Scott Walker alienates Philadelphia after ordering a cheesesteak completely wrong

(Image credit: Twitter/ScottWalker)

This is a real clarification that had to be made by a Scott Walker representative after the Wisconsin governor visited two of Philadelphia's premiere cheesesteak facilities:

- When [Walker] arrived, he went to get in line and the owner of Geno's escorted the governor to the front.- The governor left his food and drink on the table while he did a media gaggle and he then took it with him when he left. He was actually eating the sandwich as he walked toward his vehicle. [Philly.com]

The bizarre statement became necessary after dozens of people in the City of Brotherly Love expressed outrage over the presidential hopeful's controversial cheesesteak decisions — policies that are clearly near and dear to their hearts. Some background:

Wisconsin Gov. and presidential candidate Scott Walker stopped by Pat's and Geno's in South Philly [Tuesday] for a campaign event, and, perhaps not surprisingly, things appear to have not gone all that well.First off, it appears that when Walker showed up, he cut his way into the line at Geno's, which legitimately and understandably upset some members of the lunch crowd...Then, over at Pat's following his second steak, Walker reportedly left his trash on a table in the outdoor seating area, apparently expecting the steak shop to send out a member of the wait staff (which does not exist) to clean it up. [Philly.com]

Walker himself was all cheer...

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But he may have lost Philly's vote.

In Walker's meager defense, politicians have been known to mess up the delicate art of ordering a cheesesteak before. In 2003, John Kerry enraged the city by asking for Swiss cheese (everyone knows you need to eat it with Wiz). "This isn't about a cheesesteak," explained the Democratic Underground after the incident. "It's about the ability of a candidate to interact with everyday people. You're better off skipping Pats/Genos altogether (but don't order one from somewhere else in Philly) than to go in there without a clue with what to do."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.