It has come to this. If this story is true (UPDATE: the call did happen), the Left has reached an all new low in American politics.
A Lefty blogger, BuffaloBeast.com, called into Governor Scott Walker’s office pretending to be David Koch and recorded the conversation. Don’t bother reading the transcript at the site. Just listen to the recordings.
If that’s actually Scott Walker (UPDATE: it is Scott Walker), what you just heard is a private conversation between a politician and a political supporter. What you also heard is a politician stating, in private, a position which doesn’t differ at all from his public position. Are there some portions that are less than “artful” during the conversation. Sure. It was a private conversation.
The fake David Koch tries, and fails, to bait Walker into a compromising situation. I’ll expect the Left to try and exploit the Breitbart reference but Walker, like a skilled politician, steers the conversation back on message. The fake Koch tries to get Walker to say the words “crush that union” but Walker doesn’t bite. Again he gets right back on message. Fake Koch even suggests that he should send “troublemakers” into the crowds and Walker basically talks fake Koch out of it.
There’s really no there there. The only really “bad” part is that the Governor was tricked into talking to an impostor. This is their “gotcha.” A politician talking to a supporter and saying nothing out of the ordinary. This is a scandal but Planned Parenthood and ACORN employees assisting someone who they thought was a pimp is no big deal.
This is how desperate they are. They will stop at nothing to try and save their hold on power. They are on the ropes. This is a Hail Mary.
The Left is going to make a big deal out of this little bit of political theater and completely ignore that the REAL head of AFL-CIO says he talks to the White House every day and visits once or twice a week. Do you think they might use an “inartful” phrase or two when talking about Republicans?
UPDATE: Politico.com’s Ben Smith tweeted a good point (shocking, I know): “Another thing the Walker-”Koch” prank proves is that Walker doesn’t actually know Koch.” This could have been the first time Walker ever talked to who he thought was David Koch.
UPDATE #2: Welcome Eric Boehlert followers! I thought I’d take the opportunity to compare the PRIVATE conversation between Fake Koch and Scott Walker with the public comments of one Michael Capuano, a Democrat Congressman from Massachussetts:
Rep. Michael Capuano (D-Mass.) fired up a group of union members in Boston with a speech urging them to work down in the trenches to fend off limits to workers’ rights like those proposed in Wisconsin.
“I’m proud to be here with people who understand that it’s more than just sending an email to get you going,” Capuano said, according to the Dorchester Reporter. “Every once and awhile you need to get out on the streets and get a little bloody when necessary.”
Interesting, no? Fake Koch couldn’t get Walker to make a comment anywhere near this incendiary during a PRIVATE conversation and here we have Democrats doing it out in public. But who does Media Matters prefer to focus on? Exactly.
UPDATE #3: Rush went off on the “Lefty outrage” on his show today. TheRightScoop.com has the video. Go watch.
Beg pardon, but “pimps” visiting ACORN and Planned Parenthood were such big deals that employees of both organizations contacted the authorities to report possible felonies before the videos were released. Not such a big deal that that information was included in conservative coverage of both incidents, but a big deal nonetheless.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jennifer, Jennifer, R, R, Jayvie Canono and others. Jayvie Canono said: Leftyblogger records Gov Walker phone conversation without his consent, should be happy he's not in MD. http://j.mp/hzB4zR ht @brandonkiser [...]
So, naturally, you’re aghast at the Breitbart stunts against ACORN and Planned Parenthood, right? In those cases, the videos were actually fraudulently edited and misrepresented – the Walker tape appears to be accurate. So, on a relative scale, you’re going to spend a lot more time defending Planned Parenthood and ACORN than you are worrying about Walker, right? Because you’re not just another dishonest right-wing hack. Right?
As for the Walker tape, it seems pretty damning to me. (1) He clearly offers an open line to self-interested business tycoons while shutting out members of his own state government with whom he shares governmental responsibilities and is supposedly negotiating. (2) He secretly plots with outside interests against citizens of his own state. (3) He declares he is deliberately milking his state’s economic crisis to promote an ideological movement involving right-wingers across the country. (4) He rejects a suggestion for using goons and agents-provocateur only on practical grounds; he states explicitly that he was willing to do such things and had specifically considered it.
As to whether President Obama meets with labor representatives, I would hope so. They are, after all, among his constituents, there is an entire federal department (nominally) devoted to protecting their interests, and they are responsible for all the economic growth on which the country depends. Vicious creeps like Walker and Koch use the government to better themselves; somebody ought to be looking out for the ones who do the work and suffer in return.
Except Kevin’s correct. The right opened this door when they applauded Breitbart’s faked gotcha videos and the demonization of Soros but when it’s their own people being attacked all of a sudden it’s beyond the pale. Typical hypocrisy from a movement that has abandoned intellectual rigor in favor of reactionary emotion.
Tlaloc… the difference? In the so-called “Breitbart faked gotcha videos” (which Breitbart only published, he had nothing to do with their creation, fyi) people were on tape helping people they thought were criminals.
Media Matters is the best source for all things wrong with the GOP media machine. Lies, more lies, and even more lies from Fox, Beck, limbaugh, etc… are being shot down with accuracy and context – unless of course, you enjoy being lied to.
“people were on tape helping people they thought were criminals.”
No…You are wrong. The authorities were called IMMEDIATELY after the fake session took place. Is it that hard to simply find the truth? Or do you enjoy being lied to?
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Beg pardon, but “pimps” visiting ACORN and Planned Parenthood were such big deals that employees of both organizations contacted the authorities to report possible felonies before the videos were released. Not such a big deal that that information was included in conservative coverage of both incidents, but a big deal nonetheless.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jennifer, Jennifer, R, R, Jayvie Canono and others. Jayvie Canono said: Leftyblogger records Gov Walker phone conversation without his consent, should be happy he's not in MD. http://j.mp/hzB4zR ht @brandonkiser [...]
So, naturally, you’re aghast at the Breitbart stunts against ACORN and Planned Parenthood, right? In those cases, the videos were actually fraudulently edited and misrepresented – the Walker tape appears to be accurate. So, on a relative scale, you’re going to spend a lot more time defending Planned Parenthood and ACORN than you are worrying about Walker, right? Because you’re not just another dishonest right-wing hack. Right?
As for the Walker tape, it seems pretty damning to me. (1) He clearly offers an open line to self-interested business tycoons while shutting out members of his own state government with whom he shares governmental responsibilities and is supposedly negotiating. (2) He secretly plots with outside interests against citizens of his own state. (3) He declares he is deliberately milking his state’s economic crisis to promote an ideological movement involving right-wingers across the country. (4) He rejects a suggestion for using goons and agents-provocateur only on practical grounds; he states explicitly that he was willing to do such things and had specifically considered it.
As to whether President Obama meets with labor representatives, I would hope so. They are, after all, among his constituents, there is an entire federal department (nominally) devoted to protecting their interests, and they are responsible for all the economic growth on which the country depends. Vicious creeps like Walker and Koch use the government to better themselves; somebody ought to be looking out for the ones who do the work and suffer in return.
MsZardi, bullcrap.
Kevin, you need to read more than Media Matters. It’ll help tons.
Except Kevin’s correct. The right opened this door when they applauded Breitbart’s faked gotcha videos and the demonization of Soros but when it’s their own people being attacked all of a sudden it’s beyond the pale. Typical hypocrisy from a movement that has abandoned intellectual rigor in favor of reactionary emotion.
Tlaloc… the difference? In the so-called “Breitbart faked gotcha videos” (which Breitbart only published, he had nothing to do with their creation, fyi) people were on tape helping people they thought were criminals.
Nice try, though! Thanks for visiting.
Media Matters is the best source for all things wrong with the GOP media machine. Lies, more lies, and even more lies from Fox, Beck, limbaugh, etc… are being shot down with accuracy and context – unless of course, you enjoy being lied to.
“people were on tape helping people they thought were criminals.”
No…You are wrong. The authorities were called IMMEDIATELY after the fake session took place. Is it that hard to simply find the truth? Or do you enjoy being lied to?
I’ll let your comments stand as evidence of how crazy you people are.
Oh, Media Matters trolls, here’s another little nugget for you to chew on.
The Koch Brothers built businesses that employ thousands and thousands of people.
George Soros… not so much.
“The Koch Brothers built businesses that employ thousands and thousands of people.”
Rupert Murdock does the same thing, he’s built businesses that employs hundreds of people… to spread GOP propaganda and right-wing talking points.
George Soros… not so much.
Please tell me you’re David as in David Brock.