But Mr. Romney is within striking distance of Mr. Obama in Wisconsin, according to several public and private polls and interviews with strategists in both parties, and he intends to start building a campaign operation off the robust get-out-the-vote machinery assembled for Mr. Walker. The decision by the Romney campaign to try to contest Wisconsin is the first sign that Republicans are eager to expand their targets of opportunity and compete on terrain that not long ago seemed squarely on Mr. Obama’s side. – Recall Battle in Wisconsin May Snarl Obama Camp
UPSET HOPES are in the wind for Tom Barrett, with polling reports saying Wisconsin is hard to predict, but two of three polls show Walker still polling ahead of Tom Barrett. Intrade has Walker at 93% probability to prevail. As for labor, Barrett wasn’t even their choice, so it’s been rough for them the whole way through.
On the eve of the June 5 recall election, the issue of collective bargaining has become just a footnote in the hard-fought battle for Wisconsin. Democrats gloss over the issue in campaign speeches, political advertisements and debates in favor of zeroing in on Walker’s tactics. Democrats and labor groups run separate field operations. And the party’s nominee, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, wears the fact that he wasn’t labor’s top choice for the ticket as a badge of honor.
“Let’s face it — I wasn’t the candidate for the public unions,” Barrett announced proudly last week during his second televised debate against Walker. “I wasn’t their candidate in the primary.”
[Politico]
Pres. Obama tweeted for Barrett late Monday. Not unleashing DNC dollars was political malpractice. That the Obamans didn’t think they could spin the Wisconsin recall results their way no matter the outcome is just another clue that the team of ’08 is having a tougher time finding their footing this time out.
It brings us back to the only thing left to discuss, which is labor, who desperately depends on the Democratic Party teat, but only for one reason and it’s the same affliction progressives and Democrats have with Pres. Obama. Like the activists who are siding with the elites on behalf of Obama, while complaining about his lack of leadership, they won’t do anything to challenge it directly. Labor and the unions won’t utilize the one tactic that once gave them their power.
“In fact, the only chance that anyone in Wisconsin had was to strike, but the labor leaders and Democrats convinced them to elect Democrats.” – Matt Stoller
That quote from Stoller came in an email conversation, permission to print given. I post it because one question has been running in a loop in my head whenever I ponder the Walker recall and the accompanying drama. I’ve been in performance unions going back into my teens. The one thing I learned then was if you want management to deal you strike.
Why didn’t labor strike?
Now they’re working to elect Tom Barrett at the same time he’s bragging he’s not labor’s man.
Labor’s position isn’t getting stronger, which isn’t good for the middle class.
Everything comes down to Democrats and labor getting out a massive vote. Who knows, maybe the Intrade number will light a fire.
Labor has gone all out here. The DC dems didnt do alot and Obama has grosslymiscalculated the fallout from a loss tonight with his base and esp labor. This isnt 08. He needs his base to save him in Nov. I think the dems will win back the state sen- a 1st in US history such a thing in a recall has occurred. Ousting walker is iffy
One issue no one has spoken much about is that some voters are evidently going to vote for Walker, because they’re against the recall in principle.
These same voters, however, will be Obama voters in November.
Pres. Obama should have unleashed money, but going into Wisconsin himself wasn’t necessary (as I’ve already written). Tom Barrett played the good soldier & downplayed Obama going in.
One interesting element is if Romney moves into the vacuum of Walker & makes a real play for Wisconsin, which is the rumor right now.
Winning back the state senate would be a BOON of monumental proportions.
Labor THINKS they need Obama more than Obama needs labor; that’s the sad state of organized unions today. If labor would get truly independent they might be able to carve away some Republicans, like in Indiana.
Winning back the state senate may almost be more important then ousting Walker. With democratic control of the senate it could put a stop to Walkers agenda, and Walker has storm clouds hanging over him that may put him out of office anyways.
I find it a gross insult to Labor and his base that all Obama managed was a “tweet for Wisconsin”. He must believe we will all rest easy that he at least gives a tweet…not….
This has nothing to do with Obama, it has everything to do with Walker and the people of Wisconsin. If they can’t get people to go to the polls and vote this ass out of office, then it comes down to once again progressives and liberals talking a good line, but not coming threw were it counts. I suppose if Walker wins dems, progressives and liberals will all wring their hands and blame the President, Clinton and anyone else they can think of instead of looking in the mirror and asking themselves why they were to lazy to get up and vote.
angels~ I don’t get the impression from what I have read and heard that the people in Wisconsin are staying home today. It sounds like liberals and progressives are mobilized and working hard to get out the vote.
I think the slice of the normal Democratic electorate that they worry about is the AA community in Milwaukee that turned out in large numbers in ’08. Obama could have helped with that. Moreover, if Obama cannot see the importance of unions to the overall economic health of the working class, not to mention the union fund raising ability for the Party, then he should stop pretending he is a Democrat.
It might not have required a trip to WI but it required more than a damn tweet!.
Well, I guess in November then, I don’t have to go vote. I will just “tweet-in” my support for Obama.
I suspect you will tweet in your vote for Dennis Kuchenic or MIchael Moore.
Barrett has himself stated that he didn’t want the Wisconsin election to be characterized as a ‘national’ election and a visit by Obama would have been a distraction
http://www.wlky.com/news/politics/Barrett-says-Obama-visit-would-have-been-distraction/-/9365900/14584222/-/14ky85bz/-/index.html
Barrett said the re-call election shouldn’t be seen as a national referendum, especially since Walker is heavily favored to beat back the recall election. Barrett didn’t do himself any favors when he proudly states he was a not a ‘union’ man and the election was not about unions but was a referendum on charges of Walker’s corruption.
I agree. If the deciding factor is the president, then this recall was a waste of time. If people stay home because the President didn’t get involved then liberals, progressives and the left have big problems with themselves and trying to blame the president is just plain stupid.
I don’t think that Obama showing up would have really helped and might actually hurt but he could have given money. That’s where Obama is to take his share of the blame if Walker wins.
If this criminal, moronic assmonkey isn’t voted out then Wis. DESERVES what’s going to happen.
Whatever works for ya.
Good summation of the labor unions’ problems, Taylor. I blame Obama for not showing up (although that non-appearance is entirely expected), but labor played right into the DLC Democrats’ hands, like they always do. They stopped being activists a long time ago. Now, their leaders are just collecting a paycheck and going home.
Huge disservice done to rank and file, that’s for sure. Some things don’t change, especially with unions. They just can’t unlock their jaws from the Dem teat. The addiction is killing them, with the shifts in the global economic world already putting them on the mat.
“They just can’t unlock their jaws from the Dem teat. ”
Come on Ms. marsh, I lovez ya, ya KNOWZ I duz…..but in the real world what the hell else are they going to do….vote repugnantklan? Just sit home? It sucks, it sucks big time but themz is the cards they have to play.
Yes. That’s what they would do if they were interested in advancing the cause of labor. The Democrats will screw them just as fast as the Republicans would. That’s what the last three decades have shown us.
They’d stay home, or they’d support Green Party or Socialist Party candidates instead. They would stop being part of the Democratic Party, and start being a constituency that can withhold support for people who don’t earn it.
Barrie is a pansy.
A real leader would have gone in and taken the L if that was the end result.
He could have shown his party that we are all in this together win or loose.
IF it was a loss he could use that loss to campaign and show how important it is to band together for a victory in November.
Instead he sipped champagne a few miles away, sent out a tweet and let Sarah Jessica Parker and evil ass Anne Wintour rally his base.
I’m not a President, I just play one on TV…
President Kardashian
Really! Anne Wintour…please.
When I put up the response from the GOP re: Anna Wintour I thought someone would comment!
*tip toes back in and whispers*
Hillary would have gone to Wisconsin.
She would have been there today to rally the troops.
*ducks to miss the shoe Solo just launched at me!*
Ha!