Fox News "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren" - Transcript

Interview

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Is Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker next? Is he at risk of voter recall? There have been nine recall votes in Wisconsin this summer, all of them triggered by backlash of the collective bargaining law this year. Democrats managed to unseat two incumbent Republicans but they fell short of winning control of the state senate. The Republicans of course breathed a sigh of relieve but there could be more trouble brewing. Joining us from Wisconsin is Governor Scott Walker. Good evening, governor.

GOV. SCOTT WALKER, R-WIS.: Good evening, Greta, good to be with you.

VAN SUSTEREN: And I should add, from the great state of Wisconsin, which I always do or should. Anyway --

WALKER: The home of the Packers and the Brewers, the next team up to win the world championship.

VAN SUSTEREN: I'll be watching. Sir, are you going to get recalled? What is the latest?

WALKER: I think they are going to be aggressively pushing for that. You look last Tuesday, there were six Republicans facing elections, we kept the majority of the seats. Out of 12, the union spent more money than all 12 combined. In total, there was more than $30 million spent on those elections for the state Senate recalls. I spent $13 million running for governor, so you can only imagine if they are willing to put that kind of money behind a Senate recall, they will probably try to put that money behind us.

But I think in the end the results will matter. People will see that our reforms work, we're getting our economy going, and that our schools and our local governments are working. And so my hope is they will see it has paid off.

VAN SUSTEREN: The reason there has been no effort right now is because under the state law they can't recall you until what point? You were elected in November, sworn in January, so when can they technically try to recall you?

WALKER: The earliest is January 4th, the day after a year has passed. They could do that for me or any other elected official who has served at least a year. Who knows whether they try then, push it back later in the spring, whether they try and put a recall election if successful on the fall ballot?

But for us I think two key things between now and next January will be critical in terms of whether a recall would be successful or not, that's September and December. In September all the parents across Wisconsin will send our kids back to public schools, and the schools will see in the end the reforms allowed them to save and the schools will be the same or better.

And on December, the second week, when property tax bills come out and property taxpayers see in our state that the tax bills because of our freeze are the same or lower, I think the overwhelming majority of people in the state, the voters will see what we did made sense, and it is helping to put Wisconsin back to work again.

VAN SUSTEREN: Some articles in the papers across the state that I read today, indicated, at least they suggest you are going to moderate some of your views on some things, you are going to work more than Democrats. Is that right?

WALKER: I don't know if I would call that moderate. We're going to work together. But people forget, before the collective bargaining budget bills came up earlier this year, in January I called a special session on jobs. And for the first month we passed the most aggressive pro-jobs agenda in the country, major tort reform, regulatory reform, tax relief for job creators, even made it easier for employers to use HSA's.

We did all those things with broad support not only among Republicans but the one independent and many Democrats voted for that. We can do the same now if we get focused back on jobs. It is not about moderating. It's about bringing Democrats to the table to do things that in the best interests of job creators in our state.

VAN SUSTEREN: I know Wisconsin is pretty cozy with all the politicians within the different parties. As a result I know you are close to Congressman Ryan. There's a lot of chatter about whether he's likely to run for president. What do you know?

WALKER: Right now I think it is still highly unlikely. There's a lot of pressure not only from folks in Wisconsin who think very much about him, but I think around the country. Paul Ryan's one of the most courageous people I know. And in this day and age more than anything we need leaders of courage, we need people who worry more about the next generation than do about the next election. And that's exactly what you would get out of Paul Ryan. I hope he's serious about reconsidering it, because I think there's a lot of people across America who would love to see him on the ticket.

VAN SUSTEREN: Would he be your first choice?

WALKER: If he runs. We grew up 15 minutes away from each other. He's an incredible talent. He's has an amazing way of taking profound issues and explaining them in a way that is simple and gets to the point. I would love to see him run. But I think there's other good candidates out there. Obviously, I would have a personal preference to Paul Ryan just because I think so much of him.

VAN SUSTEREN: Who do you have your eyes on? Who do you think, and for what reason?

WALKER: I think -- obviously, I admire Michelle Bachmann in standing up, but in the end a governor. Obviously I have a bias towards governors. I think Mitt Romney showed success as a governor and a private sector person.

But I worked more closely with Rick Perry and seen the success he's had in Texas. And if the issue is jobs you have two governors who have good track records both in public service and the private sector when it comes to jobs. I think that is going to be the issue. It certainly is Wisconsin. Jobs is the issue and I think across America and in the key swing states it's going to be the issue and we need someone who has a proven track record.

VAN SUSTEREN: Governor, thank you, nice to see you.

WALKER: Good to be with you, Greta.

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