John Nichols was on Wisconsin Public Radio this morning as part of the panel on Joy Cardin’s “Week in Review” hour. He stated that he did not think
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s “Molotov” gaffe was a big deal and that he would rather discuss how wrong Walker is on issues like right to work legislation.
So why is it that the recent revelation of Walker’s embarrassing letter goes viral while getting Wisconsin citizens to pay attention to important issues that will truly affect their day-to-day lives is often so difficult?
I have an answer: It’s because Walker, like many career politicians, is a skilled liar, a practiced poser and a malicious manipulator, and we love catching them in the act of being such. Sure it would great to have honest, open debate about controversial proposals, but trying to publicly engage politicians like Walker on issues like right to work is pointless because, as we saw with Walker's Act 10, they will not reveal their agenda until they have no choice. The only way to gauge their intentions and motivations is to trick them into revealing them, à la Ian Murphy and the fake David Koch phone call, or by digging through thousands of emails and finding a gem like “Thank You and Molotov.”
Making these gaffes go viral is our way of reminding them that we're on to their game.
“Thank You and Molotov” means I don’t care about you or your culture. I can’t be bothered to proofread a note written by an underling before it is sent. You are not a person, you are a demographic. You are a box to be checked off. You are not an individual. You are “the Jews.” You are “the Hispanics.” You are “the gays.” You are “the union thugs.”
Check, check, check, check. How’m I doing, Sheldon? CHECK!
“We thought about (planting troublemakers in the peaceful protests)” and “Thank you again and Molotov” go viral because they confirm the truth that Walker tries so hard to conceal: that he has no soul, no desire to engage people as fellow humans unless they can help him climb the ladder, and no capacity for compassion. Those things matter to a great many people.