Last Friday, we were all able to view the first debate in our historic recall election on most local stations in Wisconsin and on CSPAN nationally. At that debate Tom Barrett cleaned Walker clock live on television. As I commented in Giles Goat Boys diary on the debate:
Barrett brought his A game and Walker brought his bald spot.
I stand by that analysis.
Tonight, for the second and final debate, we won't be quite so lucky. Most stations aren't carrying the debate which is being held by Milwaukee television station WISN. WISN is the only station which is carrying the debate here with few stations carrying it elsewhere. I don't see it on the CSAN schedule either.
My search for a link for all of you not in Wisconsin has been long and, unfortunately, I did not have success. If anyone has better information on livestreaming or or a national broadcast, it would be nice if you would leave the information in the comments or private message me.
Update: H/T denig. CNN will air the debate live.
Video will air tomorrow on CSPAN (see the update at the end for link).
I'm concerned about the lack of availability of this debate. Other stations are carrying their customary prime time programming so anyone who wants to view this event in Wisconsin will need to look for it on their local television schedules. Maybe I'm jaded or ready for a tin foil hat, but our Wisconsin media has pretty much been in the tank for Walker (one of the reasons, besides tens of millions in attack ads and his own friendly, jobs jobs jobs ads, that Walker won in 2010). Are they so concerned with Walker being embarassed in this debate that it won't be widely available or is WISN, the sponsor of the event, hogging access to it.
So, tonight is the final debate before the recall.
A word on the recent polls. The Marquette Poll (Walker 52%, Barrett 45%) and Lake poll (Walker 49%, Barrett 49%) were releeased yesterday. The Lake Poll was actually done later, and, therefore more current. It also has a better distribution of gender, political affiliation, and other factors. The Marquette Poll, run by RWr Charles Franklin, has always published a large lead for Walker and the polling sample is heavier with Republican and suburban respondants.
Polls don't vote. Signs don't vote. People vote. And this election is going to be all about turnout. Every single vote will count. It is important to get people to the polls either during the early voting through Friday or on Tuesday, June 5.
If you want to help:
You can phone bank union households from home. by using the script and link I posted a few days ago.
Obligatory Tin Cup (thanks for so many of you being so generous already)
For Tom Barrett, Democratic candidate for Governor
For Mahlon Mitchell, Democratic candidate for Lt. Governor.
For Lori Compas Democratic candidate for State Senate to replace Scott Fitzgerald (former Republican Majority Leader).
For John Lehman Democratic candidate for State Senate to replace Van Waangard
For Kristen Dexter Democratic candidate for State Senate to replace Terry Moulton
For Donna Seidel Democratic candidate for State Senate for the seat vacated by Pam Galloway.
If you can't decide, you can always contribute to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin or We Are Wisconsin.
Thanks for your support.
Sorry I haven't been around much. I'm all in for Barrett, Mitchell and our great Democrats. I was supposed to join the OLB last night, but took a nap after a phone banking shift and slept right through it (I wish I was 20-30 years younger). But that's the price of democracy. We're either all in or the power of money and corporate media will squeeze every last drop of influence the people have.
I've been telling people to vote as though their lives depended on it - because they do. Early voting has been so massive that the RW heads are exploding. They're already whining about "voter fraud". They know that every point above a 62-63 % turnout will not be good for them. This is the reason they're so worried, the reason they're pushing out polls to try to make people discouraged to vote, the reason they're happy to bring in national RW celebrities to promote Walker and rub in our faces the lack of visible national Democratic support, the reason that Americans for (the Kochs Prosperity) is busing people in for a bus tour of Wisconsin and the Kochs have brought in 70 paid staffers, and the reason that Walker isn't putting out his own internal polling.
We must get our people to the polls. Now until Friday for early voting or on Tuesday. We must be all in.
Update: H/T gchaucher2 for finding that it will be broadcast on Friday (a day later) on CSPAN. No live coverage of the debate tonight.
BILL CLINTON IS COMING!
The date and schedule is being worked out, but reliable sources say Bill Clinton will be coming to Wisconsin, possibly as early as tomorrow, to help with the Barrett campaign. Details as they come in (until I leave for my GOTV shift).
Update: It's official now. Bill Clinton will be in Milwaukee tomorrow for an event with Tom Barrett. Time and location are still being determined.
11:39 AM PT: Time to run - I've got a list, a script, and a phone waiting for me. There are still no details on the Milwaukee Clinton-Barrett event yet, but I'll post an update when I get back with any fresh information.
6:32 PM PT: Back now after phone bank and some quick dinner. Off to enjoy the comments before the debate begins.