Ok, so I admit I have doused myself in the political punditry today with no regard for my mental health. A common weakness of a political junky. But once I heard Walker might drop out, I was like a dog with a scent in the breeze, helpless.
Those who know me here, know that I have long detested this man who has torn my home state apart. That I did everything I could to help recall him. BUT, that I never bought into his political invincibility, and long ago predicted he'd fall flat on his face in the national spotlight.
I'd feel happier about being right about this if I didn't have to listen to so much equivocating about why he dramatically had to drop out.
Today I've heard many buy into the idea that it's because of Trump. If Trump never happened, Walker would still be right up there in Republican polling. If Trump never happened, the beltway would have been right about Walker!
Let it be noted that Walker himself presented this very theory today in his ungraceful, sour grapes, called by God, exit. Like everything else about his national campaign, he messed this up too.
And then there's been the ENDLESS comments today about how Walker "checked every box," when it came to being a viable conservative candidate---Lord, if I had a dollar for every time I heard that today--- and "This is stunningly surprising!" and "how can we possibly explain the mystery of the implosion of Scott Walker?!"
Must all be because of Trump! Must be because career politicians are out!
Well, since I expect this to be the last of my diaries on Walker in awhile, I want to sign off on this subject for now with this. There is, in the end, only one reason why Walker had to drop out today.
He was an incredibly terrible candidate. From every time he opened his mouth since he announced his candidacy, to the fact that he kept his huge money sucking staff and travel perks throughout his nosedive, which has been going on since BEFORE he announced his candidacy. His hubris bled his campaign dry long before it had to croak, although the end was inevitable, just a matter of time.
Rachel Maddow finally said it tonight, God bless her. She said to Nicole Wallace's blah blah blah about how it was timing, and his bad luck to be a career politician in a time when that's out in the GOP, blah, blah, blah---Rachel said "and then there's the fact that he's the black hole of charisma." Thank you.
He was lucky and spoiled by Koch money and a sycophant Wisconsin media, long before he announced. And to me if you couldn't see this every time he spoke, you were missing something.
I often think many Democrats unwittingly added to his myth, particularly those in Wisconsin, because he so stymied them. I understand this, but think it evolved into something of a Stockholm Syndrome. He beat us in so many ways, he must be very powerful. The man behind the curtain.
And so, it seems most everyone is shocked and amazed that Walker faired so poorly. How can this be?!? To me, it was amazing in a different way. Didn't anyone see what a doof he was in this primary election? Didn't anyone see or hear his countless unforced gaffs? Didn't anyone notice what a freaking terrible primary candidate he was?
Why oh why isn't anyone saying so? Why oh why is everyone blaming Trump and whatever for Walker's own complete and total belly flop?
It is an amazing parable of the often idiocy of beltway wisdom, and the ability for an emperor with no clothes on to fool so many for so long. And even on the day he is finally brought to his knees, he has plenty of those willing to make excuses for him.
Not me. He was a terrible candidate. Period. And to the best of my ability, this is not said in a partisan way. It's just said in a common sense way. The guy is a dolt. Or as Gomer Pyle, would say, one dolt to another "Suuuuuprise, suuuuuprise!"
