Dear Tell All: It’s been fascinating watching Scott Walker go from being a rough-edged Wisconsin politician to one of the top contenders for the Republican presidential nomination. The rest of the country is slowly figuring out what we’ve known for a long time: that Walker can be really, really weird. There are the stupefying flip-flops, depending on the governor’s needs at any given moment. There are the bizarre statements, like comparing Wisconsin protesters to ISIS. And there are the flat-out screwball moments, as when Walker answered a youngster’s earnest question about global warming by explaining how he used to clean up campsites during his Boy Scout days.
But I’ve been noticing a new bit of Walker weirdness on the presidential campaign trail. He constantly refers to himself in the royal “we.” A typical example, in response to Obama’s criticism of Walker’s right-to-work law: ““Well, it suggests maybe we’re the front-runner if somebody is taking an active interest in what a state governor is doing, particularly in light of the fact that we’re not the only one.”
Recently, Walker even used “we” when saying that “he” would officially announce his presidential campaign: “The week of the 13th is when we’ll be likely to make our announcement as to what our intentions are.”
You hear politicians talk this way occasionally, but Walker does it so much that he reminds me of Queen Victoria, who was known for such royally condescending statements as “we are not amused.” Does the guy think he’s running for the monarchy?
An I for an I
Dear I: You make a good point, and it will be interesting to see if this particular mannerism attracts national media attention. Walker is developing a reputation in some quarters as a braggart — someone whose self-aggrandizement goes beyond the usual politician’s chest-thumping — and his lordly use of pronouns only confirms that assessment.
On the other hand, one could just as well interpret his use of “we” as a kind of humility, acknowledging that he’s part of a team rather than a solo act. So he has plausible deniability if someone calls him on it.
As you say, Wisconsin knows Walker a lot better than the rest of the country does, so we’re more attuned to the nuances of his speech. I — or dare I say “we” — can’t wait to see if anyone outside the state picks up on this vocal tic. Saturday Night Live, the ball is in your court.
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