--- title: Scott Walker: Bold in Office, Meek on the Trail description: Republicans and Democrats in Wisconsin warn that Scott Walker-the-governor is very different than Walker-the-candidate. canonical: https://time.com/3749634/scott-walker-governing/ author: Haley Sweetland Edwards article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-03-20T12:50:52.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:42:32.934Z article:section: Politics og:title: Scott Walker: Bold in Office, Meek on the Trail og:description: The Wisconsin governor is very different on the campaign trail. og:url: https://time.com/3749634/scott-walker-governing/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7d61d11af36c48cd/69877d0f06f2c1fbc6333bf6/scott-walker.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4000 og:image:height: 2250 og:image:alt: Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker Delivers Keynote At The American Action Forum og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Scott Walker: Bold in Office, Meek on the Trail twitter:description: The Wisconsin governor is very different on the campaign trail. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7d61d11af36c48cd/69877d0f06f2c1fbc6333bf6/scott-walker.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Scott Walker: Bold in Office, Meek on the Trail > Sponsored content. 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Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: Real TIME: Scott Walker At CPAC 2015 [Watch (HLS stream): Real TIME: Scott Walker At CPAC 2015](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Em2MtXHb.m3u8) (0:59)  _Published 2015-02-28. Gov. Scott Walker shared his views on the economy, minimum wage, and and the partisan showdown in Congress over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's impending visit to the U.S. during his speech at CPAC._  by [Haley Sweetland Edwards](https://time.com/author/haley-sweetland-edwards/)  ## Haley Sweetland Edwards Mar 20, 2015 12:50 PM UTC  Scott Walker governor of Wisconsin speaks during a panel discussion at the American Action Forum in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 30, 2015. Scott Walker governor of Wisconsin speaks during a panel discussion at the American Action Forum in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 30, 2015. Bloomberg/Getty Images  by [Haley Sweetland Edwards](https://time.com/author/haley-sweetland-edwards/)  ## Haley Sweetland Edwards Mar 20, 2015 12:50 PM UTC Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker made headlines this week after his aide, Liz Mair, resigned on Wednesday and publicly apologized for tweeting some off-the-cuff comments about the early caucus state of Iowa. You can agree or disagree with what Mair had to say—conservative pundit Jonah Goldberg called them “Disgusting and repulsive. Also, [pretty much accurate](http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/415577/no-glory-hawkeye-state-jonah-goldberg)”—but the real dust-up here has nothing to do with Mair at all. The real issue is the disconnect between who Walker says he is—“bold,” “courageous,” and “unintimidated”—and the rather meek way he handled this mini-scandal and his campaign more generally. If Walker is indeed bold and courageous, willing to “take on the unions,” stand up to 100,000 protesters, and endure death threats “to do what’s right,” as he argues in his speeches on the early campaign trail, pundits on both sides of the aisle are asking, why didn’t he [stand up for his own staffer](http://theweek.com/articles/545019/scott-walker-gutless-wonder-2016-presidential-race)? Why is he being intimidated by the [minor vagaries](http://www.slate.com/articles/news%5Fand%5Fpolitics/politics/2015/03/liz%5Fmair%5Fshouldn%5Ft%5Fhave%5Flost%5Fher%5Fjob%5Ftimid%5Fcampaigns%5Fwill%5Fdestroy%5Fpolitics.html) of an early presidential race? “If Walker is the guy I hope he is,” writes Goldberg, a self-described Walker booster, “He won’t just have to take on his enemies, he’ll have to take on his friends, too … Isn’t that the point of the anti-establishment movement on the right?” Republicans and Democrats in Wisconsin explain it this way: Walker-the-governor is very, very different than Walker-the-candidate. Walker-the-governor _is_ bold. As governor, he has consistently pushed through far-reaching policies and then stood his ground in the face of all kinds of threats. But Walker-the-candidate is nothing of the sort. As a candidate, Walker has a history of being blandly genial and preternaturally vague. When he’s asked policy questions, he gives squishy, milquetoast answers, and seems willing to go to great lengths to avoid saying anything that could get him in trouble later: Should the U.S. do more to combat ISIS? “That’s certainly something I will answer … [in the future](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/gov-scott-walker-punts-foreign-policy-evolution-questions/story?id=28899257).” Who should be Chairman of the Federal Reserve? “I’ll [punt](http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/scott-walker-jeb-bush-dynasty-nominee-115323.html#ixzz3SDfE6Sqr) on that.” Is President Obama a Christian? “[I don’t know](http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/233420-walker-i-dont-know-if-obama-loves-america).” Should the U.S. arm Ukrainian rebels? “I have an opinion on that … but [I just don’t think you talk](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/gov-scott-walker-punts-foreign-policy-evolution-questions/story?id=28899257) about foreign policy when you’re on foreign soil.” What’s Walker’s position on the idea of evolution? “That’s a question politicians [shouldn’t be involved in](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/02/13/every-politician-should-tell-us-what-they-think-about-evolution-and-climate-change/) one way or another.” Does Obama love America? “I’ve never asked him so [I don’t know](http://bigstory.ap.org/article/b3d6f4ed5c8e4d85a67ea83f5f967b61/gov-walker-says-he-doesnt-know-if-obama-loves-his-country).” While Walker’s supporters argue that some of those questions were unfair—and some were, admittedly, downright trolling—his colleagues in Wisconsin say that Walker has a habit of describing his policy goals as broad, ideological soundbites that sound good to moderates and conservatives, but he doesn’t tell voters what he _actually_ plans to do. John Torinus, a Republican commentator in Wisconsin and a former supporter of Walker, lamented recently in a column entitled, “[Do Wisconsin Campaigns Mean Anything Anymore](http://johntorinus.com/partisan-politics/wisconsin-campaigns-mean-anything/)?” that Walker’s was a “government by surprise.” Torinus described Walker’s “style of governance” as “throwing out broad-brush policy shifts without a lot of input beforehand.” ### Behind the Scenes of CPAC  Peter Dudziak of John, Minnesota attends CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2014. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Nine year old Thomas H. from Virginia at his first CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Sarah Palin at the 42nd annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor, MD on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Dr. Ben Carson gives a speech to open Thursday's session at CPAC in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Timothy Flynn from New York City poses in an American flag jacket at CPAC in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Rick Santorum takes a selfie with a supporter at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  A Rand Paul supporter at CPAC in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Rand Paul speaks at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Sen. Ted Cruz shakes hands with a Sarah Palin supporter at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  A reporter asks attendees to choose their favorite candidate at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  CPAC attendees listen to Donald Trump in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Jeb Bush speaks at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie gives a thumb's up at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  A supporter poses with a life-size cutout of Rand Paul at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker at CPAC in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Retired neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson greets supporters at CPAC in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Former Republican Governor of Texas Rick Perry at CPAC in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Buttons for past Republican campaigns on display at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Supporters watch Rand Paul speak at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Donald Trump signs a Playboy magazine at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Attendees applaud at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  An empty room ready for the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME Jennifer Shilling, the Wisconsin senate minority leader told TIME that Walker operates in a series of “sneak attacks.” “There is this mentality that what is said doesn’t have consequences,” she said. “It’s, ‘Say whatever you need to say—we can do whatever we want once we’re in.’” A few examples? **Right-to-work legislation**. Since 2011, Walker has said on dozens of occassions that he did “not support” making Wisconsin a so-called right-to-work state. “I have no interest in pursuing right-to-work legislation in this state,” he said at the state Republican annual convention in 2012\. “It’s not going to get to my desk … private sector unions have overwhelmingly come to the table to be my partner in economic development.” During the 2014 campaign, he those same lines, telling interviewers at TIME, the New York _Times_ and in his debate with his Democratic opponent that he would “not support” right-to-work legislation. But then, just a month into his second term, Walker announced that he _would_ sign a right-to-work bill if the legislature passed it. On March 9, he made good on his offer. Making Wisconsin a right-to-work state “sends a powerful message across the country and across the world,” he said in celebration. **Abortion**. Last October, when he was running for reelection–and the polls were tight in his famously blue state—Walker cut an ad in which he stared directly into the camera and promised to support a law that would leave “the final decision” about abortion “to a woman and her doctor.” But then, four months later, Walker announced that he _would_ sign a law banning abortions of any kind after 20 weeks. **Limiting collective bargaining**. Walker’s signature law, Act 10, which passed in early 2011 and gutted collective bargaining for almost all public sector unions, catalyzed a massive, nationwide reaction on the left. At some point, 100,000 protesters convened on the Wisconsin statehouse for months on end. One reason for the outrage? No one—including Wisconsin state legislators—had any idea whatsoever that Walker had Act 10 up his sleeve. During his 2010 campaign, He never said he planned to go after collective bargaining. He never so much as hinted at it—not in his campaign material, not in his stump speeches, and not during the debates or in conservations with top allies in the state legislature. But then, less than a month into his term, in February 2011, he, in his words, “dropped the bomb.” Walker’s political campaign staff point out that he never lied. 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