Surprise! Walker Admits He Didn't Campaign on Repealing Workers' Rights!
By anniepa
@anniepa (27955)
United States
April 14, 2011 12:32pm CST
I've been having this back and forth argument with conservatives here for weeks; I'd heard Wisconsinites state on TV that Governor Walker hadn't campaigned on ending collective bargaining for state workers but some here have insisted that he had. Well, here it is, directly from the horse's mouth.
Without copying the entire exchange here I'll simply say in a conversation with Rep. Gerry Connelly (D-Va.) Walker first attempted to dance around the question but then finally, this was said:
Connolly: I am asking you a very specific question did you bring up collective bargaining during the campaign?
Walker: No.
http://blog.aflcio.org/2011/04/14/walker-admits-he-didnt-campaign-on-repealing-workers-rights/
I guess that settles that particular argument, doesn't it? Or do I get to see more tap dancing routines...lol?
Annie
3 people like this
7 responses
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
14 Apr 11
Annie, I just have one question. Why is it that when I search for this I can't find anything but left wing and union blogs making this claim? Seriously, why aren't CNN, MSNBC, CBS, etc. reporting on this?
Why is it that this claim is only being made by a union supporter whose bio reads "When my collar was still blue, I carried union cards from the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers, American Flint Glass Workers and Teamsters for jobs in a chemical plant, a mining equipment manufacturing plant and a warehouse."?
It might be true. I just find it highly odd that none of the media outlets that have been bashing Walker have run the story. CNN has a detailed report on his recent testimony and they don't mention the quote from your union blog.
http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/14/news/economy/congress_wisconsin_debt/
MSNBC also did a story on this praising Kucinich for "blasting" Gov. Walker. Still, not a single mention of this quote from your union blog.
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/04/14/6471257-kucinich-blasts-gov-walker-at-hill-panel-
Again, ABCNews covered the story, and again, no mention of the quote from your union blog.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wisconsin-governor-scott-walker-washingon-testifies-state-debt/story?id=13369068&page=1
Do you have any non-blog sources Annie, because I'm running out of news agencies here and I'm not even going to mention Fox News since I don't want to make the lefties here run for their blood pressure meds.
2 people like this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
16 Apr 11
I already took my bp med today so I thought this would be safe...lol:
http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/walker-testifies-on-capitol-hill#
I know it's not the evil Fox cable news network but it still contains the "F-word"!
Seriously, I could have sworn the link I originally provided contained a video from C-
Span but maybe it wasn't. Anyway, this was covered throughout the past two days on MSNBC and at least a couple times on CNN as well as on my local news. I think either or both of
ABC and NBC also reported on it.
Annie
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
16 Apr 11
That's a nice source there Annie, it has a video and it even contains a quote by Gerry Connolly. What it does NOT have is any proof of the quote you referenced that was in that union blog. Do you have any PROOF, or any non-union source to show where the following exchange happened?
"Connolly: I am asking you a very specific question did you bring up collective bargaining during the campaign?
Walker: No."
The local Fox source you displayed showed a completely different exchange where Walker says almost the exact opposite of what you claim he said.
""You might concede that some might be surprised then that you made collective bargaining such a centerpiece of your so-called reform efforts, after you were sworn in?" Connolly asked Walker.
"No," replied Walker. "And I'd say no because for eight years as county executive I not only talked about it and brought up, I did what was called a reality tour, where I talked about the challenges that we were unsustainable and that collective bargaining was driving that.""
@artistry (4151)
• United States
16 Apr 11
.....Hi annie, It is absolutely a waste of time to try to convince some people of things they don't want to be convinced of, and will often suspend reality to try to force you to see their point. That's why I totally ignore some folks. One just insisted that Scott Walker did not give a tax decrease prior to crying about having a deficit when he did reduce the taxes, they were still saying it on CNN. So you need to stop wasting your breath because they live in a parallel universe where the things they see are only the things they want to see, no matter what you say. Cheers.
2 people like this
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
19 Apr 11
I am amazed, well actually I am not amazed it just sounded like a good lead off, at the logic that goes into thinking process that some have that contracts are sacred when it comes to ceo's compensation of companies bailout by the taxpayers, yet the contracts of public employees are capable of being ripped up when ever a new governor comes into power. I have gotten off of the subject so let me get back on track. So Gov. Walker failed to campaign on the most important moment of his short legacy, I wonder why? Could it be because he knew that he would have lost the election if he had told the voters that if he was elected he would have embarrassed Wisconsin as much as Gov. Brewer did for Arizona? The last question is totally rhetorical.
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
20 Apr 11
Where the heck have you been, gewcew, I've missed you!
I think Governor Walker has really stepped in it and now he just might end up getting recalled once he's been in office long enough if he doesn't shape up. Regarding Governor Brewer, did you see she did the right thing by vetoing those two bills yesterday? That's for a whole different discussion, though.
Annie
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
15 Apr 11
No, but he did campaign on cutting the budget and reducing the debt without raising taxes or laying off workers. He may not have mentioned every detail on how he would do that, but he is staying true to what he did campaign on.
The truth is though, the union thugs were going to bring out their goons and strong arm tactics against it. They can't afford to have the gravy train of King Doyle end so quickly.
Now they are even going after charity organizations. They are pathetic and more than willing to show their contempt for anyone that doesn't bow to them... and pay their blood money.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
19 Apr 11
All of what he's done will reduce costs and deficits. It was also designed to save the jobs of the very teachers, state and local government workers who are screaming now. They would literally rather see people laid off than lose some benefits. My guess is, they are just hoping it is someone else that gets the ax.
Now we have teachers and administrators in their 50s who are saying they are being forced to retire. It's a lie. No one is forcing them to retire, they are simply taking the money and running. You can't say it's about the kids, if they are willing to give up teaching or their administration jobs just because they might have to pay into their own pensions.
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
16 Apr 11
But most of what he's done, or is trying to do to the unions has nothing to do with the debt or deficit and won't save the state a penny! You know, even if I am a strong union supporter I'm not going to deny there are probably some "thugs" and "goons" in their leaderships. Heck, there might even be some as bad as some of the bosses I've known! However, I don't care about them I care about those who do the actual work and their families.
Annie
1 person likes this
@artistry (4151)
• United States
14 Apr 11
...Hi annie, Hope you are and your family are well. I did not follow any of their election in Wisconsin until the entire union thing made the headlines, but
I believe that it was reported that the governor did not have that as a part of his campaign. If he had the other person would have probably won. It was a hidden agenda and he got his way. But he may see himself standing in the unemployment line next year if they follow through with the recall as they are talking about. His poll numbers are at the bottom of the creek and I hope they stay there. Take care. Cheers.
@gladys46 (1205)
• United States
14 Apr 11
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap!!
Hahha, yes those are republican taps Annie! And, you may also have a serial human error as a republican election clerk "Kathy" ... well anyway by her own words human error caused her to find "votes" in a personal computer (was it?) for her erstwhile boss Mr. Prosser ... however, human error seems to be an historical pattern for "Kathy" !!!
1 person likes this
@sierras236 (2739)
• United States
14 Apr 11
You do realize gladys that those "votes" go through a process to be certified? More than one person counts them. Mistakes happen. People aren't infallible. What is abundantly clear is that you have no idea how the process works. But that's not new information.
Taskr is right your comments don't fit the topic. This isn't about human error. It is about a blogger's comment. You know the best place to find information in politics is from the source itself and not the blog. Reading too many of those will make your head spin.
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
14 Apr 11
Not that I believe a blogger whose claim can't be verified-so what?
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
15 Apr 11
I see a bug is crawling on my post. Not a republican, never said I was. And I still say "so what?" You know you could go back to your old identity where you can actually post links. You do know that, right bug?
This is typical of the bug, sierras.
1 person likes this
@gladys46 (1205)
• United States
14 Apr 11
If you like, you may watch a 3 hr 10 min LIVE C-Span3 video of Walker as Congressman Gerry Connolly of VA asked him this question (just as annie has documented) ... there you may hear for yourself Walker's response ... which was NO!
Why do republicans defend the indefensible so often??
1 person likes this