Kent Wainscott: Wisconsin’s senior political reporter

>> OVER THE PAST 34 YEARS, HE’S COVERED THE BIGGEST STORIES IN WISCONSIN. NOW, OUR VERY OWN KENT WAINSCOTT, IS HEADING INTO RETIREMENT. >> TONIGHT, WE’RE CELEBRATING HIS CAREER, AND HIS COMMITMENT TO COVERING WISCONSIN POLITICS. HERE’S MATT SMITH WITH THAT PART OF KENT’S STORY. >> WHEN IT WAS ALL OVER AND DONE TODAY IT DIDN’T REALLY MATTER WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAD TO SAY, >> FOR AS LONG AS MANY CAN REMEMBER. >> IT PROMPTED THIS LEGISLATION THIS IS KNOWN AS HOUSE BILL >> KENT WAINSCOTT HAS REPORTED HISTORY’S FIRST DRAFT. >> JUST ABOUT EVERYONE HERE HOPING THE PRESIDENT WOULD MAKE AN UNSCHEDULED STOP, OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL POLITICAL MOMENTS OF OUR LIFETIME. >> A MAJORITY, MORE THAN THREE DECADES, RIGHT HERE AT WISN 12. >> AND IF YOU THINK YOUR VOTE DOESN’T COUNT, DON’T TELL THAT TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN SOUTH MILWAUKEE. >> BUT DON’T ASK ME. >> CONGRATULATIONS KENT 42 YEARS. >> JUST ASK THOSE, >> HEY KENT CONGRATULATIONS. >> GRADUATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT. >> HAPPY CONGRATULATIONS RETIREMENT FOR KENT. >> FORMER SPEAKER PAUL RYAN HERE. CRACKS KENT COVERED ME FOR 30 SOME YEARS. >> A TESTAMENT OF TRUST, A 12 NEWS ELECTION NIGHT STAPLE. >> AS YOU WATCH THESE NUMBERS COME AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT SPECIFICALLY? >> FOLLOWING WISCONSIN’S PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS. >> KENT IS THE ONLY LOCAL REPORTER — >> WE TALKED ABOUT THE DETAILS OF HIS PLAN TODAY DURING A BUMPY BUS RIDE ON IN IOWA BACK ROAD. >> WHAT I WANT TO DO IS PUT $100 MILLION OUT. >> HE IS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT CARES, HE IS HONEST, HE IS TRUTHFUL HE IS CAREFUL. AND HE GETS THE STORY CORRECTLY, I DON’T THINK THERE IS A BETTER WAY TO TALK ABOUT A REPORTER THAN ONE LIKE OUR GOOD FRIEND KENT WHO DOES THE JOB OF THE DILIGENCE, OF PROFESSIONALISM IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR THE NEWS. HE IS OLD-FASHIONED IN A WAY BUT IN A GOOD WAY. >> WHEN WE ASKED ABOUT THE REASON FOR HIS EARLY POPULARITY IN THIS STATE, WHAT WILL WE SEE FROM YOU THAT WE’RE NOT ALREADY SEEING? >> WELL, RIGHT NOW, YOU ALWAYS ASKED ME TOUGH QUESTIONS WHETHER IT WAS A MEMBER OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE, COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THEN AS GOVERNOR, EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE TOUGH, THEY WERE FAIR AND YOU GAVE ME THE TIME TO ANSWER. THAT’S WHY WE ALWAYS KEPT COMING BACK ANY TIME YOU ASKED FOR AN INTERVIEW AND OFTEN SUGGESTED TO OTHER PEOPLE BOTH IN WISCONSIN AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY TALK TO YOU WHEN THEY WERE IN WISCONSIN. >> FROM PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS TO PRESIDENTS IN THE WHITE HOUSE, >> IT’S BEEN VERY CONTROVERSIAL, WE’VE HAD THE PROTESTS BUT IN DOING SO THE GOVERNOR AND HIS SUPPORTERS SAY LOOK WE’RE BALANCING A BUDGET, WE’RE PAYING DOWN OUR JOBS, WE’RE CREATING JOBS AND WE’RE DOING IT WITHOUT RAISING TAXES, MR. PRESIDENT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, KENT, BY REACHING OUT TO US THE PRESIDENT MAY BE SINGING HOW IMPORTANT HE CONSIDERS WISCONSIN A POLITICIAN COULDN’T EVADE KENT WAINSCOTT. >> DO YOU BELIEVE SYSTEMIC RACISM IS A PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTRY? >> A POLITICIAN COULD NOT EVADE KENT WAINSCOTT. >> OUR HOUSE BUDGET CHAIRMAN DID STOP AND TALK WITH US BRIEFLY AND DECLINED TO COMMENT AT ALL ON THE VP SPECULATION. >> NOT ONLY WERE YOU AN EXCELLENT JOURNALIST, YOU ARE ALSO A VERY GOOD PERSON AND THAT SHINES THROUGH, YOU ARE ALWAYS TRUTHFUL AND YOU GAVE SO MANY WISCONSIN FAMILIES INFORMATION THEY NEEDED TO MAKE THEIR LIVES BETTER. >> FROM NOW U.S. AMBASSADORS. >> SMART, HARD-WORKING AND FAIR. YOU HAVE BEEN A TREMENDOUS ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY. >> TWO SENATORS AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. >> I WANT TO THANK YOU PERSONALLY FOR YOUR DECADES OF SERVICE, KEEPING THE PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN WELL INFORMED. >> A PEABODY AWARD 9 EMMYS, SO SO MANY OTHER AWARDS. KENT I HOPE YOU’LL NEVER STOP BEING A GREAT JOURNALIST AND RECORDING EVERYTHING YOU’RE GOING TO DO IN RETIREMENT AND SHARING THAT WITH US TOO. >> MAYORS AND DIGNITARIES ALIKE. A FINAL DISPATCH NOW JUST DAYS AWAY. NOT GOODBYE BUT SEE YOU AROUND. >> I’M THRILLED TO ABLE TO WISH HIM A HAPPY AND HEALTH RETIREMENT AND WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SEE KENT AROUND MILWAUKEE FOR THE YEARS TO COME. THANKS SO MUCH KENT. BACK TO YOU >> YOUR HEART HAS TO BE FULL WHEN YOU HEAR POLITICIANS ACROSS THE SPECTRUM ALL SAY WHAT THEY DID ABOUT YOUR FAIRNESS. >> I REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR KIND WORDS, AND THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WE HAVE COVERED FOR DECADES. TOMMY THOMPSON SAYING — >> WE FOLLOWED THEIR CAREERS AS MUCH AS THEY HAVE ALIGNED WITH OUR CAREERS. YOU GUYS HAVE COVERED POLITICS IN THIS STATE AS WELL, YOU KNOW HOW CHALLENGING AND INTERESTING IT CAN BE. >> THEY TALK ABOUT CAPITAL J FOR JOURNALISM. I THINK THAT’S WHAT HE MEANT BY OLD-FASHIONED AND A GOOD WAY. >> I APPRECIATE THAT AND YOU HAVE INTERVIEWED PRESIDENTS, GOVERNORS, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, MAYORS. IS THERE ANYONE YOU DID NOT INTERVIEW THAT YOU WANTED TO INTERVIEW? >> I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW A NUMBER OF PRESIDENTS WHO ARE EITHER SITTING PRESIDENTS OR WHEN THEY WERE CAMPAIGNING BEFORE OR DURING OR AFTER THEIR PRESIDENCY. I COVERED RONALD REAGAN, NEVER GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW HIM ONE ON ONE, I THINK I WOULD HAVE LIKED THAT OPPORTUNITY. I DON’T KNOW. I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT THE ONES THAT GOT AWAY, YOUR ROLODEX IS VERY FULL. ANOTHER OLD-FASHION

Kent Wainscott: Wisconsin’s senior political reporter

WISN 12 News is celebrating Kent Wainscott’s 34 years of storytelling

Updated: 7:10 PM CST Dec 20, 2022

For 34 years, WISN 12 News reporter Kent Wainscott documented Wisconsin’s most high-profile political moments taking him from Wisconsin to the White House, the back roads of Iowa, to New Hampshire and major stops in between. Watch some of the most memorable moments of Kent’s career and shoutouts and farewells from people including former U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, former Govs. Tommy Thompson and Scott Walker, Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Gwen Moore.

MILWAUKEE —

For 34 years, WISN 12 News reporter Kent Wainscott documented Wisconsin’s most high-profile political moments taking him from Wisconsin to the White House, the back roads of Iowa, to New Hampshire and major stops in between.

Watch some of the most memorable moments of Kent’s career and shoutouts and farewells from people including former U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, former Govs. Tommy Thompson and Scott Walker, Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Gwen Moore.