2/24/2006 02:31:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|
Tom Erickson, Ryan Flynn, Sen. John Kerry, and Chris Tiedeman
Last evening at Edison Arena, the political battles of Republicans and Democrats were confined to a sheet of ice.
Senator John Kerry, in town for a DFL fundraiser, played a game of hockey with Governor Tim Pawlenty.
Pictured above with Senator John Kerry are some of the best Republican operatives in Minnesota who stopped by the arena to watch the late-night game.
I had to cover the face of one guy with a large pink circle because he is so ugly and children who read Minnesota Democrats Exposed would have nightmares if I posted his face.
|W|P|114082027238519638|W|P|WHO SAYS HOCKEY IS A ROUGH GAME?|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/24/2006 08:51:00 PM|W|P| lloydletta|W|P|lolol.... that doesn't exactly look like a circle.... let us know who won.2/24/2006 12:18:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|"The Cook state senator also said he has told Hatch that Lourey would be formidable. 'The last time I talked to Mike (Hatch) about three months ago I told him, 'Don't ignore Becky Lourey.' 'He pretty much blew me off. I think she'll get the endorsement at the June convention,' [DFL State Senator Tom] Bakk said." (Bill Hanna, “Oberstar Endorses Lourey for Governor," Mesabi Daily News, February 23, 2006)
|W|P|114081231946641129|W|P|THEY SAID IT: TOM BAKK SAYS MIKE HATCH WON’T GET THE DFL ENDORSEMENT|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/26/2006 03:00:00 PM|W|P| lloydletta|W|P|The 800 pound gorilla did very poorly at the straw poll. If Hatch is doing so well on the range, how come Oberstar endorsed Becky Lourey?2/24/2006 07:42:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|
Senator Kerry meets some of his fans last night at the hockey rink.|W|P|114079573053561494|W|P|KERRY MEETS SOME FANS LAST NIGHT|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/24/2006 12:24:00 PM|W|P| North Star Politics|W|P|...so?2/23/2006 12:44:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Sarah Janecek has a long history of bashing Republicans in the media and today's attacks should be added to her list.
Said Durenburger "Has A Huge Liability":
"'He's done a terrific job as a senator, but he has a huge liability,' said Sarah Janecek, a well-known lobbyist and IR activist from Minneapolis. 'It's time for someone else to run. [A Durenberger candidacy] would be handing the Democrats the seat. A lot of people think this but few are willing to say it.'" Source: Star Tribune, October 10, 1992
Says Gutknect's Opponent in '94 "Fits The District Well":
"In any other year, according to IR political strategist Sarah Janecek, [John] Hottinger would be a formidable candidate. 'He's a good legislator, he fits the district well, and he's got Tim Penny's endorsement.'" Source: Star Tribune, October 31, 1994
Says Kline is "Desperate for Media Attention":
"Republican strategist Sarah Janecek isn't sure how Kline's call for Clinton's resignation will play: 'I'm still at a loss. But one reason he did it is because he was desperate for media attention.'" Source: Star Tribune, October 17, 1998
Thinks Young Voters "Are Going Bush-Dayton" in 2000:
"Sarah Janecek, a longtime Republican activist and coeditor of the newsletter Politics in Minnesota, said she is hearing from many Republican legislative candidates that Grams is still lagging far behind Dayton in their districts. Janecek added that she thinks 'an amazing number of younger voters are going Bush-Dayton.'" Source: Star Tribune, November 2, 2000
Says Jason Lewis is "Much Too Conservative For Me":
"'He's much too conservative for me,' says Sarah Janecek, a Republican and a co-editor of Politics in Minnesota newsletter. 'But there is a place for people who try to be ideologically pure like Jason. It's good radio and gets people going.'" Source: Pioneer Press, November 12, 2000
Likes Amy Klobuchar:
"'I've known Amy for many years, and I like her,' said Sarah Janecek, a Republican, lobbyist and co-editor of Politics in Minnesota. 'She had the good fortune to beat Sheryl Ramstad, and she has the good fortune to be Hennepin County attorney at a time when there are a lot of very high-profile crimes.'" Source: Star Tribune, August 31, 2003
Criticized Bush for Slow Reaction to 9/11 Attacks:
"So tell me: What do you think is the most damning part of the film ['Fahrenheit 9/11.']?
SJ [Sarah Janecek]: The most damning is the most compelling: The seven minutes that Bush stays in the Florida classroom reading "My Pet Goat" after being told a second plane had hit the World Trade Center." Source: Star Tribune, July 18, 2004
Called Jim Oberstar "One of The State's Best Politicians":
"'Jim Oberstar is one of the state's best politicians,' said Sarah Janecek, the Republican coeditor of Politics in Minnesota. 'He's great with the grass-roots, but he's also the ultimate Washington insider. He inherited a machine, and he's grown it.'" Source: Star Tribune, October 12, 2004
Said Wetterling Was "By Far The Best Choice" in the 6th Congressional District:
"'In a Republican district like the 6th, she was by far the best choice,' said Sarah Janecek, a Republican lobbyist and co-editor of the Politics in Minnesota newsletter. 'The appeal there is that Patty Wetterling has lived every suburban mom's nightmare.'" Source: Associated Press, October 14, 2004|W|P|114072740697018030|W|P|A HISTORY OF FRIENDLY FIRE FROM JANECEK|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/23/2006 07:57:00 PM|W|P| lloydletta|W|P|How much has Sarah carried water for Republicans for policies that she really didn't personally agree with? I've seen her do that alot.
This is just ad hominem argument - when you don't like what someone says, attack the person, rather than the argument.
The Republican party needs to be about moderates AND conservatives.... I also found it interesting that you were after about something she said about Durenburger. Now Durenburger is persona non grata with the base.2/24/2006 11:22:00 AM|W|P| John Jordan|W|P|Now Durenburger is persona non grata with the base.
I like Dave and I'm part of "the base".2/23/2006 09:25:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|On Kennedy v. The Machine, State Audior Pat Anderson has responded to Janecek's "twisted gender politics".
|W|P|114071649992636247|W|P|UPDATE: MORE FRIENDLY FIRE FROM JANECEK|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/23/2006 08:59:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Kennedy v. The Machine has another wonderful commentary exposing another attack on Republicans from Republican Sarah Janecek.
According to Kennedy v. The Machine, a senior Republican strategist called Janecek's commentary "the dumbest thing I've read in 20 years of political involvement."
I agree, but this has to be a close second. Who would pay over $1500 to travel to New York with Janecek?
|W|P|114071535659113292|W|P|MORE FRIENDLY FIRE FROM JANECEK|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/23/2006 08:46:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|
I certainly don't have a head of hair like Fabio, but what's the deal with Hatch's hair? After seeing this picture of Hatch, I think he may have had cosmetic work done.
Mr. Hatch, if you did get a plug job, can I have your doctor's number?
|W|P|114071320122816856|W|P|MDE FROM THE ARCHIVES: THE CASE OF HATCH'S HAIR|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/23/2006 08:33:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|This is a rather hypocritical statement from a guy who keeps skipping debates:
"Your editorial speculated about whether I would support meth-related programs as governor. I really have to ask if the board gets out very often." Source: Mike Hatch, February 23, 2006
|W|P|114071280391382870|W|P|HATCH NEEDS TO GET OUT MORE|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/23/2006 08:21:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Unless you've been hiding in a cave for the past few years, you know that Minnesotans disagree about the Iraq war -- about whether our military should be there, and how the war is going.
Unless you've been hiding in a cave for the past few years, you know that Minnesotans disagree about the Iraq war -- about whether our military should be there, and how the war is going.
The members of Minnesota Families United, a grass-roots group made up mostly of the relatives of soldiers who have died in Iraq or are serving there, welcome debate on the war. Marine Lt. Col. Bob Stephenson of Woodbury is the group's co-chairman. When he returned from Iraq in March 2005, he was shocked at what he viewed as inaccurate and overly negative media coverage of the war. But Stephenson took it in stride. He says he put his life on the line in Iraq precisely to protect freedom of speech.
So he is baffled by the reaction of the DFL Party and some in the media to a TV ad about the war in which he recently appeared. The DFL has branded the ad "un-American, untruthful and a lie." The DFL isn't bothering to present its version of the facts in an ad of its own. Instead, party chairman Brian Melendez launched a campaign to silence Stephenson and others who appeared in the ad. He demanded that the ad be pulled from the airwaves, so Minnesotans couldn't hear its message and make up their minds themselves.
Earlier this week, I sat down with some folks from Minnesota Families United. What do they think of the fact that the DFL has branded their co-chairman an "Un-American liar"? Stephenson, it turns out, is a 23-year Marine.
He volunteered to serve in Iraq at age 43. The decision to go was tough, he says, because he has seven children, ages 14 years to 9 months, and his wife was pregnant with the youngest when he left. "It was rough for my wife, but she supported me," Stephenson told me. "Our country is at war. I couldn't just sit back and let other guys fight to protect our nation."
I talked, too, with Merrilee Carlson of St. Paul, chairwoman of Minnesota Families United. Her son, Army Sgt. Michael Carlson, died in Iraq in January 2005 at age 22, while preparing to take out two bomb factories before Iraq's first election. Carlson feels personally tarred by the DFL's "un-American" label. She appears in a new, follow-up TV ad, where she joins the parents of other fallen soldiers to urge support for America's mission in Iraq.
Carlson began to seek a forum for her views after Cindy Sheehan, a war critic whose son died in Iraq, became the center of a media circus in Crawford, Texas, last August. "She was giving the impression that most families of fallen soldiers believed, like her, that our troops died for nothing," she says. "Mothers like me had to find a way to get our voices heard."
Stephenson knows that many DFLers don't share Minnesota Families United's perspective. "But the DFL is supposed to be the party of free speech, of diversity and tolerance," he said. "To demand that our ads be pulled off the air seems to contradict their fundamental principles. It leads me to suspect that their political agenda is so intense that they're willing to discard core beliefs to gain a partisan advantage."
And if the DFL is trying to stop vets like Stephenson from speaking out, the effort has been counterproductive. Carlson says that more than 300 families have joined Minnesota Families United since the controversy arose.
Are Stephenson and Carlson un-American? I suggest that the DFL itself deserves that label, for attempting to silence the speech of fellow citizens with whom it disagrees. If Republicans employed the same tactic, the media would be howling. But the silence here has been deafening.
I guess free speech doesn't apply to un-American folks such as Bob Stephenson, and his supporters in Minnesota Families United. Source: Star Tribune, February 23, 2006|W|P|114071194895184192|W|P|THE DFL'S ATTACK ON TV WAR AD IS HYPOCRITICAL|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/22/2006 02:40:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Kennedy v. The Machine has a great post about Politics In Minnesota's "non-issue" description of the Klobuchar/AFSCME battle.
|W|P|114064835212851850|W|P|KENNEDY v. THE MACHINE TAKES ISSUE WITH "NON-ISSUE" DESCRIPTION|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/22/2006 02:06:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|"By suggesting that those who disagree with him on a public policy issue support violence, Dean Johnson has crossed a serious line.
"Dean Johnson's comments demonstrate a complete lack of judgment. Minnesotans deserve a vote on this issue, not over the top attacks from Dean Johnson." Source: Ron Carey, Chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota
Dean Johnson Suggests Gay Marriage Opponents Support Violence. "Referring to a tense scene two years ago in which armed police escorted him out of the Capitol past gay marriage opponents, Johnson said: 'I do not wish to have this state Capitol become downtown Baghdad on the gay marriage issue.'" (Don Davis, "Johnson Promises Marriage Vote In Committee," West Central Tribune, February 22, 2006)|W|P|114064619857393308|W|P|BREAKING NEWS: STATEMENT BY THE MN GOP ON DEAN JOHNSON'S COMMENTS|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/22/2006 04:52:00 PM|W|P| North Star Politics|W|P|If there were no risk of violence, why would police have had to escort Sen. Johnson out of the Capitol?2/22/2006 06:11:00 PM|W|P| Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|Grow up, Tony. The Senator made a ridiculous comment aimed at stirring up support amongst the left-wing base and everyone knows it. To compare any event at the State Capitol with a war zone is utterly foolish.2/22/2006 08:36:00 PM|W|P| lloydletta|W|P|Take a look at the photos from the 2004 Bachmann amendment rally. "Death Penalty for Homosexuals" was one sign that was very prominent.
Thanks for pointing this article out. Is Tom Neuville pushing to increase taxes on Hennepin County residents for the stadium boondoggle - from the article, it sure sounds as if the answer is yes.2/22/2006 08:37:00 PM|W|P| lloydletta|W|P|PS: Dean Johnson scored a point big time with this one. Republicans made a huge mistake when he was pushed out of the party....2/23/2006 08:05:00 AM|W|P| Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|I don't believe a word this guy says. Remember last year - $30 billion ought to be enough to fund state government. Of course, two years ago he uttered his infamous "we don't need anything from this session" and promptly went home to blame Republicans for not doing anything. He can't be trusted, he's a majority leader in name only.2/22/2006 11:26:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|
The chart above makes the below quote even more accurate.
"It appears Kelly Doran is just about the only person who wants to see Kelly Doran as governor." Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey, January 31, 2006
|W|P|114063636090469642|W|P|A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/22/2006 10:54:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|My guess was right.
"The Becky Lourey for Governor Campaign has a 'major announcement' scheduled on Thursday at the Wyoming Library. We have heard that Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-MN8) would be announcing his support for Lourey this week and believe these two items coincide." Source: Checks and Balances, February 22, 2006
|W|P|114063490284725894|W|P|CONFIRMATION OF OBERSTAR ENDORSEMENT|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/22/2006 10:09:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|"DFL candidate for Governor Becky Lourey will receive a major endorsement from a Minnesota elected official tomorrow (Thursday, Feb. 23) at 1 p.m. The press conference will be held at the Wyoming City Library, 26855 Forest Blvd., Wyoming, Minn." Source: Becky Lourey for governor press release, February 22, 2006
My guess is Lourey will be endorsed by Congressman Jim Oberstar.
|W|P|114063225287277332|W|P|BREAKING NEWS: LOUREY TO RECEIVE MAJOR ENDORSEMENT FOR GOVERNOR THURSDAY|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/22/2006 07:57:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|I spoke with 9 Republican insiders yesterday and I asked them to predict who will win the DFL straw ballot on March 7.
I won't identify the Republicans I spoke with, but here are the results.
Hatch - 47%
Lourey - 22%
Kelley - 21%
Doran - 7%
Hatch - 51%
Lourey - 23%
Kelley - 14%
Doran - 12%
Hatch - 50%
Lourey - 19%
Kelley - 18%
Doran - 13%
Hatch - 50 (+) %
Lourey - 23
Kelley - 20%
Doran - 7 < %
Hatch - 55%
Kelley - 20-5%
Lourey - 20%
Doran - 5 < %
Hatch - 45%
Lourey - 25%
Kelley - 15%
Doran - 15%
Hatch - 50%
Lourey - 23%
Kelley - 17%
Doran - 10%
Hatch - 40%
Lourey - 30%
Kelley - 18%
Doran - 12%
Hatch - 47%
Kelley - 28%
Lourey - 20%
Doran - 5%
|W|P|114062557695802877|W|P|REPUBLICANS GUESS WHO'S WINNING THE DFL GOVERNOR'S RACE|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/22/2006 09:26:00 AM|W|P| Tim Ward|W|P|And the relevance of this is???
As a Dem, I predict Pawlenty will with the GOP nomination. Oops, I forgot. He's not running yet.2/22/2006 07:25:00 PM|W|P| Unknown|W|P|Johnnie, your comment is dumb. Then again what do you expect from a democrat.
I hope that Hatch does win the nomination. It will make it easy for Pawlenty to win re-election.2/22/2006 10:17:00 PM|W|P| lloydletta|W|P|I think Hatch is in trouble in the DFL. He has no grassroots ground game. He's avoiding debates where he mingles with delegates. Remember Steve Kelley has been at this for a year, I think Kelley is going to be a strong contender for endorsement. The question is whether other candidates - aside from Hatch, will attempt to block endorsement. All candidates except for Kelley will go to the primary.2/22/2006 07:41:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|"Referring to a tense scene two years ago in which armed police escorted him out of the Capitol past gay marriage opponents, [Senate Majority Leader Dean] Johnson said: 'I do not wish to have this state Capitol become downtown Baghdad on the gay marriage issue.'" Source: West Central Tribune, February 22, 2006|W|P|114062352110114003|W|P|JOHNSON'S RHETORIC ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE GETS NASTY|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/22/2006 07:05:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Governor Pawlenty launched a new statewide effort to crack down on non-compliant sex offenders and a DFL State Senator complains it may be too tough.
"Sen. Linda Berglin, DFL-Minneapolis, a member of the Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee, said posting 17,000 offenders seems excessive given that most of them were classified by state authorities as posing low or medium risk for committing more sex crimes.
And she questioned the effectiveness of posting identities of roughly 1,400 people with unverified addresses.
'If we don't know where they are, we aren't going to alert the public to their whereabouts,' Berglin said." Source: Star Tribune, February 22, 2006
BTW: Berglin has endorsed Mike Hatch's campaign for governor. |W|P|114062253611175540|W|P|DFL SENATOR AGAINST BEING TOUGH ON SEX OFFENDERS|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/22/2006 06:23:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|"I honestly don't know what Coleen's position is on any policy issue other than the war."
##
State Sen. Marko will challenge Rowley for DFL endorsement
A state senator from Cottage Grove has announced that she will seek DFL endorsement for the seat in Congress representing the Twin Cities' southern suburbs.
Sharon Marko will challenge Coleen Rowley in Minnesota's Second Congressional District. Rowley won national attention for her whistle-blowing role within the FBI after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The Second District is represented by Rep. John Kline, a Republican from Lakeville. "I honestly don't know what Coleen's position is on any policy issue other than the war," Marko said.
Her own campaign, Marko said, will focus on "security for families and communities, and not just our borders: security through affordable access to health care and a good, solid education."
Rowley campaign manager Joe Elcock said: "If she thinks she brings something to the race, that's great. We've been working eight months now and think we have some really strong support in the district."
Elcock said the Rowley campaign will stay focused on Kline, corruption in Washington and budget deficits.
The challenge comes amid signs of fundraising weakness on Rowley's part. She reported raising $89,750 in the last quarter of 2005, against Kline's $180,000, and having $84,000 in the bank compared with Kline's $465,000.
Marko, 52, was first elected to the Minnesota House in 1994 and is in her first Senate term. Source: Star Tribune, February 22, 2006
|W|P|114062008637872407|W|P|MARKO MAKES IT OFFICIAL|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/21/2006 03:08:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|
"Minnesotans should be proud that they have a public servant and leader like Randy Kelly standing guard."|W|P|114056331814757555|W|P|MDE FROM THE ARCHIVES: HATCH ENDORSES RANDY KELLY|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/22/2006 07:54:00 AM|W|P| Green tea|W|P|So ? A lot of Democrats supported Randy Kelly..and that was no secret..2/21/2006 02:25:00 PM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Who goes to a DFL function and says it doesn’t matter if you’re a DFLer??
##
DFLers unite in Bemidji
U.S. Senate DFL candidate Amy Klobuchar, showing her Iron Range roots, says Republican U.S. Rep Mark Kennedy "will be taking a slow-moving Zamboni out of Washington, D.C.," after Nov. 7.
Klobuchar, speaking Monday night to the Beltrami County DFL's Presidents Day fund-raiser, noted that Kennedy, the GOP heir apparent candidate for the Senate post, has had campaigning in Minnesota for him Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, presidential Chief of Staff Andrew Card, Vice President Dick Cheney, as well as President Bush on Air Force One, and now even political adviser Karl Rove.
"The more people he brings in, the better we do in the polls," Klobuchar said, indicating a 6-point lead but not citing the poll source. "The only celebrities we’ve had are the Gear Daddies Band of Austin, Minn., whose most famous song is 'I Want to Ride the Zamboni.'"
When the campaign is over, she said, it's Kennedy who will be taking the Zamboni trip home from Washington.
She brought the 200 DFLers to their feet, capping a long line of DFLers to speak and enjoy a ham dinner at the Bemidji Eagles Club. That crowd included her long-shot opponent for DFL endorsement, Twin Cities veterinarian Ford Bell, who had canceled but made last-minute arrangements to attend.
Through a scheduling quirk, both candidate Klobuchar and her father, retired Twin Cities newspaper columnist Jim Klobuchar, showed up although neither knew it until they met face to face. The elder Klobuchar has been campaigning statewide for his daughter.
But while introducing his daughter, he didn’t miss the opportunity to reminisce about the days he covered Minnesota Vikings training camps at Bemidji State University held for the team’s first six years in the state in the early 1960s.
He added that he's bringing his annual summer "Bike with Jim" tour on June 17 to Diamond Point Park, going to Kelliher the next day.
"There really isn't any magic formula for winning elections," he said. "One of the things you do is right at the beginning is to pick a good candidate and then run with it. You have good candidates in this hall here today, you have to mobilize Democrats and you have to come hard and every day."
The public does not believe the government, he said. "What it wants is a person it can trust," he added, telling the gathering that his daughter is one.
But Democrats have to appeal to more than the traditional base, said Amy Klobuchar. They have to reach out to moderate Democrats, independents and even left-swinging Republicans.
"The people of this state of tired of talking about what's right and what's left," she said. "They want to talk about what's right and what's wrong."
It's right that Social Security be guaranteed but wrong to make the program a gamble, she said. It's right to invest in our troops and bring them home safely but wrong to go to war without a plan.
"They know that it is wrong to give an oversize amount of tax cuts to the wealthiest among us and it’s right to invest in our kids," Klobuchar said. "When you start being willing to draw a line in the sand as Democrats, and talk that way, they will listen and we will win."
Bell, who has doggedly remained in the endorsement battle nearly sewn up by Klobuchar, labels health care and the war in Iraq as his key issues. A single-payer universal health care system is needed, and the troops need to be pulled home by year’s end.
While about 2,300 Americans have been killed in Iraq, more than 100,000 Iraqi citizens have died, Bell said. "The people in Washington will tell us that around the next corner, with a little more money and a few more troops and a little more time, lies victory.
"Those are false prophets," Bell said. "What lies around the next corner is more death and more destruction. I am the only candidate in this Senate race who is committed to getting our troops out of Iraq by the end of this year. It's time to bring home our troops."
Americans support their troops, but they also support the truth and that truth is that there is no end point in sight, he said.
Rising health care costs is the top domestic issue Bell hears while campaigning, and only national health insurance will solve the problem.
"I believe that in the 21st century in America, health care is a right and not a profit center for a few," Bell said. "Our health care system in this country is not sustainable. We have 46 million Americans without health care."
The fund-raiser also drew the attention of two of the four major DFL gubernatorial campaigns. Both real estate developer Kelly Doran and Sen. Steve Kelley, DFL-Hopkins, called for a change in St, Paul - one that ousts Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
Doran of Eden Prairie, who was introduced by his lieutenant governor running make, Sen. Sheila Kiscaden, DFL-Rochester, said he's running for six reasons: four of them are his four children, a fifth is for the children of Minnesota, and the sixth, "we're going in the wrong direction and we need to change the direction we’re going for all of our kids' sakes."
Minnesota needs to grow its economy, Doran said, suggesting as a successful businessman, he knows how to grow things. "I've created thousands of jobs."
Affordable and acceptable health care tops his policy agenda, and he intends to have Kiscaden spearhead that issue, with her legislative experience in health issues. Education, especially investments in pre-K education, plus transportation investments also are on the agenda.
"What I've really learned about this state, that it doesn't matter if you're a Democrat, it doesn’t matter whether you're an independent, it doesn't matter whether you're a Republican," Doran said, "what the people of this are looking for is leadership. They want a leader in this state who is going to be trustable, be honest and get results.
"We don't have that in our current governor," Doran said. "I come from a business background, and you don’t rehire somebody who hasn’t performed."
"I think we are seriously off track in Minnesota, and don't think we're going to get back on track without new leadership," said Kiscaden, now a DFLer after being pushed out of the Republican Party and into the Independence Party, but caucusing with Senate DFLers.
"It's really coming back to my roots," she said of joining the Democrats, which was the party of her family.
Kelley, who is the public education expert in the Senate, would focus his agenda around kids - from investing more in early childhood programs, to providing quality education for those in high school, to lessening tuition burdens of college students.
He also told of the Senate DFL's efforts to turn back the policies of Republican Pawlenty.
"What's important about our future is our kids' future," Kelley said. "I know I'm standing up not only for them, but also for a better future for every Minnesotan."
And Senate DFLers have been standing up for kids the last three years.
"Tim Pawlenty tried to send us Intelligent Design in our science classes, and we sent that back," Kelley said. "He tried to send us vouchers to undermine our public schools, and we sent those back. And then he tried to send us Cheri Pierson Yecke - and we sent her back."
Yecke, who had education experience in the Bush administration, was Pawlenty’s nominee for education commissioner, but the DFL Senate refused to confirm her, ousting her from office.
"With help of all the Democrats in this room, in 2006, we're going to send Tim Pawlenty back," Kelley said, gaining a roar from the crowd.
Kelley called for Democrats to offer a united message, including having candidates abide by the endorsement process. That might be lacking in his own race, however, as he's the only candidate so far to pledge to do so. Aside from Doran, who will enter the primary, Attorney General Mike Hatch and Sen. Becky Lourey, DFL-Kerrick, have been mum on the issue.
"It’s so important for our candidates to abide by the DFL endorsement,"he said of the opportunity to present a united front early. "If we're going to win this year, we need to be united in June, not in September."
The best thing to end the contentiousness in St. Paul, he said, is to elect a DFL governor and put DFL majorities in both the Senate and the House.
Also speaking were two candidates - Mark Ritchie and Christian Sande - who are seeking the DFL endorsement to run against two-term incumbent GOP Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer.
Both said she has run the office with an iron-fist, and has made the office a partisan battleground. Both said that while being Democrats, if elected, they would restore integrity to the office.
Sande, an elections law lawyer, said Kiffmeyer has been turned back in her efforts to restrict voting by not allowing tribal IDs to vote, and a new effort must be mounted to stop legislation to require a photo ID, which would further restrict voting.
"We have not had a single case of a voter illegally voting where a photo ID would fix it," Sande said. "We need to tell legislators with these proposals that we know what they are doing, that they don’t like the way people are voting, not that they are fixing a problem."
Ritchie, who led a massive non-profit organization national get-out-the-vote effort in 2004, said that "it is time to put someone with integrity in the office of secretary of state.”
County auditors "are fed up" with Kiffmeyer, he said, adding that it will take money to unseat an incumbent. He believes he's got the start, with $100,000 and major endorsements from labor and legislators.
"We also have to put together a Democratic party ticket that the public says, yes, the Democrats are ready to govern," Ritchie said. "This is the year where we put forth a unified message."
Rep. Frank Moe, DFL-Bemidji, emceed the event, which also heard from Sen. Rod Skoe, DFL-Clearbrook, Rep. Brita Sailer, DFL-Park Rapids, Senate 4 candidates Irene Folstrom and Mary Olson, both of Bemidji, and House 4B candidate Ron Berry of Walker. Source: Bemidji Pioneer, February 21, 2006
|W|P|114056178069386590|W|P|DORAN TO DFL PRIMARY VOTERS: IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH PARTY YOU BELONG TO|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/21/2006 11:30:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|"For one thing, they [Coleen Rowley's campaign] didn't graft Kline's face onto a picture of a Nazi, they photoshopped it onto a picture of a character from a bad 1960's sitcom." Source: The Kline Record
But according to Coleen Rowley, it was a Nazi uniform:
"'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 [Coleen Rowley] said in a phone interview." Source: Star Tribune, January 31, 2006
I want to thank the blogger behind The Kline Record for blogging about this subject again. I am sure Rowley's campaign doesn't feel the same way.
|W|P|114055039786478705|W|P|ROWLEY: IT WAS A NAZI UNIFORM|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/21/2006 12:27:00 PM|W|P| North Star Politics|W|P|Klink is, obviously, NOT A REAL NAZI. That was clearly the point of the quote. When are you going to stop taking quotes out of context and actually, you know, start exposing Minnesota Democrats?2/21/2006 08:55:00 PM|W|P| David Bailey|W|P|Mr. Brodkorb,
I infer from your final paragraph that you think it was a mistake for a Rowley supporter to mention Col. Klink again. Perhaps you think that it would be wiser for me to ignore the issue no matter how maliciously absurd Kline is in responding to it.
The thing is, I'm not a Rowley supporter who wants to twist all the facts to support her campaign; instead, I belive the facts support Rowley, and that's why I do, too.
The Klink photo was a mistake, but a small one for which Rowley immediately accepted responsibilty and quickly rectified. Kline's fundraising letter was much more malicious, much more personal, and much more sleazy than the Klink photo, and you know Kline is never going to apologize for it.
Which candidate has greater integrity?
In short, I believe the truth about Rowley and Kline --- both good and bad on each side --- supports my candidate. So there's no reason for me to hesitate writing about it. Surely as one who "let(s) the truth speak for itself!", you can appreciate that.
Thanks for the link.
P.S. Thanks to North Star and GOPNightmare for getting my back on this.2/21/2006 10:55:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Another blogger is questioning the vigor of Mike Hatch's campaign for governor.
"Mike Hatch has played his candidacy for governor pretty low-key so far, skipping several DFL gubernatorial candidate forums, the latest one was a week ago in Virginia.
Is his heart in it or what?
MPR's Tom Scheck asked him about it Friday. He says, basically, he's waiting until the March 7 caucuses." Source: Polinaut
|W|P|114054844566681597|W|P|HOW HARD IS HATCH TRYING?|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/21/2006 09:59:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|St. Paul - Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey today issued the following statement regarding Becky Lourey's big government health care plan.
"Becky Lourey's big government prescription would put more Minnesotans into government run health care and do nothing to stem rising health care costs. Minnesotans aren't interested in an antiquated big government plan that takes choices away from doctors and patients and creates more bureaucracy."
|W|P|114054490908178253|W|P|MN GOP RESPONDS TO BECKY LOUREY'S BIG GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE PLAN|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com2/21/2006 11:52:00 AM|W|P| Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|I also love how she would place an "assessment" on businesses to help pay for it.
This from the same class of blabber mouths whose only defense on taxes is that the governor calls them fees.
Sometimes I wonder if these DFLers were plucked from the trees before they got ripe.2/21/2006 02:22:00 PM|W|P| John Jordan|W|P|Of course reading the plan would leave guys like John Jordan and Party opposite the option of blaming Hillary or Bill for everything.
I was thinking that everything is W's fault these days. At least that's what you guys seem to think.2/21/2006 08:09:00 AM|W|P|Minnesota Democrats Exposed|W|P|Hatch reaches for wrong tool
It's early in the campaign season, but we think we've come across the first "What were you thinking?" idea to be proposed in the slew of legislative races. This gem comes from Attorney General Mike Hatch, who'd like to move across the hall at the Capitol and replace Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
On Friday Hatch proposed going after about six large pharmaceutical companies that make pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, two ingredients used to make cold medicines that are also used to make methamphetamine, the nefarious, highly addictive drug that's destroying lives and communities from Bloomington to Bemidji. The purpose of the lawsuit would be to recover the government's costs for meth-related problems.
That's a novel idea that may guarantee Hatch the tort bar's endorsement in the gubernatorial race. But it begs the question: What's next? Will Hatch propose suing GM to recover costs related to car accidents? After all, cars, like pseudoephedrine, are perfectly legal products with perfectly good, legal uses that are sometimes abused by the general public.
How about hockey sticks? About 99.9 percent of the time they're used without incident on ponds and in arenas across the state. But if someone goes berserk with a hockey stick, will Hatch next target Christian Brothers, the Warroad maker of wooden hockey sticks?
We could go on, but you get the point.
As ludicrous as the proposed lawsuit is, our bigger problem is with Hatch's claim that the state's efforts to curb meth use haven't worked. The war on meth is one that could last decades. But there has been solid progress made over the past few years. Source: Pioneer Press, February 21, 2006
To Continue Reading:
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/editorial/13919833.htm |W|P|114053885610625765|W|P|EDITORIAL ABOUT HATCH: "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?"|W|P|minnesotademocratsexposed@hotmail.com
Kevin from Minneapolis|W|P|Whereas if the DNC comes here, it will likely occur without any significant incident.
