Posted on 08/16/2015 5:17:30 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
It may be that Scott Walker’s “moment” came sometime in March or April. That was when the governor’s campaign for the Republican presidential nomination was going from strength to strength. He was racing ever upward in national polls, establishing a solid lead in the first caucus state of Iowa, and moving up on supposed front-runner Jeb Bush in the first primary state of New Hampshire.
It seemed that nothing could stop him.
Then Republicans started paying attention.
Walker was already losing momentum before the Donald Trump surge, and before the Fox News debate that appears to have again reshuffled a Republican race that is starting to smell like the 2012 contest in which partisans constantly switched their loyalties among flavor-of-the-month candidates (Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum).
The Fox debate was crucial for Walker, who needed to renew his candidacy. Instead, he renewed a sense that he was not ready for prime time.
The problem was not that the governor stumbled in a dramatic way — although his attempt to explain away his failure to deliver on past promises with “aim high” platitudes was painful. What tripped up Walker was that there was nothing dramatic — good or bad — about his performance.
He was drab and predictable on a stage where it was hard enough to steal attention from Trump. Other candidates made their mark with rhetorical flourishes (Florida Sen. Marco Rubio), by positioning even further to the right (Texas Sen. Ted Cruz), by showing a little humanity (Ohio Gov. John Kasich), or by adding what passed for humor to a generally humorless experience (former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee).
But Walker made no mark. He sounded like what he is: a political careerist looking to add another line to his resume. The Huffington Post’s analysis summed things up: “Walker, the Wisconsin governor, came off flat.”
After the debate was done, the right-wing pundits who spent the spring pumping up the governor’s candidacy were distracted by new shiny pennies.
The same went for the Republican base that had, briefly, been so enamored of Walker.
When the dust had settled, the polling analysis website FiveThirtyEight headlined its assessment of “clear losers” in the debate with a reference to Walker. “(The) polling is clear,” the data review explained. "Walker is the only candidate who lost ground in every single post-debate poll. In Iowa, where Walker had been leading, just 5 percent of voters said his performance was the most impressive of all the candidates. Walker’s debate night was bad enough that he has lost his edge in Iowa to Trump.”
Actually, it’s worse than that. A week after the debate, a new CNN poll had Walker falling to third in Iowa (behind Trump and Ben Carson). A new Boston Herald poll had him tied for seventh in New Hampshire — behind, among others, former "also-rans" such as Kasich and Carly Fiorina.
If this keeps up, Walker may have to start worrying about how he will finish in next spring’s Wisconsin primary.
Well duh, what Walker actually had was just your average post-announcement bump. That guy is as interesting as watching paint dry and sounds like a used car salesmen when people ask him if he supports a border wall and other things.
Walker was my choice going in. He never seemed to catch any traction though. Cruz and Carson look to be fighting for that slot.
Yeh but remember that Walker stood up strong against the Unions and goons in his state and won. I think he should stay as Gov and finish the good work he began there in Wis.
Walker never seemed to develop his own voice. I’m not sure he isn’t the Chamber of Commerce Plan B.
Walker took his continual ballot box successes and union busting and couldn’t do anything with them. Truly unfortunate. Maybe his time will come later.
Walker was one of my top 3 candidates before the debate. He was flat and uninspiring. I don’t know if he was tired or what, but he just came off boring. On the other hand, Ben Carson, who doesn’t have a lick of experience, had that great closing line that resonated and people remembered it - regardless of the fact that he didn’t have any policy issues to talk about. So, yeah, Walker fell out of my top 3 after that. I also didn’t like some of those he hired for his campaign.
Walker is weak on borders. Trump has him outflanked, Big Time.
That was the same suspicion I’ve had.
He says he’s changed his mind, but other than the statement he made on Beck’s show, there’s been nothing.
Now that Trump has presented his plan, everybody else will have to put up or shut up.
Trump’s border plan is what American citizens have been waiting for someone to do.
Nah. That’s Rubio. The COC crowd wants a Hispanic and a dynamic speaker from a swing state and that’s Rubio. Walker is a bland, meat and potatoes white guy from the midwest. Jeb is about to implode so the big establishment money is going to Rubio. I think that’s the guy they hope can compete and take out Trump.
Maybe it's just a matter of Walker needing more experience. Perhaps after a few more years as Governor, he will be ready for prime time.
Trump has outflanked everybody on this issue even Ted Cruz.
Like veterans with service-connected disabilities?
Walker right up there with all the excitement of vanilla ice cream
He was my candidate too but after watching his dropping poll numbers and his bland performance in the FOX debate I came away thinking he’s just not the guy we need right now. I think he needs to go back to Wisconsin and brawl with the Dems in his last two years. Maybe run for the US Senate. He’s a young guy. He’ll only be 48 this fall so there’s time left in his political career, but I agree with a number of you that he doesn’t seem to know what he stands for and not imploring it with the kind of conviction that will attract voters in a national race. I’m hoping Governor Walker will find his voice, but I think Cruz is our best option at this point.
I think Trump is our best option at this point. I love Cruz and would have no problem voting for him, however, I don’t see his crossover appeal, nor can he match Trump’s immigration plan. Once this problem is solved, many other of our ills will fall into place. Cruz wants to increase H1B visas by 500%. How does that help Americans who want and need jobs? It doesn’t.
Walker has been flat. He met with Sessions just like Trump did....and look who took advantage of it, not Walker.
The fact that Mari Will (wife of George Will), Marc Thiessen, and Brad Dayspring, among others, are running his campaign is troubling.
How can you claim to be fighting against the establishment if your team Is The Establishment.
Plus he is about as charismatic as a rock.
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