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5/13/2010
Now is not the time to be eating our own
Ok, so John Gard and his wife Cate Zeuske endorsed Mark Neumann yesterday. You think that’s a problem?
Apparently the Walker campaign does – which just doesn’t seem appropriate. (I’m not just some novice voter or campaigner that hollers “foul” at the least raised eyebrow in a primary – I’ve seen my share of it.)
The Walker campaign’s charge? John Gard is a big bad lobbyist – and oh by the way, he withdrew his lobbyist license the other day. (James Wigderson reproduced the Walker campaign’s press statement here on his blog.)
Oh horrors. Gard and Zeuske own a business advocacy group and a small business association. This is their work – advocating for Wisconsin’s small business owners. Many in Madison who gain authorization to lobby to assure they don’t run afoul of the statutes, withdraw their authorization at the end of a legislative session. It’s commonplace. I would imagine that were the Walker staff and supporter lists looked at even cursorily, plenty of one-time lobbyists would emerge.
Perhaps the Walker folks (most of whom I admire – it’s a great candidate and a great campaign) might consider taking a breath and counting to ten.
When I reached him by phone, Gard shared that he and Zeuske thought a lot about a commitment to Neumann. They believe “Mark will be the state’s best governor and is the right person at the right time…. Mark is committed to make this a very tight race.” Gard pointed out there are four “long months” to go before the September 14 primary.
Gard and Zeuske will be active in the Neumann campaign as its co-chairs. Gard pointed to the Wisconsin’s dire fiscal crisis as the reason he believes Wisconsin needs Neumann's private sector experience and business management skills. The one-time Assembly Speaker’s message was to get involved. “We didn’t think this was a moment to sit on the sidelines.”
Hear, hear. Two great GOP candidates for governor. Please play nice. This is absolutely not the time to be sitting on the sidelines - and it's certainly not the time to be eating our own.
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
It is every candidates’ job to tell voters two thing: Why you should vote for me and why you should NOT vote for the other guy. Why do the ‘why nots’ always seem to get so personal? ‘Because he’s backed by John Gard’ does not seem a valid or smart ‘why not' to vote for Neumann.
timbeaux (Thu May 13 07:16:13 2010)
Neumann is not always right, but he always has integrity. He's got my vote.
Jack Lohman (Thu May 13 07:31:07 2010)
It seems that teaparty folks are consuming their own at an ever increasing pace across the country. When folks are fearful of being eaten it drives them to an even more conservative posture thus satisfying the needs of the Mad Hatters for control of the process. Where is Alice when you need her?
billie (Thu May 13 07:34:00 2010)
Let's hope they consume ALL politicians. We need a fresh start.
Jack Lohman (Thu May 13 07:47:53 2010)
Some good comments. Not sure John Gard would make my top ten list of favored politicians, but as stated above, that is no reason to disqualify Nueman.
On a related note, there will be a push to annoint Scott Walker THE candidate at the Republican state convention next week. That I DO NOT agree with. Not that I have anything against Walker, but let the endorsements come from individuals, not the party as a whole. At last year's convention, I took note of the fact that Walker was the ONLY gubernatorial candidate given the opportunity to speak. Seems the insiders have made their choice, and want to make the choice for us as well. The contrarian in me rebels at the very idea. The very first Republican I ever voted for was Lee Sherman Dreyfus, at a time when I considered myself a Democrat. Why? Because Marty Schreiber, filling in for Pat Lucey after Pat went to Mexico as embassador, used his "line item" veto power to strike one word, and change the meaning of a particular phrase by 180 degrees. An abuse of power.
Oh, and the Republicans Party decided to anoint, I believe, a Mr. Kasten. I and apparently quite a few others resented the elitism of party endorsements, and suspect the same thing could happen again. Let the people decide.
And a hint to the Walker campaign staff. As Walker has lost considerable ground to Nueman the past few months, they may want to look at how their actions may have contributed to that.
Ken Van Doren (Thu May 13 08:15:01 2010)
If one gests sick, they can always put their lunch back into that brown bag...
I seem to see a lot more positive and active campaigning going on in Nuemann's camp. I don't seem to see much from Walker's - and when I do, it seems to be mostly dirt on Neumann.
I think they're both worthy candidates, but Nuemann is certainly winning in terms of appeal. He seems more stable and less driven by a youthful angst than a level-headed thinker.
Andrew Ellis (Thu May 13 09:56:09 2010)
I don't seem to see much from Walker's - and when I do, it seems to be mostly dirt on Neumann.
I haven't seen that, other than replies to Neumann campaign comments. Can you give us examples?
Duke (Thu May 13 10:34:53 2010)
I must be looking for dirt in all the wrong places, too.
****and apparently quite a few others resented the elitism of party endorsements,****
I beg your pardon, you seem to have a whole different idea of what members of the party are than I do. I happen to be in the position of being able to vote at the convention. The "party" doesn't tell me how to vote. I figure that out for myself.
I'm one of the grassroots people who work hard all year around for the party, not just a couple of hours in the 2 months preceding elections. I'm a long way from wealthy and have no clout in the party, except for my one vote.
****but let the endorsements come from individuals, not the party as a whole.****
Sticking a label on "the Party" doesn't make it so. The party is made up of individuals in case you hadn't noticed. You're insinuating that "the party" are all the top tier people. You're wrong!
C.R. Stevenson (Thu May 13 11:13:41 2010)
Yea, but I'd argue that you aren't always right, and the endorsements should come from the voters themselves.
Jack Lohman (Thu May 13 11:41:41 2010)
They will, Jack - at the primary election in September.
Duke (Thu May 13 12:00:19 2010)
Gubernatorial candidate Mark Neumann announced today that he will turn down the Republican Party’s offer to be considered for endorsement at its Milwaukee convention on Saturday, May 22.
Jack Lohman (Thu May 13 12:40:11 2010)
I seems, as the GOP tries again to reinvent itself, that winning is more important than being right.
That's why, for some reason, Walker has be deemed the governor candidate & Sean Duffy the 7th Congressional candidate. They have been annointed the most "electable" by the party, rather than the most in tune with what needs to be done.
As the Dems found out, winning is not everything.
Let's give Neumann and Dan Mielke a fighting chance.
Grass roots - not Astro-turf.
Real Libertarian (Thu May 13 15:53:48 2010)
Yes, Libertarian I agree with you. One question I'd like to get answers from candidates on, is do they believe people have a right to eat what they want, or do they side w-FDA's recent claim that "there is no deeply rooted historical tradition of unfettered access to foods of all kinds" and "plaintiffs do not have a fundamental right to obtain any food they wish"!?
This is crucial in light of the raw milk battle going on in WI. Certain individual, Steve Ingham, Cheryl daniels, Jacki Owens, etc. from DATCP are appointed by the governor, and they've taken it into their heads that after obtaining raw milk in the past, now people are NOT allowed to get it!
Where the FDA comes in, is their correspondence with, and financial support of, WI's DATCP. And the next governor will have power to appoint other DATCP offials. This is truly a fight about freedom over one's own body. Big Bro would like to tell us even what we can eat! (And, of course, Bro doesn't get ANY money from giant corporations...)
emily matthews (Thu May 13 16:53:34 2010)
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