CBS: ‘Awkward Exchanges’ Raised Questions About Walker’s Readiness’ to Run
ROSE: “The crowded GOP field just added another candidate. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker tweeted minutes ago, ‘I'm in. I'm running for president because America deserves a leader who will fight and win for them.’ He’ll be the 15th Republican in the race. There are questions this morning about whether the governor is ready. Dean Reynolds is at the Waukesha County Expo Center in Wisconsin where Walker’s speaking later today. Dean, good morning.”
REYNOLDS: “Good morning. Well the governor will be announcing here later today and he has a reputation as a man who stands on firm conservative principles but it is his record that will be getting a much closer look now.”
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REYNOLDS (voice-over): “The state budget he signed into law on Sunday includes budget cuts that aggravated not only Democrats but also many of his fellow Republicans and yet Walker was having none of it.”
WALKER: “With this budget the taxpayers come first.”
REYNOLDS (voice-over): “The Wisconsin governor has never wavered from his view that an aggressive conservatism works if it’s spelled out to the voters.”
WALKER: “Voters are serious when they say they want their leaders to take on serious decisions.”
REYNOLDS (voice-over): “The latest Quinnipiac poll gives Walker an 8 point lead in Iowa where a speech he gave in January catapulted him to the first rung of contenders.”
WALKER: “I'm hopeful to work together with you to help us provide that kind of leadership that is new and fresh and bold and aggressive.”
REYNOLDS (voice-over): “But Walker's policies, which turned Wisconsin into a right-to-work state, have not delivered the jobs he promised.
SPICUZZA: “He later kind of backtracked and said, well, that was really a goal, and it was an ambitious goal and don't you want to elect somebody who’s going to be ambitious?”
REYNOLDS (voice-over): “Awkward exchanges like this have raised questions about his readiness for primetime.”
WEBB: “Are you comfortable with the idea of evolution? Do you believe in it? Do you accept it?”
WALKER: “For me I'm going to punt on that one as well.”
WEBB: “No. Really?”
WALKER: “That's a question a politician shouldn't be involved in one way or the other.”
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REYNOLDS: “To guard against criticism that he lacks a certain presidential heft, the governor has been undergoing weeks of briefs on global issues, everything from net neutrality to ISIS.”
