La Salle Professor On Scott Walker: 'No Degree Does Not Make Him Unaccomplished Or Unable To Lead'
By Dom Giordano
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin is under fire recently by some for not having a college degree. Critics, like former Governor Howard Dean say that he is "unknowledgeable" because of this and question his ability to be President.
WPHT midday host, Dom Giordano spoke with Ed Turzanski, the John Templeton Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and a Political Science Professor at La Salle University about the Wisconsin governor's lack of a degree.
"Whether someone without a college degree isn't qualified to play significant role in the economy or public life, well we've already talked about Bill Gates. Who is going to say that Bill Gates doesn't know what is happening in the economy and is an unaccomplished person because he did not complete a college degree? Some of the most intelligent people and some of the best experiences that I had as a faculty member, was when I taught at night at Villanova (University) I taught adults and when I taught at La Salle (University) with returning veterans...There's tremendous practical wisdom. They are very serious about their studies because they know that this is something that they're paying for, this is their opportunity to improve."
Whether it be Walker's not finishing his collegiate career or his "punting" on a question about evolution, Turzanski feels that he and other conservatives need to be able to "change the headlines" about themselves when they don't like what they see and take more control over their own narrative.
"If you don't set the narrative, your adversaries will, and unfortunately, the press is an adversary to any Republican that is running. We know that. Stop complaining about it and do something about it. We need to, Scott Walker, Republicans, and especially conservatives need to push back in a way that is both intelligent but most of all humorous. We can not lose our good humor. We need to be clever. We need to be courageous in our views, but do it in a way that is not just intelligent but also with some humor, and some good will. That will over come the snark and the nastiness from the other side and it will stand as a dramatic contrast."