Posted on 05/17/2015 1:19:16 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Longtime Republican volunteer Pam Johnson has a conundrum: She’s an avid supporter of Gov. Scott Walker, but she would rather not see him living in the White House.
“I hope he doesn’t run” for president, the La Crosse woman said Saturday as she staffed the souvenir/information booth of the Republican Party of Wisconsin at the La Crosse Center.
“He’s doing a good job for Wisconsin, and I know he can do more for Wisconsin, and I know he can do good for the nation,” Johnson said. “But I’m not ready to give him up.”
Walker, who hugs Johnson whenever he sees her at an event, has not declared that he will seek the GOP nomination, but his recent trips around the country and world have convinced political observers that his announcement is a matter of when, not if.
Judging from her qualms about endorsing Walker for president, she just might try to channel Cher during one of those hugs and sing “Baby Don’t Go” into his ear.
On the other hand, Cher crossed swords with Republicans in Congress on Wednesday, attacking them for cutting Amtrak funding the day after a deadly commuter train derailment in Philadelphia.
“Hrs ago, Republicans chose 2 cut Some of The meager Funds, 4 AMTRAK!!” Cher tweeted. “They did this EVEN AFTER the Train Crash & loss of Life, last nite!!”
Johnson declined to have her photo taken, saying she doesn’t like the results. She managed to get her picture taken Saturday morning with Walker’s parents, the Rev. Llewellyn Walker and Pat Walker, and said, “You should see that one.”
Among the wares Johnson hawked were cheesehead hats autographed by prominent Badger State Republicans, including Walker, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan.
Walker, Ryan and Duffy were the top sellers, Johnson said.
Conventioneers who didn’t want to shell out $45, tax free, for the signed version could slip across the street and get a blank one at a souvenir store for $19 — plus tax. Of course, if Walker runs, or if Ryan takes another run at being vice president or even president, the signed sponge-heads could bring a lot more than 45 bucks on eBay.
Anybody but ...
State Republicans may be signaling agreement with political junkies that Hillary Clinton will get the Democratic nod, peddling a button at the booth proclaiming, “Anybody but Hillary,” with a line across her countenance.
The most popular items were can cozies, although buttons were fairly popular, including one boasting about Walker’s “3-peat” — his election victories against Tom Barrett for a first term as governor, against Barrett in a recall election to stay in office and against Mary Burke for a second term.
Also trending were T-shirts with the face of Republican icon Ronald Reagan with this message: “Still Right.”
No Koch sightings, but group has booth
Among the booths circling the Republican faithful at the state convention was one for the Wisconsin branch of Americans for Prosperity, a conservative behemoth that billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch started to pump millions into GOP campaigns, including Gov. Scott Walker’s.
A woman staffing the booth said she didn’t have media clearance to make statements for the organization but, asked whether either of the Kochs were there, she said, “I wish. They’re great people.”
In 2011, a radio personality famously punked Walker by impersonating David Koch on a telephone call when Democratic legislators had fled the state to avoid voting on the governor’s budget-cutting proposals and protesters descended on the state Capitol.
Among other things, Walker said to the Koch imitator, “Well, we’re actually hanging pretty tough. I mean, you know, amazingly there’s a much smaller group of protesters — almost all of whom are in from other states today.”
Bradley’s dry humor gets a laugh
A laugh rippled through the delegations at Julian Bradley’s quip after he took a sip of water before introducing one speaker.
“I took a Marco Rubio break,” said Bradley, vice chairman of Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District GOP who chaired the state convention.
With comedic timing, the former chairman of the La Crosse County Republican Party added, “That’s not an endorsement.”
Rubio — the Florida Republican senator who is jockeying with the likes of Scott Walker, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Dr. Ben Carson, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and others — was the victim of bipartisan brickbats in February 2013 when he awkwardly grabbed a bottle of water and took a swig as he delivered the official GOP response to President Barack O’Bama’s State of the Union speech.
Some analysts compared Rubio’s performance, during which he also perspired profusely, with Vice President Richard Nixon’s copious flop sweat during the first televised presidential debate ever, with Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kennedy in 1960.
Pundits have contended that Nixon’s diaphoresis cost him the election. Many people who watched the debate on TV proclaimed Kennedy the winner in part because of the contrast between his stunning good looks and Nixon’s stumbling appearance, while those who listened on the radio considered Nixon the winner.
As for Rubio, even as social media was flooded with jabs about his frantic search for an oasis to relieve his parched tongue, he himself handled it with self-deprecating humor.
He told George Stephanopoulos on “Good Morning America, “What am I going to do? You know, it happens. God has a funny way of reminding us we’re human.”
At least one “grass roots” Republican in Wisconsin hopes Walker won’t run for President.
FReep mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.
My SiL in Ohio says the same thing about Kasich.
She wants to keep him as governor.
Walker’s PAC had a booth at the Georgia GOP state convention, and a short video was shown the same afternoon that Rubio spoke. He’s running.
Not officially stating that he is “running”, like Hitlary Clinton, he keeps the donor opportunities in the hands of the PAC group supporting him which means, more cash available when the day he does declares his candacy.
Not officially stating that he is “running”, like Hitlary Clinton, he keeps the donor opportunities in the hands of the PAC group supporting him which means, more cash available when the day he does declare.
Then why hasn’t he announced? To what purpose?
Not officially stating that he is “running”, like Hitlary Clinton, he keeps the donor opportunities in the hands of the PAC group supporting him which means, more cash available when the day he does declare.
So why did Cruz announce so soon? Is Cruz stupid? Or is he serious and honest, rejecting the games of speculation, "will he run or won't he? I'm gonna hold off on supporting candidate A because I'm still waiting to see if Walker is going to run, so nobody gets my money until I know who's going to be in it."
Or is Walker wishy-washy, circumspect, and still trying to craft "acceptable" answers to questions Cruz has already addressed, like an unequivocal statement on gay marriage, common core, environmentalism, etc?
Cruz isn't perfect, but he's sure close enough. Why on EARTH jeopardize that in the thought "gee, we might be able to find something better!! We need MORE to choose from, we've only got 15 declared right now" (compared to the Democrats' sane SEVEN declared).
The ONLY thing Walker could accomplish now is to increase the nutty dog-and-pony primary circus the Republicans are once again indulging in, and to harm Cruz's chances. Cruz entered early and straight-forwardly. Clearly he means business.
What does Walker mean? Political games? That Walker hasn't declared, that Walker is still shilly-shallying on formulating answers to questions Cruz has already addressed -- speaks ill of Walker in terms of President. I hope he stays where he is; he will do better work there, and save himself for 2024.
With the exception of Ted and Dr. Carson, the Republican candidates are clowns.
Ted is the only candidate guaranteed to beat Hillary (and in a LANDSLIDE at that). The other candidates cannot beat Hillary, and Walker can’t beat Hillary even in his own state!
Conservatives would have to be crazy to support anyone other than Cruz.
We Jerseyans (Jerseyites?) feel the same way about Christie. Lacking any real conservative alternatives, he’s standing between us and total RAT domination.
Yep — Cruz to victory.
It’s like when Pat Summerall went to CBS.
I was at a party yesterday. The right-wingers I was chatting with were all for Walker, because of his having executive experience.
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