Cullen out of governor's race before start
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Timothy F. Cullen
MADISON — "Things fall apart. The centre cannot hold," William Butler Yeats famously wrote.
Sen. Tim Cullen knows something of what the poet was feeling nearly a century ago.
Cullen is a self-styled centrist Democrat from Janesville who hoped to bring a fresh approach to the office of governor, something different than what he called Gov. Scott Walker's "my way or the highway" approach.
But Cullen had to admit defeat before he got started.
He faced reporters Wednesday at the Capitol and said it comes down to money, which apparently is lacking in the center of the political field.
Cullen said he does not believe he could raise the $1 million to $2 million he thinks would be needed to compete in the primary with some of the probable candidates who are better known, better organized and have more money than he could raise.
Former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk is the only Democrat who has announced a run so far. Rep. David Obey and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett also are apparently considering runs.
Cullen said he expected others might enter the race as well. He said he has no preference among the possible candidates and would support his party's nominee. Everyone who has been mentioned so far "has good Wisconsin values," he said.
No one asked him to step aside, he said.
Cullen said he met with various unions who might have offered their organizations and dollars, but they did
not, and he didn't ask, he said.
"I had hoped there would be more union support for me than there was," Cullen said. "I had hoped more organizations would've come forward for me, but they didn't."
Cullen said some unions' reactions, particularly from the public-employee unions, "was sort of respectful indifference."
That leaves Cullen with a term as senator that runs through 2014. He said he plans to run again.
"I came to Madison as a centrist, and I discovered there was no center," Cullen said. "I will spend the rest of my time representing those who have no lobbyists themselves: the convenience store employee, the hairdresser, the factory worker with no union, the self-employed lawn care worker, the waitress who by Wisconsin law does not earn minimum wage."
He said he would also go back to his pledge when he ran for Senate in 2010, that he would seek to bring more civility and compromise to the Legislature.
"Many of the people in this building love this political war, but the majority of the people outside this building do not want the war, and they want us to work together," Cullen said.
Cullen said he expected the recall election would be "the most angry, partisan race in Wisconsin history."
Cullen said the winner probably will be unable to begin the process of reuniting the state. He said that's a job he would take on as a state senator. He said he and others should speak out to tone down the highest level of public anger he has seen in his adult life.
"Angry people do not solve problems," he said.
Cullen has gained notoriety for his efforts, notably with Sen. Dale Schultz, R-Richland Center, to improve relations between the two parties in the Senate and to find common ground and compromise.
"We get a sense, as we go around the state together that the public really wants that," he said.
Cullen said if legislators got to know each other as human beings, it would not be so easy to attack each other.
Feb 3, 2012 at 1:02 p.m.
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Hammer, not sure I understand your post?
Feb 3, 2012 at 12:07 p.m.
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thank you gonfo5
Feb 3, 2012 at 12:02 p.m.
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"You need to get off that band wagon, the horse was put back in the barn a long time ago." as were you and your cronies non-stop comments about northern Illinois. Time to move on to something relevant for a change, don't you think? Or is that the best you all have?
Feb 3, 2012 at 11:49 a.m.
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gonfo5.....AMEN...Great point!
Feb 3, 2012 at 11:33 a.m.
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listen to you idiots! i love it!!
RECALL WISCONSIN!!!
Feb 3, 2012 at 11:05 a.m.
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madcity said - with or without Kathy Nicolaus' help.
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You need to get off that band wagon, the horse was put back in the barn a long time ago.
Feb 3, 2012 at 11 a.m.
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@wislady:
If you're preaching about those on the left showing the office of Governor some respect, I would advise you also preach to those on the right that they show the office of the President some respect. Somehow, I don't think that is going to happen.
What happened to the Cullen recall that you guaranteed?
Feb 3, 2012 at 10:18 a.m.
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And Walker is such a good candidate because...?
Feb 3, 2012 at 10:15 a.m.
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Falk is the union favored candidate here, not Cullen.
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If she is the candidate, the recall will fail.
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Dems need better candidates. A better candidate would have beaten Prosser, with or without Kathy Nicolaus' help.
Feb 3, 2012 at 9:51 a.m.
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Cullen is not a centralist - he is a northernist. Northern Illinois that is, Like ROCKFORD.
Feb 3, 2012 at 9:47 a.m.
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I find it odd that in the state of wisconsin the democrats consider it ok to be the party of "NO" but in the same breath can bash the republicans in Washington for doing the same! Is the new modo, "Do as I say and not as I do"? Just food for thought anyways!
The only difference with the Washington republicans is they gained control of Congress based on the notion of stopping the crazy spending and when they actually follow through with what they campaigned on, Americans are once again angry at them for doing what they said would happen. If the democrats want to spend money like the tree is drowning in Miracle Grow and the republicans were voted in to stop the spending, its kind of hipocritical to attack them for being the party of "NO"! That's my opinion anyways, doesn't mean its right but its my opinion.
Feb 3, 2012 at 9:02 a.m.
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As with all democrat politicians, when Mr. Cullen says he wants to return civility to Madison he means that he wants to make Republicans to see things his way.
His way is very partisan to the left.
The biggest hint is in that he needed the UNIONS to support him to mount a campaign. Are these the same unions that have poured millions into the recall Walker campaign. Are these the same unions that have been party to the corruption and cheating that has been exposed in regards to the recall petitions?
Feb 3, 2012 at 9:02 a.m.
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Starbuck -- This is just an observation over 30 years. Repubs in general, have been willing to discuss and negotiate. THey have given a little at a time. Dems continue to demand, yell, whatever it takes to get what they want and then complain. Now that repubs are fighting back on behalf of the people, dems are really losing their minds. Especialy the far left and unions.
Feb 3, 2012 at 7:57 a.m.
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Amazing! Listened to the interview yesterday. Can't get the union support so I better not run? What, since when do the unions control politics in Wisconsin. A question to all the democrats... DO YOU REALLY WANT THE UNIONS TO RUN YOUR GOVERNMENT? That is what Mr. Cullen says IS HAPPENING with the democratic party. It is over Wisconsin the minute we let the unions run this state, we are headed for the same fate as Illinois. Mr. Cullen was your flight to Illinois a sign that is the type of government you want for Wisconsin?
Feb 3, 2012 at 7:34 a.m.
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Welcome to politics in WI I wonder if the democrats will make a better choice than to have Falk run agains Waker if there is to be a recall election.
Feb 3, 2012 at 6:34 a.m.
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Cullen killed any hopes of being Governor or being a "centrist" when he ran like a sissy coward to Illinois. He says one thing but does quite the opposite. Good riddance !
Feb 2, 2012 at 7:12 p.m.
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starbuck
As I also said................
"It works both ways"
Feb 2, 2012 at 6:21 p.m.
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Same goes for the Republicans wislady! Time for the Republicans to respect the Democrats as well as the hard working citizens of this state. All the Republicans want do is alienate. Your fellow Republican Governor is doing a great job at alienation!
Feb 2, 2012 at 5:25 p.m.
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"Everyone who has been mentioned so far "has good Wisconsin values," he said."
Mr. Cullen, the majority of the Wisconsin voters who elected Walker have "good Wisconsin values". Scott Walker and his family have shown enormous courage in this past year. If you have half that courage, you would step up and acknowledge the fact that more would get done in Wisconsin if democrats would tone down the hateful rhetoric, shouting in the assembly, and asking people to be respectful of the elected representatives. It works both ways.
"He said he would also go back to his pledge when he ran for Senate in 2010, that he would seek to bring more civility and compromise to the Legislature.
"Many of the people in this building love this political war, but the majority of the people outside this building do not want the war, and they want us to work together," Cullen said."
Mr. Cullen........it is time for someone in the democratic party to step up and ask everyone to show some respect for the office of the governor, and for our Capitol. You can start with your fellow democrats...unless, this is all simply talk.
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