Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI)
Scott Walker wants to project that he's resolute. Principled. A conservative you can rely on.
And yet over the past week, the Wisconsin governor and Republican presidential primary contender took three different positions on birthright citizenship. Last Monday, at the Iowa state fair:
Asked by MSNBC's Kasie Hunt whether birthright citizenship should be ended, he said then: "Yeah, absolutely, going forward."
Because "To me it's about enforcing the laws in this country," even though birthright citizenship is in fact the law in this country.
Then, on Friday, Walker offered another stance -- telling CNBC's John Harwood that he won't weigh in on birthright citizenship.
"I'm not taking a position on it one way or the other," he said in that interview.
Then, Sunday, on ABC's
This Week, Walker again took a position ... against ending birthright citizenship. This time, he said "we need to enforce the laws, including those that are in the Constitution."
ABC's George Stephanopoulos pressed further, asking: "So you're not seeking to repeal or alter the 14th Amendment?"
"No," Walker said. "My point is, any discussion that goes beyond securing the border and enforcing the laws are things that should be a red flag to voters out there, who for years have heard lip service from politicians and are understandably angry because those politicians haven't been committed to following through on those promises."
Walker has gotten away with
changing positions and then denying it in Wisconsin, but the presidential primary is a much bigger stage. Saying one thing Monday and the opposite thing Sunday with a "not taking a position" in between is the kind of thing that gets noticed and used against you.