Scott Walker's Cynical Trek Into Populism
Fhttp://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2014/07/25/scott_walkers_cynical_trek_into_populism_123446.html
Well, the story isnt fiction, its fact. The company is Trek Bicycle, and its co-founders, Dick Burke and Bevil Hogg, did indeed start it in an old red barn in Waterloo, Wis., in 1975. In less than half a century they built the company into the largest bike manufacturer in America
The flare-up over Trek is the latest twist in a high-profile race that has taken on a through-the-looking-glass quality. Walker, a darling of conservatives and widely considered a serious contender for the 2016 Republican presidential onomination, has adopted President Obamas 2012 playbook, attacking Burkes record as a businesswoman and portraying her as an out-of-touch corporate executive whos been busy amassing a fortune at the expense of the little people. Burke, meanwhile, has been mirroring Romneys 2012 strategy, hitting the incumbents lack of business experience as a reason for his inability to deliver on promises of jobs.
Playing the populist card is a dangerous gambit for Walker. Its one thing to try and harness anger (which exists on both the left and the right) toward big banks on Wall Street that blew up the economy and then got bailed out with taxpayer money, or to rail against the rampant crony capitalist culture of Washington D.C. Its something else to bash one of the most well-known, well-liked companies in your state with the aforementioned all-American success story.
Walkers attack is also risky because its so blatantly cynical. Its so obviously out of step with core Republican beliefs its impossible to think Walker actually even believes his own ad.
Which leads us to the last observation about his attack: It smacks of desperation.
A new poll released Wednesday by the Marquette Law School shows Burke now leading the incumbent by one percentage point, 47-46. Thats within the margin of error, but it does represent a four-point swing in Burkes direction from the last Marquette poll, taken in May. Incidentally, its worth noting that the latest poll was in the field during the period when Walker released his ad attacking Trek.
Wow sounds like there is hope