Walker focuses on taxes in response to Doyle's address

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker criticized Gov. Jim Doyle's and Barack Obama's records on taxes in response to Doyle's speech before the convention this evening.

Walker, who's widely expected to challenge Doyle for governor in 2010, pointed out that tonight's convention theme was "Renewing America's Promise" and accused Doyle of breaking a promise to voters.

"Before the last election, Jim Doyle said to the voters of the State of Wisconsin, specifically, 'we should not, we must not and I will not raise taxes," Walker said, before accusing him of proposing raising taxes and fees by nearly $3 billion after the election.

Walker then highlighted Obama's record on taxes, saying he's voted either against tax cuts or for tax increases 94 times in the Senate and, despite professing support for the middle class, voted to raise taxes on those making $42,000 per year.

"I don't know about you, but that's what I consider to be middle class," Walker said.

Walker said Obama wants higher taxes on income, investments, savings, businesses, Social Security and energy.

"He promises a better economy," Walker said, "but we know that taxing our way to prosperity is no way to grow the economy in Wisconsin and across this country."

Walker made his comments at a McCain campaign office in West Allis. As Walker spoke, about 15 campaign volunteers made calls to potential voters.



In a Q&A with reporters, Walker said McCain's maverick character will help him attract the support of Reagan Democrats and win Wisconsin.

He called Obama's choice of Joe Biden as a running mate "one of the weakest choices possible."

"He's been in the United States Senate for nearly four decades," Walker said of Biden, who was elected to the Senate in 1972. "He's a creature of Washington."

Walker said he expects McCain will pick an outsider to share the ticket with him.

"I think he's going to pick somebody's who's just as much as a maverick and an outsider as him," Walker said, adding he would likely look outside of Washington, D.C., for his pick.

-- By David Wise