Gov. Scott Walker started 2016 by refusing interview requests from newspaper correspondents who cover the State Capitol, they report.
That's not surprising. Other governors have become annoyed with the coverage provided by members of the Capitol press corps who work for newspapers.
These journalists have good memories. They remember what governors and their staffs have said in the past about issues. They know many of the details involved in public issues, and they know how to get responses from others in the public arena.
Governors are annoyed when things aren't going their way. Walker saw that in 2015 when his bid for the Republican presidential nomination fizzled. He saw it when his favorable ratings dropped to 38 percent. His popular support had eroded in central and western Wisconsin.
Governors are accustomed to audiences standing and applauding their appearances at public event. Some may occasionally think all this is for them personally rather than respect for the office and the state.
It's easy to understand why they think the press, rather than themselves, are at the heart of bad poll numbers.
On the other hand, Walker's decision to avoid early-year interviews might just be an effort to avoid discussing issues scheduled for inclusion in his State of the State address to the Legislature. He would want to package his visions in the speech rather than newspaper interviews.
Other governors also have jealously protected their speeches until they are delivered.
Walker did interviews with radio and TV outlets this year. Broadcast news reports, by the nature of their media, generally don't have the wider dissemination of newspaper stories.
The governor has said he has a 20-year vision for the future of Wisconsin and he wants the state to move in that direction. He also told TV reporters he might run for re-election in 2018, obviously linked to such long-term ideas.
Walker has no choices but to suggest he might seek at least one additional term as governor. To do otherwise at this point would raise the image that he might become a lame-duck politician.
It's much easier dealing with both political friends and foe when you appear clearly to be the person in charge. It's the sort of image that will help Walker as he campaigns to help re-elect Republican Ron Johnson to the U.S. Senate this November.
Johnson is a freshman senator who is being challenged by former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, a Democrat. National publications predict that their race could be one of the closest Senate races this year.
Walker often appears on friendly conservative talk-radio shows, an approach to strengthen support among so-called Tea Party members who support him. That stage seems to be his public forum of choice.
The non-partisan Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance recently suggested Walker hold regular weekly press conferences with the Capitol press corps. Such exchanges were regular events in the second half of the 20th Century.
That might be dangerous because his administration has contested several open record requests for documents.
The governor has spent most of his adult life successfully running for office in Wisconsin. He may be reluctant to adopt a new approach.
- Matt Pommer is a 35-year veteran of covering state government in Madison. His column is published Tuesdays in the Times.
That's not surprising. Other governors have become annoyed with the coverage provided by members of the Capitol press corps who work for newspapers.
These journalists have good memories. They remember what governors and their staffs have said in the past about issues. They know many of the details involved in public issues, and they know how to get responses from others in the public arena.
Governors are annoyed when things aren't going their way. Walker saw that in 2015 when his bid for the Republican presidential nomination fizzled. He saw it when his favorable ratings dropped to 38 percent. His popular support had eroded in central and western Wisconsin.
Governors are accustomed to audiences standing and applauding their appearances at public event. Some may occasionally think all this is for them personally rather than respect for the office and the state.
It's easy to understand why they think the press, rather than themselves, are at the heart of bad poll numbers.
On the other hand, Walker's decision to avoid early-year interviews might just be an effort to avoid discussing issues scheduled for inclusion in his State of the State address to the Legislature. He would want to package his visions in the speech rather than newspaper interviews.
Other governors also have jealously protected their speeches until they are delivered.
Walker did interviews with radio and TV outlets this year. Broadcast news reports, by the nature of their media, generally don't have the wider dissemination of newspaper stories.
The governor has said he has a 20-year vision for the future of Wisconsin and he wants the state to move in that direction. He also told TV reporters he might run for re-election in 2018, obviously linked to such long-term ideas.
Walker has no choices but to suggest he might seek at least one additional term as governor. To do otherwise at this point would raise the image that he might become a lame-duck politician.
It's much easier dealing with both political friends and foe when you appear clearly to be the person in charge. It's the sort of image that will help Walker as he campaigns to help re-elect Republican Ron Johnson to the U.S. Senate this November.
Johnson is a freshman senator who is being challenged by former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, a Democrat. National publications predict that their race could be one of the closest Senate races this year.
Walker often appears on friendly conservative talk-radio shows, an approach to strengthen support among so-called Tea Party members who support him. That stage seems to be his public forum of choice.
The non-partisan Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance recently suggested Walker hold regular weekly press conferences with the Capitol press corps. Such exchanges were regular events in the second half of the 20th Century.
That might be dangerous because his administration has contested several open record requests for documents.
The governor has spent most of his adult life successfully running for office in Wisconsin. He may be reluctant to adopt a new approach.
- Matt Pommer is a 35-year veteran of covering state government in Madison. His column is published Tuesdays in the Times.
