.@wisgop's state convention kicks off with a Journey song.
The @wiseye livestream suggests it is lightly attended, at least so far.
wiseye.org/2020/07/11/rep…
The @wiseye livestream suggests it is lightly attended, at least so far.
wiseye.org/2020/07/11/rep…
The song, of course, is "Don't Stop Believin'," a fairly frequent tune for political events from both parties (as well as "Sopranos" finales).
.@mercedesschlapp tells the crowd that its essential to fully fund the police.
"Do we want to be the next Seattle? Do we want to be the next Minneapolis? Do we want to be the next Chicago?"
The crowd eagerly says "Nooo."
"Do we want to be the next Seattle? Do we want to be the next Minneapolis? Do we want to be the next Chicago?"
The crowd eagerly says "Nooo."
.@mercedesschlapp says @HillaryClinton "forgot" to visit in 2016 and wondered if @JoeBiden would do the same.
Wisconsin Republicans are holding their annual convention in person.
@mercedesschlapp mocked @SenatorBaldwin and @SenDuckworth for holding a virtual event this week for @JoeBiden.
"I don't think anyone was watching," Schlapp said.
@mercedesschlapp mocked @SenatorBaldwin and @SenDuckworth for holding a virtual event this week for @JoeBiden.
"I don't think anyone was watching," Schlapp said.
Few at the @wisgop convention are wearing masks and there appears to be little social distancing.
.@wisgop provided a flier to attendees that says:
"As with any public activity, there are risks assumed, and by attending the RPW State Convention you acknowledge and assume any potential risk and liability for your own health.”
"As with any public activity, there are risks assumed, and by attending the RPW State Convention you acknowledge and assume any potential risk and liability for your own health.”
The flier encourages people to use hand sanitizer that is available around the KI Convention Center. It also urges people to engage in social distancing, but the chairs on the convention floor are relatively close together.
.@KatrinaPierson: "The Black coalition has the largest following than any other coalition for President Donald J. Trump."
.@KatrinaPierson says @realDonaldTrump had just a phone and a plane in 2016 when he won the presidency. Now, he has an "army" as he runs for re-election, she says.
Pierson says not to believe claims that Trump is racist, sexist and misogynist. She says Trump supporters must act as a "cavalry" to "speak the truth" about Trump and "get everyone out to the polls."
.@KatrinaPierson tells Wisconsin Republicans: "Stop thinking about voter fraud."
"What you should think about is turning out a margin that is so large" that any fraud won't matter," she says.
"What you should think about is turning out a margin that is so large" that any fraud won't matter," she says.
New Rep. @TomTiffanyWI compares people in Seattle to secessionists.
"Seattle -- they’re the modern-day secessionists, going back to 1860 that wanted to tear this country apart."
"Seattle -- they’re the modern-day secessionists, going back to 1860 that wanted to tear this country apart."
.@TomTiffanyWI says Democrats have a "mob" in their midst that includes the people who attacked an ally of the left, @TimCarpenterMKE.
Tiffany says he wishes Carpenter a full recovery.
Tiffany says he wishes Carpenter a full recovery.
Tiffany says he will never allow a colleague to vote for him in Congress. (Democrats have allowed this amid COVID-19.)
"This conversation will be recorded," @RepGallagher says ahead of a panel talk with legislators.
It's a joking nod to @GovEvers' team secretly recording a recent talk between the governor and top legislators.
It's a joking nod to @GovEvers' team secretly recording a recent talk between the governor and top legislators.
The panel consists of @SenFitzgerald and @rep89, the co-chairman of the budget committee.
Fitzgerald calls @GovEvers a "reluctant candidate" who ran because Democrats believed he was the only one who could beat @ScottWalker.
"I don't think he wanted the job and quite honestly I don't think the governor is up to the job," Fitzgerald said.
"I don't think he wanted the job and quite honestly I don't think the governor is up to the job," Fitzgerald said.
Staff, rather than the governor, is running the show, Fitzgerald contends.
"The void is filled by staff," he says.
"The void is filled by staff," he says.
He calls the secret recording the "epitome of disrespect."
.@SenFitzgerald trolls his friends in the Assembly from the @wisgop stage:
"I never served in the lower house. Some people call it the outhouse," he says.
"Make sure Vos hears about that later on."
"I never served in the lower house. Some people call it the outhouse," he says.
"Make sure Vos hears about that later on."
Just ater Fitzgearld tells Nygren to make sure Vos knows about his joking dis of the Assembly, Nygren says, "I already texted him."
.@rep89 says past good budgeting by the state will position it well to deal with tough financial times ahead.
"That is not because of Tony Evers," he adds. It's because of past budgets by Republicans that put hundreds of millions of dollars into the state's rainy-day fund.
"That is not because of Tony Evers," he adds. It's because of past budgets by Republicans that put hundreds of millions of dollars into the state's rainy-day fund.
.@rep89 says Republicans will focus on how far left Democrats have gone during this year's campaigns. He cites damage to the Capitol and defunding the police as top issues.
.@SenFitzgerald says jobs and the economy are the No. 1 campaign issue and education is the No. 2 issue. He touts school choice.
Fitzgerald accuses Evers of "playing games" on redistricting.
He predicts Evers will veto the maps Republicans will draw. He says it's "baloney" that Republicans drew maps in an unfair way in 2011.
He predicts Evers will veto the maps Republicans will draw. He says it's "baloney" that Republicans drew maps in an unfair way in 2011.
.@rep89 says a veto-proof, two-thirds majority in the Legislature is "within reach."
.@RepGallagher has twice today accused China of "unleashing" the coronavirus.
Specifically, he said, "the Communist Party of China was unleashing a plague around the world."
Specifically, he said, "the Communist Party of China was unleashing a plague around the world."
.@SenRonJohnson is providing a video message to @wisgop.
He says he can't attend in person because he's on a trip planned by his son for his 65th birthday.
He says he can't attend in person because he's on a trip planned by his son for his 65th birthday.
Johnson says "radical left" has taken control of colleges over recent decades.
Johnson says the far left has hijacked protests of George Floyd. He calls them "radical anarchists" and decries the "autonomous zone" that has been set up in Seattle.
Democrats offered only resistance to Trump, Ron Johnson says.
Trump has a proven record to get the economy back on track after COVID-19, Johnson says.
He urges everyone at the convention to find 100 votes each for Trump this fall.
.@RepBryanSteil says Republicans need to go on the offense.
"For far too long we’ve been on defense. We need to be on offense. We need to talk about how the Republican Party is the party of ideas about how to make a more perfect union."
"For far too long we’ve been on defense. We need to be on offense. We need to talk about how the Republican Party is the party of ideas about how to make a more perfect union."
.@RepGrothman hits the podium, says exuberantly, "It's time to talk about DONALD J--" and then falls into an intense coughing fit.
Grothman mocks the "chamber of commerce types" for being nervous about @realDonaldTrump's approach to immigration.
"Oh my goodness, he's threatening a tariff," he mimicks them saying.
"Oh my goodness, he's threatening a tariff," he mimicks them saying.
Grothman trumpets Trump for furthering shutting down immigration amid COVID-19, saying that helped protect the country.
Grothman praises Trump for rewriting NAFTA. He says China benefitted from that deal.
Grothman says Trump stood up to drug companies and brought more generic prescription drugs to America.
Grothman says Trump is putting in place work requirements for welfare, saying without changes the country would go made bankrupt.
Grothman says murders were down during the first three years of Trump's presidency but might not be for the fourth because some cities have elected "goofy" mayors.
"They want to make our police ineffective," @RepGrothman says of the left.
Rep. @GrothmanforWI: "Donald Trump stood with the police after an administration that talked about the police being racist, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. We finally had a president who stood with the police. And what was the result of standing with the police? Drops in murders."
Grothman, con't: "Now he’s got a problem on the home front because we have, you know, local control and people have been electing some kind of goofy mayors."
