Hahahahaha! Wisconsins Republican Governor, Scott Walker has now joined the parade of GOP Presidential hopefuls who have written a lying tome (with the help of a ghost writer) only to have it sell very few copies. However, he did pocket a nice chunk of change as an advance for writing it.
BuzzFeed reported this past week that Walker was paid an advance exceeding $340,000 to write "Unintimidated: A Governor's Story and a Nation's Challenge," his account of the well-publicized fight over Act 10, which rolled back collective bargaining for most government workers. His advance could have been much higher.
The online report said Walker has sold 16,156 hardcover copies of the book since its release in November, according to BookScan.
(bolding is mine)
I think he should have called it "I Crapped My Pants When Tens of Thousands of Protesters Showed Up", but he likes to present himself as a fearless and courageous leader (notwithstanding his already enormous pre-protest security detail).
But don't think that all those copies were bought by Walkers fans. Nope. His campaign, like other GOP hopefuls campaigns, bought a lot of copies to use in fundraising. Neither Walker or his campaign will say how many copies they purchased, but failed GOP hopeful Tim Pawlentys political action committee said they bought 5,000 copies of Pawlentys book after it was published.
"Friends of Scott Walker has purchased copies of Governor Walker's book from retailers for the political purpose of fundraising," said Jonathan Wetzel, a Walker campaign aide, earlier this year.
"Our campaign is providing books in exchange for contributions to the campaign committee much like is done for bumper stickers, T-shirts and other campaign items that are available via our online store, similar to President (Barack) Obama's campaigns and online store."
Walker's campaign advertised this book in an email to supporters on Jan. 29.
One of those signed copies of "Unintimidated" will cost Walker fans $150.00 and there are still plenty of them left.
Interesting to note that the copies were purchased from retailers. Likely done to avoid the past stereotyping when RW organizations bumped these books onto best seller lists by bulk purchases.
So much of the book is devoted to so many bold faced lies that have even been debunked by the GOP loving Poltico, it's not a surprise that the book bombed. But Walker got his megabucks (a nice way to get "legal money" into a politicians always grasping hands) and a book to put on his Presidential resume so book sales aren't needed. Mission accomplished.
The paperback edition is due out in August.