Oh my. Things just keep getting more interesting in Madison. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker spoke with Greta Van Susteren today. I suppose he thought he would get a softball interview, since she works for Fox News. I watched excerpts of the interview on various outlets. The news channels covering the story focused on the fact that Van Susteren repeatedly reminded him that he said "we thought about that" on the "koch" tape when asked about planting troublemakers in the peaceful crowds. Walker, of course, simply lied over and over again, claiming he didn't ever consider putting people in danger, blah, blah....WHOA! Wait! Rewind the tape. What did he just say??
Almost as an aside, in trying to make the case that lots of ideas were brought up and rejected by him, he says this:
I even had lawmakers and others suggesting rattling things up.
Lawmakers? Obviously you don't mean the president of the LaFollette High School student council, so which lawmakers? Do you mean Republican State Senators and Assembly Representatives? Are any of them named Fitzgerald?
Others? Like who? Agency heads? Department leaders? Cabinet members? The Lieutenant Governor? The head of the State Troopers? Are any of them named Fitzgerald?
Scottie, I still have enough faith in clean Wisconsin government to believe that only a few of your inner circle would dare to suggest putting children, pregnant women, senior citizens and police officers in harm's way. You owe it to the innocent parties to identify who suggested inciting riots as a way to win a political dispute. Who are they, Scottie? WHO?
What did you say to them when they suggested you break the law and incite riots in Madison? According to the Koch tape, you said your "only fear" was that the plan would backfire and force you to compromise. When confronted later, you claimed that you said you feared for public safety. But I've listened to the tape, Scottie. Over and over and over. You never said you were worried about public safety. Not even close. This is what you said:
My only fear would be if there’s a ruckus caused is that maybe the governor has to settle to solve all these problems
I think there are a few people who would like to discuss this matter with you. The Madison Chief of Police, the Madison mayor, and Wisconsin's independent Government Accountability Board. You know - those ethics dudes.
I would like to ask you about it, too, but I'm just an average middle class guy looking out for his family. I can't donate to your campaign fund. I can't fly you out to Cali and show you a good time. Yep, it's true. I don't have a lot. But I have the three things I need to throw you out of office and make sure you never endanger my family again: A keyboard, an internet connection, and your big, fat mouth.
See Scottie, we weenie Madison 60's liberal hippies don't like to "rattle things up" or "cause a ruckus" or "make trouble" like you and your frat boys. We're all about peace and love, man.
And Justice.
Full interview here.
If anyone can stomach watching this liar and notices any other slipups or admissions, please add them to the comments.Updated by Giles Goat Boy at Fri Feb 25, 2011, 01:05:56 AM
Thanks for the recs, everyone. I know it's the subject matter and not the writer, but it feels so good to know how many more eyes are gonna see this. I've listened to jerks like Walker bash my wife and other Madison school teachers for 20 years, so I'm used to that. But when he admitted he put my family in harms way...well, lets just say I have no greater calling right now than to help send Walker back to the private sector. See you at the capitol. I'll be the one in the red shirt.
Updated by Giles Goat Boy at Fri Feb 25, 2011, 12:04:46 PM
http://host.madison.com/...
The Cap Times in Madison has uncovered another juicy tidbit in the union busting bill:
buried on page 125 of the budget repair bill is a proposal to take $28 million in reserves from the state's health insurance/pharmacy fund and spend it in the second half of this year.
...
Andy Heidt, president of AFSCME Local 1871/Dane County Professionals, calls it "part and parcel of Governor Walker's pattern of continual lies."
The previous Governor , Democrat Jim Doyle, and former Republican Governor Tommy Thompson both tried this too, and both times it was found unconstitutional by Wisconsin courts. Walker was critical of this type of budget trick during the campaign, but there it is, buried in the bill.