The Base Likes Scott Walker Because He Fights Back

RUSH: I'm telling you, this is why Scott Walker is running away with every Republican poll right now. The consultant class doesn't get it. The Republican establishment doesn't understand it. They're scratching their heads, what's Walker done? They do not get it. They don't understand. For two years I have been ballyhooing Scott Walker, not personally, but here's a guy not only has he drawn the blueprints for beating the left -- what are blueprints? They are designs for building something. Well, he's built the house. He wrote the blueprints and he built the building. He built the machine that defeats the left. He has shown how to do it, and he did it. He is a walking gold mine.

Scott Walker has been targeted every bit as much as any other Republican has as a racist, sexist, bigot, homophobe, as a criminal, as a mean-spirited whatever. He had to win three elections in four years. Think of that. Think of that. Three elections in four years. He had the federal judiciary trying to hamper him and punish him. He had the entire Democrat Party and its union support base throwing money and thug like tactics against him and his family, and he did not try to appease them once. He stood up to them in his way.

He won elections, and then afterwards he did not give a speech about how now it's time to come together for the people of Wisconsin. Well, he might have said that but he did not mean it's time to let them now have a role in his government. His objective was to overcome them. His objective was to defeat them, in their schools, in their school curriculum, in the way the unions, public and private, were ruining Wisconsin, and he has succeeded.

I would think that everybody at the RNC and the consultant class who wants to win would be taking notes and would be talking to him and his people about how they did it. Instead, they're trying to ignore it. He's winning every flash poll. Drudge is doing one, just saw this. Your vote for Republican presidential candidate. He's got Bush, Carson, Christie. I would lay you 10 to one that whenever Drudge starts publishing results Walker is gonna be well over 50% in this poll.

Now, nothing scientific about it. This is just an Internet poll. But the reason why is because, as I said, Scott Walker could be wrong on immigration. He could be wrong on global warming, to the base. The base may not like his view on this or that, but they're gonna support him because he is fighting back. That's what has been missing. The Republican Party will not even acknowledge the true nature of our enemies. I can't tell you how frustrated that has made the Republican base and then some. Not just the Republican base upset. There are other Republican voters who may not be Tea Party people, but they're also fed up that there is no fight back, that there's no push back against Obama or the Democrats or any of their policy ideas.

Scott Walker has epitomized it and that's why he's just running away with every poll right now. I don't know if it's gonna hold up when it comes time to actually get in the primaries and these polls get translated to votes and that sort of thing. It's way premature on that. I'm just telling you why he's scoring so well now. The Tea Party, since they founded themselves in 2010, there has been this burning, this burning passion and desire for their representatives to stand up and fight back, which means properly identify them, not letting them get away with stealing the identity. They're the ones with the big hearts and they're the ones with the compassion, they're the ones with all the tolerance and so forth. That's all drivel.

So Scott Walker's doing it, and he is running away, and these clowns on our side don't even understand it yet. Stop and think. Here's a guy that's won three elections in four years in a blue state. He has neutered the employees union, teachers union. He's got the support of the majority of people in Wisconsin. You would think at Republican headquarters and consultant headquarters they would be eager to find out how he's done it. But instead he's looked as somebody that might upset the applecart. It's gonna boil down to how much money he can get from the donor class.

And, by the way, I'll make another prediction to you. I'll make a prediction to you in this same poll Drudge is doing. You know who's gonna be last? Who do you think's gonna be last, Mr. Snerdley? (interruption) Jeb Bush is gonna be near the bottom. You want to know why? (interruption) Yeah, but why doesn't the base, why is the base not thrilled about Jeb? Because Jeb Bush and the Republican establishment have made it clear they think the Republican Party's big problem is Republican voters and not Democrats and their policies.

Now, on Fox News yesterday, Super Bowl Sunday, Howard Kurtz has his show where the media talks about itself. Probably their favorite show of the week. They have their roundtable and they discuss each other and how well the media's doing or what mistakes the media has made. It's navel-gazing squared. So their host here, Kurtz, is talking to George W. Bush Spanish language spokesperson, Mercedes Schlapp. I've not heard of her. I'm not saying anything by that. I just don't know who she is. I don't mean that to be an insult.

I have learned I think that she calls herself Mercy as a nickname, Mercy Schlapp. Her husband is also a big -- I forget his first name. Yeah, his name's also Schlapp. A married couple that go by the same name, which is rarer and rarer in our country. The fact is they're both consultants, and one of them, I think the husband, the name of his group has the word "conservative" in it or something. Mental block on it. Anyway, Howard Kurtz said to Mercedes or Mercy Schlapp, "Romney got a taste in the media environment, and a lot of it from conservatives, as we saw. There was not exactly a lot of enthusiasm for a third Romney campaign. What do you say about that?"

SCHLAPP: It started with Rush Limbaugh back in August of 2014 when Rush came out and basically said he cannot win the nominee in 2016. If he wasn't able to pull it off when it was a time when the president had huge disapproval ratings, the economy was plummeting, and he couldn't win, believe me, he's not gonna be able to win in 2016. And then we saw the choir of these individuals coming out, these opinion leaders coming out, like a Peggy Noonan, who supported him in 2012 saying Mitt was yesterday, we need to look into tomorrow.

RUSH: So, once again I have -- but don't misunderstand, now. I don't know if she's blaming me or saying I got it right. I'm having trouble inferring from the tone. So whatever you do, do not get hold of this woman and tell her I'm criticizing her. It's not the point. What is noteworthy about this is that now I've once again become the titular head of the party. It depends day to day. I'm an entertainer, irrelevant, maybe a has-been, even. "Ah, Rush is so yesterday. You know, that's a long time ago. Limbaugh, ah, nobody pays any attention anymore."

The next day I'm the titular leader of the party, and the next day I'm a good satirist and entertainer and so forth. So it was me, folks, it was me who got the ball rolling anti-Romney back in August. And she's right, by the way, I did say all that. 'Cause that's what struck me as true.

RUSH: I just got a note, a good reminder. Speaking of how Republican base voters embrace the fighters. Remember Chris Christie and how he used to own it? Remember? Back when Chris Christie was the idol of the Tea Party? Remember he's out there at the Reagan Library -- "liberry," for those of you in Rio Linda -- and some woman stands up in the audience and begs him to run? He goes through this long answer about how he's not ready; now's not the right time.

But, I mean, he owned it. And why did he own it? Because he was fighting back against the unions. He was creaming the unions in press conferences. He was fighting back against the media. He was refusing to take their grief, and he was ramming it right back down their throats. But that's not him now. He doesn't have that anymore. He doesn't have that kind of support. People don't look at him that way. Why? Well, something happened, among many other things.

One of them is an arm-in-arm stroll down the beach with Obama after Sandy, and then there were other instances where Governor Christie started moderating his tone and sidling up to the left and start working with these people and just went moderate on everybody. So now he's not got the love he used to have. I'm telling you, do not discount that. It's a major factor in why Walker is being supported. Not to diminish his position on the issues. My only point is...

Like when I was touting Walker last week, I got an e-mail from an inside-the-Beltway conservative media person. "Be careful, Rush! Be real careful. He's not right on immigration. We gotta be very careful." I said, "You missed the point. Right now, that doesn't matter. People are willing to overlook certain things. If this guy is gonna actually take on this behemoth of the left and try to beat them back..." Because that needs to happen.

Part and parcel of reversing the direction the country's going is pushing back against those people, and it's why I say this. The Single-Issue Crowd is never gonna be mollified by anybody. They're gonna demand perfection at all times, and immigration's an important issue. I understand what this person was saying to me, and that person might have thought I was getting ready to go all in and might have a problem when people figure out that Walker's not exactly where they think he should be on amnesty.

I actually think he's closer than most people do because he is hell-bent on border security, and that's the first thing that has to happen. Whatever you do with the 11 or 12 or 20 million here comes after you've secured the border, first you've got to stop the tide. Nobody's talking deporting 25 million people. The sensible thing to do here is lock down the border so that this massive influx stops.

Well, he's for that. So I'm not endorsing anybody here. As you know, I don't do that. Particularly this early out. I know some people think that I should. Look, I already have the power here of stopping Romney, according to the Republican consultant class, and I did that back in August. Consequently, Walker's taken off, and I defy you to find anybody who's been touting him but me, at least the way I have been.

I mean, Walker didn't sneak up on us. His big coming-out bash on that Saturday in Iowa didn't surprise us, right? We've been up to speed, knowing Scott Walker and aware of what he's accomplished for a long time here. But a lot of these other Republicans asked, "Where'd this guy come from? Where'd this guy go to get a charisma transplant? Scott Walker?" They were totally ignorant about him!

That blows me away, how Republicans -- consultants, what have you, who are in the business of winning elections -- could be surprised and shocked and ignorant about what Walker has done. But they exist. When he had that great coming-out speech, that fiery speech where he spelled out the American dream, all these Republicans were shocked and stunned and said, "Where'd this guy come from?" That is unbelievable to me. But it happened.

RUSH: This montage is about Scott Walker. It's a montage of Martha Raddatz of ABC News, Fox News Channel Arthel Neville, Fox News Channel Leland Vittert, CNN Victor Blackwell, Dana Perino, Dana Bash, Clayton Morris, Norah O'Donnell, Gwen Ifill, all talking about Scott Walker. There's a new poll of potential Republican candidates and it just has him cleaning up. This new poll has him cleaning up all over everywhere, and here come some Drive-Bys talking about it.

RUSH: Yeah, see, they're shocked. They don't believe it. They can't believe it. They're stunned. I guarantee you they're stunned. And that's what stuns me. But once again, stop and think of this. Here you have a Republican, and he's a Republican in good standing. I mean, he's not one of these Tea Party guys that the establishment's been trying to wipe out. He has won three elections in four years. The left has thrown everything they have at him just like they've thrown it at George W. Bush, like they threw it at Romney, like they have thrown it at McCain, everybody, but Walker beat them.

You would think they would know who he is. You would think that they would not be surprised, after his success in Iowa and Wisconsin, that he would be on the radar. But there is, indeed, shock. There is indeed surprise. This is a Bloomberg Politics Des Moines Register poll taken Monday through Thursday, and it shows Walker leading a wide open Republican race with 15%, but then that doesn't quite explain it because there's two questions, really support or almost halfway support.

If you add 'em up, Walker is at 25. The closest to him is at 23. And that's Rand Paul. The Republican establishment guys bring up the rear. They're way at the bottom. I think Jeb Bush is at the bottom, or close to it. It just continues to amaze me that this guy has been invisible. And do you remember even the Republican governors association, I forget the specific details of this, but there were some contretemps between Governor Christie and Scott Walker over money. I think it was that the Republican governors withheld some money from Walker. I forget why. Yeah, during the campaign, yeah, last November, they withheld some money, I forget specifically why, but he and Walker were going back and forth about something.

But nevertheless these people are all shocked. Now you regular listeners to this program are well aware of the Scott Walker story, whether you like him or not. You may not. You may think that what goes on in Wisconsin's really not a good proving ground and doesn't matter. But even if that does describe you, you can't deny that he has demonstrated how to beat back -- my God, folks, some of the tactics the left pulled, threatening his family, they threatened him with jail. They tried to criminalize his campaign, not just some of his policies. They had the Wisconsin state legislature walked out of the state in an attempt to stop him implementing his policies after one of his victories. They threw everything, and he's beat 'em back. And the fact that he's still a mystery to these people, it's a shame.

I like Walker.

He would be an excellent second to Cruz. They are both fighters, both of them fearless. That is the quality that impresses me most about both of them.

He is not for open borders but is OK with amnesty. that is my understanding.

http://www.ontheissues.org/governor/Scott_Walker_Immigration.htm

"I said, "You missed the point. Right now, that doesn't matter. People are willing to overlook certain things. If this guy is gonna actually take on this behemoth of the left and try to beat them back..." Because that needs to happen."

Beg pardon, Rush, but no, "people" aren't willing to overlook certain things. You can't on the one hand say that Republicans should fight tooth and nail against amnesty and then nominate someone who's squishy on it.

That'd be like campaigning against Obamacare and then nominating the guy who invented it. No party would be stupid enough to anger its base by doing that, right?

Oh.

Point being ... if you'll cave on that core conservative principle, what else will you cave on?

Thanks for posting this. Walker should have every opportunity to sharpen his position on immigration in the coming days. It will then be up to each of us to determine if we can support him. From limited reading lately, I see many on the board declaring him DOA on this one issue.

Lay that aside (of course, I will be told that you CANNOT lay it aside) and consider Rush’s main point - i.e. That Walker had DONE things that we want done.

I like Cruz a lot. Let’s be clear. He has stood and fought the hard Left as well as the soft left. But, being in a minority of the minority, he has not been able to accomplish anything beyond rhetoric.

Let’s keep Ted in the Senate where he can now give MM constant and unvarnished hell and force the Kentucky Tool to tie his own success to concessions to the Conservative agenda, so ably championed by Cruz.

Plus the idea of a newly elected Senator abandoning his office in his first term just seems wrong to me.

Gov. Scott Walker was on the American Action Forum on CSPAN.
He did very well, articulate, informed, assertive, not scary or weird. When a person has a philosophy and facts, it is easy to answer questions and give a clear position.
Mr. Walker is for border security first.
If we can't get that, all else is irrelevant.
And the ‘security Moms(or Caregivers)’ were a big part of the overwhelming Republican?Conservative 2014 victory.
He has not shown the witty, amiable perceptive bullsht that Mr. Reagan could shovel to friends and opponents, so I don't know about how he will come across on the national stump or in sound bites.
The big loser Republican campaign consultants could make him into a cold mush unpalatable to many Americans.
Palin/Walker would have both zip and substance, appealing to both the social and economic concerns of a majority of potential voters.
TWB

I will go all the way back to Gingrich’s campaign in 2012, his support went up during debates, because instead of attacking the other Republicans on stage, he went after the MSM moderators.

“He has not shown the witty, amiable perceptive bullsht that Mr. Reagan could shovel to friends and opponents, so I don’t know about how he will come across on the national stump or in sound bites.”

Yeah well Bob Dole wasn’t a barrel of laughs either. In fact none of our candidates since Reagan had much humour except George W Bush who was elected twice. As much as we all hammer Bush on his faults and RINO leanings he was at least likable and could actually be pretty funny. Can’t say that about Dole, McCain, Romney etc. Besides the fact those RINOs did not provide enough distinction compared to the dem those candidates were not even likable which is extremely important in a general election. Obama is not likable either but somehow he is perceived to be .. perhaps because of hois shit-eating smile ... plus he is black so he got a pass

The transcript above from Rush explains why an awful lot of Cruz supporters here on FR don’t have full faith in Cruz’s ability to beat back Walker.

It’s right there in a lot of the posts, and some don’t even need reading between the lines.

This is going to be a frigging disaster.

Sentimentality over substance. He says the nice stuff, so we better rally behind him?

Are some people on the right THIS damn desperate?

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