Recall Elections, Unfavorable Poll Numbers, Growing Unrest Among Independents Has Walker Recalibrating

Can't imagine Walker's handlers are going to give him much leash.  This will be an instructive development to watch.  It's not as if some legislators (notably) haven't been seeking a middle ground from the start of his administration.

Gov. Scott Walker seeks middle ground with lawmakers. Appleton Post-Crescent, 8/17/2011

Excerpt:  Amid unfavorable poll numbers and the specter of a recall election, Gov. Scott Walker is staking out some unusual territory — the political middle.

Later this week, the governor is expected to sit down with Senate and Assembly leaders from both parties. He should emerge from that meeting with a list of bills that Republicans and Democrats can work on together in the fall session, Walker said.

Such an approach is a marked departure for the governor, who earlier this year proudly refused to negotiate on his budget and even testified before Congress that when it comes to protracted negotiations, "Sometimes bipartisanship is not so good."

That was before Democrats picked up two Senate seats in recall elections this month, creating a tougher path through the Capitol for legislation and hinting at growing unrest among independent voters statewide.