. If you think its fine for the Gov to contemplate "planting" some people to stir up "a ruckus," but then being afraid it might put pressure on him to have to solve the problem, please contemplate who might be hurt in "the ruckus." If you think it is just pinko communist asshole students and fucking ingrate public workers who deserve to be hurt anyway, then I won't be able in a million year to have you change your minds. If you feel that strongly, come out and support the governor on Saturday in a civil way. I'm glad the governor dismissed the idea of creating a ruckus with planted people given the number of young people and elderly who were at the rallies.
Does anyone outside the garagosphere really give a shit about the Koch brothers? If he'd been pranked by a Brett Favre impersonator, that might have stung. But this? Meh.
Nothing to see here. LOL
Let's see if I can remember what this was all about.....
Oh yeah, there's no more money and the gov't workers want more, more, more.
Wow, I almost forgot.
Yiiiiii, and that's their goal of course.
Re: "Irrelevant what I think, I'm not a Wisconsin voter."
I actually do think it's relevant what you think, since you seem to be trying to spin this as some kind of disaster for Walker. So please, I'd appreciate a response: Does the deceitfulness of the left in this episode bother you?
Irrelevant what I think, I'm not a Wisconsin voter. But WI swing voters will not want a crook/moron for a governor.
The only people who will listen to this and come away thinking "Walker is a crook or a moron" are the people who thought that going in.
@Maguro
I don't know if people care about the Kochs per se, but they would care if there is a difference between the message Governor Walker gives them in his public addresses and what he is saying privately. Whether you think what he said to Koch on the phone is consistent with what he has been telling Wisconsin voters probably depends a great deal on your prior level of support and trust for Governor Walker, and frankly, whether you live in Wisconsin.
Man I love the smell of desperation before noon.
@Dose: "I'll eat my words on that. Forgive my lack of knowledge on strong narcotics."
Everyone should have a good working knowledge of narcotics.
That's in the new health care bill, because even if you chose not to abuse drugs, your inactivity in the illegal drug market affects those prices.
Unrelated news story about a phone call to Wisconsin elected official
Erpenbach's name was not called as the clerk took the roll, but he repeatedly yelled, "No!" over the speakerphone.
Now THAT'S funny!
(and they didn't mention in the story that Erpenback could be heard saying "Nice outfit darling! Obviously the cold weather is getting to you" and "Can I get my check?"......
ok I made up that last part.)
That is how politicians respond. They get asked bat-shit crazy things all the time. What they do is deflect. They don't show outrage, they just pass on by ... to the talking points. Which is what Walker did over and over again in the conversation. He didn't endorse any of the craziness, he just ignored it. It's absolutely ludicrous to think Walker said anything remotely wrong in this case. But it does make the left look like a bunch of immature pranksters.
And by Alex, you mean "Moby"
Setting aside the desperate shining-eyed lip-chewing hopes of his detractors, if you listen to the audio you hear a diplomatic, level-headed response to the prankster. I'd say, at least.
The only way I can see this being seen as harmful by normal people is if it is successfully misrepresented by the media.
WASHINGTON – Americans decisively support laws ensuring the collective bargaining rights of public employee unions by a nearly two-to-one margin, according to a new USA Today/Gallup poll.
Sixty-one percent said they oppose legislation stripping those rights in their states, as compared to only 33 percent who said they favor such laws, a striking discrepancy that shows public opinion firmly on one side of a growing national fight. Six percent had no opinion.
Obama: Oh yeah, but who watches that? I went on “Morning Joe”. I like it because I just like being combative with those guys, but, uh. You know they’re off the deep end.
Soros: Joe—Joe’s a good guy. He’s one of us.
Obama: Yeah, he’s all right. He was fair to me…[bashes NY Senator Jim DeMint, who was also on the program.]
Soros: Beautiful; beautiful. You gotta love that Mika Brzezinski; she’s a real piece of ass.
Obama: Oh yeah.
[...]
Soros: [Laughs] Well, I tell you what, Barack: once you crush these bastards I’ll fly you out to Cali and really show you a good time.
Obama: All right, that would be outstanding.
Yeeeeeah. I thought so. Replace Obama with Walker and Koch with Soros. Totally benign, right?
Phil 3:14
Erpenbach's name was not called as the clerk took the roll, but he repeatedly yelled, "No!" over the speakerphone.
Now THAT'S funny!
Let's follow the lIberal logic on that one...if we can.
On that vote they want to be able to phone it in....
for everything else-they are outta town.
All the local teabagger defending Walker's conversation with who he thought was one of his primary funding sources.
Typical hypocrisy.
You can whine and bitch and throw out whatever insanity you want, but this makes Walker look like the asshole he really is.
And it's really funny, too.
Have we really reached the point at which some of us are silly enough to think that a politician's reluctance to contradict [someone he thinks is] a contributor/supporter during a private phone call actually means something?
What nonsense!
This is what comes from electing a gasbag POTUS. It's all about words.
Well, of course, Jeremy's silly enough. I was actually referring to people with a modicum of intelligence.
Interestingly there's a huge pause between 'Koch' suggesting dirty tricks, and Walker responding in a pained tone of voice.
Charitable interpretation: Walker is thinking "Jesus, what the fuck is this guy talking about. OK, don't piss him off...".
Uncharitable interpretation: "Oh my god how did he know about the Secret Dirty Tricks plan!!?"
:-)
BREAKING: Governor Walker to solve budget crisis with funds from son of Nigerian official he has been corresponding with.
Yeeeeeah. I thought so. Replace Obama with Walker and Koch with Soros. Totally benign, right?
I'm not sure, I got bored partway through. Wake me for the scandalous part.
Mika Brzezinski; she’s a real piece of ass.
lol, well at least she has (1) redeeming quality, much like mama grizzly ...
Personal preference ~ Norah O'Donnell is a babe and love her laugh :)
Wake me for the scandalous part.
The scandalous part was he couldn't resist embellishing the script with some comment about a chick with a nice ass. Apparently search-n-replace wasn't truthy enough.
Just to add The Beast their audio cuts off the beginning of the conversation.
It starts midstream-so they have something at the beginning of that conversation that they don't want you to hear.
Maybe after they went to their lawyer-he 'advised' them to cut off the part where they misrepresent their identity-and what they did to convince Walker's staff-etc.
Whatever the reason-they don't want you to hear that.
******
Just to add The Beast their audio cuts off the beginning of the conversation.
I thought it was interesting that there's an edit immediately before "Koch" makes the crack about disrupting the protests.
The end result is so unimpressive, though, that I have a hard time believing it was edited to make it look worse than it was. They left in too much material where Walker is just repeating his public positions.
commentor-
LOL! @ the double interpretation thing above.
their audio cuts off the beginning of the conversation.
The initial chat about the plan to declare martial law and imprison all Democrats is being held back.
"If your side had George Soros bankrolling you, why do the Koch brothers give you fits?"
I noticed this some time back, and thought what was happening was fairly obvious. The only time I ever heard the Kochs repeatedly mentioned (until in recent months) was watching PBS (they're big donors). Then suddenly they're Stalin's best friends and the (hmmmmmm) right equivalent of Soros. So it's pretty clear to me that the sudden explosion of concern over the dastardly Kochs is an attempt to pin a Soros-like figure on the right (Kochs=Stalin, Soros=Nazi). Which is weird, when you consider how often we're assured by those on the left that Soros is kindly and benevolent. Other than that insider trading thing (but even Milken has done good things with his loot). And the currency manipulation.
Rev
I thought it was interesting that there's an edit immediately before "Koch" makes the crack about disrupting the protests.
Ya-I heard that too. I can't help it I'm still curious as to why they cut off the beginning.
Here's some things you left out of the call.
"Walker recounts to Koch/Murphy a dramatic talk he gave to his Cabinet over dinner on the evening of Feb. 6, the Monday night after the Green Pay Packers victory over the Super Bowl. It was, Walker, says, the “last hurrah before we were going to drop the bomb.”
Walker notes that 30 years ago, Ronald Reagan — “whose hundredth birthday we just celebrated the day before — had one of the most defining moments of his political career when he fired the air traffic controllers. …That was the first crack in the Berlin Wall and the fall of communism because from that moment forward the Soviets and the Communists knew that Ronald Reagain wasn’t a pushover.”
“And I said, ‘this may not have as broad world implications, but in Wisconsin’s history, little did I know how big it would be nationally. This is our moment , this is our time to change the course of history.’”
Walker continues: “I had a cabinet meeting this morning. I reminded them of that – for those who thought I was being melodramatic."
At that point, Murphy posing as Koch says: “I tell you what Scott. Once you crush these bastards, I’ll fly you out to Cali and really show you a good time.”
“Allright, that would be outstanding," Walker replies. "Thanks for all the support and help ... moving the ball forward and we appreciate it. … "
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/23/6116445-walker-in-prank-call-this-is-our-moment
Not so innocent.
Hombre - "Have we really reached the point at which some of us are silly enough to think that a politician's reluctance to contradict [someone he thinks is] a contributor/supporter during a private phone call actually means something?"
Yeah, right.
Teabagger bullshit.
Crimso-
So that puts us right back to the age old theory of liberals.
Projection.
They're taking funding from Soros and support in all kinds of questionable ways.
But there's more to it than that. They need a rich fat-cat target because the Wisconsin taxpayers were beginning to figure out that they are-
the supposedly greedy fat-cats who's bank accounts are being raided by the unions.
Walker shows clear evidence of anti-Communist, pro-Reagan sentiments. His days are surely numbered.
Oh get your panties out of a bunch. Did they set a date?
Hell Obama's done more with Oprah in California.
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