Scott Walker faces backlash for comparing union protesters to ISIS

MILWAUKEE (WITI) - Reaction continues to come after Governor Scott Walker makes comments that some believe compared Wisconsin protesters to ISIS.

The governor made the comments Thursday, February 26th, at the CPAC conference in Washington. Walker insists he was simply saying the Act 10 protests were the toughest situation he faced. Critics say the context in which he made those comments compared protesters to terrorists.

"We will have someone who leads and will send the message not only will we protect American soil but do not take this freedom-loving people anywhere else in the world. We need a leader with that confidence. If I can take on 100,000 protesters, I can do the same across the world," said Walker.

Following those remarks at CPAC Thursday, Governor Scott Walker says his words do not compare protesters in Madison to terrorists in the Middle East.

"No, again, you all will misconstrue things the way you see fit but I think it's pretty clear that's the closest thing I've ever had in terms of handling a difficult situation, not that there's any parallel between the two," said Walker.

Friday, the state Assembly's top republican and democrat debate campaign finance laws at the Marquette Law School. As one might expect, they interpret the governor's comments differently.

"It's hard to imagine somebody that wants to be the leader of the free world and be the president of the United State would say 'I'm ready for ISIS because in Act 10, these ladies that are pushing baby buggies, I was able to contain them,'" said Assembly Minority Leader, Peter Barca.

"No, I think the fact he was pointing out is that he has a backbone and that he's gonna stand up for what he believes in and on behalf of the American people," said

Amid the republican push to enact Right-to-Work legislation, the unions have also weighed in.

The president of Wisconsin's AFL-CIO says in a statement:

"To compare hard-working men and women who work for a living to terrorists is a disgrace. Coming together to peacefully protest for freedom, to raise your voice for a better Wisconsin, this is not an act of terror."

Representative Barca and Senate Democratic Leader, Jennifer Shilling, say they have since sent Governor Walker a letter demanding he apologize for his comments.

Again, Walker says he was just talking about the most difficult situation he's faced as governor and how that would help prepare him for difficult foreign policy decision.