What They Are Saying About Scott Walker at the Iowa GOP Lincoln Dinner on May 16, 2015
AP: Walker, his shirt sleeves rolled up, ticked off a list of laws that have been enacted since he took office in 2011. That includes effectively ending collective bargaining for most public workers, making Wisconsin a right-to-work state, legalizing concealed weapons, requiring a photo identification to vote, defunding Planned Parenthood and cutting taxes by $2 billion. "We didn't just win an election, we transformed the state," Walker said to a standing ovation from the roughly 1,000 people. "We took the power away from the big government special interests and put it back in the hands of the hardworking taxpayers." (Scott Bauer – May 16, 2015)
Wisconsin State Journal: [F]raming his message around “hard work” and “proven results”… (Matthew DeFour – May 16, 2015)
WisPolitics: Walker came out with his wife and sons before moving to a platform in the middle of the crowd, where he addressed the convention with a mic in one hand and what's become his signature look: a blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up and red tie. He ticked off a series of statistics he likes to tout: The unemployment rate is down significantly from where it was before he took office, the ratings of Wisconsin’s business climate are up, and he’s been able to cut taxes by $2 billion. (JR Ross – May 16, 2015)
WXOW-TV: Once Walker hit the convention stage, he focused on what he's done in office. That includes passing a number of conservative priorities such as defunding Planned Parenthood, legalizing the carrying of concealed weapons and weakening public union power. He said his most important achievement is putting power back in the hands of taxpayers. (Ginna Roe – May 16, 2015)
WEAU-TV: Governor Walker touched on the past and looked toward the future. "We have a tremendous opportunity. You think about the difference a few years have made here in the state of Wisconsin. I tell people all across this country, the difference was made because we had a Republican team in the Assembly, in the Senate and the governorship that worked together to put in place common sense conservative reforms that transformed the great state of Wisconsin," said Governor Walker. (WEAU – May 16, 2015)
WITI-TV: Delegates representing counties across the state jumped to their feet Saturday morning as Governor Scott Walker ditched the Republican convention stage in favor of being among the crowd. (Brett Lemoine – May 16, 2015)
AP: Scott Walker Calls For Aggressive Stance Against Terrorism: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says a recent trip to Israel reinforces his belief that the United State must aggressively deal with terrorists abroad… Walker criticized President Barack Obama's foreign policy, which he says has been to "draw a red line in the sand and allow people to cross it." Walker says the United States should deal with terrorism head on and "take the fight to them." (AP – May 16, 2015)
Bloomberg: He outlined the sites and proximity to war he'd seen on the nearly week-long trip, from which he returned Thursday. A day-long helicopter ride with a retired Israeli army general was “probably the most impactful” part of the trip, he said. (John McCormick – May 16, 2015)
The Capital Times: "Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker made his first public comments about his weeklong trip to Israel on Saturday, speaking to a crowd of more than 50 in a palatial barn in Iowa. He spoke of a helicopter ride he took on Monday with a retired Army general, who flew him around the entire country. The moment that stuck with him, he said, was hovering between Gaza and Jerusalem. "The spot where we were hovering was literally where they believe David slayed Goliath," Walker said. He said that moment gave him "incredible perspective," asking those in attendance to remember how they felt the day after the September 11 terrorist attacks. "That's how they feel every day," he said of the people of Israel. Walker said that reinforced his belief that the United States must fight radical Islamic terrorists by taking the fight directly to them, rather than waiting for another attack on American soil. (Jessie Opoien — May 16, 2015)
Washington Post: When Walker took the stage, the big screens flashed an old-school photo of two young boys holding up an Iowa state flag. Walker had a story to go along with it: As a young boy, he and his family lived in a tiny Iowa town. Walker said that he noticed that city hall did not have a state flag – so he and his younger brother washed out a mayonnaise jar and went around town to collect donations. Forty years later, Walker said that his mother still has the flag that they bought. (Jenna Johnson and Philip Rucker — May 16, 2015)
Des Moines Register: “[Walker] earned big applause when he highlighted his family's working-class roots, saying, "When I think about my family, my parents and my grandparents I realize, my brother and I, we didn't inherit fame or fortune. What we inherited was the belief that if you work hard and play by the rules, you can do and be anything you want in America. That's the American Dream.” (Brianne Pfannenstiel — May 16, 2015)
Quad City Times: Walker noted he lived for seven years in Chuck Grassley’s congressional district in Plainfield during the 1970s before his family moved to Wisconsin. Walker has led a conservative conversion in a state that hadn’t elected a GOP governor since 1984. (Rod Boshart — May 16, 2015)
AP: Walker, who appeared at an afternoon fundraiser for a Des Moines area county official, called for a stepped-up fight against terrorism. Having recently visited Israel and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Walker called the Obama administration's foreign policy to "draw a red line in the sand and allow people to cross it." Instead, he suggested that the United States "take the fight to them." (Tom Beaumont & Catherine Lucey – May 16, 2015)
WKOW-TV: But Gov. Scott Walker…took perhaps the most hawkish approach of all. "I've got news for your Mr. President – we need a commander-in-chief who calls it what it is – radical Islamic terrorism and we need to act on it," Gov. Walker told the crowd of over 1,300 GOP loyalists at the Iowa Events Center. (Greg Neumann – May 16, 2015)
Sioux City Journal: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker touted his accomplishments and touched on foreign policy, describing his recent trip to Israel. He said President Obama has shown weakness in the fight against terrorism. (Erin Murphy & James Q. Lynch – May 16, 2015)
Caffeinated Thoughts: Walker is getting a good response re. his comments on national security. Says we need strong leadership and that we need to take the fight to our enemies. (Shane Vander Hart – May 16, 2015)
Des Moines Register: In [Walker’s] last two Iowa cattle calls, he has become the master of the visual aid. Last time, it was a Christian devotional book that inspired him. This time, it was a childhood photo of himself and his brother, holding up an Iowa flag, from when his family lived in Plainfield. It worked, as did Walker's savvy closing gesture to invite the audience to his hospitality room for cheese. Not a bit cheesy. (Kathie Obradovich – May 16, 2015)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Gov. Scott Walker dished out Wisconsin cheese and ice cream for attendees at the Iowa GOP’s Lincoln Day dinner Saturday night, drawing crowds… (Jason Stein – May 16, 2015)
Bloomberg: Wearing a red apron labeled with his "Go Big, Go Bold" call to action, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker served cheddar cheese and Miller beer as he stood near a Harley Davidson motorcycle, all from his home state. (John McCormick – May 16, 2015)
On The Twitters:
@sbauerAP: @GovWalker breaks with tradition, talks at #RPW2015 on convention floor, rather than on stage. Jacket off, sleeves rolled up
@sbauerAP: @GovWalker tells #RPW2015 that he has transformed Wisconsin, notes passage of concealed carry, anti-abortion bills, photo ID, tax cuts
@SJohnsonWPR: Biggest applause lines in @ScottWalker #RPW2015 speech: we de-funded Planned Parenthood & passed voter ID.
@carolhunter: In Iowa, @ScottWalker reels off list of conservative favorites adopted on his watch: Pro-life bill. Right to work. Photo ID. #LincolnDinner
@ScottWalker: Back in the 70s, I went door-to-door to raise enough money for an Iowa flag to fly at the Plainfield city hall. -SKW
@KObradovich: Best visual aid of the night: @GovernorWalker shows childhood pic of himself and brother holding up an Iowa flag. #LincolnDinner #iacaucus
@PhilipRucker: Walker making good use of his Israel trip, recalling the sights he saw and people he met in that “miraculous country” #LincolnDinner
@EliStokols: Walker recounts last week’s Israel trip, says helicopter ride w/ Army general was “most impactful” experience.
@gneumann_wkow: @ScottWalker talks about flying over all of Israel – says it reinforced his belief that US has to take the fight to radical Islamists.
@AlexNBCNews: Scott Walker changes it up – shows a picture on the screens next to the screen – family picture of him living in Iowa #2016
@jessieopie: @ScottWalker gets applause for defund Planned Parenthood, pro-life legislation, concealed carry, castle doctrine, Voter ID #LincolnDinner
@JessicaTaylor: @Scott Walker talks about “safety.” “Safety is something you feel – national security is something you read about.” #LincolnDinner
