Live Blogging Walker's State Of The State Speech

I'll update this throughout the evening.

Expect to hear some Walker cheer-leading about the mining bill and some testerone-fueled whooping from GOP caucus members.

Word is that he's got a group of the usually conservative International Union of Operating Engineers at the Capitol for campaign-style optics. Those are the men (predominantly) who endorsed Walker in 2010, build highways and could play a role in a mine development or operation.

7:01 p.m. I've got my Plan B lined up. "Pawn Stars."

7:02 p.m. The Public Radio and TV hosts- - forgive me, I missed their names - - just told us that Walker considers himself a constitutional scholar, and we should listen for those references, as he wrote the speech himself.  What Walker staffer fed them that hooey?

"Pawn Stars" is already calling...

7:05. Wondering how many legislators are carrying their concealed weapons?

Nice applause for the family. The boys look ill-at-ease.

7:08. Walker says we're moving forward with "bold vision." That's the kind of line others should deliver.  It sounds self-serving.

Walker touts the falling unemployment rate. Cheesy cover for paltry job growth.

7:11. Pledging tax cuts for hard-working people. Twice says what he's doing is the opposite of what's happening in Washington. He's got Capitol fever'/DC variation. No vaccine is available.

7:13. Touts various state rankings. Omits #47 by Forbes, and #42 in job-creation. Says its everyone else's fault.

7:15. Says he focusing on jobs. First mention of "safe and environmentally-sound mining." Oxymoronic. Touts bill that passed Jt. Finance - - and died in the Senate.

And there are the Operating Engineers in hardhats. And other workers. What a show! Aren't hats banned in the new rules? I don't see any members of the Bad River Band there.

7:17. Throws out inflated jobs numbers related to mining. PolitiFact needs to check those numbers.

7:20. First Walker wink of the night thrown out to a female job-creator in the gallery.

By the way, Walker has mastered the Teleprompter.

7:22. Walker offers a report with new rule changes.

Now talking up workforce training. I hope this doesn't presage WEDC 2.0.

So far, this is hardly bold vision stuff. More like Bureaucracy 101.

Second Walker wink, again to a invited female guest. Trend? Ugh.

7:25. Talking up a UW plan to help people who didn't finish their degrees. Like himself. If he's really running for President, he's gonna have to fix that little FUBAR.

7:30. Acknowledges Angelo, a boy he mentors in a reading program. A wave, but no wink.

7:31. Says he's reopened visitor centers Doyle closed. I don't think they'll be directing people to the Bad River for much fishing.

7:33. Says he's for good transportation infrastructure. Does not mention transit, or passenger rail. The narrow mind...

7:35. Talking up high-speed Internet connections. Didn't he turn back federal funding? Talking up clean water. #miningcontradiction.

7:37. Another self-serving comparison to Washington. Attention political reporters.

7:38. Still pledging 250,000 new jobs. His own administration has said he won't get close.

7:39. Says his bold vision is moving the state forward. The end.

Weak speech. A "D+" would be generous.