Posted on 08/17/2015 2:34:06 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Scott Walker is the Tim Tebow of politics…the pro-life, conservative sensation on top of the world (or the polls) one moment, the invisible man the next.
For those who don’t know Tebow’s NFL story, here’s the short version: Drafted in the first round by the Denver Broncos despite most pundits saying at the time he didn’t have the arm to succeed in the NFL. Tebow takes over a struggling Bronco team, leads a bunch of unlikely comeback victories late in the season and somehow gets them to the playoffs. God’s quarterback proceeds to carry Denver to a win over the defending-AFC-champion Steelers with an electrifying 80-yard touchdown TD pass on the first play of overtime. The media coverage is so huge it spills off the sports pages and ESPN and into the front page and cable news. Tebow was everywhere.
The Broncos would fall badly to the Pats the following week. Tebow was abruptly traded to the Jets after GM John Elway made a deal for Peyton Manning. #15 would never really be heard from again after an uneventful season in New York, opting for a small role on ABC’s Good Morning America awhile after being released. He’s now back in the NFL trying to capture a third-string job with the Eagles.
Pre-Trump, Scott Walker was arguably the man to beat for the GOP nomination. Iowa was already practically in the bag, with Walker jumping out to a double-digit lead in the Hawkeye state and no real threat coming from establishment candidates like Jeb Bush. Backers reel off the laundry list: He’s the only guy in the race who won three gubernatorial contests in two election cycles. The Wisconsin governor is a union conqueror and debt dissolver…inherited a huge deficit and made it a surplus. And before running to the comments section and advising putting away the Walker pom-poms, do know my horse was declared in this space back in January. For the purposes of this column, this is simply an exercise of listing why Walker was considered a real contender for the nomination.
But then along came Trump and out came all the oxygen in the room. Some–like Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, Ted Cruz and the afore-linked John Kasich have been able to find a few bubbles to rise above the GOP frontrunner for long enough to get a rise on the polls, sure. And the one candidate who has absolutely disappeared–and we’re talking Ed Snowden-esque disappeared–it’s been the 47-year-old Walker. And the results have been devastating: An August 12th CNN/ORC poll shows he’s now running a distant third in Iowa (trailing Trump by 13 points and Carson by 5), in a state any and every political expert says he must win or can call it a day. Nationally, Walker is down to six percent support in a Fox News poll released today, his lowest number in over a year.
So what happened? Basically, Walker isn’t flashy. He’s not soundbite-driven in a media culture built around it. His seemingly-perpetual hound dog expression doesn’t result in almost any decent photos of him in terms of displaying intellect or gravitas. Call it shallow or superficial, but like it or not, this stuff matters early on…particularly when being introduced to many voters for the first time.
But is the drop also due to a poor debate performance? Not really. Walker didn’t distinguish nor hurt himself that night and was barely discussed afterward as a result. In the end, perhaps he resembles a classic politician too much, which is not a good thing in this race. Just ask Jeb Bush or Hillary Clinton: This is the anti-establishment race on both sides–at least for now–that craves authenticity, candor and people who aren’t career politicians (the honest Bernie Sanders being the exception because of the stark contrast that is Hillary).
It’s rare to see free-falls reversed in the NFL, even much more rare in politics…particularly with so little oxygen to work with.
If he can’t find a away–and there’s still 168 days until the Iowa Caucus–he’s toast.
Never has someone gone from first to afterthought so quietly.
George Will’s wife is deeply saddened.
He kind of comes across as dull and in a few years will be the balding high school math teacher type. Glad he won and he needs to stay where he is. Pick up a U.S. Senate seat there in a few years. He’s toast nationally.
Perry and Christie need to go away as well. Jindal, too. They aren’t going anywhere and are burning money.
Tebow is awesome.
Agreed, once he runs his course in Wisconsin he should seek out a Senate seat. Probably sooner than later as the hate he’s stirred up will eventually catch up and make him unelectable even in Wisconsin.
Actually, this is rather sad. I think Walker had great potential, but has surrounded himself with advisers who are questionable - such as George Will’s wife. I think he could do a decent job as president, but, perhaps he has another calling in life rather than being president. There will be many doors open to him once his term as governor has finished.
After he gets a college degree.
I like Walker and I like what he did in Wisconsin and I would support him if he got the nomination but I honestly don’t see him winning against the global communist machine that is the DNC+media+foreign-money+massive-voter-fraud.
The only question would he fail like McCain failed or would he fail bigger, like Romney failed.
We need some one with a real chance of going up against the tsunami of hate and lies that the DNC will launch and win.
I know Walker did it in Wisconsin; I just don’t see him doing it nationally.
And besides all that, Trump is right on immigration. Walker is not. And that’s a big difference.
Walker is HATED because of George Will and his wife.
They all belong in Hell.
I like Walker, but he is not my top choice. If he were the Republican nominee, I would have no problem pulling the lever for him.
That being said, I don’t believe he will be the nominee. He has done a great job crushing the unions in Wisconsin. I would love to see him take that nationally. Perhaps the best way is as Secretary of Labor.
People who are sincere and honest, who build honest relationships often appear dull and uninteresting. Those who have charisma are often sociopaths. That charisma and eye contact is a body language promise of a genuine, personal relationship. It’s a promise they almost never keep. The uncharismatic acting guy does not send out those body language signals because he already has his time taken up by real relationships and he can’t afford another, especially a relationship with thousands he meets and asks for votes. Bill Clinton is charismatic, and about as shallow as a fingernail. He promises much and makes people feel special but probably has no real relationships.
Ike and Reagan were charismatic.
A college degree is no match for the experience he has had. Some college graduates, are total idiots anyway. Just look at who runs this country and all their Ivy League degrees.
“After he gets a college degree.”
I’d prefer he doesn’t get indoctrinated into liberalism.
Barack Hussein Obama allegedly has an Ivy League law degree, although almost no one recalls seeing or meeting him. Ted Cruz, on the other hand, was a shining star at both Princeton and Harvard Law School and thousands will tell you about him. Several of his professors describe him as brilliant, although they vehemently disagree with him on almost every issue. Princeton’s freshman debate series is named after Cruz. See the difference?
They put all the Christian and federalist-type colleges out of business? How did I not see that thread?
I know the difference and know that Cruz is a brilliant man on the Constitution. I was referring mainly to the DEMS in office, and RINOs. All the IVY League schools are pro-DEM.
Well, the fact that Cruz got through two of the top schools probably more conservative than when he started sure says a lot, doesn’t it?
John Ellis Bush, Marco Rubio and Chris Christie went to lesser schools, none of them is Ivy League.
True, but, I still don’t think a college education is an all in all. I think Scott left in his senior year to run for some type of office, and won - so, that was valuable experience in itself.
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