Baldwin jabs Thompson, GOP in speech
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U.S. Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin addresses the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday. She used the speech to outline her campaign platform and introduce herself to a broader audience.
MADISON — U.S. Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin used her speech at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday to take aim at prominent Wisconsin Republicans, saying they don’t really know the state and only candidates like her will fight for the middle class.
Baldwin was given a brief but prime speaking slot just hours before President Barack Obama, and she used the national spotlight to outline her campaign platform and introduce herself to a broader audience, telling the crowd: “I want you to hear about the Wisconsin I know.”
The seven-term congresswoman from Madison said that in her Wisconsin, “we believe in hard work … give our workers a fair shot, and we’ll compete against anyone.” She accused Republicans of wanting to “give up on our manufacturing sector.”
Baldwin is well known in her congressional district but not statewide. The most recent poll in mid-August had her trailing her Republican opponent, former longtime Gov. Tommy Thompson, by 9 points. But it also showed 31 percent of voters didn’t know her well enough to form an opinion.
Baldwin took a specific jab during her speech at Thompson, who worked as an attorney for a lobbying firm, saying he “went to Washington, cashed in on his special interest connections and never really came back.”
Wisconsin Democrats have been in the shadow of the state’s Republicans after GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney tagged Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate, and Gov. Scott Walker survived his recall election in June.
Reince Priebus, the Republican National Committee chairman, is also from Wisconsin and was in the national spotlight last week as organizer of their convention.
Baldwin’s speech came on the biggest night of the Democratic convention and highlighted the importance of her race as Democrats try to maintain the majority in the Senate. Republicans need to pick up four seats to take control, or just three if Romney is elected president.
Thompson, who was first elected to the Wisconsin Legislature in 1966 and served 14 years as governor, wasn’t given a speaking slot at the GOP convention. Still, he’s never lost a statewide election and in May survived a four-way Republican primary to face Baldwin, who had no opponent.
Thompson, 70, left the governor’s office in 2001 and served four years as then-President George W. Bush’s health secretary. After that, he worked as an attorney for a prominent Washington lobbying and law firm before returning to Wisconsin for the Senate race.
Baldwin, 50, was the first openly gay candidate to win election to the House in 1998. She seeks to become the first openly gay candidate elected to the Senate, and the first female senator from Wisconsin.
Sep 8, 2012 at 2:22 p.m.
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Kind of like Mao swimming the Yangtze... Haha.
Sep 8, 2012 at 1:54 p.m.
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Oreally,
Geriatric? I'm willing to bet that Tommy Thompson is in better shape than you are.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepoliti...
Sep 8, 2012 at 12:48 p.m.
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Unfortunately for Dems, Baldwin is a weak candidate state-wide. Unfortunately for the state, the geriatric Thompson will hardly fill Herb Kohl's shoes in the US Senate.
Sep 8, 2012 at 12:24 p.m.
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Wiggle, my life is definitely not messed up. Watching the Democratic party come apart at the seams is very satisfying to me.
FYI, Romney will win easily in Nov. Then the Republicans will get to work instead of brewing beer in the White house like Barak is doing now.
Sep 8, 2012 at 10:53 a.m.
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Hey Tommy; who did you give the $100,000,000.00 to that you stole from the State Employees pension fund (WRS) AND who paid it back?
Pull up those court records and be appalled at how corrupt or stupid Tommy really is.
Sep 8, 2012 at 9:10 a.m.
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onemesseduplifetolive says "Jealousy is an ugly animal"
Do you really think I, or any other DECENT human being is jealous of a liar (ryan), or a cheater (walker) or a heartless bully(romney)?
FYI- I am not a demo or a repub, I'm an American who would like a decent human to fix our country. Neither romney or ryan or walker are anywhere near decent.
If made me laugh so hard I reading that you think ryan has do anything for Janesburg, he is just as out-of-touch as romer boy!!!
Sep 8, 2012 at 8:54 a.m.
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If Romney/Ryan get elected, they will do everything they can to "Level the playing field", so American industry can compete. They will make sure workers get the same pay as foreign workers. There will be no collective bargaining, no health care, or pension benefits, The Osha & Epa regulations will be "relaxed". All this so the wealthy corp. execs can stay wealthy, as we progress into the mid century mark, when who knows what the world situation will be. All they do know is that they will still be WEALTHY", no mater what..
We the people , on the other hand, will just have to make do with whatever we have.. Is that the America you want your children to have to live ??? Stand up & fight for the little guy.
Sep 8, 2012 at 1:06 a.m.
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Wiggle, your party sure seems galvanized and ready to go forward. Laughing.
Your convention was a lie filled sham for most of us reality people to laugh at. Do you want God reinstated in the Democratic Platform? No, Yes, No, Yes, No, Yes.....Rev Wright...help us.
Bill Clinton is your hero...seriously?
Democrats, I'll give you this, you go down swinging, too bad all you are hitting is air.
Paul Ryan is a great Representative for Janesville. He's done more than the rest of us have. Jealousy is an ugly animal.
Go Walker. Go Romney, Go Ryan. Go Knilans. We will be heard. It is our turn Dems. Obama had his chance. Too bad he spent more time on vacation than any of us will get in a lifetime. Get someone in the White House that can run a business and work hard.
I'd rather have Ryan balance my checkbook than Obama. Peace
Sep 7, 2012 at 9:16 p.m.
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missdog3
"They only tell you what you want to hear"
Yeah Ryan sure came up with a few too!!!
What's really sad is the fact you all stand behind a guy that is so out of touch with his own home town he doesn't even know when the major employer closed.
He's either the brown noser who tells you what you want to hear, or the worst outright liar there is.
What's scary is the repubs think this guy is good for America!! says a lot about your party, lie to me, tell me what I want to hear even though everyone knows it's all a load of what walker carries around in his brown paper bag! But if you say it's so then I'll believe you because I have no morals!
Sep 7, 2012 at 11:27 a.m.
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They only tell you what you want to hear. Dems are shady like that; right down to 'stabbing someone in the back' in order to get what they want.
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