Scott Walker drops out of US 2016 presidential race with harsh words for Trump

[webfact]

Wisconsin's Walker exits '16 race with harsh words for Trump
By SCOTT BAUER and JULIE BYKOWICZ

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Warning that the Republican presidential race has become too nasty, Scott Walker exited the 2016 campaign on Monday and urged others to quit, too, and "clear the field" so someone can emerge to take down front-runner Donald Trump.

The announcement marked a dramatic fall for Walker, who was struggling to generate money and enthusiasm after surging into the race's top tier earlier in the year. He will return to his job as governor of Wisconsin, where his term runs through 2018.

"Today, I believe that I am being called to lead by helping to clear the field in this race so that a positive conservative message can rise to the top," Walker said in a news conference. "I encourage other Republican presidential candidates to consider doing the same so the voters can focus on a limited number of candidates who can offer a positive conservative alternative to the current front-runner."

Walker said that is "fundamentally important to the future of the party and more importantly to the future of our country."

One of the last Republicans to enter the race, Walker joined former Texas Gov. Rick Perry as one of the first to leave it. He found himself unable to adjust to Trump's popularity or break out in either of the first two GOP debates. Both candidates warned of the billionaire businessman's influence on the GOP as they stepped aside, although neither called him out by name.

"Sadly, the debate taking place in the Republican party today is not focused on that optimistic view of America," Walker said. "Instead, it has drifted into personal attacks." Walker's sons, Matt and Alex, attended his speech. They each had taken a semester off from college to campaign with him.

Walker's fall was in many ways more dramatic than Perry's.

He was thought to be a leader in the big pack for much of the year and built a massive national organization, with paid staff spread across the country, that dwarfed many of his rivals in scale and scope.

"I'm not sure what went wrong," said Iowa state Sen. Mark Costello, who endorsed Walker earlier this year. "I think all the more provocative statements some of the candidates made got them more press.

"I don't think he made any really big mistakes," Costello said, "but people lost enthusiasm."

Walker, 47, tried to appeal to religious conservatives, tea party conservatives and the more traditional GOP base. He tried to cast himself as an unintimidated conservative fighter who had a record of victories in a state that hasn't voted Republican for president since 1984.

Like Perry, however, Walker found little room for such a message in a race dominated by Trump.

Trump tweeted in response to Walker's decision, "he's a very nice person and has a great future."

Walker came to the race having won election in Wisconsin three times in four years, and having gained a national following among donors and conservatives by successfully pushing his state to strip union bargaining rights from its public workers.

Walker pointed to those Wisconsin wins, in a state that twice voted for Barack Obama as president, as signs that he could advance a conservative agenda as the GOP's White House nominee.

He called himself "aggressively normal" and made a splash in January with a well-received speech before religious conservatives in Iowa.

Groups backing Walker went on to raise $26 million, tapping wealthy donors whom Walker had cultivated in his years as governor and during his successful effort to win a recall election in 2012.

Walker's primary super PAC, called Unintimidated, had just begun spending for a major push in Iowa — reflecting the governor's last-ditch strategy to place all of his chips on that first-to-vote state.

The super PAC told federal regulators in a filing Friday that it had spent more than $1.6 million boosting Walker this year, most recently on a $50,000 mailing to Iowa voters. It will now return what it hasn't spent to its donors.

Many of Walker's troubles were not of Trump's making.

He took days to clarify whether he supported ending birthright citizenship. He initially showed interest in building a wall between the U.S. and Canada, only to laugh it off as ridiculous. He also declared he wasn't a career politician, despite having held public office for 22 straight years.

After Trump, Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina displaced Walker at the top of the polls, Walker took a more aggressive approach, promising to "wreak havoc" on Washington. He vowed to take on unions as president, just as he did as Wisconsin governor, outlawing them for federal government workers.

But the anti-union policy proposal fell flat; announced in the days before the second GOP debate, it wasn't mentioned at all — by Walker or anyone else — on stage.

While only Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush had more super PAC money available to boost their chances in the original 17-person 2016 Republican field, Walker struggled to generate money for his official campaign.

He has yet to report fundraising totals to federal regulators, but top fundraisers and donors have said his plummeting poll numbers left them struggling to generate cash.

Walker called his senior staff to the governor's mansion in Madison on Monday to review recent polling, in which he was mired at the bottom, and his campaign's finances.

"I'm disappointed," said Stanley Hubbard, a billionaire media mogul from Minneapolis who had backed Walker's campaign. "He's a good man and would have been a good president."

As word spread of his decision to exit the race, Republican operatives in Iowa working for other campaigns were already making plans to contact state lawmakers who had committed to support Walker.

The Wisconsin governor had assembled a campaign organization in every one of Iowa's 99 counties and had a number of state lawmakers committed to him.

Cliff Hurst, one of Walker's New Hampshire co-chairs, was already planning to shift to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's campaign.

He said he knew about three days ago that "it was over" and had been discussing an endorsement of Rubio as of Monday morning, before Walker's announcement became official.
___

Bykowicz reported from Washington.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-09-22

[JakeSully]

It's amazing what happens to candidates once the political donations from billionaires stop (a.k.a. The Koch Brothers).

More proof positive we need to stop the influence of money in politics!

[geriatrickid]

Next to go in order are;

Pataki, Santorum, Kasich, Huckabee Jindal, Graham

[BKKSnowBird]

Looking like another Bush vs Clinton match up.

[maidee]

left, middle, right

they are all sponsored by lobby parties on each side

so that corporate america can continue to rule the country and make laws that suit & protect them

[Usernames]

This is the Republican establishment desperately trying to derail Trump. The establishment would rather lose the election to a Democrat than lose their grip on power within the party. These are truly evil people.

[Cent]

left, middle, right

they are all sponsored by lobby parties on each side

so that corporate america can continue to rule the country and make laws that suit & protect them

Yes, with the exception of Bernie Sanders.

[up-country_sinclair]

Trump sucking all the oxygen out of the room is at least partly responsible for Governor Walker dropping out of the race.

[Ulic]

Boo Hoo, I was the front runner, now I am last, I'm quitting. You guys should quit too.

[JakeSully]

Looking like another Bush vs Clinton match up.

It really looks like the Hunger Games Corporations playing a Chess game sacrificing pawns/ bishops/ rooks to save a knight to win.

The powers that be on the GOP side (Koch Brothers) probably want to spend the least amount of money to get the outcome desired so they'll likely do what you say: Back Bush.

They'll totally ignore the fact that he alienated women with we don't need to spend half a billion dollars on women and Asians with the anchor babies. Not a chance the country wants to get bushwhacked.

Then they'll go with Christie who is a bully and he stood behind Muslims when he nominated one to be a State Judge. Bad for his base.

The likely safest picks are Kasich and Rubio but that's exactly why they'll be the last choice and this will beautifully prove Bernie Sanders message of it's all money in politics that's the problem - lobbying by the billionaires/ NRA and no wonder nothing gets done.

[bendejo]

Poorly-kept secret in political circles is that Walker was very much the Koch's, er, assignee. The question now is who is going to get the bonanza pack. My guess would be Rubio, but he's already dancing for Adelson.

That comment about the wall with Canada put Walker in the wingnut league with Cruz.

Don't rule out Kasich, he may be the smartest, sanest of the bunch. Jeb was dumb enough to say publicly he would get the same neocon advisors to run his foreign policy that his brother did, so much for him; if he got the nod the Dems would slaughter him with attacks on that whole crew of stooges. So the real possibilities remaining are Rubio, Jeb, Kasich and Pataki, the rest are clowns.

[BKKSnowBird]

I think the GOP will pick Bush because they need the hispanic vote to win and they know they can control him. He would chose a women or minority as VP. Maybe Carlson or Rubio.

I really hope the American people are not dumb enough to elect him.

Edited September 22, 2015 by BKKSnowBird

[Jimmpy]

Glad to see HIM go and hope others do the same.

[hakuho]

"I learned a lot about the way America works when I worked at Lehman Brothers,'' so says John Kasich...is he 'too big to fail'? this Wall Street pimp is just another high level corporate mobster.....and Walker outed himself as the passive-aggressive, coward flunky that he is...who are they working for? Who are the men behind the curtain?

Well, we can never be sure who they are, but you can vote for that proto-dyke Hilary and contribute to the International Bilary Trust Fund....555.

[elgordo38]

Poorly-kept secret in political circles is that Walker was very much the Koch's, er, assignee. The question now is who is going to get the bonanza pack. My guess would be Rubio, but he's already dancing for Adelson.

That comment about the wall with Canada put Walker in the wingnut league with Cruz.

Don't rule out Kasich, he may be the smartest, sanest of the bunch. Jeb was dumb enough to say publicly he would get the same neocon advisors to run his foreign policy that his brother did, so much for him; if he got the nod the Dems would slaughter him with attacks on that whole crew of stooges. So the real possibilities remaining are Rubio, Jeb, Kasich and Pataki, the rest are clowns.

I disagree they are all clowns and buffoons. Walker being the worst realized that his outlandish ideas would just not fly with the electorate. Alienating women, union workers, and the rest of his wingnut ideas. Just the fact that he was elected governor 3 times scares the sh*t out of me as it should you. The fact that he was just reinforces my idea that voters are running scared looking for a rock to hide under. Scared voters are irrational voters just the type politicians are looking for to hear their "we will save you" message. After Walker leaving the rest of the pack can now trot out their canned messages again and again about how they will make America great again. I think to make America great again you have get a real square shooter in office. No not Ronald Reagan or John Wayne. The sad part is that the winner must go out and borrow more money to make good on his promises. Thus is life in Utopia for the present anyways.

[Chicog]

WICHITA (The Borowitz Report)—Saying that “things just didn’t work out,” the billionaire Koch brothers have decided to put Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker up for sale.

The Kochs, who earlier had purchased Gov. Walker with great fanfare, announced their plan to sell the politician in a terse statement from Koch Industries headquarters in Wichita.

“Scott Walker is a fine individual, and we wish him well,” the Kochs’ statement read. “We are confident that he will be a good fit for some other billionaire industrialists.”

Republican insiders, however, called the Kochs’ plan to sell Walker highly optimistic, and noted that the market for the Wisconsin Governor was, at this point, virtually nonexistent.

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/cutting-losses-kochs-to-sell-scott-walker

Edited September 22, 2015 by Chicog

[MadBum]

WICHITA (The Borowitz Report)—Saying that “things just didn’t work out,” the billionaire Koch brothers have decided to put Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker up for sale.

The Kochs, who earlier had purchased Gov. Walker with great fanfare, announced their plan to sell the politician in a terse statement from Koch Industries headquarters in Wichita.

“Scott Walker is a fine individual, and we wish him well,” the Kochs’ statement read. “We are confident that he will be a good fit for some other billionaire industrialists.”

Republican insiders, however, called the Kochs’ plan to sell Walker highly optimistic, and noted that the market for the Wisconsin Governor was, at this point, virtually nonexistent.

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/cutting-losses-kochs-to-sell-scott-walker

Boring? Yes. Witty? No.

[Publicus]

 

Poorly-kept secret in political circles is that Walker was very much the Koch's, er, assignee. The question now is who is going to get the bonanza pack. My guess would be Rubio, but he's already dancing for Adelson.

That comment about the wall with Canada put Walker in the wingnut league with Cruz.

Don't rule out Kasich, he may be the smartest, sanest of the bunch. Jeb was dumb enough to say publicly he would get the same neocon advisors to run his foreign policy that his brother did, so much for him; if he got the nod the Dems would slaughter him with attacks on that whole crew of stooges. So the real possibilities remaining are Rubio, Jeb, Kasich and Pataki, the rest are clowns.

Very much agreed however Pataki would need to get bucks behind him now to make himself known or he's soon to be gone too. Fiorina talked her way out from the kiddie table to the main debate event, basically bursting on the scene as a failed female Trump. Pitaki needs to do the same, which is dubious at best.

Still, Rubio, Jeb, Kasich will continue to be marginalised by the bluster of Trump and his raucus political half Fiorina, each of whom will either blast people out of his way rhetorically or will chew our ear off till we submit. Carson meanwhile gets support and votes just being Carson, which is keeping certain voters away from considering voting for any R who might be center-right-right.

Ted Cruz is already heavily invested in the Super Tuesday primary (March next year) in which most southern states will vote on the one same day. Cruz wants to crash the party at that time in his own way. Super Tuesday next year should be a wing-dinger of a primary voting day affecting whoever is still in it by then.

Bush and Rubio have the staying money over the long campaign, Kasich isn't even close and Pataki is even further behind him.

It could appear the edges of the Republican party are folding right over the middle of it and that the Republican center where national general elections are won is fast disappearing.

Edited September 22, 2015 by Publicus

[elgordo38]

WICHITA (The Borowitz Report)—Saying that “things just didn’t work out,” the billionaire Koch brothers have decided to put Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker up for sale.

The Kochs, who earlier had purchased Gov. Walker with great fanfare, announced their plan to sell the politician in a terse statement from Koch Industries headquarters in Wichita.

“Scott Walker is a fine individual, and we wish him well,” the Kochs’ statement read. “We are confident that he will be a good fit for some other billionaire industrialists.”

Republican insiders, however, called the Kochs’ plan to sell Walker highly optimistic, and noted that the market for the Wisconsin Governor was, at this point, virtually nonexistent.

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/cutting-losses-kochs-to-sell-scott-walker

Good one Chicog everybody should read the humorous link you provided. He was for sale from the very beginning and bought and paid for by the Kochs. His best before date has come and gone and he failed to raise above the rest I wonder why?? read the link. This guy is a prisoner in his own mind.

Quote "Sadly, the debate taking place in the Republican party today is not focused on that optimistic view of America," unquote. Its hard to be optimistic when your country's total debt all rolled into one is north of 200 TRILLION dollars. Add to that the number of really unemployed, under employed, the 35% who want a job and cannot find one, the students with huge student loans they could never hope to pay back in their lifetime, stagnant wages, for seniors like me zero percent interest on our LIFE savings, a Fed wandering around in the wilderness looking for answers to a recovery dead in the water, Millions of illegals looking for a handout and more to come from Europe robbing money that could be spent for the benefit of hard working Americans. Yes Scott go back to your cushy job as Governor of Wisconsin. No worries there for you.

[bendejo]

Good article on Walker post-mortem here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/09/22/9-things-i-learned-about-scott-walker-on-the-campaign-trail-and-why-they-mattered/

I heard a report on the news yesterday that Walker raised $20 million for his PAC, but his campaign war chest went bust. I guess this is an education re campaign funds vs. PAC money. My guess is the Kochs pumped up the PAC, but it's THEIR PAC, and they still have all that $$ to back another horse. Question is "which horse?" Is there still time for a new candidate?

I don't think Kasich will lower himself to the Koch's demands, but maybe I'm being overly optimistic. Contrast Kasich's blue-collar roots (which he enjoys talking about) to the Koch's contempt for the working man person. Rand Paul came out of the kennel club competitions without a sponsor because he wouldn't sit up, roll over, and beg on command, and I give him credit for that. I'm not familiar with Pataki's record so no comment there. Rubio is Adelson's dog, keep his war chest flush and he will obey as told. Bush has the full-force of old money and old American establishment behind him, so one problem he will not have is lack of funds. What I fear is that those behind him will stage some sort of event (like burning down the Reichstag) to convince the voters that only a hawk can save the country. I'm also expecting a sympathy ploy from House of Bush at a strategic moment (no further comment on this at this time).

Trump is a like a clunky old car that is falling apart, and the suspense is when and how -- will it not start one morning, or will it go bust whilst driving down the freeway? He is supposed to be on Colbert tonight, I'm expecting some boo-ing from the audience. IMO that tinfoil-hat stuff from the town hall last week was a wake-up for him.

[Jingthing]

People don't seem to realize how EARLY it is in this race.

Not even the first primary.

Don't rule out Kasich. He will show well in the first primaries and then he will become a serious contender.

Bush has the money and the machine but the idea of another Bush is just too sickening, even for republicans.

Trump ... don't be ridiculous.

Dr. Strangelove ... you've got to be kidding.

Rubio ... OK, he's also a contender.

The HP lady ... won't wear well.

Christie ... he's still too fat. Doesn't matter? Yes it does.

Cruz ... a great choice to definitely lose.

Huckabee ... he can be president of the Evangelicals.

Edited September 22, 2015 by Jingthing

[thaibeachlovers]

Next to go in order are;

Pataki, Santorum, Kasich, Huckabee Jindal, Graham

I'm surprised Huckabee lasted this long. The guy is a nutter, IMO. Should stick to playing guitar.

As for Walker, boo hoo. Man up guy, accept that you aren't what people want and move on. I'd guess that seeing him try to out Trump Trump was a big turnoff for many. If one is going to be a politician, it doesn't pay to change tactics mid campaign, as it just makes one look weak.

[thaibeachlovers]

People don't seem to realize how EARLY it is in this race.

Not even the first primary.

Don't rule out Kasich. He will show well in the first primaries and then he will become a serious contender.

Bush has the money and the machine but the idea of another Bush is just too sickening, even for republicans.

Trump ... don't be ridiculous.

Dr. Strangelove ... you've got to be kidding.

Rubio ... OK, he's also a contender.

The HP lady ... won't wear well.

Christie ... he's still too fat. Doesn't matter? Yes it does.

Cruz ... a great choice to definitely lose.

Huckabee ... he can be president of the Evangelicals.

Early- damn right. The US election system is INSANE. It's bad enough not in the US, but if in the US having to put up with all that BS for 18 months ( or is it longer than that? ) is crazy.

It's bad enough in a country where we have to listen to them promise everything when we know they are lying for just a few weeks, but MONTHS- aaaaaarrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhh.

[elgordo38]

People don't seem to realize how EARLY it is in this race.

Not even the first primary.

Don't rule out Kasich. He will show well in the first primaries and then he will become a serious contender.

Bush has the money and the machine but the idea of another Bush is just too sickening, even for republicans.

Trump ... don't be ridiculous.

Dr. Strangelove ... you've got to be kidding.

Rubio ... OK, he's also a contender.

The HP lady ... won't wear well.

Christie ... he's still too fat. Doesn't matter? Yes it does.

Cruz ... a great choice to definitely lose.

Huckabee ... he can be president of the Evangelicals.

Early- damn right. The US election system is INSANE. It's bad enough not in the US, but if in the US having to put up with all that BS for 18 months ( or is it longer than that? ) is crazy.

It's bad enough in a country where we have to listen to them promise everything when we know they are lying for just a few weeks, but MONTHS- aaaaaarrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhh.

Ah ha your catching on to this insane system. Lets hope the rest of the country does to. Unfortunately its a world wide disease and it is structured in such a way that both parties A or B offer the same crap only the dressing is a bit different. If you have parties C and D as well well then the whole process becomes fragmented and one party drives up the middle. A party that did not receive the majority of the votes. Anyway you look at it its a suckers game for us and always will be.

[bendejo]

I think I figured out why he quit so suddenly, it has to do with Cameron and the pig.

[Pinot]

I'm going to miss Scotty. He was stupidity personified. Oh sure, you say, there all stupid. But Scotty's stupidity was so charming, so childlike.

Give me a moment here...(sighs), at least we'll have another look at him when he tries to get elected again.

What a dick.

[elgordo38]

I'm going to miss Scotty. He was stupidity personified. Oh sure, you say, there all stupid. But Scotty's stupidity was so charming, so childlike.

Give me a moment here...(sighs), at least we'll have another look at him when he tries to get elected again.

What a dick.

What you say above is all true but what really scares me is that the good people of Wisconsin were lets not say dumb but as I have stated before are living in fear and wrongly elected this guy 3 times in the past. People are so mesmerized by bad politics they no longer know what to do. Its almost like living in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. This guy was so transparently bad he in the end began to see through himself.