Posted on 10/25/2012 6:53:19 PM PDT by markomalley
For Paul Kaiser, it was the attack in Libya that left four Americans dead.
For Pam Reinemann, it was a national economy that continues to sputter.
Whatever their reasons, voters like Kaiser and Reinemann who have grown frustrated with President Obama have given Republican Mitt Romney new hope of challenging the president for the 10 electoral votes of Wisconsin, a state that voted Democratic in seven of the last 10 elections.
"It's been gradual," Kaiser, a retired veteran from La Crosse, said of his break with Obama. "Personally, I have no qualms with him. Policywise, I do."
Kaiser said he's now "more than likely" going to vote for Romney on Nov. 6.
In Lake Mills, about 150 miles from La Crosse, Reinemann, an antique shop owner, tells a similar story.
"He didn't do the right job, and I don't know that I trust that four more years will be better," Reinemann said. "Obama is a smooth talker. I don't necessarily know that it makes him a better president."
Reinemann said she's still undecided, "not totally with either one of them."
Wisconsin, with an unemployment rate slightly below the national average, is a political paradox: The state awarded Obama a 14-percentage-point victory in 2008, but two years later elected a Republican governor. Moreover, energized state Republicans resoundingly turned back a June effort to recall Gov. Scott Walker amid a bitter dispute over public employee labor unions.
"There's a large portion of the electorate that organizes their attitudes as liberal on some issues and conservative on others," said Michael Wagner, a University of Wisconsin political scientist. "They don't have a party that represents the totality of their views, and they're frustrated."
That frustration has manifested in recent weeks as Obama's lead dropped from double digits in September to just a few points.
Obama's campaign said it's not surprised or concerned that Wisconsin has tightened.
"We have said from day one that this would be a much more competitive race than it was four years ago. It's no surprise," said Obama spokesman Joe Zepecki. "We feel good. I think that no matter what public poll you look at it, it backs that up."
Republican activists, however, sense opportunity, and say the effort to eject Walker increased their chances of wresting the state from Obama.
"The grassroots strength that was in place for the recall is in place for the presidential election," said Jeff Snow, chairman of the College Republicans at the University of Wisconsin. "I completely believe that we can replicate the numbers we had in the recall. We have those voters targeted."
Obama's spokesman acknowledged that the recall helped the GOP sharpen its organization in Wisconsin.
"I'm happy to concede to them that it's a little bit better," Zepecki said. "But I won't concede -- and I don't think they can say with a straight face -- that they've caught up with us."
Both sides and independent analysts are predicting high voter turnout here.
"There are lots of reasons for people to show up to the polls," Wagner said. "It's a state where if you're a supporter of Barack Obama, he has to have Wisconsin, and if you're a Romney supporter, the idea of breaking through Obama's firewall makes voting worthwhile."
“Personally, I have no qualms with him”
From a retired veteran no less. What does it take to wake people up to this Fraud.
If they’re frustrated now...Oshkosh Truck just announced this afternoon they will be laying off 450 workers in January and there are rumors that Kimberly Clark has layoffs planned too.
Democrats in northern WI were highly pissed when the RATs in the state legislature wrecked the big mine deal earlier this year. People aren’t as dumb as Obama thinks they are.
There is a difference between “being a veteran” and “being a veteran from La Crosse”.
No, really; what planet are these screwballs from?
They sound like made-up caricatures of real voters. Maybe they’re “composites” synthesized in the fertile minds of our presstitutes. Like obamao’s old girfriends.
This will be my eighth trip to the polls this year. I hate demonrats!
A woman told Mike Huckabee today,
“I am not a Republican in fact I hate Republicans but Obama scares me to death”
8th???
Never been to Wisconsin, spent a little time in Minn and Ontario. Seems from an outsider view to be a unique battleground- Wilderness and Industry, albeit the rusting vestige of the American Industrial Revolution..
I am so heartened to have seen the recent trends since 2010 there. Wisconsin can play a huge role in the potential US recovery.
The northern belt of the US is a tough place to winter and to have come so far once when times were more difficult speaks highly of the denizens there. Time to do it again!
What I can’t understand is why states that have recently elected Republican governors (in state wide races, obviously) - - Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, and Wisconsin - - would be considered leaning for the African communist. It makes no sense. Heck, in Wisconsin’s case, the people there elected Republican governor Scott Walker TWICE.
Two times in Judge Prosser’s attempted recall, two times for state senator recalls, two times for Gov. Walkers attempted recall, the Presidential primary and Nov. 6.
Why will Wisconsin will go to Romney?
Obama abandoned the public unions both financially and personally when Governor Scott Walker was pushing through eliminating the bargaining power of the unions.
On the campaign trail in 2007, Mr. Obama had this to say: “If American workers are being denied their right to organize when I’m in the White House, I will put on a comfortable pair of shoes and I will walk on that picket line with you as President of the United States.”
“He owes it to us,” said Kathie Free, a retired Milwaukee public school social worker. “Obama was not put into office just by the big money. He was put into office by millions of poor and middle-class people who walk the neighborhoods, talking to neighbors, getting the votes, and that’s how Obama got in, and he has to start remember how he got in. He’d better start working for the middle class and poor people.”
* Liberals call on Obama to fulfill campaign promise, walk with Wisconsin union protesters *
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20036133-503544.html
* Wisconsin Protests: Labor Protesters Call On Obama To Join Them In Madison *
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/18/wisconsin-protesters-call-on-obama_n_825361.html
OBAMA LIED AND THE WISCONSIN PUBLIC UNIONS DIED
Please consider this. The Democrats in Wisconsin are really Socialists. This thinking started from the beginning and was totally ingrained when Bob LaFollette, Progressive Party, was a ruling political figure at the start of the 20th Century. Milwaukee has many Socialist Mayors right up to 1960 ie: Frank Zeidler. Then thereafter there are many Progressive Democrat Mayors thereafter to this day. This Socialist thinking came with the German immigrants. In addition most of the population, outside of the Amish in Milwaukee and the Pure Commies in Madison, are fiscally responsiveable and adhere to the “Work hard and save your money” credo.
It’s been D for forever so it’ll take a lot to change to R. We can hope though.
“Personally, I have no qualms with him”
P.C. speech for “see, I am not a racist”.
Union corruption in Wisconsin is out of control..
Even the Police, Firefighters and teachers are totally corrupt..
Wisconsin is on the verge of corruption on all levels..
All Union members are suspect..
Maybe that's how to reach them - who would you rather have governing Wisconsin? If they aren't suitable to govern your State, why would you allow them to govern your NATION?
but two years later elected a Republican governor...And again!..Two years later!
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