Wisconsin recall election hangover

The Wisconsin Governor recall election, 16 months in the making, has come and gone. On Tuesday, Republican Governor Scott Walker won the recall vote by a margin of 53 percent to 46 percent.

Many people who live in Wisconsin's liberal capital city of Madison say it came down to a contest between big labor and big money, and big money won out."I think all the out-of-state money, mainly the Koch Brothers, was just unconscionable," said Madison resident Rosemary Lee.  "I think it's just a really sad day for Wisconsin and I'm in mourning."Outside of the Statehouse Tuesday night, about a thousand people gathered, showing solidarity and holding onto hope that the polls might be wrong."The corporate media called the election with just 22 percent of the vote in," one protester said.  "This is just like the 2000 presidential election in Florida and I won't stand for it."For hundreds of people who have spent the last year protesting, canvassing and collecting signatures to make the recall happen, the idea of their efforts falling short was incomprehensible.Upon hearing the news, JoAnne Porter said, “It’s a sad day for Wisconsin if that’s the truth, a really sad say for all of us.”Many wonder now, with the failed effort to recall Scott Walker, what message has been sent to the rest of the country and in what way it will impact decisions by future governors when it comes to the rights of workers and the power of labor unions. "Tonight we tell Wisconsin and we tell our country and we tell people all across this globe that voters really do want leaders who stand up and make the tough decisions,” said Gov. Walker (R-Wisconsin).The spark again him, which ignited a fire, is now dying down. In his concession speech, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett asked his supporters to continue the fight. "To those of you who fought, who obtained signatures, who stood out in the cold, who did what you thought was right, never ever stop doing what you think is right," Barrett said.