Hello Pilgrim. Welcome to today's update on "Operation: Badger Justice", a definable multi-faceted strategy designed to recapture Wisconsin under the ausipices of her Progressive traditions. Today, "Mr. Fantastic" finds himself on the road, conducting work for the State of Wisconsin in points near Ashland, WI.
Not only is MF separated from his transparent honey, he also finds himself smack-dab in the middle of an early spring BLIZZARD (a virtual guarantee come NCAA tournament time, here in WI). However, a four hour+ drive does give one the opportunity to assess the thoughts and strategies of the opposition in the form of, horror of horrors, "talk radio".
More after the jump.
As much as he is loathe to stoop to pop culture cliche', the fact is that MF thinks he has just thrown up in his mouth a lil' bit.
3 hours or more partaking of "talk radio" (talk radio is in quotations to denote sarcasm. The descriptor, "talk" infers reasonable discussion characterized by logical, critcal thinking. The voices heard today suggest that "shriek" radio or "paranoiac ramble" radio would be more accurate a moniker) Mr. Fantastic has learned much about how the forces of corporate interest and socio-economic engineering are marshalling the forces. Specifically:
1) How the right is attacking Joanne Kloppenburg, candidate for Supreme Court Justice:
Candidate Kloppenburg is being attacked almost exclusively via radio ads paid for by 527's. MF heard at least two different groups: one was Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC); no shock there. The other was a group that MF had not heard of, and sadly cannot recall. It may have been the "Club For Growth" or the "Growth Club for Men" or some such. However, to maintain the integrity of the comic-book motif of this diary, we will call them "The Sinister (5,2) Seven". Neither ad mentioned David "You are being a b*tch" Prosser AT ALL. Instead, the ads sought to demean Kloppenburg's credentials as a interpreter of law AND as a potential killer of jobs from the bench. In one spot, it was stated that she was passed over for numerous State and Federal judge appointments (I don't know if she even applied for any) by both Doyle and Obama. In the other spot, it was said that she ALWAYS sided with the government in favor of helping out farmers and employers.
Let's read between the lines at these attacks, shall we? For one, and again, neither Prosser nor Walker are mentioned in the ads at ALL. This means that the message that Prosser = Walker is a winning one. The fact that Walker is so very damaged by his naked contempt for the middle class that Prosser's campaign director's linking of his candidate to the Guv in December as a rubber stamp for Walker's agenda is a killer for Prosser the incumbent. In short, Prosser belongs to Walker, and both belong to Koch..and everyone with more than a sack of rivets for a brain knows it. And Prosser (and his people) know it as well, hence, the omission. Bottom line?
We are winning the narrative.
Want more proof of positive happenings? The callers into the local shriek radio programs that MF heard didn't mention Walker or Prosser, favoring to attack Kloppenburg and her supporters. When one of the hosts asked, "What in Kloppenburg's background suggests to you that she will be any more or less impartial than Prosser?" the reply was that... and at least feign surprise here constant reader,... "her facebook page is full of postings by SOCIALISTS and UNION THUGS."
Can I hear a cheer for originality? Anyone?
Mr. Fanastic believes that these type of tired attacks have worn out their welcome given that Walker's actions (actions that Prosser has vowed via his campaign manager to uphold) to finance a corporate/fatkat windfall on the backs of the middle and working classes have been exposed by the people, and are therefore incredibly unpopular.
If you read IW/MF's diary last night (about the bridge/sandwich board signs and the "cacaphony of horn honking"), you will realize that in addition to winning the narrative... we also are winning the battle for the generation of real grass-roots excitement. I believe this is why; A clear narrative AND excitement borne of quantifiable certainty at the grass-roots. I have learned something else:
2) Mr. Fantastic has gleaned information regarding the whereabouts of Scott Walker next week, that if well-attended by a large but peaceful protest, could hurt him... badly.
Apparently, as of today (March 22, 2011) it was shared by an unsuspecting Walker/Prosser supporter that Scotty will be attending the "Forward Janesville" annual dinner", delivering the keynote address. This jamboree of gluttony of body and starvation of spirit will occur on Tuesday March 29th. Given the level of Scott's newfound "popularity" amongst the Teabaggers and among concerned citizens, this event will likely be the most heavily attended in the history of this private (not city-based) economic development's organization.
Never satisfied with the word of a teabagger or their brethren that such an event was truly set to occur, Mr. Fantastic checked out the "Where's Walker" Facebook page, and lo and behold, there is all ready an event planned! There is now scheduled a rally and protest that will run from 4 to 9 p.m., Tuesday, March 29, outside of the conference center.
As of this writing, the Facebook page showed more than 300 friends would attend the rally, with more than 200 others who might attend. Two hundred and fifty friends indicated they couldn’t make it, while another 1,100 hadn’t yet responded.
Kossacks.... COME to WI and join the fray!! in JANESVILLE WI 6:15-8:30pm:
Forward Janesville Annual Dinner,
Holiday Inn Express &... Janesville Conference Center, 3100 Wellington Pl.
Janesville WI
Note that the page (http://www.facebook.com/...) indicated the rally would be directed at Walker and not businesses that are Forward Janesville members.
So, there we have it constant readers... today's update. As Mr. Fantastic checks into his hotelamid Old man Winter's predictably chilly and nasty last gasp, know this... we are winning... keep up the work, keep up the recs, and for the love of my Aunt Petunia... remember that it is indeed, "Clobberin' time"!