Walker has made two worrisome moves since his rejection by the voters on Nov. 6th for a third term that go beyond a losing incumbent's understandable unhappiness at being defeated.
* The first was his unwillingness to make a formal concession statement. The public and the victor deserved hearing one. It's part of the drill. It shows you respect the process and your part in it. Withholding it made Walker look petty and small.
* The second troubling move came in his long-delayed remarks Thursday when he would not concede that he'd been rejected by the electorate.
When, in fact, that is exactly what happened. He's the incumbent and the electorate said "no more."
Saying that the electorate did not reject him because he got 30,000 more votes than he did the last time he ran overlooks that Tony Evers' was 30,000+ more that his. Playing word games on top of a numbers game is still a losing game.
When, in fact, that is exactly what happened. He's the incumbent and the electorate said "no more."
Saying that the electorate did not reject him because he got 30,000 more votes than he did the last time he ran overlooks that Tony Evers' was 30,000+ more that his. Playing word games on top of a numbers game is still a losing game.
Now you could say that none of this really matters because it doesn't impact any policies, but that's not true.
By not formally conceding, and then not recognizing the value of the votes which defeated him allows Walker to justify working closely with his loyal legislative lieutenants who are eying 11th-hour, special-session hits to Evers' authority after the wearing-in in January.
An intellectually honest and principled incumbent who puts the democratic process first would use the period between an election rejection and the victor's inauguration as a time to promote political harmony.
An intellectually honest and principled incumbent who puts the democratic process first would use the period between an election rejection and the victor's inauguration as a time to promote political harmony.
Instead, we're getting contempt for Wisconsin tradition, democratic process and reality, and while the mind observing is not surprised, just disappointed.
