Saturday, May 22, 2010

RPW 2010: Man vs. Machine


There is really nothing really exciting to report from Republicanfest.

As expected, Scott Walker's butt-kissing for the past eight years got him the anointment as the Chosen One, for all the good it will do him. Oh sure, it might give him a slight bump in the polls for a week or so, but then he will continue his downward spiral with greater velocity.

First, it will be very difficult, probably impossible for him to overcome the anti-establishment feeling out there, especially when he has spent the better part of the last decade to get the blessing of said establishment.

Secondly, even though Charlie Sykes and Mark Belling won't dare discuss it, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is hit and miss on covering things, the rest of the state is beginning to take greater notice of all of Walker's problems, both in his full time job and the job that tax payers pay him to do.

Walker's campaign is a mess with illegal contributions. And I really doubt that we've heard the last about his tax payer funded campaign bike ride.

Walker will also have to still face the music about BHD, and that song is far from over. There are the crumbling parks and the transit system that he is killing. Also, don't forget the illegal budget he passed. There will be lots of ramifications coming down the pike on that one.

In other words, Walker is guaranteed to shoot himself in the foot. Multiple times.

The one thing I thought the most significant and telling is the fact that Mark Neumann's supporters were barred from entering. I doubt the event will get much play locally, but it will get around the state sooner or later. This will only enhance Walker's image as the establishment candidate, as if his chumming with the Bush brothers, Karl Rove, and the rest wouldn't be enough in itself.

All in all, I would say that Neumann talking to his supporters outside of the convention was a shrewd move, if he can get the word out that the conservatives were shunned by the GOP.

Walker might have one the hearts of 1,000 or so cogs of the Republican machine, but he is far from winning the votes of the people, and those are the ones he should have been worrying about.

30 comments:

  1. If the neumann supporters would have registered like everyone else did, ahead of time, they would not have been standing outside.

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  2. So you're saying that the GOP is not for the regular public? That you have to be approved first?

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  3. lol, I see you can't read.

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  4. Capper, do you know anything about conventions? We all had to pay the fee to attend.

    What I find interesting is that Neumann's supporters, brought in by buses in typical SEIU fashion, staged a protest outside while Neumann was clamoring for support on the inside with a 20 minute speech.

    They were wearing the same clothing with the same signs shouting something like "let the people decide" while everyday people were deciding with a 91% support for Walker. The fact that they were bused in wearing the same uniforms with protest signs should tell you that they had not intention of attending the convention. A little journalistic standard might help you along a bit, Capper.

    For claiming that Neumann is such an outsider, why did he give a 20 minute speech trying to rally delegates at the convention? while he followers were protesting

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  5. Ironically enough, once registered you don't even have to show an ID - unlike the teacher's union convention!

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  6. His supporters were not barred from attending. This is simply a cheap trick by Neumann.

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  7. AROD, are you sure you're talking about the right Scott Walker? I just want to make sure you're not confusing him with the singer, Scott Walker, who was born on January 9, 1943. I know he gets a lot of applause.

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  8. Wow, after reading Capper's rant, why would anyone want to live in Milwaukee County. Sounds like it is living in a 3rd world country.

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  9. Coop is right. Neumann knew he couldn't win. After calling delegates on the, he gathered good enough intel to determine that he didn't have a likely chance. So he tried removing his name from ballot while telling the MJS that he was telling delegates not to support him. In other words, he was trying to save face and prevent more people from bailing on his candidacy.

    So what does he do next? He stages a protest outside the convention knowing he would get media coverage, while telling his supporters to accuse the GOP of shutting them out, which they weren't because I was there to observe the entire thing. He had them bused in wearing Neumann shirts and protest signs in hand to get some free publicity all the while giving his candidacy speech on the convention floor. I was actually surprised he didn't get booed for his antics. To me, that showed some GOP tolerance. They were all courteous to him, which was more than he deserved.

    I suppose when you are far behind, one has to resort to cheap antics to survive. I'm just growing tired of it, and I'm sure that others are starting to feel the same way.

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  10. Aaron,

    As far as the delegates go, I agree Neumann pulled out because he knew he wasn't going to win that race. But he is also aware that there is still a primary to win, which is something Walker appears to have forgotten, if he even ever knew it.

    But as far as the primary goes, you better stop criticizing people about journalistic issues. Outside of SE WI, Neumann is winning and pulling away faster each day.

    I'm sure Walker will get a small, momentary bump from the weekend, but then he will continue his spiral down. Especially as more comes out on his dirty politics, using his office for politics and what his tenure in MKE Co is really like will put him on the fast track to pull a Palin.

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  11. Chris,

    You think that Scott will start to spiral down because of "dirty" politics, but you don't mention that Neumann's politics, especially lately, won't piss of conservatives. Neumann doesn't stand a chance of winning against Scott. The only way I see this happening is if Scott is caught in a major county scandal about a week before the primary election.

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  12. Neumann isn't pissing off the conservatives. He's pissing off the Republican machine by showing that he can run without them. Judging by the latest polls and from what I see and hear myself, he's doing a pretty good job at it.

    Neumann is leading everywhere but SE WI. Now that Walker got his cherished endorsement, there will be more eyes on him and what is really going on in Milwaukee County. Not the spin that Walker and people like you are trying to put out there, but the actual facts.

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  13. So that 91.3% was all SE Wisconsin. Saul Alinsky is alive and well at Cog-Dis...

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  14. That 91.3% was of hand selected delegates and is hardly representative of the voting public of Wisconsin.

    C'mon, not even Aaron's arguments are that easily shot down.

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  15. No surprise really that capper is touting a Wisconsin version of Charlie Crist...the left wing needs reps to beat up each other for the train mayor to stand any chance at all in the Nov election. This disinformation spin over keeping "Crist" people from the convention is just more of that same spin...non-factual points twisted to make a story.

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  16. Chris,

    I think I know how conservatives think a little better than you. Neumann has managed to piss off every talk radio personality. The only one who hasn't criticized him yet was Vicki McKenna, that was until he pulled his publicity stunt outside the convention.

    Here is what Mckenna posted on her facebook page. "Now, I'm reallyb ticked off. Between the embarrassing and petty behavior of the Neumann campaign at the convention and the Terrence Wall campaign just putting out a piece slamming Ron Johnson, I'm about to invoke the "Vicki McKenna Slap the Crap Out of 'Em Rule". For those who don't know this rule, it involves a heavy iron skillet...."

    And Neumann is not leading Walker anywhere, unless of course, you are referring to the results of the same polling firm that Neumann hired.

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  17. LOL! Radio squawkers are even less representative of the voters than the delegates. Most people don't even listen to them, and half of the ones that do listen do so to see the idiocracy in action.

    The most recent Rasmussen poll shows all three major candidates in a statistical tie, with Walker leading in SE WI and Neumann leading in the other areas of the state. And we already know that Rasmussen always leans to the right by about six points, so you do the math.

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  18. Chris,

    My point about radio personalities is that (A) people listen to their programs, and (B) their vocal beliefs become free advertisement for those they support. If people didn't listen to their programs, then politician wouldn't give them the time of day.

    And the Rasmussen poll did not show Walker in a head to head with Neumann.

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  19. Sykes, on the biggest stick in the state, only draws about 9% of the available audience. Not a lot of pull there. But you're correct about the free advertisement. That really should be included as in-kind campaign donations, shouldn't it?

    As for the Rasmussen poll:

    Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, the likely Democratic candidate, now attracts virtually the same level of support as his two Republican opponents in Wisconsin’s race for governor.

    The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely voters in the state shows both candidates earning 46% of the vote if Barrett runs against former Congressman Mark Neumann. Given that match-up, four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, and five percent (5%) are undecided.

    The other GOP hopeful, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, also attracts 46% against Barrett, while the Democrat draws 44% of the vote. Three percent (3%) prefer another candidate, and seven percent (7%) remain undecided.


    Now stop with your lying, sir.

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  20. lol, lying is trying to derive from this poll that Neumann is out-drawing walker...another winger playing the crist angle.

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  21. Chris,

    First, Mark Belling draws the largest audience in the state, not Sykes.

    Second, your poll does not show a head to head between Walker and Neumann, which is what we would see in a primary election.

    And third, your poll would more properly reflect a head to head with all candidates as if Neumann went Independent. If Walker didn't split the vote with Neumann, Barrett would get squashed by a Republican nominee. Do you understand my point now?

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  22. Belling of the wetback comment? But I don't know about in the state since TMJ's signal is much stronger.

    Rasmussen is a respected poll among the conservatives. I guess that only holds when it shows what you want.

    But your third point is hysterical. I'm still laughing. The poll shows Neumann vs. Barrett and Walker vs. Barrett, not Walker vs. Neumann vs. Barrett. There is no three way split. And since Rasmussen leans to the right, that puts Barrett ahead. Probably because he is actually creating jobs instead of saying he will, and his budget is balanced, and people in his care aren't being raped or being allowed to die due to neglect.

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  23. "people in his care aren't being raped or being allowed to die due to neglect"
    -
    As the Mayor of Milwaukee he has many in his care...good thing there are no murders or rapes in his town.

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  24. How many people in the jails are dying? BTW, the City of Milwaukee is fully contained in the County, so does that mean we can count all the murders in Milwaukee County and City against Walker?

    You are so feeble.

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  25. Capper,

    First, WISN's radio signal is the strongest in the state.

    Second, I'm not questioning the legitimacy of Rasmussen. How old is that poll again? Was it taken before or after Neumann began threatening party delegates, making stupid press releases, trying to bully party leaders to take his name off the ballot, lying about the convention shunning his supporters even though some of them were delegates, and speaking at the very convention that his supporters were protesting.

    Oh, and it wasn't very smart to smear delegates by calling them party insiders. Imagine pissing off more than 2,000 activists by lying about them. Did he not think the wouldn't tell as many people as they could about his antics?

    And for once, you're right about something. I misread the poll.

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  26. I love how you Walker people have been playing the martyr. It is just so typically hypocritical of you all.

    And I'm sure that the general public, with their anti-establishment feelings, aren't going to be shedding any tears for the political insiders.

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  27. Oh, and as far as signal strength, you really do need to get out more. TMJ reaches much, much farther than WISN.

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  28. Well Capper, then you can duke it out with the radio personality I talked with.

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  29. Yes speaking of feeble...more capper babble; all rant with no facts or support.

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