Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker spoke to a crowd of political and spiritual true believers Wednesday night — seeking to mobilize support from a national tele-town hall hosted by Ralph Reed’s Faith and Freedom Coalition.
For a reporter listening in, the call provided a good example of the messages, both positive and negative, that Walker has put to his deep base supporters. He spoke of his religious background as a pastor’s son, how both of his own children have accepted Christ as their savior, and how much he appreciates the prayers that people have offered for him as he faces a recall election on June 5.
Walker also spoke of the issues at hand — how his potential victory or perhaps defeat in the election would send a huge message to other governors who might be thinking of taking on entrenched public employee unions, and saving money for the taxpayers. And in response to one question from a ten-year old boy, Walker said that he’ll work to make sure that his family can keep more of their own money, so the boy can grow up and keep the family business.
Walker also said that on one Sunday last year, he was raking leaves at his home in Wauwatosa, a large suburb of Milwaukee, when something interesting happened.
“I live on a busy street, and half the cars are going by pretty fast,” Walker recounted. “One of them honked. And I looked, the guy had rolled down his window, put his arm out, and flipped me off.”
Walker reflected that “it’s one thing to do it at the Capitol or at the governor’s residence,” but a whole other thing to do it at his private home. A friend who was there at the time then asked him what he did about it.
“What I usually do is, I pray for them. There’s probably something more troubling in their life, than whether they agree with me or not. And besides, if you stay positive, something will come along.”
He closed out the story: “And there’s not one, but there’s two cars, both honking and both rolling their arms out. And just as I think the same thing is going to happen again, they give me a thumbs-up.”
His friend asked him if he knew that would happen — which he did not.
“In so many ways, in so many instances, God has affirmed how good his grace is. And whether it’s politics, or in business, or your home life, He calls us to follow Him, not the other way around. And you stay true to that in life, it’s all going to work out.”
One woman from Minnesota asked Walker what she could do to help him.
“Well first off, pray for me — pray for my family, and particularly for the next four weeks,” Walker said. “But beyond that I call it the three ‘M’s: The message, manpower, and money. Any one of those will help out.”
At the end of the call, he told another personal story: “My wife said she used to hear from people that are frustrated at seeing the ‘Recall Walker’ signs — until someone reminded her that ‘recall’ is another word for ‘remember.’
“So they remember Walker, and remember to pray for us.”
