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Down in the Polls, Thompson Blasts Baldwin in First Debate

Former Republican governor says his Democratic opponent in U.S. Senate race is too liberal; she claims he represents special-interest groups in Washington.

Trailing in the polls, former Gov. Tommy Thompson went on the attack Friday night against U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin in their first debate for the U.S. Senate race.

Republican Thompson portrayed his Democratic opponent as a “taxer and a spender” who is outside the mainstream, according to WisPolitics.com.

My opponent is so far to the extreme even her party doesn’t pass any of her legislation," Thompson said.

The Associated Press reported that Thompson spent most of the debate on the attack, casting himself as a visionary reformer and branding Baldwin "a taxer and a spender."

"When you don't have a record, you attack the other person," he said. "I get things done. I don't criticize the other side. I make sure things happen."

Baldwin wasn't shy about taking on Thompson, WisPolitics.com reported, accusing Thompson of cutting a sweetheart deal with drug companies while he was Health and Human Services secretary.

“My opponent has taken on powerful special interests as clients,” Baldwin said. “So ask yourself tonight: Who is better to represent the middle class?”

Throughout the debate, Thompson returned to his record as governor for nearly a decade and a half and dismissed Baldwin as far to the left of the state's voters, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

"We cut taxes. We changed welfare, giving people hope and opportunity. We built Wisconsin," Thompson said.

Baldwin painted herself as a "voice for the people, not the powerful," the newspaper said.

The debate, sponsored by the Wisconsin Broadcaster Association, comes with about five weeks left before the Nov. 6 election. Recent polls show Thompson trailing Baldwin for the seat that will be vacated by the retirement of U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl.

In August, Thompson had a 9 percentage point lead over Baldwin in a Marquette University Law School poll. The latest Marquette poll, released Sept. 19, show Thompson now trailing by 9 points. Other polls in the last two weeks also have Baldwin in the lead.

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John Wilson October 1, 2012 at 02:14 pm
Walker -
Tommy EARNED ALL THAT MONEY... BY HIMSELF! The "Typical" GOP campaign: In 2010, the GOP gained a net 60 seats in the HOUSE; they gained these seats running under a SINGLE ISSUE: JOBS! They gleefully told all of FRIGHTENED America, “WE WILL HAVE A LASER FOCUS ON JOBS! IT IS OUR NUMBER ONE ISSUE FOR AMERICA! Here is what the GOP HOUSE has introduced: 46 bills on abortion 113 bills on religion 73 bills on family relationships 36 bills on marriage 72 bills on firearms 604 bills on taxation Additionally, let us not forget, they all went to their offices in D.C., knelt down and prayed, and prayed and prayed… then they went to the floor of the HOUSE and introduced a bill, making IN GOD WE TRUST our NATIONAL MOTTO, forgetting(?) that E Pluribus Unum (Out of the many, ONE) has always been our NATIONAL MOTTO… ONE(1) BILL ON JOBS…replete with massive “poison pills”, trap doors, side doors, mazes, and cuts to children’s food programs! No wonder then that Harry Reid first shredded this onerous JOBS BILL(?), then burned the remains in an urn, placed the remains from that operation in a small glass vial, and sent the vial on a small space ship headed for Newt Gingrich’s moon colony... Voting for Tommy is sort of like buying a one-way ticket to Newt's Moon Colony, for only $3,000,000!
James R Hoffa October 1, 2012 at 04:06 pm
@Walker -
And Obama has ran $1T+ deficits ever since taking office - what's your point?
morninmist October 1, 2012 at 04:07 pm
Yes, tell that to TeaGOP Vos's wife!
http://www.politiscoop.com/us-politics/wisconsin-politics/1541-complaint-filed-with-gab-against-robin-vos-s-estranged-wife-heading-to-racine-district-attorney.html .................. The Anti-Alinsky 3:57 pm on Sunday, September 30, 2012 morninmist wrote "...TeaGOP has no ethics and will cheat whenever and whereever they can!" So here's an idea morn, let's limit their cheating by implementing a voter ID system. That way they can only vote once.
James R Hoffa October 1, 2012 at 04:16 pm
@Lyin' John Wilson -
There you go again with your LIES and spin, not to mention shifting the subject! Straight from the Alinsky play book! Other than government jobs, the government can't just create jobs - they can only create an environment in which the private sector can flourish. And right now, we don't need, nor can we afford any more government jobs! And the GOP led house has passed a plethora of bills that would accomplish the goal of creating a favorable private sector environment - but they were all tabled by your buddy Harry Reid in the Senate. So, the blame you're looking to convey should be squarely placed on the Democrats in the Senate, and not the Republicans in the House. You may want to pull your head out of your rectum before the election!
James R Hoffa October 1, 2012 at 04:31 pm
@morninmist -
You're a little late to the party! Hoffa already debunked the false and libelous claims made against Samantha Vos: http://mountpleasant.patch.com/articles/voter-fraud-complaint-now-with-district-attorney-s-office http://mountpleasant.patch.com/articles/voter-fraud-complaint-now-with-district-attorney-s-office Next time, do us all a favor and try to stay current with your side's LIES and FALSE allegations!
John Wilson October 1, 2012 at 05:12 pm
JRH –
I guess, IF you don't believe that government can create JOBS, then the entire 2010 GOP campaign with its "laser like focus on JOBS" - is simply another, in a long, long string of GOP LIES... Eisenhower (R) for ONE, a National Highway System created government and private JOBS! Wars create jobs… especially for the Military-Industrial-Complex! Our entire National Defense, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, CIA, Homeland Security, and NSA all create both government and private JOBS! You have to be the most ignorant GOP operative in all of America! Now, after November 6, 2012, you can tell me just who has their head where… that is, if you can find your way back from Newt’s Moon Colony… http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/sherrod-brown-government-does-create-jobs-and-we-democrats-need-to-say-so/2012/06/12/gJQAQwNmXV_blog.html
morninmist October 1, 2012 at 05:12 pm
yah tommy. --- who better than you to get rid of Medicare and Medicaid.
T. ‏@tjamba77 @tommyforgov why you are not getting elected http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5i7nrJXrd4&feature=youtu.be … Tommy Medicare news coverage.mov
James R Hoffa October 1, 2012 at 05:37 pm
@Lyin' John Wilson -
Apparently, you didn't understand the GOP message in 2010 because your brain is too inundated with liberal kool-aide! Any job that's funded with taxpayer dollars, whether that job is directly for the government or something that the government contracts out, is a job that we don't need any more of and cannot afford right now. We're already borrowing 36 cents of every dollar our government spends. $16T in federal debt and counting. Another $18T in state and municipal debt and unfunded liabilities. And about $30T in private debt. Total debt of the United States $64T!!! Again, if you approve of the $6T in new Obama debt, then please put your money where your mouth is and post a picture of your cashier's check with no remitter listed in the amount of $38,605 made payable to the US Treasury, with the statement 'debt reduction' on the memo line. Until you're willing to do that, then you're just not a serious liberal!
Bewildered October 1, 2012 at 05:55 pm
Again i ask,Mist, do you also agree with Wilson's statements on religion?
morninmist October 1, 2012 at 06:45 pm
Jeff Simpson ‏@JeffSimpson7
@TommyForWI tells us in his own words he is a lazy coporate hack who doesnt have an original idea of his own! http://cognidissidence.blogspot.com/2012/10/tommy-thompson-does-not-want-to-do-work.html #wiunion
morninmist October 1, 2012 at 07:14 pm
and now for the real story of that hospital that Tommy claims he built!!
Tommy talks his cues from #lyingRyan. http://thepoliticalenvironment.blogspot.com/2012/10/thompson-said-in-debate-hed-built.html
John Wilson October 2, 2012 at 12:15 am
JRH –
All money comes from the government; the FED prints it, and it all starts there. Fact is, the government does not have to own or control you for you to be using taxpayer money to make a profit and stay viable as a business; this also qualifies, per your definition, as a government JOB! The oil companies are obviously government businesses, as the government subsidizes them quite heavily each year with taxpayer money: really private companies like Reliance Industries, Essar Oil and Shell India, to name but a few, do not get any taxpayer money; Lyin’ Ryan has a 40B subsidy in his budget for the oil companies. We taxpayers call that corporate welfare! I understand a Red herring argument when I see one. Hence, unless you can upload a picture of you deep throating your retro-Cadillac, then you are not a REAL CONSERVATIVE… Where are the JOBS that the 2010 GOP campaign promised to “focus on like a laser”? I know, they are probably on the Moon Colony with Newt and you…
AWD October 2, 2012 at 01:20 am
My God did you all see the debate? Tammy Baldwin embarrassed herself. Typical babbling Progressives...talk, talk, talk, talk, talk and never answer the question or make any sense. Expect the same thing from the Marxist Usuper on Wednesday night.
James R Hoffa October 2, 2012 at 06:02 am
@Bewildered -
Given that misty previously made fun of Romney's "magical underwear," Hoffa believes it's safe to say that morninmist is a religious bigot.
James R Hoffa October 2, 2012 at 06:11 am
@Lyin' John Wilson -
When did Hoffa say that he was in favor of corporate welfare??? He didn't, as he doesn't. But between the two viable choices that we have in this election, I'd rather support that guy that gives the corporate welfare to viable corporations, as opposed to the guy that wastes our taxpayer dollars on nonviable corporations such as Solyndra - remember that one, even Obama's own DOE stated in an official communication that it was "not ready for prime time," and yet after the Obama campaign bundlers/contributors that owned that boondoggle made a few trips to the WH, they still ended up with our money and we ended up getting screwed! And let's not forget that Obama promised to close the WH to lobbyists, be transparent, and broadcast WH meetings on C-SPAN 3 so we could watch them play out. Yeah, that was all a big crock of you know what! Obama = LIAR just like you - no wonder you like Obama so much! While Romney admittedly isn't perfect, as no one is except for Hoffa (but only because Hoffa admits that he's not perfect) he's definitely the better choice in this election!
John Wilson October 2, 2012 at 08:07 pm
JRH –
IF you did not support Corporate Welfare, you would not be supporting Lyin’ Ryan; Lyin’ Ryan has 40B in Corporate Welfare alone in his Budget plan, and more both in the pipe and to come down the pipe… There are not 2-viable choices in this election; there is only ONE CLEAR CHOICE. And, it is sad, for you, that you can only bloviate over how much hatred you have for President Obama. I suspect that if the Patch did not exist, your head would explode from all the pent up steam. Your man crush on President Obama is only equaled by Bewildered’s man crush on the great John Wilson. Perhaps, after November you folks will find a way to actually get a life…
CowDung October 2, 2012 at 08:19 pm
Where are you getting that $40 billion figure from, John?
According to this CBS news report, oil companies only get $4 billion in subsidies. The report also states that Ryan is in favor of cutting those subsidies... http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20058561-503544.html http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/29/us-usa-oil-ryan-idUSTRE73S0NE20110429
Chadwick October 2, 2012 at 08:21 pm
@John Wilson, do you ever make a comment that has any facts or basis in reality? It's hilarious reading your rants that delve into the world of paranoia.
John Wilson October 2, 2012 at 10:29 pm
CowDung -
I will try to be very specific so you may follow this... First of all: 4 x 10 = 40 Lyin' Ryan's Budget is a 10-year budget... Each year of that budget Lyin' Ryan gives 4B in subsidies to big oil! Ryan has said, numerous times, many, many things, including that he would be open "to considering eliminating ALL subsidies." Of course, that was part of the reason he refused to allow the Bowles-Simpson Plan to go before the HOUSE for a vote... I have NEVER been "trapped" by what any (D) or (R) candidate SAYS; I am only interested in what they ACTUALLY DO! Much has been said since 2010, and most of that has been nothing but posturing, pandering and attempts to make the other side look unreasonable, while you look reasonable and adult. Lyin' Ryan is as etched in stone as you can get, even at age 42; he is a pure, unchanging ideology: all $$$ must go to those "job creators" who already have millions or billions. I sincerely hope this answers your questions…
CowDung October 3, 2012 at 02:27 pm
Considering that Obama has done nothing to end the current $4B in annual subsidies, why crucify Ryan for keeping them in his budget? If you are looking at what the candidates actually do, you'd have to consider that Obama and Ryan have actually done the same thing about these subsidies.
morninmist October 3, 2012 at 03:56 pm
so Hoff--
you and imaginary friend are once again into imaging events. ............... James R Hoffa 2:02 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 @Bewildered - Given that misty previously made fun of Romney's "magical underwear," Hoffa believes it's safe to say that morninmist is a religious bigot.
John Wilson October 3, 2012 at 04:26 pm
CowDung –
I reject your premise, as President Obama has attempted to get the 4B per year subsidy for oil out of the budget – the Republicans simply say, “No, that will cause the price of oil, gasoline to spike and we will get less from the Gas, Oil, Petroleum (lobbyists) Obama has tried Republicans have consistently said, “No.” Obama cannot FORCE the HOUSE to approve the 4B cut, and YOU KNOW they are NOT going to compromise on ANYTHING, especially if it makes Obama look good and gives him a victory on ANYTHING. The president submitted his budget; Lyin’ Ryan has said, well, FU, we are in CONTROL here; I am the Intellectual Leader of the GOP; I am the policy wonk – he passed 2 wonky bills after spending 14-years at $174,000 per year salary, one on naming a PO in Janesville – and now he says, THIS IS THE GOP Budget, and the HOUSE & SENATE must approve it! Please tell me how President Obama can force Lyin’ Ryan to compromise or to take his 4B per year gift to big oil out of his own bill… “If you are looking at what the candidates actually do, you'd have to consider that Obama and Ryan have actually done the same thing about these subsidies.” NO! This is but ONE sticking point regarding why we do not have a budget! Please LEARN how government actually works before you cheer lead for one of the most deceptive - $$$ only goes to the rich and super-rich – people in the world…
morninmist October 3, 2012 at 04:32 pm
@dane101
MULawPoll: Combined polling of eight polls since August shows Baldwin leading in all but one where she's tied with Thompson.
CowDung October 3, 2012 at 04:35 pm
If I recall correctly, it isn't just the Republicans that have been saying 'no' to Obama's budget proposals. The latest was rejected with a 99-0 vote in the Senate. The one before that was rejected 97-0. Even Ryan's plan got more votes than zero when it was defeated (41-58). You can't just blame the Republicans for Obama's failure to pass a budget.
Steve ® October 3, 2012 at 05:24 pm
►Mr. Hoffa, there's a recession on◄
Bren - The recession has been over since June 2009. What you are looking at is the slowest recovery ever, Obama owns it, start admitting it. This is your boy, be proud of his record.
Steve ® October 3, 2012 at 05:26 pm
►Down in the Polls◄
Mark - When you over sample democrats by 11% it's not hard to be down in any poll. Reporting, it can't be that hard.
Steve ® October 3, 2012 at 05:27 pm
She can't talk about what she really believes in. Just look at the crap mist posts, no one votes for bone heads like this.
morninmist October 3, 2012 at 06:38 pm
Tommy is too exhausted to care about Wisconsinites!
@Steffi5461 RT “@MULawPoll: Candidates "cares about people like me": 47% yes for Baldwin, 39% no. 41% yes for Thompson, 50% no. #mulawpoll”
John Wilson October 3, 2012 at 09:57 pm
CowDung -
I'm NOT! I am blaming Lyin' Ryan for his insistence on 4B per year in subsidies for the big oil companies... you do remember that was where we began this discussion... and your questions went to that... The inability to reach a compromise, any reasonable compromise between the (D) & (R) folks is what is responsible for no budget in 4-years. This simply cannot continue if this country is going to survive as a Republic... The few adults on both sides of the aisle are going to have to get this DONE! The alternative is another downgrade in our credit rating, a Depression and probably a great deal of civil unrest; Americans are too fat and complacent to have a true Arab Spring Revolution... Unfortunately, I do not think this election is going to solve anything…
morninmist October 4, 2012 at 01:25 pm
Put him out to pasture.
NEW VIDEO: TOMMY THOMPSON: EXHAUSTED, BROKE, AND SAGGING: http://www.wisdems.org/news/press/view/2012-10-new-video-tommy-thompson-exhausted-broke-and-sagging …
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Gail @ Curves June 12, 2013 at 07:27 pm
Yes, Muskego has great businesses! We also have a great Executive Director -- Tina Weiss -- who weRead More can thank for much of the Chamber's growth, as well as our own.