I think maybe the explanation is more damning than the condition here. http://t.co/fNhaQujbUG
— Bob Schooley (@Rschooley) August 18, 2015
The NYTimes, “Scott Walker Is Heckled in Iowa State Fair Appearance“:
DES MOINES – They sported Wisconsin cheese hats but the impression that Gov. Scott Walker had brought a home-state cheering section was demolished when catcalls began as soon as he started speaking Monday morning.
“Fifty kids in a classroom!’’ shouted Jonathan Hannah, a cheesehead from Milwaukee, responding to Mr. Walker’s criticism of the Common Core education standards at the Iowa State Fair…
Sarah Clifton said she and about 50 others came from Wisconsin to protest. “We’re residents of Wisconsin he’s not doing nothing for,’’ she said.
But Mr. Walker, whose standing in Iowa polls has been declining recently, was never thrown off his stride by the steady chorus of boos and interruptions. In fact he used the opposition to try to demonstrate he was a warrior Republican who would not back down, recalling how 100,000 protesters flooded the Wisconsin capital to try to derail his anti-union legislation in 2011.
“I will not be intimidated, just like I wasn’t intimidated there or anywhere else,’’ the governor said…
Both sides may have gotten what they wanted. After the governor’s speech, TV cameras and notebook-wielding reporters surrounded the protesters to hear their views.
But Walker supporters agreed with him that those doing the booing made him look tougher…
Wingnut-American standards of “toughness”, how far they have fallen. Tangentially related, Marin Coogan at NYMag on “The Politics of Presidential Dieting“:
The annual political pilgrimage to the Iowa State Fair, which kicked off this week in earnest, promises to be a trying time for the presidential candidates — and not just because of the proud Iowan tradition of waggling phallic fried goods in their faces (though that’s certainly a part of it). This year’s crop of presidential hopefuls is an unusually body-conscious bunch: They are challenging each other to pull-up contests (Rick Perry), bragging about their “gym rat” proclivities (Bobby Jindal), tossing away the garlic bread and scraping aside the pasta (Jeb Bush), and getting involved in push-up contests (Bobby Jindal, again).
You don’t have to look far to find the roots of this new focus on fitness: The man they’re running to replace has been photographed shirtless on the beach by paparazzi. The last guy to win the GOP presidential nomination was a Ken doll for the over-65 set. His running mate showed off his P90x-sculpted bod in Time magazine. Is it any wonder that Jeb Bush asked the vendor who made his fried Snickers bar to throw half of it out before giving it to him on Friday?…
News flash, Repubs: Much as some of his fans may pant over them, it’s not President Obama’s abs that won him the White House — twice.
On the other hand, it’s not like their candidates seem to have much in the way of brains to show off for the adoring crowds…