Posted on 08/17/2015 10:27:54 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
His supporters, waving blue-and-red signs, ate it up. Soon, the cheers were drowning out the detractors.
Scott Walker's entered a late summer slump.
The Wisconsin governor was largely sidelined at the first Republican presidential primary debate, when his rival candidates earned more attention with flashy one-liners.
He's also forfeited his monthslong polling advantage in Iowa, where he's slipped behind Donald Trump and even Ben Carson, according to the latest CNN survey of the outlook for the caucuses.
So when he stepped on the Iowa soapbox stage at the state fair Monday, Walker probably would've preferred not to look out and see an assembly of protesters from his home state.
When he began touting his record in Wisconsin of beating back public unions, defunding Planned Parenthood and requiring a photo ID to vote, his comments were met with a round of boos.
His supporters fought back valiantly with cheers, creating a rowdy environment that appeared to energize the sometimes humdrum Walker.
With his face pressed firmly against the microphone, Walker's speaking pace picked up considerably, and he confronted his hecklers directly.
"This is a great test with the protesters. I'm the only one who stood up to 100,000 protesters," he said, recalling his Badger State battle over collective bargaining in 2011 that spurred rounds of demonstrations in Madison.
At one point, when a man in the front row of the crowd was chastising Walker, the governor looked down and pointed, "I am not intimidated by you, sir, or anyone else out there."
His supporters, waving blue-and-red signs, ate it up. Soon, the cheers were drowning out the detractors.
The entire episode played into Walker's message of how he's not only fought the good fight on highly polarizing issues against Democrats in a blue state, but won it.
"You want someone who is tested? I'm right here," he said.
Campaigns typically see protesters as an onerous distraction, but in this case, they seemed to reinforce the fighting image Walker needs to recapture in order to infuse his campaign with renewed energy.
Perhaps this performance will help stave off critics, who are beginning to wonder whether he has the pizazz needed for the presidency.
"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," Mediaite columnist Joe Concha wrote this weekend.
Going forward, look for Walker's campaign to seize on his Monday performance to portray Walker as the tested fighter in the field, not an unreliable quarterback who can't toss the long ball.
Protests follow Scott Walker on campaign trail - "he wears their hostility as a badge of honor"
Those libturds just can’t learn to leave Walker alone lol.
Madison and Chicago silver pony tails have a pretty good bus network I imagine to keep the blitzkrieg of buffoons showing up.An hourly wage tax, passes to the fair and free food included to yell on behalf of unions and PP? Well, someone needs to make money!
"I support George Will, his wife, and their demand
that Obama, our King, be given MORE nuclear weapons
because our King is TRUSTWORTHY."
“Walker’s entered a late summer slump”
Yeh keep telling yourself that. LOL!
You keep hoping for a miracle. Walker is DOA as presidential candidate. A non starter that has only fallen in the polls as people see him and, more importantly, as others, like Trump, gain universal traction. Walker has problems at home, plus he is an incredibly barely and local candidate. Seriously, do we need to trot out his Titter feed again?! Walker should quit and take a nice long ride on his Harley.
This is a long unpredictable primary season. I am pulling for SW to be one of the contenders and stay in the race.
America would be well served by President Scott Walker.
“Walker has problems at home,”
Nice Trump quote. I like when people quote that liberal Democrat like it’s gospel when attacking actual conservatives.
Let’s me know to keep my eyes on Cruz and Walker during the race.
Another take on the Iowa protests against Walker at the State Fair.
FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.
Walker took away most of the teacher’s union tax-payer funded gravy train. For that they’ll hate him forever. They lie when they say Walker attacks workers. Walker constantly praises the workers of Wisconsin. What he fought was union corruption.
What are you smoking? Trump’s so-called “comprehesive” immigration plan is just a copy of a plan Walker has been promoting for months.
The horse is dead but they just can’t get off. :-)
Not only that, he saved their jobs and reduced their health care costs.
I’ve lost track. Was that Walker’s flip or his flop?
Great pic.....I never realized that he was such a physically little man.
Walker’s down - he’s NOT out...
Little man complex...
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