1/31/2006 02:33:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|There is a rumor floating around St. Paul that Hatch's campaign is having a tough time getting their campaign finance reports in on time. Stay tuned for further details.|W|P|113874692424299066|W|P|WHERE IS HATCH'S REPORT?|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/31/2006 03:15:00 PM|W|P|Blogger AAARF|W|P|Is $0 a report?1/31/2006 01:30:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|As of today, the last line of this press release is best political shot this year. We'll see if anyone can top it. ## St. Paul – Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey today issued the following statement following the release of Kelly Doran’s campaign finance report. "With today's dreary fundraising numbers, it is now clear that Kelly Doran's content-free candidacy is not connecting with Minnesotans. Since jumping into the governor's race in September after failing in his bid for the U.S. Senate, Doran has raised a paltry $4,700. "It appears Kelly Doran is just about the only person who wants to see Kelly Doran as governor."
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|W|P|113874330579020142|W|P|MN GOP: "IT APPEARS KELLY DORAN IS JUST ABOUT THE ONLY PERSON WHO WANTS TO SEE KELLY DORAN AS GOVERNOR"|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/31/2006 12:18:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|

The horrible comments below are on Democratic Underground:
"I suppose he heard Jesus forgave whores so that's why he agreed to do this."
"Amazing how one can be Jewish and a Nazi at the same time"
It must be in the Democrats' talking points this week to compare Republicans to Nazis.
|W|P|113873869007523460|W|P|MDE BREAKING NEWS: ANTI-SEMITIC ATTACK ON COLEMAN FROM DEMOCRATS|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/31/2006 12:43:00 PM|W|P|Blogger Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|This week? LOL, you're kidding right? It's part of their genetics!1/31/2006 02:44:00 PM|W|P|Blogger John Jordan|W|P|It's all they seem to have - call Republicans names.

Personally, I think it's sickening. To think that in this day and age we still have political hacks like this misusing a term like "Nazi" for their own personal hatred. At to it their clear anti-semetic bigotry.

But watch, we'll see DFL'ers defending it and ripping on those of us who dare to oppose this. They'll be the "hold on, back up, take a look at the bigger picture, this isn't that bad" type comments.

The reality is, this shows what's in their hearts and minds.1/31/2006 11:53:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|"Next quarter, when Mark Kennedy is forced to compete without the benefit of a big-donor Bush fundraiser, how will his numbers stack up to Amy Klobuchar's?" Source: DFL Senate But they forget that Klobuchar has come-up short for the second straight quarter: "It was the second straight quarter that Kennedy out-raised Klobuchar. He had trailed Klobuchar in cash on hand on June 30." |W|P|113873754884296416|W|P|KLOBUCHAR'S ALLIES SPINNING HER POOR FUNDRAISING NUMBERS|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/31/2006 11:43:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Kennedy widens financial lead over Klobuchar GOP Senate candidate Mark Kennedy raised more than double the money of DFL front-runner Amy Klobuchar in the last quarter of 2005, widening his financial advantage in the race. Kennedy raised $1.5 million during the period, compared to $700,000 for Klobuchar, according to figures released by the campaigns. As of Dec. 31, Kennedy had $2.65 million in the bank, compared to $1.73 million for Klobuchar. It was the second straight quarter that Kennedy out-raised Klobuchar. He had trailed Klobuchar in cash on hand on June 30. Overall, Kennedy raised $3.65 million last year, compared to $2.5 million for Klobuchar. A second DFL candidate, Ford Bell, raised $231,000 in the fourth quarter and $466,000 for the year. He had $237,000 in the bank as of Dec. 31. Source: Associated Press, January 31, 2006 |W|P|113873681946274866|W|P|BREAKING NEWS: KENNEDY BEATS KLOBUCHAR OVER 2 TO 1 IN FUNDRAISING LAST QUARTER|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/31/2006 01:49:00 PM|W|P|Blogger North Star Politics|W|P|Wow! What a phenom! And all without any help from the top!1/31/2006 02:15:00 PM|W|P|Blogger Tim Ward|W|P|Wow. A republican out fundraising a democrat. I thought I had seen it all.

Amy should just throw in the towel right now.2/01/2006 01:11:00 PM|W|P|Blogger truthsurfer|W|P|May the best corporate backed, high dollar PAC invested candidate...lose.1/31/2006 10:55:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|"Despite rumors that '00 candidate/atty. Mike Ciresi (D) could enter the race as early as today, his office stated this a.m. he is currently out of town, will be back briefly tonight, and then will leave again 2/1 for the remainder of the week, making any sort of political announcement this week very unlikely". Source: Hotline, Janaury 31, 2006 But last week Ciresi said he would announce this week: "Trial attorney Mike Ciresi says he'll announce next week whether he'll be a Democratic candidate for the U-S Senate seat being vacated by Mark Dayton." Source: Associated Press, January 24, 2006 |W|P|113873448729976198|W|P|CIRESI MAY NOT ANNOUNCE PLANS UNTIL NEXT WEEK|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/31/2006 07:54:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|"[Coleen] Rowley had the photo removed from her website and took steps to apologize personally. She said an unpaid volunteer prepared the blog, and she approved it without making the Nazi connection." Source: Star Tribune, January 31, 2006 "According to published reports, Minnesota Democrat-Farm Labor Chairman Mike Erlandson claimed the party did not distribute the [Nazi bumper] stickers and blamed a volunteer for putting them on a party literature display." Source: United Press International, September 8, 2004 Click here to read the entire post. |W|P|113872317843920375|W|P|THEY ALWAYS BLAME A NAMELESS VOLUNTEER|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/31/2006 07:45:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|

These bumper stickers were distributed from DFL Party headquarters

Unfortunatley, Coleen Rowley's campaign posting a picture of Representative John Kline in a Nazi-era military uniform is not the first time DFLers have been caught comparing Republicans to Nazis. ## Minn. GOP tells Dem to pull Hitler sticker Democrats in Minnesota need to cease their distribution of a bumper sticker comparing the president to Adolf Hitler, state GOP leaders said Wednesday. "John Kerry's Democrat Party sunk to a new low when it made the decision to actively distribute a bumper sticker from its St. Paul (Minn.) headquarters stating "Bush/Cheney -- Most hated world leaders since Hitler," state GOP Chairman Ron Eibensteiner said. "There is no place in Minnesota politics for the kind of hate-filled trash. "According to published reports, Minnesota Democrat-Farm Labor Chairman Mike Erlandson claimed the party did not distribute the stickers and blamed a volunteer for putting them on a party literature display. Ex-U.S. Sen. Rudy Boschwitz, R-Minn., himself a survivor of the Nazi death camps, called the bumper stickers a "grotesque insult." "To invoke the name of one of the great monsters of the twentieth century, Adolf Hitler, for base political gain is a grotesque insult to the memory of the millions of Jews and other innocents who died at his terrible hand," Boschwitz said. Source: United Press International, September 8, 2004

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|W|P|113872233237903344|W|P|MDE FROM THE ARCHIVES: DFL BLAMES VOLUNTEER FOR DISTRIBUTING BUMPER STICKERS COMPARING PRESIDENT BUSH TO HITLER|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/31/2006 10:29:00 AM|W|P|Blogger Jay McHue|W|P|It's nothing new and it will never stop. The "they're Nazis" line is one of the left's favorite tactics. Too bad that the most exposure to the real horrors of the Nazis most of these people have had is watching a TV character yell "NO SOUP FOR YOU!"1/31/2006 04:57:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Wetterling won't join Hatch in race She rules out bid for lieutenant governor Children's safety advocate Patty Wetterling has turned down Attorney General Mike Hatch's offer to be his running mate on the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party ticket next fall. But Wetterling is still considering running for Congress. Hatch, a DFL candidate for governor, said Monday that Wetterling called him over the weekend and told him she would not run for lieutenant governor because she did not believe that would be the most effective way for her to promote the interests of children. "I agreed that lieutenant governor is not the best office to pursue children's issues," Hatch said. Wetterling was not available for comment Monday, but her campaign spokeswoman, Carol Butler, confirmed that the former U.S. Senate candidate had told Hatch she would not be his running mate. "She is considering Congress," Butler said, and Wetterling will make an announcement about her political future soon. After Wetterling withdrew from the U.S. Senate race on Jan. 20, DFL activists suggested that she could run for secretary of state. But Butler said that is not an option. "She was never seriously considering running for secretary of state," Butler said. "That was just one of those wacky rumors that somebody floated." That leaves the 6th District congressional seat as an option. She ran for the seat in 2004 and lost to U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy, a Republican who is running for the U.S. Senate this year. The 6th District runs from Afton and Stillwater through the northern suburbs to the St. Cloud area. Elwyn Tinklenberg, former mayor of Blaine and former state transportation commissioner, is the only announced DFL candidate in the 6th District race. He has said Wetterling has assured him several times that she would not run for the seat again this year. Source: Pioneer Press, January 31, 2006 |W|P|113871242927613544|W|P|HATCH FOR GOVERNOR SINKS LOWER; WETTERLING SAYS NO TO JOINING TICKET|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/31/2006 04:39:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|
Rowley's picture of John Kline in a Nazi-ear uniform
Rowley issues apology to Rep. John Kline over his depiction on website Casting Kline as bumbling Colonel Klink from "Hogan's Heros" on the Democrat's blog a "new low," says GOP.
Rep. John Kline demanded and got an apology Monday from his Democratic rival, Coleen Rowley, for a doctored picture on her campaign website depicting him as Colonel Klink, a bumbling Nazi prison camp commandant in an old TV comedy series.
Kline said in a letter to Rowley that the photo crossed "the line of civility, respect and common decency" and was an offense "to every veteran."
"Your attempts to smear my good name and 25 years of honorable service in the United States Marine Corps by equating me to a Nazi shows a lack of perspective, a lack of seriousness and a lack of good judgment," he wrote to Rowley. "You should be ashamed of yourself."
Minnesota Republican Party Chairman Ron Carey called the photo "a new low in Minnesota politics."
Rowley had the photo removed from her website and took steps to apologize personally. She said an unpaid volunteer prepared the blog, and she approved it without making the Nazi connection.
Rather, she said she focused instead on the message that Kline, a retired Marine Corps colonel, was "incompetent" like Klink, a Nazi colonel easily fooled by his American prisoners in the TV series "Hogan's Heroes."
Rowley called the blog "excellent," and said it is "written by one of our best volunteers." Rowley, a retired FBI agent, said she would phone Kline to apologize.
"I'm going to say that ... it was in bad taste. ... This was a Nazi uniform and I didn't grasp that impact, and I apologize for any bad feeling that he got from that," she said in a phone interview. "But I would not apologize for thinking that his representation of our [Second] district has been incompetent. I think that many, many things that John Kline has uttered have been incorrect."
The blog showed a photo of Ulysses S. Grant next to the picture of Kline, superimposed in Klink's uniform with a monocle over his left eye. It mocked Kline's effort last year to replace Grant's visage with Ronald Reagan's on the $50 bill. It noted that Minnesota cast presidential electoral votes for Grant in 1868 and 1872, while Minnesota was the only state that Reagan lost in 1980 and 1984.
Rowley said she also apologizes to anyone thinking the photo was meant to denigrate the military, saying she has "the highest respect for our military men and women." Her daughter, her brother and her brother-in-law all have served in the military, she said.
Joe Elcock, Rowley's campaign manager, said young volunteers have been working on the website, but "it looks like we're going to need some professional web help." Source: Star Tribune, January 31, 2006
|W|P|113871117763668998|W|P|ROWLEY DIDN'T GRASP THE IMPACT OF PICTURE OF KLINE IN NAZI-ERA UNIFORM|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/30/2006 04:57:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Kline upset with doctored photo on Rowley campaign Web site U.S. Rep. John Kline angrily demanded an apology from Democratic challenger Coleen Rowley on Monday for a doctored photo of him on her campaign Web site that depicted him as the Nazi soldier Col. Klink from the TV series "Hogan's Heroes." "Your attempts to smear my good name and 25 years of honorable service in the United States Marine Corps by equating me to a Nazi shows a lack of perspective, a lack of seriousness, and a lack of good judgment,"wrote Kline, R-Minn. "You should be ashamed of yourself." A volunteer inserted the picture into a campaign blog entry, and it was up for about 24 hours until campaign officials learned about it Monday and removed the picture, said Rowley's campaign manager, Joe Elcock. Rowley was trying to phone Kline to personally apologize Monday night, but hadn't been able to reach him, Elcock said. Kline spokeswoman Brooke Dorobiala confirmed that Rowley had left a message on Kline's office voicemail, but she said the congressman was in meetings and unreachable all evening. "It wasn't the intention of the campaign to make John Kline look like a Nazi," Elcock said. He said it was done by "young volunteers who maintain our Web site who didn't understand the ramifications of putting that picture up," he said, but added that Rowley took full responsibility for it. The Rowley campaign will probably get someone to professionally maintain the campaign's blog, Elcock said. "We don't want something like this happening again," he said. Source: Associated Press, January 30, 2006 |W|P|113866952406522310|W|P|KLINE TO ROWLEY: "YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF"|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/30/2006 02:23:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Below is the text of Rowley's quote on her blog before it was discovered that a picture of Representative John Kline dressed in a Nazi-era German military uniform was posted: "I support this excellent blog written by one of our best volunteers!" --Coleen Rowley But after a picture of Representative John Kline dressed in a Nazi-era German military uniform appeared was removed from her blog, Rowley changed her quote: "I support this blog written by one of our volunteer researchers" -- Coleen Rowley |W|P|113866029100547193|W|P|ROWLEY ATTEMPTS TO EDIT QUOTE SUPPORTING BLOG|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/30/2006 02:05:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|

Rowley's campaign has removed the offensive picture of Representative John Kline dressed in a Nazi-era German military uniform, but I have a screen capture of the post.

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|W|P|113865874394600956|W|P|UPDATE: MDE BREAKING NEWS: ROWLEY'S BLOG DISPLAYS PICTURE OF KLINE DRESSED AS A NAZI-ERA GERMAN MILITARY OFFICER|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/30/2006 02:00:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|

I just received this press release.

##

Kline Demands Apology for Rowley’s Nazi Smear Burnsville – Today, Congressman John Kline demanded an apology from Coleen Rowley for an image posted on her campaign website (http://www.coleenrowley.com/blog/index.php) portraying Kline as a Nazi soldier. Attached [see below], is the letter Kline sent to Rowley this afternoon and a screenshot of the doctored photo. ## January 30, 2006 Coleen Rowley PO Box 241598 Apple Valley, MN 55124 Dear Mrs. Rowley, It has come to my attention that you have placed on your campaign website a doctored photo of me in which my military uniform has been replaced by a Nazi uniform. I demand that you immediately remove from your website that outrageous and disgusting insult to me, my family, and every man and woman who has ever worn a military uniform in defense of our country. No one knows better than I the rough-and-tumble of a political campaign, but we owe it to the voters not to cross the line of civility, respect and common decency. With regard to each of these, you have clearly crossed the line by portraying me as a Nazi. I demand a personal apology from you, as well as an apology to every veteran. Your attempts to smear my good name and 25 years of honorable service in the United States Marine Corps by equating me to a Nazi shows a lack of perspective, a lack of seriousness, and a lack of good judgment. You should be ashamed of yourself. Sincerely, John Kline Member of Congress – Minnesota’s 2nd District.

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|W|P|113865858530825475|W|P|BREAKING NEWS: KLINE DEMANDS APOLOGY FOR ROWLEY’S NAZI SMEAR|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/30/2006 04:16:00 PM|W|P|Blogger Kerry|W|P|Whew! I've just safely returned from Colleen Rowley's blog. What a grease trap of insinuations and suppositions. She speculates on Rep. Klines' state of mind, and seems to believe it was his move from Texas to Minnesota which caused President Grant to no carry Texas in and election held some 140 years previously. If she'd just apply some ironic language, the writing would be funny. Otherwise, it's just another rag sheet.1/30/2006 12:02:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|

This is unreal. Representative John Kline proudly served in the U.S. Marines for 25 years and to have his military service mocked by Rowley's campaign is unconscionable.

Rowley should immediately remove this picture from her blog. Rowley has endorsed this blog saying "I support this excellent blog written by one of our best volunteers!"

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|W|P|113865137446031992|W|P|MDE BREAKING NEWS: ROWLEY'S BLOG DISPLAYS PICTURE OF KLINE DRESSED AS A NAZI-ERA GERMAN MILITARY OFFICER|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/30/2006 01:58:00 PM|W|P|Anonymous Anonymous|W|P|Heh, beautiful.

This is what happens when moonbats start drinking early and forget to put away the keyboard...they start posting what is really rattling around in their empty heads.

Now watch for the press release declaring that Karl Rove did it!1/30/2006 02:02:00 PM|W|P|Anonymous Anonymous|W|P|LOL!

I guess we are really out of the loop!

So the new moonbat measure of acceptable Nazification of US military vetrans is it's OK just so long as the Nazi being used as a model was a funny Nazi...as opposed to the ones shoveling human beings into ovens.

YOW!1/31/2006 06:59:00 AM|W|P|Blogger NJC|W|P|"Klink was not a Nazi Party member or malicious or evil although he was somewhat self-centered, and was in fact likeable in his own way." So says the Wikipedia article on "Hogan's Heroes."

HH was way before my time, so I can't vouch for the validity of this description, but I assume it's accurate. I don't see this as anything more than a really stupid attempt at comparing Kline to a goofy German officer.1/31/2006 09:35:00 AM|W|P|Blogger The Lady Logician|W|P|"Klink was not a Nazi Party member or malicious or evil although he was somewhat self-centered, and was in fact likeable in his own way." So says the Wikipedia article on "Hogan's Heroes."

Reality was that you could not be that high up in the German military an NOT be a Nazi Party Member! I realize that HH was not reality, but to say that he was not a Nazi is just another lame attempt to excuse away something that was done in VERY poor taste.1/31/2006 10:04:00 AM|W|P|Blogger Jay McHue|W|P|Powerline reports that Rowley personally approved of the image. And to think that her slogan is "ethical decision-making!" What hypocrisy!1/31/2006 11:12:00 PM|W|P|Blogger David Bailey|W|P|I want to preface this by agreeing with the fine Republicans on this site that Coleen showed incredibly poor judgement in approving the photo, it was in poor taste, and should never have been posted.

That said, let's get real.

First of all, let's look at how Rowley handled the issue after Kline expressed his outrage. She immediately acted to remove the photo, she issued a public apology, and took responsibility for it. Since there are so many Republicans here, can someone tell me the last time a Republican took such immediate responsibility for such a blunder (Saxby Chambliss, I'm looking in your direction . . . .). It took Bush months to accept responsibility for the poor federal response to Katrina, and even then it was clear he didn't really mean it.

Second, how about we check the beam in John Kline's eye before working up a fuss over the speck in Rowley's. In 2004, Kline accused Teresa Daly or running for Congress just to get a bigger paycheck. Has he apologized? In April 2004, Kline criticized John Kerry's Winter Soldier tesimony on the floor of the House in a nakedly partisan attack on the Democratic nominee in an election year. Has he apologized?

The worst example of Kline's refusal to exercise the kind of responsibility Rowley showed today (that I know of) came in his 2000 campaign against Bill Luther, when the state GOP ran an ad on Kline's behalf, an ad which according to the Pioneer Press "sets out to tell a lie and does so", and not only did Kline refuse to disavow it, his campaign explicitly stated that Kline "stands by the allegations" (more detail on this story at my place).

I want to be clear: I agree that Rowley made a poor decision, and the fact that she acted quickly and responsibly to fix the problem doesn't excuse her original error in judgement. But we should also be clear that Kline is hardly a model to emulate when it comes to ethical campaigning.2/01/2006 07:25:00 PM|W|P|Blogger Leo Pusateri|W|P|Remember how hot under the collar the dems got when Dan Ochsner posted a photoshopped photo of a campaign rally on his web site???

This beats that out in spades...1/30/2006 10:23:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|According to a dedicated reader of Minnesota Democrats Exposed, Amy Klobuchar referred to the "Veterans Administration" repeatedly during her Capitol news conference this morning. This is a little like referring to the US Department of Defense as the US Department of War. Note to Amy Klobuchar: For the past 18 years, the Veterans Administration has been known as the Department of Veterans Affairs. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan elevated the VA to cabinet status and on March 15, 1989, the Department of Veterans Affairs was established, succeeding the Veterans Administration. SOURCE: http://www1.va.gov/opa/fact/vafacts.html|W|P|113864548318859959|W|P|KLOBUCHAR MAKES GAFFE ON VETERANS|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/30/2006 01:53:00 PM|W|P|Blogger Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|MN55408 - Uptown, eh?

It may not be a gaffe, but it sure is not very clear. But I guess when you're as underqualified as she is you don't bother to know the difference.1/30/2006 09:34:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|
New Rasmussen Poll Is Good News For Governor Pawlenty, Representative Kennedy St. Paul - A new poll by Rasmussen Reports released on January 28, 2006 shows Governor Tim Pawlenty beating Mike Hatch in a two-way race and Congressman Mark Kennedy running strong against Amy Klobuchar. "Minnesotans are responding to Governor Pawlenty's strong leadership on the economy. Our state has seen a remarkable economic turnaround over the last three years and no amount of DFL spin can change that fact. "In the United States Senate race, Congressman Kennedy is clearly picking up steam against Amy Klobuchar. Minnesotans are starting to tire of Amy Klobuchar's campaign of photo op's and platitudes," Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey said. To view the Rasmussen polls: Governor U.S. Senate ##
|W|P|113864262177069452|W|P|MN GOP: NEW POLL IS GOOD NEWS FOR PAWLENTY, KENNEDY|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/30/2006 07:55:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Two of my good friends have started a new blog called dreckless. dreckless is about "[a]ctively participating in Minnesota's political debate from a conservative co-conspirator's perspective." The authors of dreckless, Corey Miltimore and Jonathan Blake, are two of the sharpest political/conservative thinkers in Minnesota. I had the pleasure to work with both of them at the Republican Party of Minnesota. Corey Miltimore is the former executive director of the Republican Party of Minnesota. He hired me in 2002 and I worked for him for over three years. Corey was a great boss and I look foward to working with him again. Unfortuntely, Corey is a fan of the Green Bay Packers. Jonathan Blake had so many jobs at the Republican Party of Minnesota, I don't have enough space to write them all down. Blake can raise money (his last job was finance director), run an endorsing convention, and recite the entire platform from memory all before noon. Due to her recent marriage to Kevin Federline, Blake has renounced his membership in the Britney Spears fanclub. I encourage you to add dreckless to your list of daily blogs to read.|W|P|113863885373047647|W|P|NEW BLOG: DRECKLESS|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/30/2006 07:14:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|According to information from a dedicated reader of Minnesota Democrats Exposed, Mike Hatch did not attend a DFL candidate forum sponsored by the Martin County DFL. Hatch previously missed a DFL candidate forum sponsored by the DFL Feminist Caucus, sending employee Lori Swanson in his place. Hatch did not attend yesterday's Stonewall DFL candidate forum/screening: Governor - this screening was on Sunday morning. In attendance were Becky Lourey, Steve Kelley, and Shelia Kiscaden, representing Kelly Doran. Mike Hatch did not respond to the caucus's questionaire, but reportedly sent an envelope full of other printed material. Hmmm. The screening committee's recommendation was to find all three acceptable, and to endorse Steve Kelley. The reason cited for Kelley's endorsement was that he was committed to abiding by the party's endorsement in the fall. In front of the full voting membership, Kelly Doran was not considered acceptable. Reasons cited were an alleged history of supporting Republican candidates in the past (which is not uncommon for savvy business people like Mr. Doran), and Senator Kiscaden's lack of support for Medicaid funding of gender re-assignments. The voting body took two votes on endorsements, both of which were essentially a tie between Lourey and Kelley. When I left the meeting around 6:20 pm, the sentiment in the room was to not endorse. Source: Lloydletta |W|P|113863449789193147|W|P|HATCH MISSES ANOTHER DFL CANDIDATE FORUM - AGAIN|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/29/2006 02:44:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|According to information from a dedicated reader of Minnesota Democrats Exposed, Mike Hatch did not attend a DFL candidate forum sponsored by the Martin County DFL. Hatch previously missed a DFL candidate forum sponsored by the DFL Feminist Caucus, sending employee Lori Swanson in his place. Swanson was scheduled to represent Hatch at today's forum, but it was announced that she was sick. |W|P|113857718302091691|W|P|HATCH MISSES ANOTHER DFL CANDIDATE FORUM|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/29/2006 12:58:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Minnesota Governor: Pawlenty (R) 47% Hatch (DFL) 44% January 29, 2006--When voters consider a face-off between the two, Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty just nudges past his strongest rival and frequent thorn-in-side, DFL Attorney General Mike Hatch. The latest Rasmussen Reports election poll finds Pawlenty leading Hatch 47% to 44%. Pawlenty, currently serving his first term, fares better when matched against DFL State Senator Steve Kelley. He then leads 46% to 37%, with 18% unsure which candidate to pick or preferring another. The Minnesota Senate race is also very competitive. Governor Pawlenty is viewed favorably by 57% of respondents—the same percentage who view Hatch favorably. Pawlenty's recent comments about the need to crack down on illegal immigrants have sparked controversy, and some have tried to use the issue as a crowbar to pry away voters. But it is apparently not at the top of the electorate's check list. Seventy-six percent (76%) of likely voters do say the immigration issue is important to them, 62% report paying attention to governor's proposals for curbing illegal immigration, and 59% favor the nationally discussed proposal to build a barrier across the Mexican border with the United States. However, only 14% say immigration is more important to how they'll vote than the economy. Seventy-eight percent (78%) say the economy is more important. Health care is another issue voters tend to regard as more important than immigration. Source: Rasmussen Reports, January 29, 2006 |W|P|113856850867728864|W|P|BREAKING NEWS: PAWLENTY LEADS HATCH IN LATEST POLL|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/29/2006 12:41:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Amy Klobuchar will have a press conference tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. about President Bush's upcoming State of the Union address. |W|P|113856738496831497|W|P|KLOBUCHAR TO FINALLY TALK ABOUT ISSUES|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/29/2006 12:23:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Democrat Bell struggles for standing in Senate contest Ford Bell is an imposing figure, measuring 6 feet 5 inches from head to toe. But as the Democrat wages a campaign for U.S. Senate, he's been treated by some in his party like he's invisible. While political pundits and the Democratic establishment have largely overlooked his candidacy, Bell is the only thing standing between front-runner Amy Klobuchar and the Democratic nomination - at least for now. That could change as early as Tuesday or Wednesday, when Mike Ciresi is expected to announce his 2006 plans. Bell, and other prominent Democrats, believe Ciresi - a wealthy trial attorney and Senate candidate in 2000 - is going to give it another shot. But Bell, a veterinarian and a first-time candidate with an impressive resume of activism and community service, is mounting a serious, if unconventional, effort to transform himself from a footnote into a real contender. Without great personal wealth, strong fundraising connections or name ID, he's still a long shot. But after six months on the trail, Bell gained some traction last week after Patty Wetterling quit the race - momentum he believes he can build on, even if Ciresi runs. "Mike coming in adds another voice to the debate. It makes it more wide-open," Bell said. "That helps set me aside from the typical candidates." When Wetterling, a children's safety activist, dropped out of the race and endorsed Hennepin County Attorney Klobuchar, Bell came out swinging. He charged that Democratic power brokers were engineering Klobuchar's ascent, and drew parallels to Republican leaders, whom Democrats criticized for early and unequivocal backing of U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy as the party's Senate candidate. "The Republicans had their anointed candidate," Bell said. "Democrats need to show that we're a party of candidates and ideas, and if we do, in the end we'll be stronger." Klobuchar and Wetterling dispute that party leaders engineered the withdrawal and endorsement. Klobuchar said she's earned the front-runner spot through hard work, extensive organizing and fundraising prowess. "When I started this race a year ago, they didn't even know how to say my last name in Washington," Klobuchar said. "I earned their respect by getting out there, garnering the political and grass roots support, by showing I had a strong campaign and could win the support of the public." Through the third quarter of last year, Bell raised only a small fraction of Klobuchar's haul. She took in $500,000 and had $1.4 million in the bank, nearly keeping pace with Kennedy, while Bell raised $130,000 and reported $110,000 in the bank. Fundraising numbers for the fourth quarter of 2005 must be filed by Tuesday, and Democrats will be watching Bell's report closely to see if his effort is picking up steam. While Bell is careful not to draw too close a parallel to DFL icon Paul Wellstone, he said he is taking some cues from the late senator's underdog campaign in 1990. "Rudy Boschwitz outspent Paul Wellstone 5-to-1," Bell said. "But Paul's ideas and commitment to issues trumped the money." With Wetterling out of the race, Bell is the Democrat closest to the party's vocal anti-war contingent. Bell favors pulling U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of the year. Klobuchar is similarly critical of the Bush administration's handling of the war, and is calling for a significant drawdown of U.S. troops, but hasn't endorsed a timetable for full withdrawal. After Wetterling's exit, Bell scored an important symbolic victory last week when state Rep. Alice Hausman, a well-regarded member of the party's liberal wing, withdrew her support from Klobuchar and threw it to Bell, calling for a more full airing of issues on the Democratic side. "'I thought, 'We aren't even going to discuss the issues?'" Hausman said at a press conference with Bell. Lynn Soetebier, a DFL activist in St. Paul who intends to be a convention delegate this summer, said she's not ready to accept Klobuchar - or anyone - as the front-runner. "I want to know more," Soetebier said. "From what I hear now, it's politics as usual. I'm not hearing anything different from her, I don't hear that she's going to do what I want." Klobuchar called such criticism unfair. She pointed out she's already participated in four debates among the Democratic candidates, and accepted an invitation for another one on March 3. "This is all par for the course," Klobuchar said. "We've had candidates in the race and out of the race. I'm in it for the long haul." As for Ciresi, he's stayed mum, only saying earlier he'd announce his plans this week. DFL state party officials said they expect he'll hold a press conference on Tuesday or Wednesday. The lead attorney in the state's successful 1998 lawsuit against Big Tobacco, Ciresi started out the 2000 Senate race as front-runner, but was overtaken when Mark Dayton entered the race. If he runs, his considerable personal wealth would immediately make him a force to be reckoned with. Bell may tower over his opponents, but he hopes to parlay the recent attention into a permanent niche as the candidate of the little guy. "I've spent my entire life in the community," Bell said. "I'm not a businessman, I'm not a practicing attorney. I'm not talking in platitudes and bromides. People very clearly want to have a candidate who's taking a stand and talking about issues." Source: Associated Press, January 29, 2006|W|P|113856697486306092|W|P|DFL ACTIVISTS WANT KLOBUCHAR TO PARTICIPATE IN DEBATE|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/29/2006 11:31:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|House DFLers say Kelliher's in on-deck circle The legislator would succeed Matt Entenza as minority leader if the political chips fall into place for him and other DFL heavyweights. A leader-in-waiting was chosen Saturday by the Minnesota House DFL caucus, which elected Rep. Margaret Anderson Kelliher to succeed Minority Leader Matt Entenza if he secures the party's nod for attorney general in June. If Entenza moves on and DFLers take the majority in the fall -- a distinct possibility, since they need a net gain of only two seats -- Kelliher likely would become House Speaker, one of the most powerful offices in state government. Kelliher, a 37-year-old mother of two, has spent most of her career in the House -- first as a staff aide and then as a member since 1999, representing Minneapolis' Lake of the Isles and Kenwood neighborhoods. "The major focus of our caucus will be on winning the majority and taking our message of improved education, better health care and more jobs to the people of Minnesota," Kelliher said, after emerging from the closed caucus at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul. Entenza said the caucus was "strongly unified" behind Kelliher, who was given the title of deputy leader. She already held the title of minority whip and was an assistant minority leader. If and when Entenza steps down as leader after the endorsing convention in June, Kelliher automatically would become minority leader in a "seamless transition," Entenza said. Republican House Speaker Steve Sviggum described Kelliher and Entenza, who lives in St. Paul, as "very nice people but also very, very liberal Twin Citians. ...The DFL continues to show its colors with very liberal leadership." Kelliher objects to the label of urban liberal, noting that she grew up on a farm in the Mankato area, where all four of her brothers and her mother still live. "I'm very reflective of where our state has been," she said. Entenza, too, has rural roots, in southwestern Minnesota. The new leadership arrangement is a bit unusual. Sviggum, R-Kenyon, said he had "never heard of a temporary type of minority leader." The move was prompted in part by concerns expressed recently by some members that Entenza would be over-extended by attempting to simultaneously run the 2006 legislative session, manage House campaigns and direct his own campaign for attorney general. Entenza, who is unopposed so far for endorsement, called those fears unfounded. He said Saturday he was "very gratified with the caucus' overwhelming support for my continued leadership." Kelliher prevailed over two others who had sought the heir-apparent role: Rep. Loren Solberg of Grand Rapids, and Joe Atkins of Inver Grove Heights. Atkins, thought by some to be a smart choice because he represents a suburban area, withdrew before the caucus vote was taken. Entenza and other caucus leaders declined to reveal Kelliher's margin of victory over Solberg. Hatch holds the key In the end, the desired line of succession for Entenza and Kelliher might well be blocked. The current attorney general, DFLer Mike Hatch, is running for governor and is expected either to be endorsed by the party at its convention or to run in the DFL primary if he is not endorsed. Yet Hatch also has left open the possibility of running for attorney general again, especially if he loses the endorsement fight decisively at the party's state convention in June. If that happens, Entenza could either challenge Hatch, who got one of the highest vote totals in state history in his last reelection bid, or, more likely, remain as caucus leader. Kelliher would not be the first DFL woman speaker from the Kenwood area of Minneapolis. Former Speaker Dee Long, who served in the early 1990s and was the state's first female speaker, holds that distinction. The legislative newsletter Politics in Minnesota named Kelliher "First Termer of the Year" in 1999 for her bipartisan effort to override Gov. Jesse Ventura's veto of bonding money for the Guthrie Theater. A graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn., Kelliher recently earned a master's degree in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Source: Star Tribune, Janaury 29, 2006|W|P|113856437234672508|W|P|KELLIHER ALMOST ON TOP|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/28/2006 09:13:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|"UPDATE: I'm sneaking this in here just to see if anyone actually pays attention. Patty Wetterling has said no to Mike Hatch, and will be running in the 6th. Expect an official announcement early next week." Source: Centrisity |W|P|113846890016171340|W|P|CENTRISITY: WETTERLING HAS SAID NO TO HATCH|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/28/2006 11:42:00 AM|W|P|Blogger Northern Debater|W|P|doubtful, and yes, some of us pay attention.1/28/2006 09:02:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Dear Michael, Last Friday, I proudly announced my support for Amy Klobuchar for U.S. Senate. Today, I'm thrilled to stand with you and count myself as one of her strongest supporters. I have watched Amy Klobuchar these last eleven months. I have learned more about her as a person, as a candidate and as a friend. Amy has demonstrated that she will be a strong, effective voice for the fight I believe in: protecting our children, building safer communities, and seeing that every Minnesotan has access to a good education and quality health care. As a prosecutor, Amy has an incredible record of standing up for the people of Minnesota, against all kinds of powerful interests. In the campaign, she has proposed great ideas about how to change Washington to make it work for all of us: cracking down on gouging by the big oil companies, investing in homegrown Minnesota energy, improving health coverage by allowing every American to buy into the same health insurance that members of Congress have, and closing the loopholes that give billions to big corporate special interests, so we can stop piling debt on our children and grandchildren. I will do anything I can to help Amy get elected to the U.S. Senate, and I enthusiastically endorse her candidacy. The presumptive Republican candidate, Mark Kennedy, has already hosted big fundraisers with George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Andrew Card, and Bill Frist. We know how they are going to use their millions from the big oil and big pharmaceutical special interests, because it's the same old Republican leadership playbook: Mark Kennedy and his political cronies are going to attack Amy, because that's all they know how to do. That's why, now more than ever, we must unite behind Amy Klobuchar -- to defend her against the false negative attacks we know are coming, and to send her to Washington on behalf of all Minnesotans with a victory this November. On Friday, I joined Rep. Betty McCollum in formally endorsing Amy. With our endorsements, we join Congressman Jim Oberstar, 74 state legislators, countless local and party officials, and such important groups as the Steelworkers, the Hotel-Restaurant workers, the Minnesota Women's Campaign Fund, and EMILY's List in pledging our full support for Amy's campaign. It's time for all of us to come together, committing our time, pooling our resources, and uniting our efforts to help Amy win this November. Here are three things I urge you to do today, to help us elect Amy Klobuchar the next U.S. Senator from Minnesota: Please contribute to Amy's campaign. Give Amy the resources she needs to fight back against the Republican attack machine. Spread the word. Help Amy continue to build the grassroots network she needs to defeat Mark Kennedy, the corporate special interests like the big oil and drug companies, and the radical right-wing Republican leaders in Washington. Volunteer with the campaign. Sign up today, and join our local efforts across Minnesota to carry Amy to victory in November. During Friday's event, Amy recounted a story from her childhood. Amy said, "When my mom was the leader of my camp fire girl group growing up, she'd always tell us this: When you're going to take a long hike, when you're going to take a long journey, one with steep hills ahead, the wind in your face, and some rocks along the way, you better have your friends at your side." Well, I am proud to stand by Amy's side. We hope you will stand with us. Sincerely, Patty Wetterling |W|P|113846832000948568|W|P|ANOTHER PLEA FROM WETTERLING TO SUPPORT KLOBUCHAR|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/27/2006 12:16:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Ok...this is weird. Earlier today I started receiving hits from www.mikeciresi.org and www.ciresiforsenate.org. Based on my prior history of purchasing the domain names of DFL candidates and then pointing these domains to Minnesota Democrats Exposed, I wouldn't fault anyone for thinking I was up to my old tricks. But, it wasn't me. I never purchased any possible domain names for Mike Ciresi. Now www.mikeciresi.org and www.ciresiforsenate.org point to a Wikipedia article about Mike Ciresi. Now I am not a conspiracy theorist. I think the astronauts landed on the Moon and I don't believe Kentucky Fried Chicken changed their name to KFC because they serve meat from genetically engineered animals that the government will no longer permit to be referred to as "chickens." But if www.mikeciresi.org or www.ciresiforsenate.org is used by Ciresi's campaign, then his staff (or supporter[s]) did a great job of getting me to write about their website.|W|P|113839447321332342|W|P|UPDATE: MDE BREAKING NEWS: IT AIN'T ME BABE #4|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/27/2006 01:01:00 PM|W|P|Blogger Jerry Plagge, Jr.|W|P|your first post on this thing showed the link from Dartmouth... is this a prank my the MN Pub boys or something?1/27/2006 01:32:00 PM|W|P|Blogger Jerry Plagge, Jr.|W|P|OK, Publius already has addressed my comment above. This got me curious.

So I did a little research.1/27/2006 04:47:00 PM|W|P|Blogger lloydletta|W|P|Oh Drama Queen, Drama Queen.... You want that press attention so bad huh? 4 breathless updates on your "MDE BREAKING NEWS"....

Well I'm not talk radio or newspapers, but here ya go, you are the topic of another Lloydletta post.

Oh What a World, What a World....1/27/2006 10:38:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Now www.ciresiforsenate.org is being forwarded to www.minnesotademocratsexposed.com. While I appreciated the traffic, I'm sure Ciresi's campaign would like to use the domain names. Does anyone know how I could block these websites from being forwarded to Minnesota Democrats Exposed? |W|P|113838739971683085|W|P|UPDATE: MDE BREAKING NEWS: IT AIN'T ME BABE #3|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/27/2006 08:03:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|
Last Friday, Patty Wetterling ended her campaign for the U.S. Senate and endorsed Amy Klobuchar. I think most political insiders thought the race over. But not Ford Bell. Ford Bell's campaign has done an outstanding job of reminding Klobuchar that the race to be the DFL nominee for the U.S. Senate is far from over. For the past week, Bell's campaign has been controlling the agenda of the race. MONDAY "U.S. Senate Candidate Ford Bell says national Democrats are trying to corrupt the DFL's nomination process, and he is demanding they stay out of Minnesota's DFL endorsement process. Bell says the primary battle for the spot on the ballot is a fight for the 'soul of the DFL Party.'" WEDNESDAY "U.S. Senate Candidate Ford Bell today sent letters to Congressman Mark Kennedy and County Attorney Amy Klobuchar saying now is the time to have a positive debate of the issues. 'I believe that there is a clear choice in this contest and I believe that public scrutiny of the candidate's positions will provide voters with important information that will help them make that choice', said Bell." THURSDAY "U.S. Senate Candidate Ford Bell accepted the endorsement of Minnesota State Rep. Alice Hausman today during a press conference at the state capitol.Hausman, a representative from Saint Paul, also announced she is withdrawing her support from Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar's campaign for the U.S. Senate." If the reports are accurate and Ciresi does announce his campaign for the U.S. Senate next week, I know one DFL candidate who is ready for the challenge and their last name doesn't begin with a "K".
|W|P|113838036347095606|W|P|BELL HAD A GREAT WEEK|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/27/2006 07:37:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|I don't think www.mikeciresi.org is Ciresi's official website. Back on February 13, 2005, I posted that Ciresi registered www.ciresiforsenate.com. Now if www.mikeciresi.org is Ciresi's official website, then his staff did a great job of getting me to write about their website.|W|P|113837654206671287|W|P|UPDATE: MDE BREAKING NEWS: IT AIN'T ME BABE #2|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/27/2006 07:10:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|

This is where the first hits from www.mikeciresi.org originated.
|W|P|113837462755249428|W|P|UPDATE: MDE BREAKING NEWS: IT AIN'T ME BABE|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/27/2006 10:41:00 AM|W|P|Blogger Tim Ward|W|P|Pretty sure Mat uses a Mac, not a PC with Windows XP.1/27/2006 10:47:00 AM|W|P|Blogger Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Who's Mat?1/27/2006 11:20:00 AM|W|P|Blogger The King|W|P|What do you use to get this information on your blog?1/27/2006 11:21:00 AM|W|P|Blogger Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|I use statcounter.com1/27/2006 11:50:00 AM|W|P|Blogger Matt|W|P|This hit was definitely me, but this whole registration/forwarding scam has absolutely nothing to do with me, I swear it. If it were me, I promise that I'd take credit for it. For a more fleshed out story check out my post: http://www.mnpublius.com/2006/01/mde_it_aint_me_either_i_swear.html1/29/2006 09:20:00 AM|W|P|Blogger The King|W|P|I will have to check that out.

Thanks!1/27/2006 06:36:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Someone has registered www.mikeciresi.org and has forwarded it www.minnesotademocratsexposed.com. I started receiving the hits this morning. The majority of the hits from www.mikeciresi.org are coming from Dartmouth College. Back in February of 2005, I purchased the website domain names of numerous potential DFL campaigns. My solitary goal was to use increased internet searches for these candidates to garner more traffic for Minnesota Democrats Exposed. While I and others enjoyed the publicity Minnesota Democrats Exposed received, I decided it was unfair and against my motto to keep the domain names from being used by the campaigns (see complete post). This time, it ain't me babe.|W|P|113837323318815280|W|P|MDE BREAKING NEWS: IT AIN'T ME BABE|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/26/2006 03:07:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|This just broke on Checks and Balances: ## A source with close ties to Mike Ciresi contacted us and said that Ciresi is going to announce his entrance into the U.S. Senate race next week. The source said Ciresi is saying the following, "I have concluded the wrong candidate is in the race and I aim to fix that." Currently, Ciresi is out of the state and we are awaiting his response to our information. Source: Checks and Balances, January 26, 2006 |W|P|113831708042360544|W|P|BREAKING NEWS: CONFIRMATION OF CIRESI CAMPAIGN?|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/26/2006 01:38:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Below is Ford Bell's press release announcing the endorsement of Representative Alice Hausman and Hausman's statement. Hausman takes a few subtle shots a Amy Klobuchar. ## Bell Gains Rep. Hausman as Endorser and Campaign Co-Chair; Minnesota State Representative Withdraws Support of Klobuchar U.S. Senate Candidate Ford Bell accepted the endorsement of Minnesota State Rep. Alice Hausman today during a press conference at the state capitol. Hausman, a representative from Saint Paul, also announced she is withdrawing her support from Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar's campaign for the U.S. Senate. "Issues mean a lot to me and Ford Bell is taking a stand on the issues that are important to the people of Minnesota," said Hausman. Hausman continued, "I believe Ford Bell has the most authentic and honest voice on the Iraq war, working with our international allies to fight terrorism, creating a single payer health care system for all Americans and advocating for the environment." "I am pleased to be his campaign co-chair and will work to see him become our next U.S. Senator," said Hausman. Hausman was previously listed as an endorser on Klobuchar's U.S. Senate campaign Web site. --- Following are Rep. Hausman's remarks: Hausman Endorsement of Bell Jan. 26 "For a number of months I have been part of the political establishment conveniently signed on to the 'front-runner' in the U.S. Senate race. "When Patty Wetterling entered the race and courageously laid out a very clear position on the war in Iraq and our presence there, I thought I should switch my support. Instead, I just grew more silent, hoping a vigorous debate among the candidates would occur. "After her withdrawal from the U.S. Senate race, I read the subsequent news accounts with some despair. With this strong, honest voice out of the race, everyone seemed to pronounce the race over. Two knowledgeable voices on (Minnesota Public Radio) MPR, in analyzing the race, didn't even acknowledge that another candidate existed. Voices in Washington were saying, 'we have our candidate.' "My silence ended, and I got angry. I thought 'we aren't even going to discuss the issues?' There is another candidate -- Ford Bell -- who is clear on the war in Iraq and many other issues. The entire grassroots caucus and convention process is still ahead of us. So is it is over before we begin? Are the next few months a waste of time? Aren't we even going to debate ideas? "Well, in my community, citizens are doing what all responsible citizens should do -- analyzing and comparing the candidates based on their discussion of the issues. They are being methodical and careful. It's hard work. It takes a lot of time. But if all citizens did their homework in this way, maybe government in this country wouldn't be so broken. One of those neighborhood discussions took place in my home. My neighbors had two pages of questions to ask the candidate. As an elected official myself, I thought those questions were a bit daunting. But then Ford Bell walked in. And with good humor and clear thought, he answered all of their questions. I thought, 'How can I in good conscience not support this candidate, Ford Bell, who brings such clarity to the race?' "One thing is clear to me. Democrats across the country are angry. They watch and wait for Democrats in Washington to find their voice, to effectively challenge this administration for so many failures, but particularly for what has happened to our standing in the world because of our actions in Iraq. People are angry that their leaders are often silent, or timid, or indirect. "Minnesota Democrats have an obligation, just as voters will in November, to question these candidates; to listen and then to decide that very important question: Who should we send to Washington? "Will we send an authentic, clear voice to that debate? "To the media -- don't ignore this candidate, Ford Bell. Don't be part of the cynicism. You have an obligation in this -- the debate cannot reach the ears of Minnesotans unless you report it. "To Democrats in Washington -- respect the grassroots process about to begin in Minnesota. We haven't started yet. Let us be involved. We will make the decision. "After doing my homework, I believe the U.S. Senate will be a better place with the arrival of Ford Bell."
Alice Hausman Minnesota DFL State Representative, District 66B

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|W|P|113831213537146542|W|P|HAUSMAN: "BELL HAS THE MOST AUTHENTIC AND HONEST VOICE"|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/26/2006 01:19:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|According to the time stamp on the posts, some of the links to hardcore websites were up on the Minnesota Young DFL website for weeks. But it only took one-hour for all of the links to be removed after my post exposed the links.
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|W|P|113831054924326937|W|P|UPDATE: MDE BREAKING NEWS: OFFICIAL DFL WEBSITE LINKS TO BESTIALITY, RAPE WEBSITES|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/26/2006 12:19:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|I just received an email from the Minnesota Young DFL regarding their upcoming convention. I went to their website to read more about the convention and I found numerous links to hardcore websites. I will not directly link to the material (click "Message Board", then, "General", and the click on the top discussion links), nor will I post a screen caputure of the websites listed. This is unbelievable.
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|W|P|113830774280507375|W|P|MDE BREAKING NEWS: OFFICIAL DFL WEBSITE LINKS TO BESTIALITY, RAPE WEBSITES|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/26/2006 01:24:00 PM|W|P|Blogger woyzeck|W|P|Ah, they are gone now. I checked it out and saw the messages disappearing. To me it looked like form spam. I vaguely remember something similar happening here (spam not porn). Isn't that the reason you added the word verification?

In any case, what was bad is that it happened, but that it was promptly deleted. How long was it there? The original messages were over a year and a half old.1/26/2006 09:08:00 PM|W|P|Blogger lloydletta|W|P|Or did the Drama Queen plant the comments, then post on MDE? Inquiring minds want to know.1/27/2006 06:01:00 AM|W|P|Blogger Jeff Fecke|W|P|Oh no. Not a dormant forum suffering a spam attack. Next you'll tell us that every day, DFL staffers receive emails telling them that they can get "Gr8 Erekshuns" from "Herbal V1agra." Or that staffers have received email contact from the Most Honourable Mbeki Seko, the brother-in-law of Mbuto Sese Seko, who has four million dollars in a Swiss bank account that he's willing to share....1/26/2006 11:53:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|"For a number of months I've been part of the political establishment that conveniently signed onto the front runner in the United States Senate race," [Alice] Hausman said, referring to Klobuchar. She suggested national party leaders were meddling in the selection of a candidate for the Minnesota seat, adding, "I fear that insiders running slick campaigns with political operatives are part of the problem." Source: Star Tribune, January 26, 2006 ## Veteran legislator endorses Bell; Klobuchar opposes Alito A veteran state legislator bolted Thursday from the U.S. Senate campaign of Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar and threw her support to veterinarian Ford Bell, citing his push to bring American troops home from Iraq by the end of this year. A veteran state legislator withdrew her support Thursday for the U.S. Senate campaign of Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar and threw her support to veterinarian Ford Bell, citing his push to bring American troops home from Iraq by the end of this year. Rep. Alice Hausman, DFL-St.Paul, regarded as a liberal within her party, said she was endorsing Bell because he has staked out a clearer stance on issues of interest to Democrats than has Klobuchar. "For a number of months I've been part of the political establishment that conveniently signed onto the front runner in the United States Senate race," Hausman said, referring to Klobuchar. She suggested national party leaders were meddling in the selection of a candidate for the Minnesota seat, adding, "I fear that insiders running slick campaigns with political operatives are part of the problem." Klobuchar said the loss of support from Hausman wouldn't hurt her campaign, noting that she has endorsements from 73 legislators and recently picked up support from U.S. Rep. James Oberstar and U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum. She said she's taken stands on numerous issues and disputed the suggestion that her campaign had been annointed by national party leaders. "When I first started, no one in Washington could say my last name," she said. Last week Bell's campaign was stung after prominent child advocate Patty Wetterling withdrew from the Senate race and endorsed Klobuchar, a move that could draw liberal support to her. Some legislators who backed Wetterling have recently thrown their support to Klobuchar. Bell Thursday reiterated his desire that U.S. troops be withdrawn from Iraq by the end of this year. Klobuchar has criticized the Bush administration's decision to go to war in Iraq and its execution, but hasn't set as deadline for a complete pullout. "2006 should be the year that the Iraqi government decreases its dependency on the United States," Klobuchar says on her website. "It should be a year of transition in which we bring a significant number of our troops home." Republicans, meanwhile, have pushed for Klobuchar to take a position on Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, and Thursday she announced her opposition to it. She said she waited until after the hearings in order to get a clear picture of the nominee. "Samuel Alito's record raises serious concerns that he is outside the mainstream legal tradition," Klobuchar said in a statement. "Moreover, I am not convinced that he would represent the standards of thoughtfulness and independence set by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor" - the justice Alito has been nominated to replace. Source: Star Tribune, January 26, 2006 |W|P|113830565763724509|W|P|LEGISLATOR UNENDORSES KLOBUCHAR; ENDORSES BELL|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/26/2006 11:10:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|

Only 6% of the people who voted think Patty Wetterling will keep her word and not run for office in '06 now that her campaign for the U.S. Senate has ended.

Patty Wetterling can't be trusted to keep her word.

|W|P|113830261947928141|W|P|MDE POLL RESULTS: WHAT WILL PATTY DO?|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com1/26/2006 07:52:00 PM|W|P|Blogger North Star Politics|W|P|Wow! 217 straight-up Republicans voted! What a scientific poll! You're a master, Mr. Brodkorb!1/26/2006 10:42:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|From a victory fantasy to this morning's news; Ciresi, a guy who never loses, reflects on campaign - and what might have been It was Monday night and his DFL Senate primary campaign was all but over. The polls were forecasting a dismal defeat for Mike Ciresi. But Ciresi, a guy who never loses, wasn't ready to yield just yet. On the drive home to the Twin Cities area from final campaign stops in Duluth, a giddy discussion broke out among Ciresi and his closest loyalists. Wouldn't it be something, they all agreed, if Ciresi could get a copy of the 1948 Chicago Tribune, the one with the banner headline: Dewey Defeats Truman. And then, at his stunning victory celebration Tuesday night, a smiling Ciresi could wave that newspaper in front of the cameras. This political fantasy about a dramatic victory over Mark Dayton and the others in the DFL field was so much more pleasant than political realities that it continued on and on. A debate even broke out about whether it would be poor sportsmanship for Ciresi to wave the famous newspaper. Wouldn't it make the losers feel bad? But Ciresi got the last word. He said it would be a perfectly acceptable way to celebrate his triumph. Cut to reality. The questions for Ciresi on Tuesday morning were about how he'd cope with defeat and what he might try next. The trial lawyer who always wins was on the verge of losing _ to Dayton, a candidate who seemed to wander into the primary last winter because he had nothing else to do. (On Tuesday, Dayton laughed at the idea that he appeared to get into the Senate campaign to fill his lonely hours. "I'm not a frivolous person," Dayton said. "I didn't get into this to be laughed at. I got into this because it appeared to be my last, best chance to win." Ciresi admitted he found it difficult to take Dayton seriously in the early stages of the race. But Ciresi said it quickly became apparent that, for all of Dayton's quirks and previous losses, Dayton was the candidate to beat. And, Ciresi said, he never considered himself a favorite. "I'm no dummy," Ciresi said. "I got into this knowing I could lose." "He understands losing," said his wife, Ann. "He's always losing his keys. He's losing his hair . . . ." They both laughed. They were trying to keep it light, rehashing stories of the campaign. "Our neighbor went out with a bunch of Republicans the other night," said Ann, who wears her hair in spiked fashion. "They told us one of the Republicans said, 'That Ciresi's got good things to say, but what's the deal with his wife's hair? She must be some sort of radical.' " The Ciresis laughed some more. They talked about getting involved in "something that makes a difference" in the future and comforted themselves by saying how the stakes in a trial are much greater than in a political campaign. "Losing for a client is much worse than this," she said. "I'll tell you what pressure is," he said. "Pressure's when you've got someone's whole future in your hands. Because what you do [in a trial] will impact that person who's trusted you for the rest of his life. That's gut-wrenching. That's pressure to me. This? If we don't win, there will be a sense of disappointment, but what could we have done differently?" Would he run again? "Never say never," Ciresi said, "but I have a bias against people who continually run." In most ways, Ciresi seemed to be the ideal DFL candidate for this race. Yes, he is a rich trial lawyer. But his riches weren't handed to him. He earned them with his head and his will. He had the moderate-to-liberal political philosophy that could have appealed to mainstream Minnesota. In debates, he was head and shoulders above the DFL field. He won the endorsements of most of the state's newspapers and such organizations as the Sierra Club. He seemed to be the party's best hope to defeat Republican Sen. Rod Grams in November. "I could have done stuff," Ciresi said. "But I don't need to be there [in the Senate]. That's a difference between me and some of the others. I wanted to be there. Some of them need to be there." Ciresi didn't want to be in the Senate just a little. He wanted to be there so badly he spent nearly $5 million in his primary run, much of it his own money. Some of that money was poorly invested in the ads of Bill Hillsman, who has received so much credit for creating ads that helped upstarts such as Paul Wellstone and Jesse Ventura. Hillsman created duds for Ciresi. But, Ciresi said, his big problem wasn't his ads. It was the size of the DFL field and the narrow base of primary voters. Young voters stay home in primaries, allowing old voters to have a huge voice. Whatever it was, by the end of the campaign, the guy who never loses was left talking about Harry Truman. Source: Star Tribune, September 13, 2000 |W|P|113830135923009488|W|P|MDE FROM THE ARCHIVES: CIRESI: "…I HAVE A BIAS AGAINST PEOPLE WHO CONTINUALLY RUN."|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com