FRANKLIN ON OUR WEB PAGE.
>>> NOW FOR A STRAIGHT-UP
PARTISAN LOOK AT UPCOMING
ELECTIONS, WE TURN TO REPUBLICAN
BILL McCOSHEN AND DEMOCRAT
SCOTT ROSS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
NICE TO SEE YOU.
BUT SCOTT, FIRST TO YOU.
HOW DOES THE ISSUE OF OF
ABORTION ACCESS PLAY INTO
VOTERS' DECISIONS IN WISCONSIN
WHERE A STANDING LAW ON THE
BOOKS CRIMINALIZING ABORTION
COULDN'T BE VETOED BY THE
GOVERNOR IN ANY CASE?
>> YEAH, BUT IT'S ALSO WHY IT'S
SO IMPORTANT THAT WE RE-ELECT
GOVERNOR TONY EVERS BECAUSE HE
HAS BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR
REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM FOR WOMEN.
HE HAS VETOED NINE SEPARATE
ATTACKS ON REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM
THAT WOULD PUNISH WOMEN AND
DOCTORS.
AND REMEMBER, THE REPUBLICAN
POSITION IS THAT THEY'VE STAKED
OUT IS AMATH MA TO WHAT THE
PEOPLE WANT.
OVER 50% SUPPORT REPRODUCTIVE
RIGHTS.
ONLY 11% SUPPORT WHAT CLE FISH,
WHAT MICHELS ARE THE REPUBLICANS
SAYING, NO EXCEPTIONS FOR RAPE
AND INSESSION.
THAT'S JUST DEVASTATING.
>> BILL, HOW DOES ABORTION PLAY
INTO VOTERS' DECISIONS AT THE
POLLS?
>> WELL, CHIPS -- IT RUNS FROM A
STATE ISSUE.
STATE SENATE, ARE NOT GOING TO
HAVE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION,
WHAT'S YOUR POSITION ON
ABORTION, BECAUSE STATES WILL
HAVE THE ABILITY TO MODIFY LAWS.
WISCONSIN HAS A LAW ON THE
BOOKS.
SO IT WILL -- THEY'LL GET ASKED
ABOUT THAT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
SO ABORTION NEVER USED TO BE A
PRIMARY ISSUE IN GENERALLY
LEAKS.
ALL THE -- ELECTIONS.
ALWAYS HAS BEEN ON THE PRIMARIES
BUT NOW IT'S GOING TO BE A
GENERAL ELECTION ISSUE FOR
LEGISLATIVE RACES.
>> HAS FOR WHO'S GOING -- AS FOR
WHO'S GOING TO GET TUT AND VOTE,
REPUBLICAN REPORTERS SEEM MORE
ENTHUSIASTIC VOTERS THAN
DEMOCRATS.
WHAT IS DRAGGING DOWN THE
DEMOCRATS' ENTHUSIASM?
>> I THINK IT'S A COUPLE THING.
WE STILL HAVE A HANGOVER FROM
THE PANDEMIC.
AND DEMOCRATS ARE IN CHARGE.
DEMOCRATS HAVE THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE HERE AND DEMOCRATS HAVE
CONTROL OF THE GOVERNOR'S -- OR
THE PRESIDENCY AND BOTH CHAMBERS
OF CONGRESS.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A
FUNCTIONAL MAJORITY.
BUT THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
YOU HAVE IT.
YOU OWN IT.
AND THAT'S WHY DEMOCRATS HAVE TO
MAKE SURE THEY ARE ARTICULATING
THESE CONTRASTS BETWEEN THE
REPUBLICANS LIKE WE JUST TALKED
ABOUT, ABORTION.
>> BILL, WHY ARE REPUBLICANS
MORE PROMPT IN YOUR MIND?
>> I'M GOING TO STEAL A LINE
FROM JAMES CAR VERY WELL.
-- CARVILLE.
IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S DRAGGING DOWN
DEMOCRATS.
REPUBLICANS ARE FIRED UP ABOUT
INFLATION.
IT'S AT A 41-YEAR HIGH.
GAS PRICES ARE AT THE ANY OF US
CAN REP IN -- REMEMBER IN OUR
LIFETIME.
THOSE ARE KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES
THAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT AND
THAT'S WHAT'S MOTIVATING THE
REPUBLICANS.
THEY WANT TO SEE A CHANGE.
AND THAT WILL ENVIRONMENT, WE'LL
GET TO THAT LATER, IS GOING TO
HELP RON JOHNSON.
>> I WAS GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON
THAT.
DOES BIDEN OWN INFLATION?
>> IT'S A TOUGH ONE BECAUSE I
DON'T THINK A REPUBLICAN CAN
TELL YOU WHAT THEY WOULD DO TO
SOLVE IT OTHER THAN TAX BREAKS
TO RICH PEOPLE BECAUSE THAT'S
THE ONLY ELIXIR THEY HAVE.
BUT ATTACKING WORKERS' RIGHTS,
THAT'S THE OTHER THING.
NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT WHAT
THEY WOULD DO.
HERE'S THE THING.
DEMOCRATS -- IF THE CAMPAIGN
TALKS ABOUT ABORTION,
HEALTHCARE, AND GUNS, DEMOCRATS
WILL DO VERY WELL.
IT'S A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING
BECAUSE OF INFLATION AND YOU
KNOW, IF IT TALKS ABOUT
INFLATION, BECAUSE BIDEN IS THE
PRESIDENT AND IT IS CHALLENGING.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT REPUBLICAN
U.S. SENATOR RON JOHNSON.
HIS FAVORABILITY AS WE KNOW IS
WAY UPSIDE DOWN RIGHT NOW IN
THAT LATEST POLL.
PLUS, CAN SOMEONE OFFER UP FALSE
ELECTORS TO THE VICE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES AND GET
RE-ELECTED?
I'M ASKING BILL THIS FIRST,
BECAUSE HE'S YOUR PARTY'S
CANDIDATE.
>> YEAH, LET ME START WITH THE
SECOND PART OF THAT.
I THINK THAT I WOULDN'T WORRY
TOO MUCH ABOUT HIS FAVOR ONLY
UNFAVORABLE.
I THINK THE ENVIRONMENT IS
CERTAINLY HELPS HIM.
STARTING WITH THE ECONOMY.
STARTING WITH HOW PEOPLE YOU
KNOW, THERE ARE MORE LAYOFFS
COMING.
PEOPLE ARE LOSING MORE OF THEIR
PAYCHECKS BECAUSE INFLATION IS
SUCKING UP MORE OF THEIR
HARD-EARNED DOLLARS.
SO THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO
WORK FOR JOHNSON.
REGARDLESS OF WHO HIS OPPONENT
IS.
ON YOUR LAST POINT, YOU KNOW,
RON JOHNSON HAS SAID THAT HE HAD
NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT HAPPENED
ON JANUARY 6th.
I'LL TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD.
HE SAID IT WAS STAFFED TO STAFF.
THAT'S ALL THE EVIDENCE WE HAVE
SO FAR, IS THAT IT WAS STAFF TO
STAFF.
SO WE'LL SEE IF ANYTHING ELSE
COMES TO LIGHT OVER THE NEXT
SEVERAL WEEKS.
>> YEAH, PLEASE.
RON JOHNSON WANTS US TO BELIEVE
THAT HE HAD A PACKAGE DELIVERED
TO THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES BECAUSE A HOUSE
INTERN TOLD HIM TO DO IT.
WITH PEOPLE LIKE LAUREN BOEBERT
AND MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE AND
YOU KNOW, JOSH HAWLEY, IN THE
SENATE, SOMETIMES YOU SAY, TOO
STUPID TO BE IN CONGRESS BUT IN
THIS CASE WE MIGHT THERE BE,
UNLESS RORN JOHNSON IS LYING,
THE GUY WHO SAID HE WOULDN'T RUN
FOR A THIRD TERM AND THE GUY WHO
GAVE HIS DONORS HUGE TAX BREAKS.
THAT GUY MIGHT BE LYING.
>> SO BILL, JUST BACK TO THAT, I
MEAN, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE
FOR HIS BASE?
THAT HE -- HIS STAFF, HE SAYS HE
DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
BUT IT'S RIGHT THERE.
TO THE SCREEN -- ON THE JEAN IN
THE COMMITTEE -- ON THE SCREEN
IN THE COMMITTEE THEY'RE WHEN --
WHERE HE WANTS TO HAND DELIVER
THIS TO THE VICE PRESIDENT.
DOES HE WANT TO FIRE UP HIS
BASE?
>> HIS BASE IS FIRED UP.
IF YOU WENT TO THE STATE
CONVENTION, THE MOST POPULAR GUY
IN THAT BUILDING WAG RON
JOHNSON.
THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
THE REPUBLICAN BASE LOVES HIM.
AND HE WILL HAVE THEIR FULL
SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE CAMPAIGN.
TO WIN HE'S GOING TO NEED
INDEPENDENTS AS WELL.
AND SO I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE THE
GROUP THAT I'D BE WORRIED ABOUT,
HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT ALL THIS.
BUT WILL THEY ACCEPT HIS
EXPLANATION OR WILL THEY LOOK
FOR MORE?
WE'LL SEE.
BUT HIS BASE IS ROCK SOLID.
>> RON JOHNSON IS THE LEADER OF
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WISCONSIN.
AND HE IS LOSING TO HIS
OPPONENTS.
TONY REVERSE IS BEATING ALL OF
HIS OPPONENTS.
DEMOCRATS HAVE CHALLENGES BUT
LIKE OUR PEOPLE ARE AHEAD IN THE
POLLS.
>> JUST BY THIS MUCH AND THEN
THAT ENTHUSIASM COMES IN.
BUT MEANWHILE, IN THIS RACE, FOR
GOVERNOR, TIM MIC WREELS HAS
OVERTAKE -- MICHELS HAS
OVERTAKEN REBECCA.
BILL, WHO'S YOUR CANDIDATE HERE?
>> THE MOMENTUM IN THIS RACE
RIGHT NOW IS ON MICHAEL'S SIDE.
HE'S GOT THE RESOURCES TO COME
OUT SWINGING ON AUGUST 10th
AFTER HE WINS THIS PRIMARY.
SO YOU KNOW, IF I'M THE MICHELS
CAMPAIGN, I'M NOT TAKING
ANYTHING FOR GRANTED.
REBECCA WORKS HER TAIL OFF.
SHE'S INVESTED A LOT IN THIS
RACE.
AND SHE'S NOT GOING TO GO DOWN
WITHOUT A FIGHT.
SO THIS FINAL 45 DAYS WILL SORT
OF THE CONTRAST PHASE OF THAT
RACE AND I EXPECT THERE TO BE
SOME JABS GOING BACK AND FORTH.
BUT IF YOU'RE PLACING A BET
TODAY, I'D PLACE IT ON MICHELS
BECAUSE HE'S GOT THE MOMENTUM.
>> SCOTT, WHAT DO YOU THINK
ABOUT THE CANDIDATES?
>> THEY'RE ALL JUMPING OVER EACH
OTHER TO BE AS DIVISIVE AS
POSSIBLE.
GOVERNOR EVERS SPENT THE LAST
THEE YEARS DOING WHAT'S WRITE
FOR WISCONSIN MOVING URS
FORWARD.
WE'RE BETTER AND STRONGER THAN
WE WERE WHEN HE TOOK OFFICE.
AND HE CONTINUES TO TRY AND WORK
WITH THE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE.
NOT WORKING SO WELL BUT HE'S
TALKING TO REPUBLICAN VOTERS AT
THE SAME TIME ABOUT THAT WHO MAY
BE HAVING TROUBLE WITH WHERE
THEIR PARTY HAS GONE, BECAUSE
IT'S GONE OFF THE DEEP END.
AND YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHERE
THE REPUBLICANS ARE AT THIS
POINT IN TIME, YOU KNOW, THINK
ABOUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGES FACING THE COUNTRY.
GAS PRICES, RIGHT?
WHERE ARE WE AT WITH GAS PRICES?
REPUBLICANS SAY IT'S A BIG
PROBLEM FOR DEMOCRATS.
THE FACT IS REPUBLICANS ARE IN
THE POCKET OF BIG OIL.
>> I WANT TO GIVE THE FINAL
WORD, 30 SECONDS, TO BILL.
GO AHEAD.
>> YEAH, LET'S GO BACK TO
GOVERNOR EVERS.
HE'S LIKE MR. ROGERS.
HE'S A LIKABLE GUY.
HE'S NOT POLARIZING.
THAT'S A BRAND THAT WORKS FOR
HIM.
TOMMY THOMPSON IS THE ONLY
GOVERNOR WHO HAS WON RE-ELECTION
WHEN HIS PARTY CONTROLLED THE
WHITE HOUSE.
THAT WAS IN AN 1990.
I WAS A COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
ON THAT CAMPAIGN.
AND THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT,
THERE'S POLITICAL GRAVITY THAT
WILL PLAY IN HERE.
RIGHT TRACK, WRONG DIRECTION, IS
UPSIDE DOWN BY 20 POINTS.
YES, EVERS NUMBERS ARE GOOD.
WE WON'T BE -- WON'T BE EASY TO
BEAT.
THE HISTORY IS NOT ON HIS SIDE.
>> THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.