Anyone who thinks this story is going away anytime soon might want to have another think (I'm looking at you, you adorable little Fox Newsy people).
According to Talking Points Memo, the Wisconsin 14 are now fully aware of Walker's tactics and will not be punked:
On a conference call organized by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, I asked Miller whether the Democrats were prepared for these sorts of antics.
"I've heard rumors of it. Maybe it reveals something about the governor's character. The possibility of us having to be dragged back to the Capitol before this bill has had enough public scrutiny has always been a possibility and that's why we left the state in the first place," Miller said.
He offered no indication that Democrats have a plan to return to Wisconsin.
link: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/...
In addition to this epic Art of War FAIL, TIME is reporting that the AFL-CIO has just released this bit of the transcript from this now infamous punk on Governor Walker:
WALKER: So, we're trying about 4 or 5 different angles so each day we crank up a little bit more pressure, but the other thing I've got layoff notices ready, we'll put out the risk notices, we'll announce Thursday, they'll go out early next week, probably 5 to 6, 000 state workers will get at risk notices of layoffs, we might rachet that up a little bit too.
FAKE KOCH: Beautiful, beautiful. Got to crush that union.
WALKER: Well, it's one of those in the end, I talked to Cullen, I had 3 or 4 other of my business leader friends who known him over the years and just kind of pass the message on these guys, if they think I'm caving, [they've] been asleep the last eight years, I've taken on every major battle in Milwaukee County, and won even in a county where I'm overwhelmingly overpowered, is because we don't budge.
link: http://swampland.blogs.time.com/...
Note how it's pretty obvious that Governor Walker planned on firing state employees as retaliation? I don't think the unions will let this one just slip on quietly by.
For those keeping score at home, here's the top take-aways from this call:
1. Walker obviously sees what he is doing as part of a coordinated national strategy with other Republican Governors:
Brian [Sadoval], the new Governor of Nevada, called me the last night he said-he was out in the Lincoln Day Circuit in the last two weekends and he was kidding me, he said, "Scott, don't come to Nevada because I'd be afraid you beat me running for governor." That's all they want to talk about is what are you doing to help the governor of Wisconsin. I talk to Kasich every day-John's gotta stand firm in Ohio. I think we could do the same thing with Vic Scott in Florida. I think, uh, Snyder-if he got a little more support-probably could do that in Michigan. You start going down the list there's a lot of us new governors that got elected to do something big.
2. Walker has delusions of Reaganite grandeur (psst - no one burst this guy's bubble and clue him into Reagan's union organizing, freeduhm-hatin' past):
Walker: This is an exciting time ... . that was the first crack in the Berlin Wall because the Communists then knew Reagan wasn't a pushover. ...
3. Walker had considered using thugs to infiltrate and discredit the protesters, but only decided not to do that because it wouldn't work politically:
Koch: We'll back you any way we can. What we were thinking about the crowd was, uh, was planting some troublemakers.
Walker: You know, well, the only problem with that -because we thought about that. The problem-the, my only gut reaction to that is right now the lawmakers I've talked to have just completely had it with them, the public is not really fond of this... My only fear would be if there's a ruckus caused is that maybe the governor has to settle to solve all these problems.... Let ‘em protest all they want...Sooner or later the media stops finding it interesting.
4. Walker isn't above taking a nice bribe when it's convenient:
Koch: [Laughs] Well, I tell you what, Scott: once you crush these bastards I'll fly you out to Cali and really show you a good time.
Walker: All right, that would be outstanding. ... Thanks for all the support...it's all about getting our freedoms back...
5. Walker has massive strategery fail:
Walker: ...I would be willing to sit down and talk to him, the assembly Democrat leader, plus the other two Republican leaders-talk, not negotiate and listen to what they have to say if they will in turn-but I'll only do it if all 14 of them will come back and sit down in the state assembly...legally, we believe, once they've gone into session, they don't physically have to be there. If they're actually in session for that day, and they take a recess, the 19 Senate Republicans could then go into action and they'd have quorum...so we're double checking that. If you heard I was going to talk to them that's the only reason why. We'd only do it if they came back to the capital with all 14 of them...
6. Walker has anger issues:
Koch: Bring a baseball bat. That's what I'd do.
Walker: I have one in my office; you'd be happy with that. I have a slugger with my name on it.
Koch: Beautiful.
transcript of the call can be found here: http://host.madison.com/...Updated by grannyhelen at Wed Feb 23, 2011, 04:29:15 PM
And now this tidbit from temps2020 in the threads: Koch Industries just opened a lobbying office in downtown Madison, Wisconsin: http://host.madison.com/...
Hmmmmm...
Updated by grannyhelen at Wed Feb 23, 2011, 07:15:12 PM
NBC News just covered this in their nightly newscast:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
They also bring up Wisconsin's public power utilities in the context of the fake David Koch call to Walker.
Updated by grannyhelen at Thu Feb 24, 2011, 07:46:45 AM
Wow. John Nichols on The Ed Show last night broke the news that Wisonsin's former attorney general is looking into ethical violations by Governor Walker made on this tape:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
So, in Wisconsin the former attorney general's findings go to "an independent nonpartisan board staffed by former judges who are elected in a nonpartisan manner without any Republican or Democratic control".
It appears Wisconsin's tough ethics laws are not helping Governor Walker right now.
Updated by grannyhelen at Thu Feb 24, 2011, 09:19:14 AM
MUST READ article by John Nichols writing in the Cap Times on the former attorney general's review of the transcript of the prank call on Walker.
This is powerful stuff:
On the tape, Walker is asked about “planting some troublemakers” to incite the crowds at what have been peaceful protests.
“(We) thought about that,” replied the governor, who added: “My only fear would be is if there was a ruckus caused is that that would scare the public into thinking maybe the governor has gotta settle to avoid all these problems.”
“I think there’s a serious issue there,” Lautenschlager explained. “That’s a public safety issue. And I think that is really troublesome: a governor with an obligation to maintain public safety says he’s going to plant people to make trouble. That screams out to me. For a governor even to consider a strategy that could unnecessarily threaten the safety of peaceful demonstrators — which the governor acknowledged he did — is something that simply amazes me.”
Suggest everyone click on the link and read the whole thing: http://host.madison.com/...