Here & Now

Walker Files For 2016 Bid And Obama, Sanders Draw Crowds

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

LOTS OF PRESIDENTIAL NEWS IN THE BADGER STATE THIS WEEK. GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER FILED PAPERS THURSDAY WITH THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS COMMISSION TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT. IT WAS A NECESSARY FIRST STEP THAT WILL TAKE HIM TO THE WAUKESHA EXPOSITION CENTER ON JULY 13 TO FORMALLY ANNOUNCE HIS CANDIDACY. THE ELECTION COMMISSION FILING GOT THE NATIONAL PRESS BUZZING, AS WELL AS THE ATTENTION OF THE PARTISAN FAITHFUL AT THE STATE CAPITOL, INCLUDING ASSEMBLY SPEAKER ROBIN VOS.

ROBIN VOS:

YOU KNOW WHAT? I’M HAPPY FOR GOVERNOR WALKER. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU KNOW IT’S SOMETHING AS YOU LOOK AROUND THE COUNTRY HE LEADS IN A LOT OF THE POLLS. A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WISCONSIN. I’M PROUD OF WISCONSIN AND I HOPE HE HAS A GOOD SUCCESS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

TWO-TIME GOVERNOR WALKER OPPONENT, MILWAUKEE MAYOR TOM BARRETT HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT A WALKER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDACY.

TOM BARRETT:

I DON’T THINK IT’S A SURPRISE TO ANYBODY. I THINK IT’S A HUGE FIELD. AND I THINK THEY’RE ALL TRAILING SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON AT THIS POINT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ON THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL SIDE, VERMONT SENATOR AND PRIMARY CANDIDATE BERNIE SANDERS DREW 10,000 PEOPLE TO A RALLY IN MADISON WEDNESDAY. THIS ON TOP OF AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE CAMPAIGN HAS RAISED $15 MILLION SINCE LATE APRIL. THEN ON THURSDAY PRESIDENT OBAMA LIT UP UW-LA CROSSE RALLY WITH HIS PLEDGE TO EXPAND ELIGIBILITY FOR OVERTIME PAY FOR AMERICANS IN MANAGEMENT POSITIONS.

BARACK OBAMA:

IN EXTREME CASES IT’S POSSIBLE FOR WORKERS TO ACTUALLY LEARN LESS THAN THE MINIMUM WAGE. SO THEY ESSENTIALLY LABEL SOMEBODY AS MANAGEMENT INSTEAD OF A WORKER EVEN IF THEY’RE MAKING LIKE $25,000, WORK THEM A WHOLE BUNCH OF HOURS. THAT’S A WAY OF GETTING AROUND THE MINIMUM WAGE. IT’S NOT FAIR. SO WE’RE UPDATING THE RULES. WE’RE ENDING THAT EXCEPTION. WE’RE MAKING MORE WORKERS ELIGIBLE FOR THE OVERTIME THAT YOU’VE LEARNED.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WISCONSIN MANUFACTURERS AND COMMERCE PRESIDENT KURT BAUER BELIEVES EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY FOR OVERTIME PAY WILL HARM JOB GROWTH. IN A STATEMENT, HE SAYS, QUOTE, PRESIDENT OBAMA’S OVERTIME MANDATE MAKES FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT MORE EXPENSIVE FOR EMPLOYERS. AS A RESULT, WISCONSINITES WILL SEE LESS OPPORTUNITY FOR FULL-TIME WORK.