June 5, 2012

Live-blogging the Wisconsin recall election.

6:40 Central Time: Hang out here.

6:42: We just drove by our polling place, and I could tell by the lack of cars in the parking lot and along the street that there were very few people inside. This morning, when we voted (at 8:15 or so), there were cars, and inside there were people but no line. We were also up at the Capitol Square, where there was an "Occupy Madison"-style group at the State Street end, but not much else. A guy was banging a drum, and someone had put an "Anonymous" mask on the "Forward!" statue. I'll have some photos and video soon.

7:00: This was the scene at the Capitol at about 6:20 this evening:

Untitled

Untitled

"Eat The Rich"... "Liberté! Egalité! Fraternité!"...

7:48:



7:52: Neil Cavuto, on Fox News from Madison, Wisconsin, shows a shot of the Transit of Venus, and I say "What does this have to do with Scott Walker?" and then Cavuto actually connects it to Scott Walker, using the segue "Imagine the history being made here. Right? You have the third governor in U.S. history being recalled, Venus passing through the sun, and people in the middle of what could be a revolution in Wisconsin, dining casually outside. The great confluence of events that you only get here on Fox Business Live."

8:00: The polls are closed. There's no litigation to keep any polls open late. And Fox Business News reports that it's too close to call at this point.

8:03: CNN's exit poll has 56% of men for Walker and 56% of women for Barrett. But there are more women for Walker (44%) than there are men for Barrett (43%). Independents favored Walker 50% to 49%. By the way, if these are exit polls, they obviously don't include all the early absentee voters, but perhaps they do a calcuation to account for that. The early voting efforts seemed to be done by Barrett supporters.

8:13: No actual vote counts yet, but they will appear here.

8:31: I get the feeling the TV shows are being theatrical with their "too close to call" announcements. Looking at the HuffPo "Election Dashboard," linked in the previous update, which is an actual vote count, we've got 58.3% for Walker and 41.1% for Barrett, with 7.4% reporting. Nearly the same spread between Kleefisch and Mitchell.

8:35: Intrade has Walker at 93.7%. I guess nobody believes the TV exit polls.

8:39: 60.6% Walker. 38.8% for Barrett. 11.4% reporting.

8:42: If you click on the counties at the HuffPo link, you can compare the current percentages to the percentages in 2010, when Walker beat Barrett in the regular election. So, for example, you expect the Democrat to win by a lot in Dane County (which includes Madison), and Barrett won with 68% in 2010. But right now, with 15.5% of the vote reported, Barrett is only winning with 55.8%. That's a HUGE step down from 2010.

8:51: Intrade's spiked to 98.7%.

8:54: Here's my edited video from the Capitol Square done around 6 p.m. this evening:



9:00: "NBC is full of shit!!! Dane County and Milwaukee haven't reported their results yet, and NBC called it for Walker?!?!" The outrage at Democratic Underground.

9:02: Fox News calls it for Walker.

9:03: CNN calls it for Walker. Man, the exit polling was pathetic. I just don't believe it was ever real. It was like the cable news channels colluded for the first hour and held off until 9 to tell us what we all knew. The question is how huge the victory is. We're looking at some numbers -- actual vote counts -- that are in the 60%/40% range.

9:06: Paul Begala is emoting like mad on CNN about how the Wisconsin recall has absolutely nothing to do with what will happen to Obama this fall.

9:11: Kleefisch wins too, CNN projects.

9:21: Meade gloats at Isthmus: "I hope somedaaaay you'll join us. And the state of Wisconsin can live as one."

9:39: Here's the Wall Street Journal: "Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker survived a recall election Tuesday, dealing a blow to organized labor, unsettling President Barack Obama's re-election strategy and signaling to Republican lawmakers across the nation that challenging government unions could pay political and fiscal dividends."

9:39: Larry Sabato on Fox Business says if the exit pollsters can't improve their techniques, the news shows shouldn't even use them.

9:42: Rebecca Kleefisch is giving her victory speech. She wants to thank everybody who never lost faith. A short speech, and those 2 little daughters seem to want to get off stage as quickly as possible.

9:49: Mitt Romney congratulates Walker: "Governor Walker has demonstrated over the past year what sound fiscal policies can do to turn an economy around, and I believe that in November voters across the country will demonstrate that they want the same in Washington, D.C. Tonight’s results will echo beyond the borders of Wisconsin. Governor Walker has shown that citizens and taxpayers can fight back – and prevail – against the runaway government costs imposed by labor bosses. Tonight voters said ‘no’ to the tired, liberal ideas of yesterday, and ‘yes’ to fiscal responsibility and a new direction. I look forward to working with Governor Walker to help build a better, brighter future for all Americans."

9:56: "Well, Russ Feingold said it’s not over till we win, which is kinda like the German position in Stalingrad. . . . But comparing one’s opponents to Hitler is right out. Right, Russ? Oh, never mind. . . ." 

10:02: Bloomberg editorial:  "Recall elections have their place: generally, in cases of serious breaches of the public faith or morality, or of extreme incompetence. The effort to recall Walker, however, stemmed from a political disagreement over his support for a law that, among other things, limited the collective-bargaining rights of public-sector employees.We have mixed feelings about the legislation...."

10:06: Walker is missing the prime time audience for his victory speech because BARRETT IS CHOOSING not to concede. Barrett, who said HE would end the "civil war" in Wisconsin. What hypocrisy!

10:09: Look at the blue-red balance on the map for last year's state supreme court battle. Now look at tonight's map.

10:12: Finally, Barrett is conceding. "Please, please, please, remain engaged, remain involved, because we will continue to fight for justice and fairness in this city and this state."

10:15: He continues with his bland banalities. Let us continue to do what is right. Tom Barrett. Epic fail. And then he — who said he'd end the "civil war" in Wisconsin — ends it with "Let's go get 'em." So... continuing the war. Ridiculous!

10:24: Walker's victory speech. "First of all,  I want to thank God for his abundant grace...." And the people in factories and farms have "sustained" him. He loves his wife, Tonette. "Tonette's just been a rock." (Women love that, being called "a rock.")  This must be so immensely rewarding to him. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. He's praising The Framers. "What has made our country unbelievable... what has made the United States arguably one of the greatest countries in the history of the world"... is that there have been men and women who have stood up. There have been "good and decent people" who had "courage." I know he's trying to say that about himself, even though he won't say "I." But: I was courageous and I made the tough decisions....

10:36: "Talking together... solutions... prosperity for all our people..." Walker is talking about ways to "bring all our people together": with brats and beer! "Now is the time for us to come together."

10:39: A very satisfying evening. I was touched to see Scott Walker, speaking in such a selfless, public-spirited way, after all the abuse he's taken for well over a year. He must feel so relieved and so vindicated, but there wasn't a shred of gloating or even basking. What a moment!

465 comments:

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Chip S. said...

@bagoh20--That's one helluva filter.

Mark said...

Ritmo, you're a sore loser with no grace.

Me, I'm correct more often than I'm wrong, and I don't suffer fools when fencing with them; I endeavor to help them become less foolish if I can, and If I can't I try to make them suffer.

What you do with rats' asses is your own business.

Seven Machos said...

Mark -- Sadly, voyeuristically, I love to leftist sites to watch meltdowns. Much like Ritmo has come here, except I would never post anything.

I can tell you that Ritmo doesn't even have original thoughts. He has done nothing to suggest that he has any energy or human capital invested in this election, which is, naturally, one reason why his ideas about it are so second-rate. (There are others; some are probably genetic.)

Why he'd choose to come here on this night of all nights and argue his "points" is passing strange and a little suggestive of a psychosis.

Fen said...

Jesus Christ, Ritmo. Put a tampon in.

Finchy said...

O Ritmo Segundo said...

Go move to Wiscaansin, then, Fucktard Meth-head-ras. California sure don't care for the likes of you.


No, I'm sure it doesn't, Ritmo. Especially since the Walker victory was a rejection of the failed policies that have left California an insolvent disaster.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Methadras is more than okay with the idea that California doesn't want him.

Oh wait, I suppose California is in trouble because of that annoying tiny minority of moderate Republicans in the legislature.. Or maybe it's Citizens United's fault.

Take your venom somewhere else. You bother no one. Every person on this blog sees your comments and shakes their heads in amusement at what a unhinged, inarticulate bore you are. After that they pray to their personal god that there aren't any children that have the misfortune of you as a parent.

Methadras said...

O Ritmo Segundo said...

Other quotes by Repubs on this thread could start here


Well folks, it's too late now. Monkey boy has devolved into using fictitious metaphors via youtube to make his non-salient rhetorical repartee at the horribleness of conservatives and conservativism. I'm shocked, shocked, at this point that he hasn't trotted out that Cheney equals Darth Vader yet. Oh wait.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Wow, today there would be a god.

Not that a slimy salamander like you would know anything about that.

But it's good to know that you're so easily, er, aroused to your natural aggressive state.

Anyway, could someone here tell me how Wiscaaansin became a trendsetter in anything? Ever? And why, therefore, this election result is supposed to mean anything to people who actually live in the middle of... somewhere?

Brian G. said...

Tonight's election was a strong message that voters will not stand for challengers making false promises and that they are perfectly fine with the incumbents. Although fully expected, this is great news for Obama.

Chuck66 said...

Anyone else going to bed tonight with this stuck in there head? "Tell me what democracy looks like....this is what democracy looks like".

Seven Machos said...

this is great news for Obama

The latest worldwide depressionary economic cycle we have just entered is a strong message that voters will not stand for challengers making false promises and that they are perfectly fine with the incumbents. Although fully expected, this is great news for Obama.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

After that they pray to their personal god that there aren't any children that have the misfortune of you as a parent.

Sounds like the words of someone neglected, orphaned, or childless.

Yes, it's good that you recognize that Meth-head-er-est comes off as someone rejected by his own community.

I enjoy poking fun at people too drunk off their own purported power to reason properly. That's why I'm here.

Mark said...

Anyway, could someone here tell me how Wiscaaansin became a trendsetter in anything?

Maybe they were the first state to allow government employees to unionize?

That seems somehow relevant to current events.

Loser.

Alex said...

Notice how Ritmo feels he has carte blance to engage in dehumanizing rhetoric against conservatives. Who gave him such a right anyways?

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...
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Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

That seems somehow relevant to current events.

Loser.


No, to a loser like you it's "symbolic". Relevance and symbolism are interchangeable only to minds that confuse fact with fiction.

What other brain-turds do you have left to suck on?

Seven Machos said...

Poor Ritmo is angry. Why, Dribbler? Why?

Mark said...

Ritmo, this is fun, but you seriously need to get back on the reservation. I'm assuming you work in some capacity for some left-of-center political operation, and you're losing it here. I think that's why you showed up late and (sorry, I do think this) drunk.

Don't compromise yourself. It's not the end of the world. Your side has work to do.

Mark said...

And Ritmo, you asked the "trend-setter" question. Don't ask a question that's going to make you look like an idiot.

And then respond like a petulant idiot.

Sober up and get back to work.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Mark, you go ahead and keep worrying about assumptions and how things "look". It will get you further than you'll get trying for "relevance".

traditionalguy said...

It's Red Auerbach Cigar lighting up time. Apropos, the Celtics beat the Heat in Miami tonight.

Walker was magnificent. Romney pales next to Scott's personality and courage.

God has indeed blessed Wisconsin through a good and courageous leader.

Seven Machos said...

Mark -- You give Ritmo way, way too much credit. He is the community college lifer type -- very likely living in his parents' basement. His silly malapropisms here are legendary. He is very short on actual knowledge of the world and it comes through hilariously when he gets going.

He is certainly not drunk. No, he is stoned out of his mind.

Smoke a bowl for me, Dribbler! Then say something you think is deep.

Seven Machos said...

Trad -- What did Garnett say in the post-game interview when he looked up pointedly at the camera? Did you catch that?

Chuck66 said...

Heh, went to the Wisc State Journal articles on the election and checked out the comments. Most common words:

Fascism
ALEC
Mississippi (as in the state)
Fox News (as in hating it)
Outspent 10 to 1

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

But I do appreciate being tutored on the finer points of the symbolic reverse-Appomattox, labor-style, being attempted in a huge state of 5.7 million.

Talk about unoriginal. A party that's only able to reject ideas without coming up with any of their own... well, I can see why your idea of originality is so poor.

The Republican drawing board must have been put on an austerity program.

Seven Machos said...

Wherein Dribbler tries to argue that the Walker recall occurred because Walker had no ideas.

But it all seems to function
At least in Dribbler's mind

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

What deep thoughts do you have, Seven Machos -- (and BTW, does that alias describe your sperm count?)

Yes, you believe anyone who has a point you disagree with is beneath you. But I'm looking for your own, deep, original, and clearly sober thoughts.

You are setting this as the standard, remember. And make them factually provable. If you can help it.

Chip S. said...

It's now June 6 in Wisconsin.

Perhaps we could all take a moment to reflect on what a real battle is like, and to resolve to be worthy of the sacrifices made by brave men on this day 68 years ago.

Then the fun can resume.

Seven Machos said...

you believe anyone who has a point you disagree with is beneath you

No. But I do believe anyone who says "dribble" for drivel and who is able to convince himself that John Paul Stevens is a conservative, and that all the judges in the majority on Kelo must be conservatives, because they disagree with you on other issues -- I believe that person is leagues beneath me.

Fetch me my dress shoes, Dribbler. And please buff them with a fine shammy.

B said...

Relevance and symbolism are interchangeable only to minds that confuse fact with fiction.

I wonder if anyone else picked up on how utterly fucking stupid this statement is.

Finchy said...

O Ritmo Segundo said...

I enjoy poking fun at people too drunk off their own purported power to reason properly. That's why I'm here.


No, you're not. You're simply name calling and stomping around in a personal trough of sour grapes.

If your political philosophy is so superior, one would think you'd explain why the Walker victory is so horrible. But that would be the difficult path as it would require some genuine knowledge of the issues and of yourself.

It's easy to behave like an ape throwing shit at passers by.

You're not interested in responding to anything other than the ad hominem portions of other's comments so I'll make it easy for you, here's the ad hominem section of mine:

You're a zero. And I mean that in the most empirical sense possible. You're the type that contributes nothing to the discourse or most likely, the world. You sit in front of a computer late at night, getting your rocks off by calling people "fucktards" instead of doing something productive and genuine.

Or how you phrase it: "I enjoy poking fun at people too drunk off their own purported power to reason properly. That's why I'm here." Yes, it's a noble crusade on your part against the ruling class. It's certainly not what it appears: A shiftless imbecile who spends his free time saying things that he would NEVER have the balls to say to someone face to face.

You'll no doubt respond to this with some pithy reply showing us how grown up and smart you are but this is it for me. I've said my piece. You're a fucking child and people like you are exactly why we're so divided. Not because of differences of opinion, but because pieces of shit like you who slide neatly into conservative stereotypes and think that somehow your political beliefs entitle you to anonymously treat people like garbage.

Dance your little dance of narcissism, Ritmo....for no one will love you as much as you do.

Seven Machos said...

B -- It set me off. Until it occurred, I was content to let Ritmo prattle. But that whole statement was just so irksomely and wholly stupid, I had to get the claws out.

Mark said...

Ritmo, you, Allie, all the Occupy cheerleaders were deeply wrong about what was happening in Wisconsin.

Face it. Deal with it.

The best light you can throw on it is the DNC and the White House lacked the cojones to push your cause over the top in a key battle for the future.

The worst is that "smarter heads" realized the battle was lost during the primary round, and that the "smarter heads" are now looking for other ways to hold on to power.

Spit bile, cast invective, howl at the idiot demons who beset you, but understand your values have lost.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

So you believe that you are perfect then, and that only someone who has never mis-spoke, or made an inaccurate, offhanded remark about something he didn't care much about is smart enough to be treated decently by someone as special as yourself.

Well, that's one hell of a boring, narcissistic, and petty standard. But it does explain much about how you came to be as shallow as you are.

Did your parents lay out little suits for you to wear every day they were alive? No deviation! No room for expression! Perfection!

I imagine that your upbringing must have made you resemble Tattoo from Fantasy Island.

John Cunningham said...

Now, riddle me this--why in the Sam Hill is ANYONE paying a hint of attention to the lying crap put out by CNN and MSNBC??

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Mark:

Provide a single quote for me that revealed any purported ability, let alone interest, on my part, to predict what would happen in Cheeseland politics.

Thank you.

Wally Kalbacken said...

I got your democracy, right here!

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Finchy:

You show me a conservative on this site who participates in political discourse in the elevated and idealistic way that you describe, and I'll show you productive conversations that he or she and I have had.

You must be new here. But cast those aspersions wide! And deep!

Other than that, ask yourself what reason you've provided me to respond to you.

Mark said...

Treat someone you disagree with decently just once, Ritmo, and you might have a single leg to stand on.

Seven, I disagree with your evaluation of Ritmo's situation. He's a classic Remittance Man, born to money (from bits and pieces he's said here, I think he inherited property in the NYC Financial District) he now dabbles and politics takes his fancy because it is so cool to be a rich socialist.

Intellectually though I think you're dead-on.

Alex said...

Ritmo - your meltdown tonight will be long remembered.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...
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Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Mark - Your Blogger profile says it dates to 2011. I guess that's about as much time as you and your friend need to practice all the creative writing you never got to dabble in while your parents told you that efficiency, order, and bootstrapping/bootlicking were the only things that mattered, and that they couldn't give a damn about you when it came to anything else in life.

Mark said...

Ritmo, I had a whole dialog with you a while back about why the DNC/White House was going to avoid "cheese land" like the plague.

You thought I was an idiot winger. Wisconsin was going to be the turning point.

That's why I was so happy to see you here tonight. If you can prove my characterization wrong, you do your own bloody fisking.

"When has Wisconsin been a trend-setter in anything?"

Grow up. I don't think you live in your parents basement, but living in their penthouse isn't any better.

Seven Machos said...

Ritmo just deleted and re-posted his dumb post twice. I bet there's still an error in it, dude. Look harder.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

I bet there's still an error in it, dude. Look harder.

Oh, pardon Monsieur!

Mark, you really seem to be fixated on extremes.

If I said as much as what you assert, it's possible an error was made. I don't think anyone here takes their ideas as seriously as Seven Machos (descriptive of his sperm count?) takes his own hectoring sense of superiority and obsession with superficial details.

I just think there's a difference between that and just not giving a damn about facts, period.

Mark said...

Ritmo, I'm also phantommut. I've been here a long time. You've changed your name a lot for some reason, I've got my own reasons for having more than one Google account.

And dude, seriously. Get help. Those who don't agree with you don't have to be critically damaged creatures who once had the chance to be human.

Serious question: Do you have eyebrows?

Chef Mojo said...

Wonderful! What a perfect ending to a great day; the faux intellectual stylings of Ritmo!

Dance, moonbat, dance! Entertain us some more!

Ah, but the bitterness is getting the better of you, Ritmo! You're off your game. Tsk. Sad, really. I expected your "A" game tonight of all nights!

Now, don't get me wrong, Ritmo! You're ineffectual flailing about this evening is amusing, but it's just not the comedy gold we've come to expect from you.

Buck up, little cowpoke! A bit of drink and meditation on your condition should do the trick! Come back when you've pulled your shit together, and hit us with some real knee-slappers, ok?

There's a good lad...

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

I've got my own reasons for having more than one Google account.

I can understand and relate to that.

Anyway, you're confusing me with someone else where it comes to the part about agreeing to disagree. There's reasonable disagreement and then, well, you get the point.

AlanKH said...

When the rich are all eaten, what will there be left to eat?

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Now, don't get me wrong, Ritmo! You're ineffectual flailing about this evening is amusing, but it's just not the comedy gold we've come to expect from you.

Lol. So says the guy with the monkey avatar!

Come on, Mojo. You really aren't here for performance art as you are for all the ritualistic (and rote) gloating going on. Admit it.

Mark said...

Anyway, you're confusing me with someone else where it comes to the part about agreeing to disagree.

I never said anything like that, anywhere, in regards to your cant. (Look it up if you need to.)

What I did say is that if I can't reason with a fool, I do my best to make the fool suffer.

Why the last six hours have been so fun!

Your side lost. It was probably a big loss. Spew now.

Chef Mojo said...

And Ritmo? Speaking of California...

Live election blog: As in San Jose, San Diego voters also curbing pensions - San Jose Mercury News

8:50 pm: San Diego voters also curbing city employee pensions

Two of the three largest cities in California are turning back public employee unions tonight. With 16 percent of precincts reporting, voters in San Diego are overwhelmingly approving Proposition B, a measure that would put new city employees into 401k programs, and limit the top salary that workers could use to compute pensions. The measure leads 69-31 percent, a margin very similar to the lead enjoyed in San Jose by Measure B, which would require city workers to pay more for their pensions or receive limited benefits.


Sort of sends a tingle up my leg!

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Spew now.

Sorry. It's evident you're trying to get me to descend to a level that doesn't come anywhere as naturally to me as you'd hoped, or as it might to you.

But the rest of the comment was predictably partisan and personal. After you lectured me as to why I'd best avoid those things.

Anyways, thanks for the hypocrisy. And gloat away. If you need to. I apologize for believing you might have been sincere earlier when attempting a more noble tone.

Or maybe it's just late.

Alex said...

Ritmo - what is your point? That austerity is being rolled back? Really I'd like to know what is your fucking point.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

I'm glad you and Chris Matthews have something like that in common, Mojo.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

The world is complex, Alex. Why must I only have a single point?

Alex said...

Ritmo - you have no point except to engage in dehumanizing rhetoric on this blog. You have never made a single substantive point.

Roger J. said...

Damn--I was wrong--I predicted Walker by 8--first time I have been wrong since 1949

jungatheart said...

LOL bago!

My fave MSNBC moment was the panel after Palin's Convention speech. They were all nonplussed, Norah O'Donnell was livid.

jungatheart said...
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Brian Brown said...

O Ritmo Segundo said...



Talk about unoriginal. A party that's only able to reject ideas without coming up with any of their own... well, I can see why your idea of originality is so poor


Yes!

Scott Walker had no ideas about the state budget or collective bargaining!

Like, that's totally why there was a recall & stuff, he had no ideas!

Idiot.

Tank said...

Went to bed early.

Who won?

Oh, I see it now on MSNBC, it was Obama.

Wait, what?

Was he running?

damikesc said...

This is a ridiculous question. It's like asking someone who doesn't prefer nuclear war why he doesn't commit to unilateral disarmament.

Confusing pragmatism for morality or one's ideals is at the heart of conservatism's rotten core.


What was his excuse in 2008 when McCain joined Obama in publicly accepting public funding --- but then Obama reneged and decided to raise insane amounts of money and disable verification for donations to his website?

Do you know how much more he spent than McCain in 2008?

Tarzan said...

Tony Soprano takes it on the chin and goes down for the count.

Tarzan is pleased!

Rusty said...

This cannot bode well for Obama in November.

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