Wisconsin Democrats, after last week’s official launch of the campaign to recall Gov. Scott Walker, made a major show of strength over the weekend.
United Wisconsin, the group managing the recall, announced on Saturday that during the first four days of the effort — from Tuesday through Friday — they had brought in 105,000 signatures, nearly a fifth of the threshold they must legally meet: 540,208 signatures in a 60-day window.
There are, of course, two important caveats: First, after months of build-up to the recall campaign, it is natural that there would be an initial rush to sign in the first few days. Second, the Dems will have to gather even more than 540,208 signatures in real terms — for a buffer that campaigns routinely collect in order to protect against signatures being disqualified over one imperfection or another.
Keen to keep up the momentum, recall proponents organized a rally of tens of thousands of people at the state Capitol over the weekend.
The Wisconsin State Journal reports:
State Department of Administration officials estimate 25,000 to 30,000 people filled the square, marching through the cold drizzle, holding signs and chanting seemingly every possible derivation of “Recall Walker.”
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, was in the crowd. So was Ed Schultz, MSNBC talk show host and liberal firebrand.
A group of about 50 Walker supporters made a brief appearance. They weaved through a collection of teachers, students and organized labor officials unified in their desire to remove Walker from office.
The Dems also held a pre-rally event to train volunteers, featuring a very special guest: Former Sen. Russ Feingold, who lost his seat after three terms in the 2010 Republican wave, and since then has been a favorite of state Dem activists who had hoped for him to run for governor in a recall. However, Feingold took himself out of the running.
But as the video shows, that didn’t stop rally attendees from chanting “Run, Russ, run!” and “Governor Feingold” as the man himself capped off his pro-recall speech by personally signing a petition for the cameras. Feingold reiterated that he is not running.
“There will be a new governor in a few months. It won’t be me, but it will be somebody good,” Feingold said, Reuters reports. “It’s not about me. It’s not about any particular candidate. It’s about restoring civility and some kind of sense of unity to the state.”
Eric Kleefeld
Eric Kleefeld joined TPM as an intern for the final months of the 2006 midterm elections, and then kept showing up for work. His other interests include guitars, old comic books and the politics of various English-speaking countries.
suredick yep, you sure r a dick
There was a time for Unions. There may never have been a time for Union bosses, who when they gain power are just as bad as the Corporate bosses they villainize. Wisconsin has a chance to lead the Nation is curbing EXCESSIVE union power. I hope the voters in Wisconsin use that power.
lockeptrv Codswallop.
lockeptrv troll
Numbers:
1,080,000 = TWICE the number of signatures required to recall Walker.
105,000 = The number of signatures gathered in FOUR days.
60 = The number of days allowed to collect the 540,000 minimum.
9,000 = the number of signatures per day required to meet the minimum.
18,000 = the number of signatures per day required to meet DOUBLE the minimum (just to be safe).
26,250 = the number of signatures per day acquired per day in the first four days.
1,575,000 = the number of signatures that would be acquired by the deadline of January 17, 2012 if the current rate continues.
In short, at the current rate, organizers will have obtained nearly THREE TIMES the number of signatures required.
Even if the rate of signatures acquired in the first four days were to be cut in half in the remaining 54 (to 13,125) per day), we would still end up with more than 700,000 signatures, more than enough to cover 160,000 rejected signatures.
People are mad as hell and they aren't going to take it anymore.
When will these people figure out that whats triklin down their backs isnt rain....its p$%#
30,000 at a rally on the same weekend both the Packers and Badgers have big home games. That's a pretty impressive draw.
Also saw news clips last night that the bullying tactics of the Koch-infused right have already begun...some of the volunteers canvassing for signatures are already reporting receiving death threats. WTF is it about conservatives and needing to threaten lives when democracy rises up?
I just watched the illegal commercial that Kleefish put out and I find her take interesting.7 million for the recall costs,and if I sign Im saying I want to take books away from kids,health care from the poor???what does 800million from schools cuts to badger care and 258 million in tax breaks on the backs of state workers who are every bit as much of job creaters as any corporation when they spend money at local businesses do?Lets just create a few job creaters instead of thousands.A strong middle class is the best job creater not giving it to a few millionaires who as Ben Bernake said are holding on to 2.8 trillion dollars that they say they need to "create jobs"
It's not just Dems who are supporting the recall. We're a little different in Wisconsin. Progressives, Democrats, Socialists, Anarchists, Independents, and even 20% of Republicans want him out. The Dems have a bad track record of taking the steam out of the anti-Walker/Koch movement. That's why we're all working together to restore Democracy to Wisconsin. This is a popular movement, not a party-controlled effort.
Like the article said, these were the low-hanging fruit of signees. The next 600k will be much harder to get, and they only have seven weeks to do it.
haydesigner There must be a lot of low hanging fruit in Wisconsin.
One fifth of the way in one eighth of the time... Go... Go... Go...
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin! Plunge right through that line! Run the ball right down the field, a touchdown sure this time. On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin! Fight on for her fame, Fight! Fellows! Fight! Fight, fight, we'll win this game. On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin! Stand up, Badgers sing! 'Forward' is our driving spirit loyal voices ring. On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin! Raise her glowing flame! Stand, fellows, let us now salute her name!
Very nice! williwaws
williwaws Did Walker run his anti-recall ad during yesterday's Packers game? If so, I'll bet it helped the recallers more than Walker.
So who will run against Walker in Wisconsin? Russ would be a shoe-in victor.
ows-now if Aaron Rodgers was a resident of Wisconsin, was a Democrat, and wanted to retire from the NFL at the top of his career, we would have the perfect candidate.
Really? Russ couldn't beat an unknown at the time Ron Johnson in the senate race. Russ is loser!
Democracy is coming, to the U.S.A.
Target; ONE MILLION
let there be no doubts...
JEP
What's the Over/Under on signatures?
I have high hopes for WI. I hope they manage some positive change for their state. Surely Walker and his ilk are exposed as the Koch-suckers they are. I hope everybody in WI knows and votes/signs accordingly.
Handy "Walker and his ilk are exposed as the Koch-suckers they are." Priceless!
Handy Koch-suckers is a good one ... I also saw Koch-roaches which also gave me a chuckle.
Handy On a local level, if not nationally, check out the Bradley Foundation. Their just as entrenched as the Koch brothers.
"However, Feingold took himself out of the running."
Because, like the rest of the Professional Left, Feingold would like to continue spending his time telling everyone else what THEY are doing wrong.
rollotamasi13 Your so right! The "Professional Left" is all about showing up on TV shows, running fake campaigns to pad their personal PACs, taking $$$ for speeches, writing red meat books, and taking bus tours across America. Anything but run for office!Sincerely Yours,
Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, Karl Rove, Dana Perino, Joe Scarborough, Pat Buchanan,et. al.
spironarollotamasi13 You forgot one the most powerful one of them all on the side lines. The coward would not run either NORQUIST
rollotamasi13 Feingold had a long and honorable career as a public servant. He doesn't have to spend the rest of his life doing it.
Christopher Rollinsrollotamasi13 He may be preparing for something bigger. Or maybe he likes being a professor for a change.
thanks for saying this. Feingold served his state and country--and therfore all of us--honorably and quite well for many years. That doesn't make him a slave to the career. he need not pursue it forever if his life takes a different turn. Rollot's comment was bitter reward for a person who spent his career in public service.
Christopher Rollinsrollotamasi13
rollotamasi13 Isn't this exactly what you are doing? Implying he is doing something wrong by not running. If that's not what you meant then I am sorry, I was mistaken.
Either way, I don't think there is anything wrong with anyone not running for office. Just because I see government is doing something wrong, and I comment on it, doesn't mean I myself are a good candidate. I applaud him for not running, for whatever reason it may be.
Run, Russ, Run.
No to Obey, Kind, Falk and Barrett.
Dear Wisconsin,
Sign it.
Kind regards,
Uggswell P. Gravel
Collevtive bargaining has never created any jobs. Scott Walker is a hero for standing up for us taxpayes! All of you union dependent crybabies can go pound sand! The budget got balanced and nothing got cut in my district. We taxpayers actually got 5% back! The union thugs are just mad because they lost any real power they had.
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