July 20, 2015

"This is a man so polarizing and so intensely disliked in his home state that he can’t show his face in his own Capitol building."

"[Scott Walker] has to be smuggled in and out like 'El Chapo,' the Mexican drug lord who escaped from prison the other day through a drainage pipe," writes former Madison mayor Dave Cieslewicz.
This is totally contrary to the Wisconsin tradition. This reporter told me that he would often just wait around the East Wing until Walker’s predecessor, Jim Doyle, showed up for work and buttonhole him right there for an interview. He said Doyle always accommodated. And he told me that Doyle’s predecessor, Tommy Thompson, would go a step further, actually calling out to reporters through the rotunda when he wanted to do an interview.
Did anything like this ever happen to Doyle or Thompson?

80 comments:

Gahrie said...

Let me guess...this Dave Cieslewicz is a Progressive Democrat.

Big Mike said...

Walker is a candidate for President of the United States, and Wisconsin is a state with a significant number of paranoid schizophrenics (C.f. garage mahal) who would enjoy a chance to immortalize themselves by assassinating him.

In 1861 Democrat-leaning newspapers raised similar criticisms about President-elect Abraham Lincoln's entry into Washington, DC, after Allen Pinkerton came to him with proof of an impending assassination plot.

Bobber Fleck said...

The hatred shown by the conscience impaired progressives knows no bounds.

David Begley said...

Who wants to get verbally attacked by a bunch of loons on the way to work?

The Left brought this about by their own nutty behavior. They have no right to complain.

Gusty Winds said...

There is nothing worse or more irritating than when some sheltered Madison Liberal claims to fully represent or speak for the "Wisconsin Tradition" as if it is owned by the residents of platen coo-coo. Move the f---ing Capital to Waukesha County. In essence, Walker already has, and than just chaps Madison's ass. Good. It's the best part.

LaFollette, Danielle Hoan, and the Zeidlers had their time. And I think all of them would look at today's Madison and say, "what the f--k are you guys thinking, and what the hell did you let happen to Milwaukee?"

Let moron Mayor Cieslewicz preach his bullshit in a red, working county. Nobody will harass him; there's more class in those counties. No one would bother to show up. They're either at work, at church, or drinking.

Etienne said...

Anyone working for the Unions in the 21st Century is a communist.

The thing about a "Trade Union" is you have to have a "Trade." Most Union members today are unskilled workers. They couldn't build anything without a supervisor watching over them every minute of the day, or a task so simple a monkey could do it.

rehajm said...

Intense dislike? So if you can't win with frequency, win through magnitude?

Original Mike said...

"This man is so polarizing and so disliked in his home state..."

... that he won three elections.

Dave Cieslewicz has never struck me as being particularly intelligent.

tim in vermont said...

* RULE 12: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions. (This is cruel, but very effective. Direct, personalized criticism and ridicule works.) -- Alinsky

Plus you can get allies in the press to write stories about how much your target is hated.

Freeman Hunt said...

"This is a man so polarizing and so intensely disliked in his home state that he can’t show his face in his own Capitol building."

Is this about that guy who wrote the I'm-an-open-marriage-cuckold article everyone is passing around today?

Oh, no, something else.

tim in vermont said...

That's how they destroyed Sarah Palin, while Obama, who really did make all of the idiotic statements like those attributed to Palin, got a free ride. Because the partisans in the press made sure to defend and support Obama, Mr "Corpseman" for just one, while isolating and personally destroying Palin.

hawkeyedjb said...

He's very polarizing. Even when we address him by his proper title, Herr Obergruppenfuhrer Walker, he won't speak to us. Very polarizing.

tim in vermont said...

One rule that the garage's ignored is this one

Violence from the other side can win the public to your side because the public sympathizes with the underdog.

They went over the top attacking Walker and the attempted putsch at the statehouse didn't help Wisconsin radicals all that much either.

Kevin said...

Let's see. Liberals get butt-hurt because they got their asses kicked multiple times in elections and recalls. Their completely political and unconstitutional Super Secret John Doe investigations featured gag orders and SWAT team attacks on innocent people for their political beliefs was finally shot down by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

And they wonder why the Governor isn't just walking around alone with a bulls-eye on his back.

Priceless.

Drago said...

Walker should simply have a number of aides walk with him while carryings lengths of rope with which to cordon off the lefties.

This tactic already comes pretested and preapproved by the left.

sean said...

Liberals aren't usually dogged by protests because most conservatives have real jobs. Most liberals do not have real jobs.

Oso Negro said...

There is still no evidence that Scott Walker won't play ball with the Establishment on immigration. I would rather have a conservative Republican candidate from a conservative state. Wisconsin isn't it, and will vote for Hillary anyway.

traditionalguy said...

How shameful it must be to be the monster Scott Walker and walk over the sacred ground of Madison, Wisconsin, the capital of the Happy Collectivism.

Madison must be a Sanctuary City for unemployed Public Employee Union leaders.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Yes winning three successive elections in four years really does indicate a general appreciation by the public for Walker. At the same time the intensity of hatred by loony left wingers like Cieslewicz has increased with each Walker win. And he sounds just like the Obamabot that wrote an article last week about how the Republican party has finally been banished to the political wilderness. Yep. Highest level of state government control and Congressional seats since the 1930s but, strangely, that indicates to "true believers" that GOP power is waning.

LOLOLOL

Larry J said...

David Begley said...
Who wants to get verbally attacked by a bunch of loons on the way to work?


But he should want to be attacked and abused! He had the supreme poor taste of not only opposing liberals and the unions, he defeated them in three (3!!) elections! That will not do. He should resign, don a hair shirt, plead for forgiveness, and perhaps commit suicide. Even then, he'd never be forgiven because the loons never forget and never forgive. Which in a way makes any attempt at reconciliation pointless, doesn't it? After all, if they're hateful enough to picket and shout at a Special Olympic event (HINT: not everything is about you and your political beliefs), then there's no dealing with them. Instead, destroy them, drive them before you, and hear the lamentations of their women. That is what is best in the world.

B said...

Democratic governors would bathe in the adulation of their small Madison echo chamber.

Anonymous said...

"This is a man so polarizing and so intensely disliked in his home state that" he beat his Recall with a margin bigger than his election, and was re-elected to his second term with an even bigger margin. Hope he is as unpopular in his presidential run as he is in his home state.

I'm Full of Soup said...

"Walker is a candidate for President of the United States, and Wisconsin is a state with a significant number of paranoid schizophrenics (C.f. garage mahal) who would enjoy a chance to immortalize themselves by assassinating him."

Big Mike for the win!

Fernandinande said...

Obviously it should read: Madison liberals are so polarizing and so intensely dislike others in their state that Walker "can’t show his face"[sic] in his own Capitol building.

furious_a said...
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furious_a said...


Just like Hitler was less accessible after the recall/assassination attempt at Wolf's Lair.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

Why do Madison people think they should have more say in state government than other people just because they can walk to the capitol and protest? What about the people of Eau Claire, or La Crosse, or Postage Stamp WI who can't just pick up and go protest/party on the square any time they feel like it? Even people in Madison who HAVE JOBS can't do that. Walker is beloved by the people of Wisconsin, but not by the hippies, punks, losers, commies, YGBs, and SJWs in Madison.

kcom said...

"This is a man so polarizing and so intensely disliked in his home state"

Shades of Pauline Kael. It sounds like Dave doesn't know anyone who voted for him.

coolkevs said...

I'm sure Dave C misses all the people that used to come up to him and stroke his ego when he was mayor - one of the few incumbents to lose an election in 2011.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

The Prof. is touching on just one example of the standard Leftist play these days, in both the cultural and political realm. Create a situation, protest loudly about the situation, create problems through the protest (whether just increasing polarization/nastiness or outright riots), get sympathetic coverage for their side/the protests, blame the Right the protest's problems, demand that the Right cave to their demands, and win either by having the Right cave or by the sympathetic coverage (the obstinate Right, the party of No impeding the will of the people once again, etc).

They decided to make it impossible for Walker to casually stroll through the building, then they blame him for not doing so. If he tries to engage them he'll be shouted down and the news gets that clip. If he avoids them the news allows the Left to call him a coward or an elitist.

Anyone remember when Dem reps walked through Tea Party protests in DC, camera crews in tow, hoping to capture some bad behavior? They claimed to have been spat upon and subjected to shouted racial epithets, and that was the news story--despite the fact that proof for those allegations couldn't be found. Does anyone imagine the press would cover Walker being shouted at while walking through a hostile crowd in the same way? How about the various riots we've had this summer, or the destruction Occupy Wall Street wreaked? If those hadn't been in the service of Leftist causes do you think they've have been portrayed as no big deal (and something the country had coming, really), or do you think we'd hear about how dangerous the Right is, how we need more controls over (Rightwing) speech, etc?

It's a game you can't win if the Media doesn't already like you. The smart move is to not play, and nowadays that's possible--you can go around them and over their heads. If that's Walker's strategy he should get points for brains, at least.

Mike Sylwester said...

Opposing labor unions is a dangerous activity.

In my own lifetime, many labor unions were controlled by, literally, Mafia goons or Stalinists. Those were very dangerous people.

Even now, labor unions include many people who are vicious zealots.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

As for any of this being proof (or even good evidence) of Walker's relative popularity, let's all remember the coverage a small group like Code Pink got. They were held up as proof that the country was vehemently anti-war, but they were given prominence only through the will of the Media; there was a great photo of one of their events where a few Pinkers were surrounded by a huge crowd of cameramen and reporters. Hell, Cindy Sheehan had "absolute moral authority" for a while--exactly as long as she targeted the Right in fact. Anyone heard from her lately?

Michael K said...

"Anyone working for the Unions in the 21st Century is a communist."

I was glad to see you qualified this in the next sentence. Trade unions that run apprenticeship programs are the solution for the kids who should not be trying to go to college and wasting time and money. My nephew, after a hitch in the Marines, finished college then did an apprenticeship with the union of elevator installers and repairmen.

Germany should be the model for this. I have read that engineering colleges require students to work in an apprentice program for at least a year. I'm not sure if that applies to all engineering colleges but it sounds like an excellent idea. We have got to deal with the present failure of our higher ed model and the unions could do a lot to help. Of course, illegal immigration has devastated the building trades but the GOP should be making the case for trade unions.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

I do love the mental gymnastics involved in simultaneously asserting that someone the Media doesn't like is bad because they're so polarizing and that someone the Media does like is good because he inspires so much disapproval from such a large portion of the WRONG people--Walker's polarizing but Obama is noble (in that he's polarizing for the RIGHT reasons, his opponent's obvious racism being chief among them).

When a Lefty is unpopular it's the country's fault (and we need to have a conversation about our racism, sexism, Puritanical attitude towards sex, or lack of intellectual vigor), when a Righty is unpopular it's because of a character flaw in the person or with the Right in general.

President-Mom-Jeans said...

Those assholes hijacking a ceremony to honor the special Olympics athletes should have been beaten within an inch of their worthless leftist lives.

Will Cate said...

Walker could easily stroll through the Rotunda if his political opponents weren't trying to fuck him all the time.

Anonymous said...

It's like I always say: If your guy makes us furious, it proves how polarizing your guy is. If our guy makes you furious, well, h8rs gonna h8.

Anthony said...

That's just one of those Rules of Modern Journalism:
-- When a conservative/Republican is hated by lots of people it's because he/she is polarizing, decisive, etc.
-- When a liberal/Democrat is hated by lots of people it's because those people are ignorant, racist, sexist, etc.

Mark said...

Unintimidated Scott Walker intially runs away from question about immigration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGc8oItYV5k

After talking with advisors and getting his talking points down, he answers the same question later.

damikesc said...

I love that Progressives become intolerable assholes and it's Walker's fault that he doesn't want to tolerate them.

These same people will bitch and moan if somebody says "all lives matter", so CLEARLY, they are the rational ones...

Let's see. Liberals get butt-hurt because they got their asses kicked multiple times in elections and recalls. Their completely political and unconstitutional Super Secret John Doe investigations featured gag orders and SWAT team attacks on innocent people for their political beliefs was finally shot down by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

And it's not like WI is an isolated incident. See what they did to Palin in AK in 2009. Non-stop harrassment in pointless "ethics" complaints that forced her to resign or face possible bankruptcy fighting off the baseless accusations.

"[Scott Walker] has to be smuggled in and out like 'El Chapo,' the Mexican drug lord who escaped from prison the other day through a drainage pipe,"

Obama doesn't visit a whole lot of states, either. I can't think of the last time Obama visited the South. And we are way less likely to be a cock to him than the Madison loons are to Walker.

Unintimidated Scott Walker intially runs away from question about immigration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGc8oItYV5k

After talking with advisors and getting his talking points down, he answers the same question later.


As opposed to the courage of front-runner Hillary?

If you're going to bitch about Walker's behavior as a candidate, the behavior of his opposition should be noted. Did you see Bernie and O'Malley getting booed horribly by the Leftwing internet goon squad?

Scott said...

I'm not able to watch the video at work. Is that of a bunch of union members heckling retarded people?

damikesc said...

I'm not able to watch the video at work. Is that of a bunch of union members heckling retarded people?

Not really.

It's a bunch of retarded people heckling Special Olympians.

Sebastian said...

People Progs dislike are "polarizing," policies they dislike are "controversial."

Bryan C said...

Ooh, polarizing. And also disliked. What a monster.

jaed said...

If I hate you, it's your fault.

If you hate me, it's your fault.

(Did I get that right?)

Matt Sablan said...

"Obama doesn't visit a whole lot of states, either. I can't think of the last time Obama visited the South."

-- In his defense, wasn't he in South Carolina after the shooting?

tim in vermont said...

My understanding is that there are at least 8 more states that Obama should visit to show the rest of us Americans where they are.

One of them was "New Pennsylvania." When is he going to visit there. Oh yeah, and the zombie army of "corpsemen," maybe that was a secret program of the CIA. The intercontinental railroad, where can I get a ticket to Europe by train? Come on Obama, lots of us want to know these things.

Alex said...

So blame the victim.

Titus said...

Obama did go to Oklahoma last week, kind of southish, and protestors greeted him waving Confederate Flags.

tim in vermont said...

After talking with advisors and getting his talking points down, he answers the same question later.

I guess he didn't know that the only really presidential way to handle that would be to have his words fed to him from a teleprompter.

Alex said...

Big and bold leaders have the strength of character and the confidence in their ideas to endure confrontations even with harsh critics, and they have the patience to listen to another point of view.

Bullshit. These people are nothing but harassers seeking to waste his time. He's governor and has a job to do, not time to engage in daily yell-fests with cranks.

tim in vermont said...

After talking with advisors and getting his talking points down, he answers the same question later.

Isn't the only presidential way to handle questions to avoid them altogether, as Hillary does?

"Ask me no questions, and I will tell no lies!" - Hillary

Or to attack the questioner, the way Obama and his sycophants did to Major Garret?

Mark is right, Walker has a ways to go.

Humperdink said...

Walker's only polarizing if you're on the other side.

tim in vermont said...

Obama did go to Oklahoma last week, kind of southish, and protestors greeted him waving Confederate Flags.

Do you think he will attend the funeral of the man who was murdered for supporting the confederate flag?

Naah! Collateral damage is to be expected in an campaign like this!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3168224/Black-Mississippi-flag-supporter-dies-traffic-accident.html

Bilwick said...

"Polarizing"--that's "liberal" for "danger to the Hive."

Gahrie said...

Obama did go to Oklahoma last week, kind of southish, and protestors greeted him waving Confederate Flags.

You know who organized that protest? A Black man. The protesters waving the flags were both Black and White.

Beldar said...

One would think Mr. Cieslewicz has a clue about the "Heckler's Veto."

In fact, I'd bet a large sum of money that he does; and that he well knows that his comparison is ridiculous; and that he doesn't care, because his intent is to rouse rabble, close down legitimate discussion, and give the hecklers even more power.

That is to say, I suspect that he's lying, disingenuous scum.

But I could be wrong. He could just be spectacularly stupid and clueless.

deepelemblues said...

Big and bold leaders have the strength of character and the confidence in their ideas to endure confrontations even with harsh critics, and they have the patience to listen to another point of view.

Like Barack Obama? The last time he did was in 2008, and the media did it's damndest to destroy that undoubtedly racist white straight plumber who dared test Barack's patience with a public confrontation over their conflicting political beliefs.

damikesc said...

-- In his defense, wasn't he in South Carolina after the shooting?

At the request of the family, yes. First time in years.

tim in vermont said...

You know who organized that protest? A Black man. The protesters waving the flags were both Black and White.

I wonder if he is the same one killed by being run off the road by "counter protesters"?

traditionalguy said...
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traditionalguy said...

Walker's Evangelicalness has been on full display in Iowa whose Caucus is a Church gathering of Evangelicals.

Trump gave a Presbyterian Calvinist answer to a question about confessing your sins to God, and that is not going to cut it in Iowa.

Regional cultural Theological differences still seem to be a part of the Game. Madison has no dog in that fight since there is no God allowed in the city limits of Madison.

deepelemblues said...

Madison has no dog in that fight since there is no God allowed in the city limits of Madison.

Now now surely you've heard that Jesus was the original proletarian revolutionary. The head Pharisees were actually ancestors of the Kochs.

pfennig said...

Governor Walker may be unpopular in Madison (or Milwaukee), but the feeling is mutual. From the state budget that was just passed there is a new provision whereby the state must:

"16.84 (5) (a) 2. Before entering into or renewing a
lease for an executive branch agency, as defined in s.
16.70 (4), for space that is located in Dane or Milwaukee
County, solicit lease options for space in counties other
than Dane or Milwaukee and provide to the agency
director and the joint committee on finance a cost−benefit
analysis that considers any savings that would accrue to
the state if the executive branch agency were located in
a county other than Dane or Milwaukee."

clint said...

Hard to believe he can't see how much more this reflects on his side than on Walker.

Anonymous said...

Well duh. Of COURSE that happened to Tommy Thompson too. Because the only reason the leftards hate Scott Walker is because he is a Republican and Tommy was a Republican too.

It is what the left does, and always have done, but the media was better at covering up for the violent mobs that constantly harassed and attacked the former Republican governor. But now, with the crack reporting of internet bloggers, we can see for ourselves the constant and ongoing riots at the Capitol whenever any Republican makes an appearance.

Lewis Wetzel said...

Apparently the people who publish and read Isthmus believe that they are representative of Wisconsin voters.

damikesc said...

Well duh. Of COURSE that happened to Tommy Thompson too. Because the only reason the leftards hate Scott Walker is because he is a Republican and Tommy was a Republican too.

You're not making your side look better.

You know that, right?

You're demonstrating that you've become progressively more insane.

Etienne said...
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David said...

And how does Obama come and go to the White House? Pelosi to the House? Reid to the Senate?

A few years ago, I was in the DC-NY Air Shuttle line when a curtain went up, and a bunch of hard staring guys in suits surrounded us mortal passengers. After a wait of a few minutes something wooshed by and shortly the plane was available to the commoners again.

It was Hillary, on her way back to NY for the weekend. She had all one side of the first class cabin full of her beefy suit guys and other steely eyed types, and one standing in the aisle who slowed down everyone who was getting on.

Mayor Dave is a megaphonic hack.

n.n said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Michael K said...

"the media was better at covering up for the violent mobs that constantly harassed and attacked the former Republican governor"

If you say so. I thought they left Thompson alone because he left the public employee unions alone while they sucked the state dry.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Trumpmania™ sweeps the nation. Trump, at 24% in latest poll.

cubanbob said...

Matthew Sablan said...
"Obama doesn't visit a whole lot of states, either. I can't think of the last time Obama visited the South."

-- In his defense, wasn't he in South Carolina after the shooting?"

Maybe I missed it but was Obama in Chattanooga? I don't remember him going there. Unlike O'Malley, all lives don't matter to Obama.

Bay Area Guy said...

Walker shows a great deal of fortitude in the face of left-wing hatred. I hope people outside of Wisc - particularly GOP primary voters -- start to see this and keep seeing it. That he also accomplishes Conservative policies while in office adds to his portfolio.

The media follows Trump because they are clueless, fad-followers and generally left-wing by default. But watching the slow, steady rise of Walker these past 5 years has been an unexpected treat.

Dude1394 said...

This is the new normal for the democrat brownshirts. Better get used to it and call this writer on it whenever you can.

damikesc said...

Maybe I missed it but was Obama in Chattanooga? I don't remember him going there. Unlike O'Malley, all lives don't matter to Obama.

Has he mentioned Steinle yet?

Mark said...

I keep waiting for Althouse to bring up Walkers ignorant comments on homosexuality.

Richard Cohen was hilarious this morning on the subject.

Johanna Lapp said...

He has to avoid us because we aggressively stalk and threaten him. He's so unpopular that he's won three consecutive elections. Teachers are so furious that they're keeping the cash that was formerly confiscated for union dues. College instructors are actually being forced to teach classes!

Oh, the horror!