Lawrence O'Donnell: Walker Becomes Top GOP Presidential Candidate If He Wins Wisconsin Union Battle
UPDATE AT END OF POST: Ann Coulter agrees!
Lawrence O'Donnell on Monday made a prediction that most who hadn't heard of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker until a week ago might find astonishing.
On MSNBC's "The Last Word," the host told his perilously liberal guest Ezra Klein that if Walker's budget repair plan goes through, "He would instantaneously become the greatest hero in the Republican Party nationwide, I think would go to the top of Republicans' lists for possible presidential nominees in the upcoming election" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL, HOST: Ezra, it seems to me his,his personal and political ambition is served by trying to get the full deal. If he were actually to get this thing through and get his Republican senators a chance to vote on it, he would instantaneously become the greatest hero in the Republican Party nationwide, I think would go to the top of Republicans' lists for possible presidential nominees in the upcoming election because I don’t think there’s an accomplishment quite like this out there that any other Republican can point to that would thrill the Republican base as much as this.
EZRA KLEIN, WASHINGTON POST: He’d become a hero. I don’t know if he has enough time to go for 2012. But you know, Chris Christie’s become a very prominent Republican in part through some very well-publicized showdowns with union employees and union members at essentially press conferences. Walker is being able to do something he didn’t even dream of.
With no one emerging as the presumptive favorite, and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who could fit that role claiming he's not ready, O'Donnell could be quite prescient in his observation.
As I sat there watching Walker's press conference last Friday, I was struck by his calm and obviously intelligent manner. With all the attention he's currently getting, a victory here could indeed catapult him to national prominence.
Consider, too, that President Obama, the Democrat Party, and all their media minions are now fully engaged in this battle.
If when this is all over, Walker is the man left standing, he will be perceived as the David that slew the entire left-wing machine in our nation.
As O'Donnell correctly observed, is there anyone else in the Republican Party today with those credentials?
With this in mind, it is a metaphysical certitude the Left and their willing accomplices in the press are going to pull out all the stops to defeat Walker's budget repair plan, for O'Donnell surely isn't the only liberal media member recognizing the Wisconsin governor's potential invincibility if his stone hits its mark.
*****Update: Ann Coulter responded to my request for her opinion regarding O'Donnell's prediction saying, "I agree -- let's have a battle of the governors in budget cutting!"
Obviously, she's referring to her "love" of Christie.
Good point, though. Certainly would be a change to have presidential candidates trying to out-cut each other rather than out-spend!
- Noel Sheppard's blog
- Login to post comments
Comments
Walker Top GOP Candidate?
Submitted by GoldenEagle4444 on Tue, 02/22/2011 - 12:17am.
To me, it sounds more like the media trying to pick Obama's competition once again. No matter what happens in Wisconsin, Governor Walker's immediate political future won't include the Republican nomination. If he wins this battle, his stock will certainly go up, but not that high!
Agree with your assessment re
Submitted by whraglyn on Tue, 02/22/2011 - 7:00am.
the unlikelihood of actually getting the nomination.
Yet, the response to the cut cut cutting of government spending by Walker and Christie, (Hey, reverse that and we got us a ticket! :), resonates deeper and broader than one might have hoped for as recently as weeks ago.
These two get it.
As shown on board after fora after youtube posting after blog wethepeople want our living breathing government barely stronger than the proverbial starving kitten, and These Two Get It.
Cut Spending.
Cut Spending.
Cut Spending.
think of the '...I'm Spartacus!...' scene but with wethepeople ona hillside, rising first one, then another, then a few more, a rising wave, a landscape covered with each, not 'all', of us chanting
Cut Spending.
Someone who can make the rooftop cam vid of the 9/12 2,000,000 man march with a Cut Spending theme....
OR
Another X/12 march
Each, not 'all', of us chanting
Cut Spending
All the way up the avenue again
chanting:
Cut Spending
The Chant Heard Round The World?
Cheers, All!
My World Shifted A Little
Submitted by Boil It Down on Tue, 02/22/2011 - 12:31am.
Lawrence O'Donnell and Ezra Klein together with a possible valid point? It's just too spooky. All except the "greatest hero" part, I think a lot of people will see Walker as Presidential material. I need to go toss back a couple of shots, that was a bit much for me......O'Donnell and Klein...whew!
maybe so
Submitted by MidAmerica on Tue, 02/22/2011 - 1:42am.
What is important is that the Republicans show that they have principles that they will stick to and not cave under pressure. People will follow strong leaders but have little regard for weakness.
The majority of the voters are so frustrated that it doesn't matter how prominent or how long a candidate is known if the Republicans show strength and resolve. The candidate can actually be secondary to the promotion of the direction the Republicans will lead the country. If Republicans at the federal and state level create a positive wave across the country even a little known candidate can catch that wave and ride it all the way to the Whitehouse. After all obama wasn't elected because people knew anything about him. Heckallmighty we still don't. He was elected on two things, he wasn't a Republican and he had great lofty speeches about the wonderful world he would lead us into. Obama can't sell that one again. And because of the Tea Parties the Republicans have been rebranded and have lost a lot of the stigma built up during GWB's years. (not all his fault, our congress critters were not of stellar performance either)
Actually, Walker's victory
Submitted by dscott on Tue, 02/22/2011 - 3:10am.
Actually, Walker's victory for the taxpayers of Wisconsin will become the next stepping stone on the path to a greatly weaken the liberal, Democrat, union alliance of self serving greed. Chris Christie laid the most important stone giving Walker a road map to follow. Once other GOP governors starting following the path, hone their message and adding their individual stones the momentum will be unstoppable. This is what ALL liberals fear. The Alinsky ploy is to personalize it thus making Walker the object of hate. We must counter by personalizing it making the taxpayer the put upon victims of a greedy union.
What the voters started in November 2010 must be honored by the GOP otherwise it as a political party is finished. This is do or die time for both the GOP and the Democrats. If the GOP doesn't follow the lead of Christie and others to grow a backbone and swear off the politics as usual that got them kicked out in 2006 then we all have wasted our time and effort.
Boehner needs to pay close attention and not take his eye off the ball here and under NO CIRCUMSTANCES must he cut any deal with Obama giving the appearance that he stabbed the Tea Party and Taxpayers in the back. The current FY2010 budget needs to be fiercely fought by Boehner to the point of getting Obama to veto the continuing resolution and then ambushing the Dems by then sending the 13 appropriation bills for the remainder FY2010 rolled back to 2008 levels in a take it or leave it fashion. Thus Obama is forced to choose between the Continuing resolution with 60 or 80 billion cut out OR vetoing 13 appropriation bills with a trillion dollars cut out. Only by doing this can he hope to roll back the 2011 federal budget to 2007 levels. BTW- Congress should impound the $700 billion of unspent funds and use that to float only selected government agencies during the shutdown. Let the EPA and Department of Education be shut down for the duration thus putting even more pressure on Obama.
The bottom line here is IF the GOP can't stomach the fight to cut a measly 60 billion from the 2010 budget, then how in the world can they possibly cut the hundreds of billions that MUST be cut from the following ones starting 2011???? Remember we are talking $1.5 trillion deficit this year in 2010 and even more in 2011.
It's all about the status quo...
Submitted by falcon on Tue, 02/22/2011 - 9:50am.
...and Scott Walker is threatening it on both sides. The Republicans in Congress who have been there a while (and I'm talking to you specifically, John Cornyn) don't want "business as usual" to go away, because it means (1) they'll have to do actual work - OUR work, which we sent them to Washington to do, and (2) their gravy train dries up. They love playing both ends against the middle, watching the campaign contributions come in, then doing what they damn well please. And remember, any unspent campaign contributions don't have to be returned or rebated. That's money in their pocket. Actually growing a backbone and doing what we elected them to do would require them to stop thinking about politics as a career, because if they do the job right they don't have to be career politicians, and if they screw up they're going home. (And I'm a conservative AND a Republican, so don't go flaming me. :-) )
“I will not stand by and watch this great country destroy itself under mediocre leadership, that drifts from one crisis to the next, eroding our national will and purpose.” – Ronald Reagan, July 17, 1980.
I will lick a dead dog's ass
Submitted by Thoreau on Tue, 02/22/2011 - 4:01am.
I will lick a dead dog's ass before that socialist gains a clue. They are searching for a bulls-eye so they can defend their communist leader's "future". Nothing to see here. They apparently don't realize that Obama and Hillary are toast. They should be focusing on their next anti-Christ to destroy what's left of the US. Not on what sane people are doing.
Interesting imagery (and a catchy headline) Thoreau...but
Submitted by Jer on Tue, 02/22/2011 - 6:14am.
there are times it seems you would be better served by keeping your talent for picturesque rhetoric under wraps. This is one of those occasions. :-)
Jer
Eh?
Submitted by ChrisCooper on Tue, 02/22/2011 - 7:24am.
"As I sat there watching Walker's press conference last Friday, I was struck by his calm and obviously intelligent manner." Were you watching the same press conference? He was not giving the full story
→ Walker
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Tue, 02/22/2011 - 9:32am.
The guy definitely has a clear, unwavering message.
We could do a lot worse.
We'll choose our own candidate when the time comes, though.
In his socialist worldview, candidates are picked by the media.
Submitted by Ashrak on Tue, 02/22/2011 - 9:39am.
Walker wouldn't be lifted to the candidate of choice by media hype (that is how progressives operate) but his steadfast, boat-rocking, principle based stick-to-it attitude sure would be.
Progressives don't seem to understand that it is not about the celebrity and it is not about the person. It is about the character of the person and the quality of it.
I agree with Cool Arrows comment.
Media has long chosen the candidates and we must choose our own this go around.