"Walker may be shrugging off chatter about 2016, but political observers see plenty of signs he is considering a run for president after his 2014 re-election campaign is over."
He’s working on a book about his life, tentatively titled “Unintimidated: A Governor’s Story and a Nation’s Challenge.” And Walker readily admits he’s traveling around the country for high-profile fundraisers and other conservative gatherings, from New Orleans to Iowa, Washington, D.C., to California.
“We used to call this period ‘testing the waters.’ I think that’s what he’s doing,” said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. “He can’t be explicit yet. But I think he’ll run.”
Sabato and his colleagues put Walker at the top of their list of 2016 Republican presidential contenders, noting that "Democrats tried — and failed — to strike him down in a recall election last year:
"Not only did Walker survive, but this unscheduled political war elevated him to stardom amongst conservatives across the country. If Walker were to become the Republican presidential nominee, Democrats will have helped it happen."
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41 comments:
Unintimidated?
Why doesn't he just call himself "Walker the Brave?"
Oh, that's right, things political sound more important with more syllables.
Stay tuned. Perhaps there'll be a chapter in the book where he boldly strides through the Black Gate of Mordor.
Now we'll find out about those secret routers.
In WI, he generated Palin-level hatred. I'm sure there was frothing and gnashing of teeth.
I look forward to giant paper mâché heads in Washington
Brave sir Walker.
I await garage's pithy comments.
This is really gonna piss off Greame Zielinski......as he stands in the unemployment line. That recall election was partly his sooper genious idea.
On the other hand, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett could make a fourth run for the Governer's chair on his traditional platform of "I Have No Ideas And No Clue".
Rusty said...
Brave sir Walker.
I await garage's pithy comments."
Since garage outed himself as a parody account yesterday--yes, he actually said the garage mahal account had nothing to do with who he really was--I wouldn't hold my breath.
I mean, he might show up and post, but what'll be the point?
Meh.
Let's see what's up around the end of 2014.
Rusty: "Brave sir Walker. I await garage's pithy comments."
garage will be unable to attend this thread as ever newer secret routers will re-route all his postings to an American Public School....in Germany.....in the late 1800's.....
CEO: "Since garage outed himself as a parody account yesterday..."
LOL
He's a parody all right, just not the kind of parody he thinks...
I understand he's s star among conservatives for winning the recall election, but what about the jobs he promised? Do conservatives only care about slapping down the opposition? If Walker's policies are better, why are the jobs numbers so bad? Where's the beef? I can't imagine him winning the nomination in two years if the jobs situation doesn't drastically improve in the state. Everything's hunky dory now, but when it comes time to actually campaign, Christie, Rubio, Jindal, et al are going to tear him a new one.
Michael Haz said...
This is really gonna piss off Greame Zielinski......as he stands in the unemployment line.
And it's become a very long line indeed under Governor Walker!
Lest we forget what garage said of himself:
"In a rich bit of irony, you didn't know all along that this account has already been a parody of sorts. Meaning, under this moniker I never ever give a fuck. It's "separate" from me, even if you did know who I am I still wouldn't give a fuck.
Which makes your anger towards me and your tireless devotion of trying to discredit this anonymous moniker sort of funny. And tiring. It may be time to hitch up and take a ride. "
Mitchell: "Unintimidated?"
I fully expect to see some of Walkers private tax records as well as several other federal agency information on his business dealings as well as any raw FBI background information begin to "pop up" in the press as we move forward.
Nothing untoward of course.
Not at all.
"If Walker's policies are better, why are the jobs numbers so bad?"
-- Very few companies are willing to invest in powder kegs waiting to explode. The constant simmering of political fighting has probably turned a lot of risk takers off of Wisc. until it calms down and shows that it won't continue radical shifts in policy. There's no promise of continuity and consistency if Walker is defeated in an election (or leaves and his successor is a Democrat.)
"I can't imagine him winning the nomination in two years if the jobs situation doesn't drastically improve in the state."
-- I thought the same thing about Obama, but, apparently, most Americans are OK with accepting a summer of recovery, even if it is a subpar recovery, to stagnation, to people just leaving the workforce in despair -- if you can sell it to them right. Believe me, political history matters only a little in the grand calculus of electoral politics.
He's at the right point in his career.
And he's got that critical Meadhouse endorsement.
Fixed, sorry about that.
(he's be? gotta get rid of those Learn Ebonics While You Sleep tapes)
Walker is a man of faith that is not afraid. That alone is enough to cause a battle the like we have seldom seen.
And the Professor and her faithful companion Meade, the BlogJournalist, working diligently on this blog are a large reason for Governor Walker's success.
Governor Walker's success.
???
Because the economy in Wisconsin is just humming along?
He would be bloodied pretty badly in the primaries, I will guess.
Please run. Jindal might be the only one who's better qualified since he's actually governed something. Rubio and Cruz are just the Obamas of the right. "Let me be President because I look good in a suit and can give a good speech."
Who knows, if Mitch Daniels suddenly changed his mind, he could work really well too. And he can put fixing Purdue on his resume while he's at it . . .
HE'S NOT PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL!! Has any pol ever read, The Peter Principle?
Matthew Sablan said...
"If Walker's policies are better, why are the jobs numbers so bad?"
-- Very few companies are willing to invest in powder kegs waiting to explode. The constant simmering of political fighting has probably turned a lot of risk takers off of Wisc. until it calms down and shows that it won't continue radical shifts in policy. There's no promise of continuity and consistency if Walker is defeated in an election (or leaves and his successor is a Democrat.)
Ah. It's not his fault.
That what Obama's supporters say about him, too.
he actually said the garage mahal account had nothing to do with who he really was--I wouldn't hold my breath.
He has to say that doesn't he. He's made a complete and utter ass out himself.
He has to save face.
I wish him luck in his future endeavors.
As much as I admire Walker for his stand, I just can't see him as presidential material.
Not gonna happen.
Rick Perry has a far better record and a far better shot at the nomination, from a "governor" perspective.
Farmer said...
I understand he's s star among conservatives for winning the recall election, but what about the jobs he promised?
He can't create jobs.
All he can do is provide an environment that makes people want to invest. And to do that he needs both houses.
Good grief.
"Ah. It's not his fault."
-- He's done what he can do with what he has, unlike Obama, who had both houses of Congress and still couldn't get anything done but make things worse. It's a valid comparison in some ways, but you also didn't have months-long protests followed by a sour, political hit job in the recall. Wisc.'s wounds to the business community's faith are self-inflicted, but they come not from Walker.
Farmer:why are the jobs numbers so bad?
In the 8 years of former Governor Doyle's administration, Wisconsin LOST over 60,000 jobs. In the 2 years under Governor Walker, Wisconsin has ADDED 60,000.
But I still don't think Walker should run for President.
So, to be clear: the fringe elements of the Wisconsin left have created a situation whereby business owners otherwise inclined to move to Wisconsin are hesitating or moving elsewhere, because they can't be sure if Walker will still be in office after they move their businesses here. (Clearly, they come from states where regular elections aren't held and there are no term limits).
Walker's flirtation with the presidential nomination would of course leave Wisconsin without his services as well. But that's different. Because hippies.
Is that about right?
Farmer said...
So, to be clear: the fringe elements of the Wisconsin left have created a situation whereby business owners otherwise inclined to move to Wisconsin are hesitating or moving elsewhere, because they can't be sure if Walker will still be in office after they move their businesses here
Yes.
Not because hippies. Because well funded elements of the left are able, at a moments notice, incite riot and near riot behavior from young skulls fulla mush.
Farmer: A) They were not fringe elements; B) There's a difference between regular order and what Wisconsin witnessed.
Because well funded elements of the left are able, at a moments notice, incite riot and near riot behavior from young skulls fulla mush.
Just ask the people over at Palermo's Pizza. They're growing, but it's unlikely any expansion will take place in Milwaukee....
CEO-MMP said...
Not because hippies. Because well funded elements of the left are able, at a moments notice, incite riot and near riot behavior from young skulls fulla mush.
Yeah, Paul Ryan said there were riots at the Capitol too. There weren't, of course. Not even once. But why let facts get in the way of the narrative!
And what is a "near-riot" anyway? A protest? Or just a protest organized and attended by people whose views you don't like?
Matthew Sablan said...
Farmer: A) They were not fringe elements; B) There's a difference between regular order and what Wisconsin witnessed.
But what is the difference in this context? Why would it make a difference whether he had left office because of the ever-powerful hippies or because of his own presidential ambitions? People didn't move their businesses here because Walker might be recalled after a year rather than possibly be voted out after four, or take off to the White House? Seriously? Stability? There's no such thing when it comes to political leaders! That's why we're America and not Zimbabwe!
And he wasn't recalled, by the way. So what's his excuse now? It's been almost a year since the election and he's still nowhere close to creating the number of jobs he promised. Hippies still?
Is your argument that businesses will never, ever move to Wisconsin, because this one time people protested the governor's policies at the Capitol and tried, unsuccessfully, to recall him? The hippies won (even though the clearly lost by every measurable standard), now and forever? We might as well all give up and move to Minnesota?
Really? You can't just admit that the guy's not very good at this Governor thing? It doesn't occur to you that this is the same sad load of crap Obama's supporters were shoveling about Obamacare? "Washington doesn't work! Socialized medicine is great, we just can't get to it in the U.S. because of the Rethuglicans so we're stuck with a plan that doesn't work! It's the GOP's fault, even though the Dems control the White House and Congress and wrote the bill, all without any support from the GOP! And if that doesn't satisfy you, it's Bush's fault!"
Or Doyle's, in the case of Walker.
I'm not going to bother Farmer, since you're not even making a good-faith effort to understand that the constant political issues in Wisc. make it uncertain what will happen if Democrats ever regain the governorship.
I really liked Giuliani because I knew what NYC was like before he was elected. I know nothing about WI except that it seems to be in the same latitude as ME. From what I've seen in this blog there is something Giuliani-like in Walker. He took on powerful interests that are making our country ungovernable and he beat them. So did Christie. You cannot say the same about Jindal and that guy from IN because they did not achieve success in very liberal states.
What are Walker's positions on social issues? It is a given that a GOP candidate will be a fiscal conservative. Unfortunately the successful candidate will have to win primaries in wacko states like IA and SC where even Hitler might be viewed with suspicion by social conservatives.
Christie is doomed because he is not a troglodyte. What is the prognosis for Walker?
Gop will probably nominate a hispanic, either Rubio or Ted Cruz.
The issue of job growth in Wisconsin is interesting. One problem is that it would not occur to most people to move to Wisconsin. For the information type jobs, most companies are going to locate somewhere cooler than Wisconsin.
For manufacturing companies, they are probably more likely to locate down South.
You would think Wisconsin ought to at least be able to steal companies from Illinois.
Is there a canal between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River?
Steve Koch said...
Is there a canal between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River?
It's called The Illinois River.
You know who is presidential material?
John Mccain, Bob Dole, Mitt Romney.
Rudderless elites.
I would rather have a non elite like Scott Walker.
I supported Perry last round, and wouldn't mind him as nominee, but Walker has walked through a more hostile environment and stood his ground.
I require someone who the beltway says is not presidential material, frankly. I do not want someone who is invested in the circles that establish 'presidential material'ness. However, I also want someone who is qualified, so I require someone who has served as Governor, done well, and won some kind of reelection.
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