Chad’s Morning Brief: Scott Walker Wins in Wisconsin, Romney on the Economy, & More

Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of June 6, 2012. Give us your feedback below and tune in to Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty for these and many more topics from 6-9 am.

1. Walker Wins (link)

Governor Scott Walker may have done more for Mitt Romney and the Republican's than anyone else this year. After Gov. Walker took on unions in Wisconsin Democrats launched a recall effort. After collecting over 900,000 signatures, the issue went to the voters. The result? A defeat for Democrats and for unions.

With nearly all precincts reporting, Walker had 53 percent of the vote, compared with 46 percent for Barrett. The margin of victory was wider than many expected and slightly better than Walker's 5.8 percentage-point victory over Barrett in the 2010 race.

Democrats and organized labor spent millions to remove Walker, but found themselves hopelessly outspent by Republicans from across the country who donated record-setting sums to Walker.

Walker's win sets the stage for what's expected to be a hard-fought presidential battle.

Both sides in the presidential contest warned against reading too much into Tuesday's results, but Walker's solid victory is a warning for President Barack Obama in a state he comfortably carried in 2008 and where Democrats have won in six straight presidential elections. Romney has reason to be optimistic, given Walker's own vigorous ground game, the framework of which he will inherit.

Mitt Romney issued a statement last night on Walker's win:

“I congratulate Scott Walker on his victory in Wisconsin. Governor Walker has demonstrated over the past year what sound fiscal policies can do to turn an economy around, and I believe that in November voters across the country will demonstrate that they want the same in Washington, D.C. Tonight’s results will echo beyond the borders of Wisconsin. Governor Walker has shown that citizens and taxpayers can fight back – and prevail – against the runaway government costs imposed by labor bosses. Tonight voters said ‘no’ to the tired, liberal ideas of yesterday, and ‘yes’ to fiscal responsibility and a new direction. I look forward to working with Governor Walker to help build a better, brighter future for all Americans.”

What are your thoughts on Scott Walker's win?

2. Is Bill Clinton Really Against Obama? (link)

Former President Bill Clinton isn't helping Obama out too much on the campaign trail these days. Some reports even say that Clinton wants Obama to lose.

Bill Clinton has to be the smartest guy in the room even when he’s not in the room.

Clinton is not on Barack Obama’s campaign staff, is not a trusted adviser, does not set Obama’s strategy.

But Bill Clinton is pretty good at sabotaging Obama’s strategy.

He did so last week when he went on television and said Mitt Romney had a “sterling” record while running Bain Capital.

The Obama message is exactly the opposite. The Obama campaign had just run a TV ad claiming that working Americans had been harmed by Bain Capital and included one man saying Bain had been a “vampire” that “sucked the blood out of us.”

Whether you liked or hated the ad (I liked it), it attacked Romney on his strongest point: He is a good businessman who knows how to create jobs and, therefore, will be a good president.

But Bill Clinton did not like that ad.

“I think he had a good business career,” Clinton said of Romney and added that “a man who has been governor and had a sterling business career crosses the qualification threshold.”

Obama does not need Clinton undercutting him. The two are not close, but they are not supposed to be enemies.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if Clinton is really hoping for an Obama loss this year.

3. 10% Cut (link)

Governor Rick Perry has directed state agencies to start developing their requests for the 2014-2015 biennial budget. The challenge? Cut or save 10% in funding from agencies budgets. According to KFYO News:

The directive provides a starting point for state agencies as they begin preparing their budget requests for the 83^rd Legislative Session.

The request is similar to cuts desired in previous years.

“Identifying potential savings early in the budget process reiterates our ongoing commitment to the responsible fiscal policies that have made Texas the epicenter of job creation in the U.S., including keeping our taxes low, spending in check, and government running efficiently” said Perry.

Perry outlined his priorities in the letter to hold with the Texas Budget Compact, which includes truth in budgeting, support of a constitutional limit of spending to the growth of population and inflation, opposing any new taxes or tax increases, and make the small business tax exemption permanent, preserve a strong Rainy Day Fund, and to cut unnecessary or duplicative government programs and agencies.

Lt. Governor David Dewhurst also weighed in, saying “Unlike Washington where spending increases are automatic, Texas has maintained a balanced budget by forcing government to look for savings first – ensuring taxpayers’ hard-earned money is put to its highest and best use.” Dewhurst is currently in a runoff against former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Kay Bailey Hutchison.

The letter issuing the budget directives is available here.

There will be fights over this, that's for sure.

4. Michelle Obama Applauds NYC (link)

First Lady Michelle Obama applauded Mayor Michael Bloomberg for his soda ban, but said she wouldn't want a federal ban on big sugary drinks.

Asked about Bloomberg's proposal during an interview with The Associated Press, Mrs. Obama said there's no "one-size-fits-all" solution for the country's health challenges. But she said, "We applaud anyone who's stepping up to think about what changes work in their communities. New York is one example."

And asked whether the nation's obesity epidemic warrants taking a more aggressive approach, such as Bloomberg's, she said: "There are people like Mayor Bloomberg who are, and that is perfectly fine."

Mrs. Obama later issued a statement saying that she hadn't intended to weigh in on the Bloomberg plan "one way or the other."

"I was trying to make the point that every community is different and every solution is different and that I applaud local leaders including mayors, business leaders, parents, etc., who are taking this issue seriously and working towards solving this problem."

5. Dumb Story of the Morning (link)

While too much cheering is annoying at Graduation, this might go a bit far.

But for the second leading tackler of the Mt. Healthy Fighting Owls, cheering has earned Anthony Cornist a penalty he doesn't think he deserves.

"It's crazy how somebody can do that to you," he said from his family's living room Monday.

When Anthony walked across the stage at his high school graduation, his family made some noise.

"It was my dream to graduate," he said.

"I'm very proud of my son," Traci Cornist said.

Apparently, so were a lot of others.

"Teachers, other students and other family members who weren't with us were also cheering for him also. He's well known," Traci said.

The excitement proved too much for the administration.

Instead of a diploma, Anthony got a letter from the principal, Marlon Styles, Jr.

"I will be holding your diploma in the main office," the letter said, "due to the excessive cheering your guests displayed during the roll call."

"I did nothing wrong except walk across the stage," Anthony said.

The school demands 20 hours of community service before he can graduate.

Those hours can be split between Anthony and his family, or the senior can perform them all himself.

"I don't understand how he's being punished for something he has no control over," Traci said. "I just thought that was ludicrous... I have no clue where the logic comes in."

Thoughts?

6. Good Brews Good News of the Day (link)

Positive attitude linked to long life.

Living to very old age may be "in the genes" as the saying goes, and a recent study published in the journal Aging suggests that certain personality traits make up a major part of the mix of longevity genes.

Researchers found that having a positive attitude and a sense of humor could play a role in living a longer, healthier life. They developed a questionnaire designed to identify certain genetically-based personality traits and used it to assess 243 Ashkenazi Jewish adults between 95 and 107 years of age. The investigators chose this population because their genetic similarity would make it easier to account for genetic differences in personality.

"The results indicated they had two things -- a positive attitude for life, meaning they are optimistic, easygoing, extraverted, laughed more and expressed emotions rather than bottling them up," said Dr. Nil Barzilai, a study co-author and director of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine's Institute for Aging Research.

Everyday, Good Brews Coffee & Tea Lounge brings you the Good News of the Day!

Other Top Stories:

Lubbock Homes for Heroes

What Wisconsin Could Mean for the GOP

Calling the Border Patrol Might be Racist

Romney: This Isn't George Bush's Economy

These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty. Tune in mornings 6-9am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.