Scott Walker: I've Taken on Unions, So I Can Handle ISIS

Wis. governor isn't even officially running for president yet, but he seems confident
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 27, 2015 10:33 AM CST
Wis. Governor: I've Taken on Unions, So I Can Handle ISIS
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015.   (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Scott Walker hasn't officially declared he's running for president, but the Wisconsin governor knows if he were president, he'd be able to handle ISIS. Why? Because he's taken on public unions. In a speech yesterday at the Conservative Political Action Conference (aka the "conservative Woodstock") in National Harbor, Md., Walker reminded everyone of his anti-unions stance and extrapolated that to how he'd do taking on the militants wreaking havoc in Iraq and Syria, the Guardian reports. "I want a commander in chief who will do everything in their power to make sure the threat from Islamic terrorists will not show up on our soil," he said. "If I can take on 100,000 protesters, I can do the same across the world." Walker was referring to 2011 protests in his state that demonstrated against his Act 10 legislation, which effectively nixed collective bargaining for public unions, per NPR.

One person who didn't appreciate Walker's comments, per the Wisconsin State Journal: Wisconsin AFL-CIO President Phil Neuenfeldt. "To compare the hundreds of thousands of teachers, students, grandmothers, veterans, correctional officers, nurses, and all the workers who came out to peacefully protest and stand together for their rights as Americans to ISIS terrorists is disgusting and unacceptable," Neuenfeldt said in a statement. Walker's counterpoint: "Let me be perfectly clear: I'm just pointing out the closest thing I have to handling this difficult situation is the 100,000 protesters I had to deal with," he told reporters, as per the Journal. "You all will misconstrue things the way you see fit. That's the closest thing I have in terms of handling a difficult situation, not that there's any parallel between the two." When asked by a reporter if he regretted yesterday's statements, he simply said, "No." (And listen: Walker has no clue if Obama loves his country or not, so don't ask.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X