Posted on 04/23/2015 6:59:54 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
It's early in the Republican presidential primary process, but at this point former Florida governor Jeb Bush is a slight favorite. However, the latest CNN/ORC poll indicates that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is closing in on Bush. In a large GOP field that features archconservatives and outright crazies, Walker is the most disturbing because his stock-in-trade is mobilizing the resentment of working-class white voters.
According to the CNN/ORC poll, the ranking of Republican presidential candidates is Jeb Bush (17 percent), Scott Walker (12 percent), Kentucky Senator Rand Paul (11 percent), Florida Senator Marco Rubio (11 percent), former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (9 percent), Texas Senator Ted Cruz (7 percent), followed by surgeon Ben Carson (4 percent) and New Jersey Chris Christie (4 percent). Pollster Nate Silver observed that most of these candidates have approval ratings that are "net-negative," unfavorability ratings greater than favorable. Scott Walker is an exception -- his favorability ratings nearly match his unfavorable -- perhaps because he has the lowest name recognition of the major candidates.
Who is Scott Walker? At this point in the competition for the Republican nomination, voters know about as much about Walker as they did about George W. Bush before he won in 2000.
Writing in Mother Jones magazine, political blogger Kevin Drum argued that Scott Walker would be the 2016 Republican nominee because he is the one candidate that could unify the various factions of the GOP: "Scott Walker" has a record of governance. His persona is generally adult. He doesn't say crazy stuff. Relatively speaking, he's attractive to moderates. But at the same time, the tea partiers love him too."
Barack Obama's presidential campaign took off after his famous 2007 Iowa speech at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner. Scott Walker's prospects have heightened after his January 24,2015, speech at the Iowa Freedom summit.
In that address, Walker positioned himself as the champion of "commonsense conservative reform." He bragged of defeating "big government special interests" to be twice-elected governor in a traditionally Democratic state and attributed this to his willingness to "go big and bold."
In his Iowa speech, Walker worried about the future of the US; expressed concern that America won't be as great in the future as it was when he was growing up. His twisted explanation for this (alleged) decline was an expression of classic Reagan-era conservative logic: Washington is controlled by big government special interests, taxes are too high ("It's the people's money not the government's money"), and too many Americans are content to "be dependent upon the government." Walker said he wants to build an economy that works "everywhere not just in Washington" and be a leader "who stands with our allies against terrorism." Predictably he's pro-life and anti Obamacare. He's muddied his stance on global climate change but his Wisconsin record is virulently anti-environment. On immigration he's recently shifted his position to the far right.
As a result of his Iowa speech, Scott Walker is ahead in the early polling among Iowa Republicans. In New Hampshire Walker and Jeb Bush are in a virtual tie (Walker has 17.6 percent Republican support and Bush 18 percent).
Many observers believe that Walker is a puppet controlled by the notorious Koch brothers. Walker's core message is targeted to harness the resentment of working-class white voters. It's based on the typical conservative lies often promulgated in campaigns funded by the Koch brothers.
The substantial economic gains of the last seven years haven't been shared by all Americans; rather than blame the rich and powerful, Scott Walker blames Washington. And, by implication, he blames the least fortunate Americans, those who need government assistance. This is classic Reagan rhetoric but with a sharp edge that denigrates the poor and America's racial minorities.
Recently, The New York Times contrasted the campaign strategies of Jeb Bush and Scott Walker. Both are conservative, but Bush has an inclusive message: "He is telling Republicans, in effect, that they must accept a changing country: that the path to the presidency will be found through appealing to voters who may not look like them." On the other hand, Scott Walker has an adversarial message: "The Party's way forward" lies in demonstrating toughness in the face of intense opposition from the left and mobilizing those who are already inclined to support conservatism."
In the 2012 presidential contest, Barack Obama defeated Mitt Romney with 51 percent of the vote. Obama carried women and racial minorities; Romney carried men and white voters. Most tellingly, Romney carried white women.
Scott Walker's 2016 strategy is simple: He will seek to defeat Hillary Clinton by mobilizing the resentment of working-class white voters, male and female. Walker will take his adversarial message to swing states such as Colorado, Florida, Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin; and hope to mobilize a massive turnout by angry white voters. Walker is dangerous.
“Kill the 1%!!!”
“We hate white men!!!”
The left never mobilizes resentment, right?
yeah yeah..heard it all before..blah blah..if you don't drink the lib Kool-Aid..you are dangerous..yawn!!! As if dems only ride unicorns and spread rainbows of love and charity during elections..
As Gov. Walker has explained many times, even if 100% of the Republicans in Wisconsin voted for him, he could not have won 3 elections in the past four years. So if he is “motivating resentment”, then his motivating the resentment of a lot of Independents, Democrats, and others as well.
But it’s not resentment they harbor, it’s a desire to have an actual leader who has the right values, understands the proper role of government, and doesn’t just make pretty speeches, but accomplishes what he says he will do.
That’s why both Republicans and non-Republicans have voted for him in the past, and why even more will do so in the future.
Sure! I’m going to take “Mother Jones mag” as an authority on anything conservative! LOL.
FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.
NOT what Walker said. This is what he said - and says over and over again:
I think that Governor Walker is the adult of the group. He is very steady and just does his job. He is not showy and does not make scary statements just to be over the top. I think he will make a fine President. What I love is that he is doing well and hasn’t even announced yet. That is a good sign.
Good thing this report is fair and balanced. Basically, if you’re a conservative and believe in that old dusty constitution, you’re stark raving bonkers. Or something. Heaven forbid a working person, lower, middle, or higher, would vote for someone who values hard work as a means to a better life. Retired and proud to have worked for what I got.
They are W-O-R-R-I-E-D.
If Rufus Bush were named in one of these ridiculous polls, he’d poll about the same as Jeb Bush. They’re only polling name recognition at this stage.
Note that this liberal activist sees the Left losing WHITE WOMEN to Walker.
Hillary (any Democrat running) cannot afford to lose them.
Because we have nothing to be angry about.........
I was just thinking that-after app a year of “Ferguson, The Most Important City In The World, the left has the audacity to be “disturbed” by white people resentment? At least we don’t burn down the neighborhood, we go vote.
True. I actually know quite a few woman who do not want Hillary at all. To be honest, it does surprise me some but it appears that many woman don’t think Hillary is a great prospect as President.
The Ministry Of Propaganda works for The Cheap Labor Express. Since Scott Walker has come out on the side of the citizens and the rule of law, he is now dangerous.
Dangerous to the flow of cheap labor and cheap votes. The Uniparty will not stand for that.
Mornin’, Friend!
Hillary is no Margaret Thatcher, that’s for sure.
January 3, 2011 - Walker assumes Office of Governor of Wisconsin.
June 27, 2011: Walker REVOKES In-state Tuition For Undocumented Students Attending Univ And Colleges In Wisconsin "- On Sunday, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R) signed his two-year 2011-2013 budget, which included ending in-state tuition for undocumented students attending public universities and colleges. In-state tuition for undocumented students was approved two years ago by former Governor Jim Doyle (D) after the Hispanic community struggled for 10 years to pass it."...
Scott Walker is the only governor to revoke instate tuition for illegals.
Scott Walker is the only governor to survive a recall election.
“Walker is dangerous...”
...to the Unions
...to the Socialists
...to the Race Baiters...
...to the Entrenched Big Government Types...
...to the GOPe...
...and to this Nancy Boy ‘reporter!’
He’s over the target!
We all need to have bumper stickers:
Anyone but Bush!
As opposed to Obama's stock-in-trade mobilizing the resentment of the idle-class entitlement mob?
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