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| From left to right: Tim Russell, Scott Walker and Brian Pierick "Don't think for a minute that Walkergate or its effect will end ... ." |
All Walker is going to do is pretend to run, and suck up as much money as he can from out-of-state interests to defend his abyssal jobs record after unequivocally promising in the 2010 campaign that Wisconsin will have 250,000 new jobs at the end of Walker's gubernatorial term.
As of early Summer 2013, Walker is at some 49,000 private sector jobs, no where near coming close to meeting his 250,000 jobs promise by the end of 2014, with Wisconsin bringing up the rear for job growth among its border states.
Put aside the fact that the national press would look much more carefully than the Wisconsin press has at the machinations of WalkerGate and Walker's aides stealing money from veterans.
Put everything aside that we know about Walker's extremist, Tea Party-crazy ideology, and the growing currency of the Walker image as a petty, vindictive politician.
The heavies in the GOP know they cannot go with this crazy hick—way too much baggage, horrible optics, and the guy is a lightweight.
See, for example, the shot at the above-right of Scott Walker (center) next to Walker appointees, Tim Russell (convicted of embezzling from veterans) and Brian Pierick (convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor after a charge of child enticement was dropped in a plea deal).
By June 2011, Newt Gingrich, Tim Pawlenty, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, and Mitt Romney all had announced the formation of their respective presidential exploratory committees, a necessary early legal and political public step toward a formal declaration for presidency.
If Scott Walker were re-elected governor in November 2014, he would be forced to effectively declare his candidacy for the presidency by announcing the formation of his presidential exploratory committee within some seven months after the gubernatorial election.
No, Walker is going to go the way of Sarah Palin—live off the taxpayers, then get out, and grab a job trading in on his extremist posturing and Ayn Rand ideology that trashed the state of Wisconsin.
I think this is a plausible outcome, except for one caveat- I think Walker is so delusional he thinks he could be president. Now he has no chance once the national media and GOP challengers start examining his failing record, but it's not like Walker deals with reality here in Wisconsin.
ReplyDeleteBut I do think the Palin route makes sense, especially since he's talked about "making some real money" in the private (wingnut welfare) sector before. I still wouldn't be surprised to see him pull the ripcord and bail out of a re-election campaign if/when his poll numbers go south in the next 6 months. I believe he'd be able to keep all of his campaign funds from all the suckers even if he doesn't run.