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Two Important Protests: Wisconsin Fights Radical Right Governor, Ray McGovern Objects to Clinton’s Foreign Policy

Citizens taking action: Robert Kraig reports from Madison on Day 8 of the struggle with new GOP governor; ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern gives a detailed account of being roughed up and arrested for protesting Secretary Clinton’s speech extolling freedom of dissent. Kraig is Executive Director of Citizen Action Wisconsin, and he explains that Gov. Scott Walker’s agenda goes way beyond union busting. With strong support from the Koch brothers, Walker’s sweeping budget bill also would allow the state to sell power plants to corporations with no competitive bidding, would sharply reduce Medicaid benefits, and would consolidate his power. Kraig also gives a little recent history of Walker’s campaign and the early actions as governor that created the “crisis”. At about 17 minutes in, Ray McGovern joins us to talk about his protest of Secretary of State Clinton’s speech at George Washington University on February 15–a speech about the importance of free expression and dissent. McGovern is remarkably good-humored about his rough treatment, and has serious criticisms of Clinton’s hawkish policies regarding Afghanistan, the use of unmanned drones, her hard line against Iran, and other key issues.