Posted on 09/04/2015 12:53:16 PM PDT by conservativejoy
It's been a cruel summer for Scott Walker and Martin O'Malley.
That's the assessment of this week's POLITICO Caucus, our weekly bipartisan survey of the top activists, operatives and strategists in Iowa and New Hampshire. Ahead of Labor Day weekend, insiders weighed in on who won — and who lost — the summer in their own parties and the results couldn't have been clearer. . On the Republican side, nearly half of GOP insiders said Walker, the Wisconsin governor, had the worst summer on their side of the aisle. In Iowa, where he was until recently considered the front-runner but now lags in polls, insiders were particularly down on him: 56 percent said he had lost the summer.
"He can't seem to find his way on any given issue with a handheld GPS," an Iowa Republican said of Walker. "He's been on all three sides of every two-sided issue. For the last two months hasn't made a single policy pronouncement that he or his staff hasn't had to clarify or clear up within two hours. When you're reduced to saying 'yeah' doesn't mean 'yes,' you're in trouble. 'Unintimidated' has given way to 'uninformed' and 'unprepared.'"
"Not since, well, Tim Pawlenty has a candidate so hyped or seemingly invincible had their bubble burst in this way," agreed another Iowa Republican, who like all participants was granted anonymity in order to speak freely. "He owes the Iowa GOP a big favor for canceling the Straw Poll to keep him from repeating Tim Pawlenty's untimely demise."
The GOP insiders' criticism of Walker was rooted in the sense that his positions on a number of policy issues, from immigration to abortion, have shifted repeatedly, and that he has recently attempted to pander to Donald Trump voters.
"[That] plunge [in the polls] has come as a result of his inability to articulate where he stands on a single issue," an Iowa Republican said. "Authenticity matters in Iowa. Big time. In fact, it's the only thing that matters. Scott Walker advocated building a wall between the U.S. and Canada. How do you NOT lose the summer with a statement like that?"
Among New Hampshire Republicans, Walker wasn't so clearly considered the biggest loser — about 40 percent called him that, compared to one-third who gave Jeb Bush that designation. Still, Walker left Granite Staters unimpressed.
"He's lost his lead in the make or break Iowa caucuses. He has alienated donors with his pandering to the base of the party. He is woefully unprepared in interviews. He has cemented his reputation as a shameless flip-flopper, and worst of all he has raised questions about if he is actually smart enough to run for president," said a New Hampshire Republican.
"Forgettable in the debate, mind-numbing acrobatic answers to issues of the day — he has become not ready for prime time," agreed another.
I think Jeb was the biggest loser this summer.
Jeb was a loser before the summer. :)
Are you working for Hillary Clinton or Jeb Bush?
>> He has alienated donors with his pandering to the base of the party.
Other candidates have shown that what they term “pandering” to the conservative base is not a problem at all, provided all your other ducks are in a row.
I’m retired. I support Cruz and will vote for Trump if he is the nominee. The folks being quoted in the article are political insider caucus voters. That is why the article says “Insiders”.
Graham started out as a loser so he doesn’t count.
It’s a shame Walker tanked so badly — but it’s also a fact.
Please don’t take it out on the messenger.
jeb was the biggest loser, no doubt. Walker can still recover and be mutually supported candidate between the base and the political class. Jeb could stagger to a win in the primary, but he’s got no chance at the general election. Walker, Cruz, and a couple other could get enough broad support to keep some of the motivated base to the polls. Jeb cannot.
Graham had nothing to lose to begin with.
“It’s a shame Walker tanked so badly — but it’s also a fact.
Please don’t take it out on the messenger.”
If you want to disagree with a candidate or discuss his shortcomings, go ahead.
But don’t hide behind Politico and their biased attacks.
That cuts both ways. Why don’t you point out what is biased, false, or misleading in the posted article, instead of laying into the one who posted it?
Attacking the messenger is kind of a no-no here on FR.
It’s kind of scary how some people read the news these days, at least to me.
Here is what the article is based on:
“That’s the assessment of this week’s POLITICO Caucus, our weekly bipartisan survey of the top activists, operatives and strategists”
This is not an honest evaluation of Governor Walker. it is a bunch of Politico types attacking someone they obviously don’t like. And Politico types hate all conservatives.
Governor Walker has done an excellent job as Governor of Wisconsin. As the GOP primary field has gotten larger his percentages have gone down. That is true of most candidates.
But it is unfair to label him a “loser” at this point. He has articulated conservative views and while he is far from a charismatic candidate he has added substance to the debate.
That’s better. Thank you.
If you look at conservativejoys posting history, ALL he posts are articles slamming Walker. Anytime I look at an article posted here on FR that’s against Walker, 99% of the time it was posted by Mr. Joy.
Walker was never ready for the big stage, the people he put around him don’t get the base, they don’t get the frustration we have at the establishment, and Scott flip flopped and made clear he was just another status-quo R. He’s fine in WI...but a flop anywhere else.
Pandering to the base ... as opposed to xxxxxx his xxxx as a convenient aids-infected chamber of commerce whore ?
Anyone without the name Trump is the loser for the summer. The only one that seems to have some positive coverage is Carson but I recall too many bad scenes of him in video clips—he’s on borrowed time and should quit now before he embarrasses himself.
I like Conservative Joy’s posts ....
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