Democratic Party of Wisconsin

This weekend, the Wisconsin Republican Party is gathering in Stevens Point to celebrate the GOP’s proven record of failure on everything from health care to Iraq to the economy. High points include standing in the way of health care access, backing President Bush’s failed strategy in Iraq and ensuring tax cuts to the wealthy while middle class families suffer.   “Whether it’s the rising costs of health care or ongoing war in Iraq, it looks like Wisconsin Republicans have a lot to be proud of going into convention,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Joe Wineke said. “This weekend, they’ll gather to celebrate Bush’s disastrous administration while they rally around his successor, John McCain.” 

This Sunday, 48 Wisconsinites were selected to attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver this August. From a high school senior to a college professor, from to a farmer to a small business owner, Wisconsin’s delegation so far represents a wide spectrum of the state’s citizens.

Five years ago today, President Bush landed on the deck of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln and declared that “major combat operations in Iraq have ended” in front of an enormous banner that read, “Mission Accomplished.” Around that same time, John McCain said “it’s clear that the end is very much in sight.” Now -- five years, 4,000 lost lives, and at least $500 billion later -- John McCain says keeping our troops in Iraq for 100 years would be fine with him.  Instead of outlining a plan for victory and an exit strategy in Iraq, McCain is offering a long-term troop presence in Iraq similar to our presence in Germany and South Korea, an approach that he himself admits won’t work.  [ABC News, “Good Morning America,” 4/9/2003] 

After record Democratic primary turnout and packed county caucuses last month, Wisconsin  delegate selection is in full swing for the Democratic National  Convention. This Sunday, Democrats will hold caucuses in each  Congressional District (CD). Delegates voted on from the caucuses this  Sunday will attend the National Convention in Denver as CD Level Delegates. Wisconsin will send a total of 92 delegates, forty eight of which will be selected on Sunday.

Washington, DC- A new television ad focused on the fact John McCain would be "fine" keeping our troops in Iraq for 100 years will begin airing in Wisconsin and nationally this week, the Democratic National Committee announced this weekend. The ad features Senator McCain telling a town hall audience that despite the long war having cost our country $500 billion and 4,000 lives, staying in Iraq for 100 years "would be fine with me."  The ad ends with the question all Wisconsinites must ask themselves when they go to the ballot box this November: "If all he offers is more of the same...is John McCain the right choice for America's future?"

John Gard missed the message in 2006. Voters rejected Gard because rather than standing up for change, he has made a career of guarding corporate interests and the powerful at the expense of the people of Wisconsin. Here are 8 reasons why John Gard is still too extreme for Northeastern Wisconsin.

Washington, DC- A new television ad set to begin airing nationally this week highlights how out of touch John McCain is with the financial challenges confronting average Wisconsinites. The ad, the first general election advertisement of the 2008 presidential election, shows the Republican nominee claiming we are "better off" after eight years of disastrous Bush Administration economic policies. The ad closes with the question all Americans must ask themselves as they choose our next president: "Do you feel better off?"  The Democratic National Committee announced that the ad, entitled "Better Off?” will begin airing on cable networks nationally on Tuesday, April 22nd, including in Wisconsin.

After many shifts in rhetoric, John McCain gave yet another “major policy address” on the economy yesterday in Pittsburg. But as he brings his out of touch policies to Wisconsin today, it remains clear that John McCain does not understand the challenges facing working families in the state.   “In Wisconsin, over a half a million people are uninsured, more than 16,000 homes were in foreclosure in the fourth quarter of 2007 alone, and we have the highest unemployment rate in five years,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Joe Wineke said. “The last thing we need is a third term of George Bush’s failed economic policies. When it comes to the economy, John McCain is out of touch with the challenges facing Wisconsin families.” 

Even as rockets exploded in the so-called "Green Zone" yesterday in Baghdad, John McCain chose to launch another round of irresponsible political attacks rather than offer a real plan for the future in Iraq. The attack came though a majority of Americans support troop withdrawal, and 89 percent of Americans think the cost of the war has contributed to the economic problems in our country. [New York Times, 4/4/08] With General Petraeus testifying before the Senate today, John McCain is still silent on the issue of political progress in Iraq and where we go from here.

This Sunday, over 1600 Democrats participated in caucuses held in every county of Wisconsin. As part of delegate selection process, activists are vying for spots to represent Wisconsin at the Democratic National Convention.     “This weekend we saw stunning turnout at the county caucuses, far beyond past years,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Joe Wineke said. “In February, we had record Democratic turnout in Wisconsin’s primary – 1.1 million on the Democratic side to only 400,000 on the Republican side – and now, hundreds of activists participated in caucuses across the state, from Racine County to Douglas County. At every step, we’re seeing a strong, engaged Democratic Party.” 

This morning, John McCain launches his effort to reinvent himself for the general election with a week of speeches. After running as a so-called "maverick" and "outsider" in his failed 2000 campaign, John McCain cast aside his principles and morphed into a Bush Republican for this year's primaries.  Now, after embracing the President's budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy, abandoning his own immigration reform plan to cozy up to the right wing of his party, and turning his back on the campaign finance and lobbying reforms he once championed, McCain is trying to reinvent himself yet again.

For the second day in a row, John McCain delivered what was billed as a “major policy speech” yesterday, but included no new policies, proposals or ideas.  After telling us what he would NOT do to address the mortgage crisis ravaging families and communities in Wisconsin and fix our struggling economy, McCain delivered a foreign policy speech that not only offered no plan for a way forward in Iraq, but seemed to repackage the same tired rhetoric.

On the same day one leading indicator showed home values dropping 11 percent in January compared to a year before, Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain gave a speech yesterday addressing the housing crisis.  But failing to offer any new proposals to help families and communities struggling in the wake of the crisis, McCain’s speech fell far short of what Wisconsinites need. [New York Times, 3/25/08]

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Joe Wineke today welcomed a new series of debates featuring Senator John McCain, launched by the Democratic National Committee and to be broadcast on www.mccaindebates.com. The debates, which show Senator McCain debating himself on the vital issues confronting the American people, make it clear that even John McCain disagrees with John McCain. As the two McCains square off, voters in Wisconsin will have the opportunity to hear the old McCain vs. the 2008 McCain – the third-Bush-termer and pandering politician who will say or do anything to win.

Today is the fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war.   “Today marks the solemn anniversary of an ill-conceived and mismanaged war – one that has taken the lives of too many American soldiers and too many Iraqi citizens,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Joe Wineke said. “As of today, we’ve spent five years too many in Iraq, and even though the American people are ready to end this war, John McCain would make it 100 more.” 

Today on the campaign trail, John McCain promised to help law enforcement officials combat crime, help retrain displaced workers, and end the long lines at the Veterans Administration facilities. But as is so often the case with John McCain, his rhetoric doesn’t match his record.      Just last night when he had the opportunity to vote on those very issues in the Senate, John McCain once again put his campaign ahead of Wisconsin’s families for his own political gain.

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Joe Wineke released the following statement today, after Governor Doyle signed the Compassionate Care Bill into law.

Washington DC - While Democrats in Congress fight for a budget that will help American families in this struggling economy and help displaced workers find new jobs, John McCain put his lobbyist buddies and campaign advisors ahead of the American people.  Despite claiming lobbyists don't have any influence on him, John McCain helped a European company win a $35 billion Air Force tanker contract – a company that many of his top campaign advisors lobbied for. With John McCain’s help, the European company beat out an American company that would have kept these jobs here at home. [U.S. House of Representative's Committee on the Budget, 2/4/08; Associated Press, 3/7/08; Associated Press, 3/11/08]

Washington, DC –Hours after clinching his Party’s nomination this week, the one-time “maverick” completed his transformation into a full-fledged Bush Republican by heading to the White House this afternoon to receive President Bush’s formal endorsement. Never before has it been this clear: John McCain offers nothing but a third Bush term.

Madison – For a third time, Dan Kapanke turned his back on rape victims in Wisconsin, voting against the Compassionate Care Bill. Senator Kapanke was one of only six senators to vote against the bi-partisan legislation.   “How can Senator Kapanke justify voting against such common sense legislation? We need to make sure rape victims get the best care possible. Apparently Dan Kapanke doesn’t agree,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Joe Wineke said.