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| Wisconsin recall campaigners face voter fatigue as polls tip toward Scott Walker | Wisconsin recall campaigners face voter fatigue as polls tip toward Scott Walker |
| (10 months later) | |
| Gillian Dale gripped the illuminated sign and tried to not look at the traffic roaring beneath her on Highway 41. "I'm scared of heights," she shuddered. "I'm really scared of heights." | Gillian Dale gripped the illuminated sign and tried to not look at the traffic roaring beneath her on Highway 41. "I'm scared of heights," she shuddered. "I'm really scared of heights." |
| Yet here she was, stationed on an overpass on a cloudless Wisconsin night, angling a 3ft plywood board so that motorists could read a message she was determined to spread. | Yet here she was, stationed on an overpass on a cloudless Wisconsin night, angling a 3ft plywood board so that motorists could read a message she was determined to spread. |
| The 64-year-old retired schoolteacher was part of the Light Brigade, activists who make illuminated boards with Christmas lights and stand shoulder to shoulder on overpasses, each holding a different word to form phrases. In this case: "Stand with WI, vote Barrett for gov". | The 64-year-old retired schoolteacher was part of the Light Brigade, activists who make illuminated boards with Christmas lights and stand shoulder to shoulder on overpasses, each holding a different word to form phrases. In this case: "Stand with WI, vote Barrett for gov". |
| Whenever a car or truck honked the group cheered. "Another vote," said Dale, resisting temptation to look down. "We're here to make sure our side votes." | Whenever a car or truck honked the group cheered. "Another vote," said Dale, resisting temptation to look down. "We're here to make sure our side votes." |
| The improvised neon billboard showed two facts about Wisconsin's recall election: those hoping to oust Governor Scott Walker on Tuesday are so cash-strapped they are resorting to guerrilla campaign tactics. | The improvised neon billboard showed two facts about Wisconsin's recall election: those hoping to oust Governor Scott Walker on Tuesday are so cash-strapped they are resorting to guerrilla campaign tactics. |
| And vertigo doesn't deter them. What haunts them, however, is a creeping dread that nearly 500 days of unprecedented insurrection, mobilisation and exhilaration is about to end in despair: that Walker will defeat the Democratic challenger, Tom Barrett, and thereby sow defeat for Democratic causes and candidates nationwide, including President Barack Obama. | And vertigo doesn't deter them. What haunts them, however, is a creeping dread that nearly 500 days of unprecedented insurrection, mobilisation and exhilaration is about to end in despair: that Walker will defeat the Democratic challenger, Tom Barrett, and thereby sow defeat for Democratic causes and candidates nationwide, including President Barack Obama. |
| A potentially self-fulfilling fear which activists try to suppress, but it seeps from supporters in Appleton, a small city by the Fox river 100 miles north of Milwaukee. "You can count on my vote," Sue Buchberger, 51, told canvassers on her porch. "If (Walker) stays I lose my job. But I gotta say, I've got a horrible feeling." | A potentially self-fulfilling fear which activists try to suppress, but it seeps from supporters in Appleton, a small city by the Fox river 100 miles north of Milwaukee. "You can count on my vote," Sue Buchberger, 51, told canvassers on her porch. "If (Walker) stays I lose my job. But I gotta say, I've got a horrible feeling." |
| Sue Hopfensperger, 54, clutching Barrett leaflets, jumped in. "If I can be a little Suzy Sunshine, polls say we've got a real chance. But we need every vote." Buchberger shook her head. "I don't know. I'm scared." | Sue Hopfensperger, 54, clutching Barrett leaflets, jumped in. "If I can be a little Suzy Sunshine, polls say we've got a real chance. But we need every vote." Buchberger shook her head. "I don't know. I'm scared." |
| Five months ago the recall side brimmed with confidence. A year of protests and occupation culminated in 1m signatures to trigger a recall vote which, they hoped, would topple Walker for removing collective bargaining rights from the unions and cutting workers' health benefits and pension entitlements. It would augur a nationwide fight-back by progressives after Tea Party-led Republican overreach. | Five months ago the recall side brimmed with confidence. A year of protests and occupation culminated in 1m signatures to trigger a recall vote which, they hoped, would topple Walker for removing collective bargaining rights from the unions and cutting workers' health benefits and pension entitlements. It would augur a nationwide fight-back by progressives after Tea Party-led Republican overreach. |
| Instead polls suggest Walker will keep his job and galvanise conservatives to try to tip Wisconsin, a swing state, Mitt Romney's way come November. | Instead polls suggest Walker will keep his job and galvanise conservatives to try to tip Wisconsin, a swing state, Mitt Romney's way come November. |
| Driving along Highway 41 linking the Fox cities you see and hear one reason for the Republican surge: money. Walker billboards dot the route with not a sign for Barrett. | Driving along Highway 41 linking the Fox cities you see and hear one reason for the Republican surge: money. Walker billboards dot the route with not a sign for Barrett. |
| The radio crackles with adverts attacking the Milwaukee mayor as a gun-controlling, criminal-coddling, union-schmoozing, tax-and-spend liberal dinosaur. On television it is the same. The Walker campaign, boosted by billionaire backers, has spent $31m, about seven times more than the recall side. | The radio crackles with adverts attacking the Milwaukee mayor as a gun-controlling, criminal-coddling, union-schmoozing, tax-and-spend liberal dinosaur. On television it is the same. The Walker campaign, boosted by billionaire backers, has spent $31m, about seven times more than the recall side. |
| Staffers and volunteers at the governor's 24 call centres have made 3m calls, a huge number for a state of just 4.3m voters. "We call them victory centres," said Robert Dickerson, field director of the Republican campaign in Appleton, amid a beeping phone bank. | Staffers and volunteers at the governor's 24 call centres have made 3m calls, a huge number for a state of just 4.3m voters. "We call them victory centres," said Robert Dickerson, field director of the Republican campaign in Appleton, amid a beeping phone bank. |
| In the first phase from January to May callers identified voters' allegiance and fed that into a vast databank using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). It refined a list of Republican-inclined voters who are now being nudged to the polls. "Studies show it comes down to the amount of times you contact the voters. It works," said Dickerson, a 24-year-old operative from Alabama. | In the first phase from January to May callers identified voters' allegiance and fed that into a vast databank using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). It refined a list of Republican-inclined voters who are now being nudged to the polls. "Studies show it comes down to the amount of times you contact the voters. It works," said Dickerson, a 24-year-old operative from Alabama. |
| Over the weekend he supervised a dozen or so volunteers aged from 14 to 64. Fuelled on free chocolate, gummy bears and other snacks, they collectively made several thousand calls a day. Upon getting an answering machine they played an automated message while using a second phone to make a new call. Some simultaneously operated three phones. | Over the weekend he supervised a dozen or so volunteers aged from 14 to 64. Fuelled on free chocolate, gummy bears and other snacks, they collectively made several thousand calls a day. Upon getting an answering machine they played an automated message while using a second phone to make a new call. Some simultaneously operated three phones. |
| Their youth and enthusiasm would have chilled Democrats. "My dad is in the electricians' union, and he's against Walker," said Brendan Smith, 24, who is studying to be a teacher. "But I think the unions are too powerful. They shouldn't have a monopoly on the public sector." | Their youth and enthusiasm would have chilled Democrats. "My dad is in the electricians' union, and he's against Walker," said Brendan Smith, 24, who is studying to be a teacher. "But I think the unions are too powerful. They shouldn't have a monopoly on the public sector." |
| Another volunteer, Sandy Sheltrow, 42, praised the governor for balancing the budget and lowering property tax. She wore a t-shirt whose slogan played on the names of his electoral opponent and another prominent Wisconsin Democrat, Kathleen Falk: "Walker Fixed It. Let's not Falk it up. We couldn't Barrett." | Another volunteer, Sandy Sheltrow, 42, praised the governor for balancing the budget and lowering property tax. She wore a t-shirt whose slogan played on the names of his electoral opponent and another prominent Wisconsin Democrat, Kathleen Falk: "Walker Fixed It. Let's not Falk it up. We couldn't Barrett." |
| Republicans will keep their Appleton call centre, formerly a bakery, until the presidential election, said Dickerson. "After June 5 we stay here and work on getting Obama out and Romney in." | Republicans will keep their Appleton call centre, formerly a bakery, until the presidential election, said Dickerson. "After June 5 we stay here and work on getting Obama out and Romney in." |
| Thirty miles up the highway there was another reason for Republican confidence: the Tea Party. Some analysts say the movement is in decline but it didn't feel that way to the hundreds gathered under a baking sun in the parking lot of the Legends Brewhouse and Eatery restaurant for the Tea Party Express's roadshow of musicians and activists. | Thirty miles up the highway there was another reason for Republican confidence: the Tea Party. Some analysts say the movement is in decline but it didn't feel that way to the hundreds gathered under a baking sun in the parking lot of the Legends Brewhouse and Eatery restaurant for the Tea Party Express's roadshow of musicians and activists. |
| Speakers equated progressivism with communism and accused Obama of attacking religious freedom. "We stand with you, Wisconsin!" Diana Nagy, a singer from San Francisco, shouted to an eclectic audience of bikers, veterans, pensioners and others. "We are praying for you, Wisconsin. We need you to win this. For us. For America. We are proud of you." | Speakers equated progressivism with communism and accused Obama of attacking religious freedom. "We stand with you, Wisconsin!" Diana Nagy, a singer from San Francisco, shouted to an eclectic audience of bikers, veterans, pensioners and others. "We are praying for you, Wisconsin. We need you to win this. For us. For America. We are proud of you." |
| Lloyd Marcus, the movement's most prominent African American, invited veterans to share the stage while he sang a hymn to patriotism. "We feel that Wisconsin is ground zero in the presidential race," he later told the Guardian. "Scott Walker is doing the right thing. He's restoring his state's fiscal status, and we feel that if he's successful governors across the country will basically do the same thing and reject Obama's tax-and-spend. I've been travelling across the state and people love Scott Walker. They are fired up." | Lloyd Marcus, the movement's most prominent African American, invited veterans to share the stage while he sang a hymn to patriotism. "We feel that Wisconsin is ground zero in the presidential race," he later told the Guardian. "Scott Walker is doing the right thing. He's restoring his state's fiscal status, and we feel that if he's successful governors across the country will basically do the same thing and reject Obama's tax-and-spend. I've been travelling across the state and people love Scott Walker. They are fired up." |
| Polling on Tuesday will reveal to what extent that is true. With few left undecided the contest hinges on which side better mobilises its base. Some expect a record turnout. | Polling on Tuesday will reveal to what extent that is true. With few left undecided the contest hinges on which side better mobilises its base. Some expect a record turnout. |
| Back on the highway overpass outside Appleton, a full moon overhead, Gillian Dale and her colleagues flashed their plea to vote for Barrett. | Back on the highway overpass outside Appleton, a full moon overhead, Gillian Dale and her colleagues flashed their plea to vote for Barrett. |
| The original Light Brigade was a British cavalry unit which made a doomed charge against enemy cannons in 1854, but the Democrat activists brushed off the precedent, citing anecdotes and internal polling which give them a chance. | The original Light Brigade was a British cavalry unit which made a doomed charge against enemy cannons in 1854, but the Democrat activists brushed off the precedent, citing anecdotes and internal polling which give them a chance. |
| They cheered when a juggernaut blasted its air horn in solidarity. "It's only supposed to do that in an emergency," said Ronna Swift, 69, a former flower child. "This is an emergency," replied a comrade. | They cheered when a juggernaut blasted its air horn in solidarity. "It's only supposed to do that in an emergency," said Ronna Swift, 69, a former flower child. "This is an emergency," replied a comrade. |
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