An open letter to the former governor:
Hey boss, we need you again. More Wisconsin Republicans than you can know are turning their lonely eyes to you. We need that profile in courage you showed when I worked for you in the east wing of the Capitol.
We need you to save this land we love from another four years of Joe Biden. That means standing tall now with principle and conviction against the fear and loathing of Donald Trump. While there’s still time. Before our April 2 presidential primary. While Nikki Haley’s campaign still has breath. Because Donald Trump cannot beat Joe Biden. He’s already lost once — and thank you for not giving credence to the stolen election lie. (Thank you for not blaming the January 6 insurrection on Nancy Pelosi or some guy named Ray.)
You know that Wisconsin didn’t vote for Biden in 2020; they voted against Trump. Trump ran behind each of our Republican congressional candidates. Paying hush money to porn stars turns off the ladies who lunch in suburban Milwaukee. You never insulted a woman’s looks.
Trump’s endorsement sunk Tim Michels and re-elected Tony Evers. Wisconsin had a chance to elect Becky Kleefisch as our first female governor. Now we have a chance to elect another woman as our first female President. Someone without all the baggage, the criminal indictments, the spite, the lies, the petty meanness.
Is that the face of victory or paranoia?
Morning — or midnight — in America?
Tommy, you greeted us by proclaiming: “Isn’t it great to be a Republican!” You promised Rose Bowls and Super Bowls. Donald Trump vows revenge and retribution. You enlarged the tent. Trump promises to purge anyone insufficiently servile. (It was painful to watch Tim Scott bowing and scraping behind the man Tuesday night!) You never called names (“Birdbrain”?!) Your idea of invective was calling Ed Garvey “a strange individual.”
Tommy, you won Dane County, for gawds’ sakes! Donald Trump, a Republican President seeking a second term, barely managed to win half the Republican voters in Iowa. Every 15 of those 100 Republican voters say they won’t vote Trump in November, either. It’s worse in New Hampshire, where 21% are never Trump. Nationally, Trump polls within the margin of error against an historically unpopular President, whereas Nikki Haley beats Biden by 17 points!
Tommy, you and I both know the big-name Republicans who refused to attend the 2016 national convention in Cleveland because they were already Never Trump. Wisconsin went for Ted Cruz (Ted Cruz!), instead. Every one of your cabinet appointees extol your good name to this day. Contrast that with Trump; over 20 of his high-level appointees declare the man unfit to serve.
Real Politics average swing state %
Governor Thompson, take up the bully pulpit again. You stood up to the powerful teachers union to give poor black kids a chance for better schools through school choice vouchers. You fought the Democrat(ic) establishment, withstood the withering newspaper editorials to reform welfare and lend a hopeful hand up instead of a hand out. You supported law and order, not Proud Boys and tiki torch bearers. You never threatened to suspend the Constitution. You appealed to our hopes, not our base instincts. You were gracious in victory and defeat; you never whined.
Blaska’s Bottom Line: We can save our democracy. We can elect a Republican legislature, congress, and President again. Governor Thompson, face the unblinking cameras and stand with Nikki Haley, our last best hope. You’d be surprised how many of us will come out of the woodwork to make it morning in America, again.
23 responses to “S.O.S. Tommy Thompson!”
100 per cent in agreement. This might be your best writing ever.
Right on! Truer words were never spoken!
“Nationally, Trump polls within the margin of error against an historically unpopular President, whereas Nikki Haley beats Biden by 17 points!“
Tsk tsk — serving your former boss stale statistics. One and only one poll (Wall Street Journal) has shown Naggy Nikki beating Biden by 17 points. That poll was taken last November, well before the Iowa caucuses and the NH primary.
Current poll averages have Trump ahead of Biden +3.8 and Naggi at +1.1
Fair enough but the two most recent polls show “Naggi” (you take after your hero) up 3+ and 8+ points over Biden. (The 1.1+ you cite factors in four older polls). More to the points, the Real Clear Avg shows Trump and Biden in a dead heat here in Wisconsin. In Pennsylvania, Biden leads 47-39, in Virginia Biden is up 43 to 40 whereas NIKKI leads 43 to 38. In New Hampshire Biden beats Trump 44 to 41 whereas Haley wins 47 to 44.
” (you take after your hero) “
You’re my only (living) hero, DB, head groundskeeper blogguer nonpareil!
So I’ll try to do better:
Nikki Haley is a strange individual.
Or, as Grandma Meade would say of visitors to the farm who might tend to wear out their welcome:
“a queer bird.”
Brain 😁.
Btw, the RCP average just updated: Trump +4.3 ; StrangeIndividualQueerBird still 1.1
“Trump’s endorsement sunk Tim Michels and re-elected Tony Evers.”
The talented Herr Thompson chose Michels over Kleefisch.
Several attempts to determine why that happened remain unanswered, despite their being posted to The Werkes, on a timely basis, by an (arguably) genius Platinum Subscriber…who modestly prefers anonymity .
IMO, Michels essentially sunk himself.
The Gotch
He was too moist.
And based on the debate I watched he was running against Kleefisch’s daughters.
Nobody puts Kleefisch’s daughters in a corner.
A Dirty Dancing reference here, a Wall Street (a The Gotch Top 20!) there; you’re certifiably CineMAGAnificent! today, OE!
The Gotch
[…] This post originally appeared at https://davidblaska.com/2024/01/26/s-o-s-tommy-thompson/ […]
You’re getting desperate. Is Tommy still lucid?
Blue Horseshoe and the War Machine love Nikki Haley.
Sweet Jesus…that’s all we need is another old white guy running for office. He’s 83 and worth millions. Why? OIs the gop that desperate?
You’re looking at this all wrong. You don’t fight old with young, you fight old with older.
Buffett / Uecker would be a helluva ticket.
A Happy 90th Birthday to The Voice Of The Brewers
MONEY QUIP: My age is now the same number as my lifetime batting average
The Gotch
* heart emoji *
Am I asking Tommy to run for Governor?
I don’t agree with you all the time. But you are so right on with this one!
Last I heard, Governor Thompson was a warmly welcomed guest at Mar-A-Lago.
(Hey, Siri, “Tommy Thompson + Donald Trump”)
I know, that’s how Tommy can make amends.
“Morning in America, bombs in Russia and Gaza”
Nikki 2024
Bring on Michelle! It will be Barack’s 4th and maybe 5th term and he will have transformed America into something we won’t recognize if you are over 40.
I guess drump is going to have to sell more state secrets to pay that 83Milllion. Maybe Tommy can cosign a note for him.
Maybe the Brewers can draft Joe DiMaggio.