Walker Joins Chorus of Prominent McCain
Backers in Denouncing ‘Hate Calls’
MADISON – Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, a state Co-Chair of John McCain’s campaign, yesterday joined an ever-growing chorus of Republicans who have rejected McCain’s negative robo-calls that have been flooding phone lines in Wisconsin and other states with dishonest, hate-filled messages about Barack Obama.
Walker criticized the calls in an interview that aired yesterday on WISN-TV’s Up Front with Mike Gousha. When asked if he was happy with the robo-calls, Walker said “No”, adding “I don’t think John McCain wins off of fear.” Walker joins other prominent state Republicans who have criticized McCain’s campaign following its sharp negative turn in the final weeks. A transcript of Walker’s remarks can be found below.
Listen to the audio of the WISN-TV interview: http://www.wisn.com/download/2008/1027/17808001.mp3.
“First Tommy Thompson, then Paul Ryan and now Scott Walker have all taken issue with McCain’s desperately negative campaign in Wisconsin,” said Joe Wineke, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair. “When will McCain and his Party bosses take the hint that Wisconsin voters don’t want to be torn apart by the politics of fear?”
McCain’s campaign, in collaboration with the Republican Party of Wisconsin and the Republican National Committee, has been placing automated calls and sending mailers to thousands of households across Wisconsin to spread sleazy, dishonest messages about Barack Obama under the radar. Ironically, this is the same tactic that was used against McCain in 2000, and at the time, he called the shameful automated messages “hate calls.”
In criticizing the negative tactics, Walker joins Ryan, who said he “would have done things differently the last few weeks” and Thompson, who notoriously told the New York Times he doesn’t know a single person in Wisconsin who is happy with the McCain campaign. Walker, Ryan and Thompson have all told reporters that McCain has failed to articulate an economic message in his campaign, while Barack Obama has maintained focus on his positive economy plans.
GOUSHA: I want to ask you about the robocalls. You’re the co-chair of the McCain Campaign. Do you agree with those robocalls that say – they have somebody on saying “I’m with the RNC and I want to tell you about the fact that Barack Obama ‘worked closely’ with the terrorist Bill Ayers.” Is that a fair statement to make? Are you happy with that kind of campaigning?
WALKER: Well two different parts. On the latter, no. Whether it’s fair or not, depends on whether or not they can document things. But I think the larger sense I don’t think John McCain wins off of fear.
