Barack Obama rolled out his Minnesota leadership team today. We already knew that most of these people were supporting Obama, but there are a few new names. I’ll put the full list below the jump, but here are a few highlights
State Chair - Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak
Co-Chair - Congresswoman Betty McCollum
Co-Chair - Congressman Keith Ellison
Co-Chair - Duluth Mayor-Elect Don Ness
State Senator Terri Bonoff
Sam and Sylvia Kaplan
Former St. Paul Mayor Jim Schiebel
Former Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles-Belton
There’s a lot more after the jump.
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak
CongressmanKeith Ellison
Congresswoman Betty McCollum
Duluth Mayor-Elect Don Ness
Minneapolis Council Member Paul Ostrow
Minneapolis Council Member Ralph Remington
Minneapolis Council Member Don Samuels
Minneapolis Council Member Robert Lilligren
Minneapolis Council Member Betsy Hodges
Minneapolis Council Member Elizabeth Glidden
Jim Scheibel
Sharon Sayles-Belton
Melvin Carter
State Representative Frank Hornstein
State Representative John Lesch
State Representative Tim Faust
State Representative John Benson
State Representative Augustine “Willie” Dominguez
State Senator Terri Bonoff
State Senator Dick Cohen
State Senator Katie Sieben
State Senator Patricia Torres Ray Minneapolis
Duluth Council Member Tony Cuneo
DFL Black Caucus Co-Chair Bill Davis
DFL Black Caucus Co-Chair Josie Johnson
State Representative Mike Jaros
St. Paul Council Member Russ Stark
St. Paul Council Member Pat Harris
State Senator John Marty
Beth Mercer-Taylor
Minneapolis School Board Member Tom Madden
Library Board Member Minneapolis Laura Waterman-Whitstock
Ramsey County County Commissioner Ralph Ortega
Pakou Hang
Hussein Samatar
Nimco Ahmed
Secretary-Treasurer UAW 879 Bob Killeen
Sam Kaplan
Sylvia Kaplan
Lou Frillman
Carroll Frillman
Kenneth Foxworth
Paul Provost
Carl Holmquist
Pam Meier
Yolanda Lehman
Katie McGee
David Jensen
Roger Gruesing
Roger Munger
Sally Munger
B Todd Jones
Roseanne Hope
Wendy Dayton
Karin Birkland
Susan Lensestey
Peter Gillette
Robin Sternberg
Trish Kiefer
Jim Smart
Cindy Smart
Roxanne Givens
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This post is just trying to distract from Mark Ritchies failure during the special election yesterday. :razz:
Well, you just making my prediction that much easier to come true.
3 totally incompetent politicians to cheer for Obama. 
get ready because here comes the Clinton train. 
he should try to get Rowley, Wilde and Wetterling to help too.
I agree Big Kahuna,
All the Republicans in Minnesota will be voting for Giuliani. He is the only Republican who can keep fighting them over there so they can’t attack us here.
9/11 happened on Giuliani’s watch, and that is why he is the only choice that keeps our great nation safe. :razz:
This is the new face of the DFL.
Exciting Mayors R.T. Rybak and Don Ness. Trailblazing Congressmen Keith Ellison. Progressive Council members in Minnesota’s largest cities: Ralph Remington, Betsy Hodges, Elizabeth Glidden, Melvin Carter, Tony Cuneo and Russ Stark.
Fresh, young, progressive legislators like State Representative John Lesch, State Representative Tim Faust, State Senator Terri Bonoff, State Senator Katie Sieben and State Senator Patricia Torres Ray.
Last and certianly not least, two of the best organizers I know: Pakou Hang and Nimco Ahmed.
Compare that with tired names Ted Mondale, Mark Dayton and Laura Nevitt. Who’s got the juice?
Typical Socialist Paranoid Guy, i will not ever vote for Guliani, you dont think our country is great?? Schmuk
While, very definitely an impressive list - I do notice that it is overwhelmingly urban and no labor.
I would hardly call SEIU, Unite-HERE and AFSCME “tired”
Jeremy, is that you Kalin?
Why would someone want the labor endorsement? What good is it to have support of a few union kingpins? I’d much rather have the support of the rank and file middle-class American. “Labor” and “working person” are no long synonomous.
By and large, the civilians on this list are part of the deeply entrenched, very big-money folks. “By and large,” I say, before you pounce. Ironic, because these are some of the same people who’ve supported same-old, same-old forever. Think Mike Hatch. Many of them are supporting Franken as well. So a radical departure. I’m an Edwards fan myself, but it’s interesting to watch this unfold. If Obama and Edwards unite, that’s an unbeatable combo. Hillary would be an excellent pick for a cabinet post.
Corrections …
“St Paul CouncilMember Elect Melvin Carter”
“St Paul CouncilMember Elect Russ Stark”
“DNC Member Kenneth Foxworth”
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak
Minneapolis Council Member Paul Ostrow
Minneapolis Council Member Ralph Remington
Minneapolis Council Member Don Samuels
Minneapolis Council Member Robert Lilligren
Minneapolis Council Member Betsy Hodges
Minneapolis Council Member Elizabeth Glidden
WTF??
I thought that Minneapolis had banned circus’s…
Fresh, young, progressive legislators like State Representative John Lesch, State Representative Tim Faust, State Senator Terri Bonoff, State Senator Katie Sieben and State Senator Patricia Torres Ray.
This is what is most encouraging about the Democratic nomination process, the involvement of the next generation of progressives. I am optimistic for the next 5, 10, and 15 years that the United States will again, begin to live up to it’s potential and promise.
Agreed Richard.
Megan, thank you so much for the persnickety clarification.
Swiftee, that measure failed to pass the council.
Ah, thanks Jeremy. That explains the clown parade.
I agree 100% Swiftee.
Any group of Dummocrats anywhere at any time are a clown parade.
Well done!!!
They are ClownocRats scrambling on the sinking ship that is the Dumbocratic party! They’re going down with the ship. :razz:
Guiliani
Isn’t Lesch the nutcase who grew a beard and flew commercial to Iraq without realizing he might need special permission to get anyplace other than the airport? He blogged about it and claimed he wanted to walk the streets of Baghdad to see how the everyday Iraqi was living. Of course he failed to realize that a lone American politician in Baghdad might be a tempting target for kidnapping which would mean dozens of U.S soldiers would have to put their loves at risk trying to save some self important state representative that has nothing to do with our Iraq policy.
If Lesch is the new face of the DFL the Republicans can rest easy.
It is my fondest hope that the Republicans rest easy. No, really! As in SD25. “Rock-a-bye, Repugs … .” zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
This particular Iraqi politician was much more circumspect about the sheer numbers. America lost more troops in a single day, in some major WWII engagements, than it has throughout “Operation Iraqi Freedom,” but public opinion then was not swayed. Here we stand, with Bush’s numbers in bad shape after most Americans believe he lied about WMD to bring us to war in Iraq — ironically, the least worrisome amongst his “axis of evil” but the most relevant for oil interests held by the Bushes, the Cheneys and the Halliburtons.
It would seem that integrity of leadership is key to a nation’s will toward war. When that integrity is questioned, the war effort suffers. It takes a leader with unimpeachable motives to wield the weight of over 2200 war dead. Unfortunately, for now, that leadership is sorely lacking.
This is from Lesch’s blogspot and I don’t see “nutcase” in any of the above.
Richard,
Did you read the blog during his trip? His methods put lives at risk for no other reason than to get himself attention. Remember he works in St. Paul, not Washington. http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2006/01/john_leschs_iraq_adventure.php
Whenever George W. Bush visited Iraq, he had reasons to go there than merely getting himself attention, and those American lives that were put at risk when he visited were well worth it.
For example, when he visited Iraq in 2006 it was to assure the Iraqi people that the United States stands by them and their new government. That’s what bold, strong, steady leadership is about, Liberalunatics. His visit had absolutely nothing to do with the 2006 elections.
Now that everyone knows Iraq is an undebateable success, any criticism of his visit that Summer is just you Dummocrats acting like the predictable, insane lunatics that you all are. :razz:
Maybe what’s needed is instead of cowing to the authoritarianism of this administration, is for every elected official with citizens from their districts and cities involved in fighting the illegal war in Iraq, to travel to Iraq and assess the situation for themselves. They can then communicate back to their people. Tim Pawlenty sends hundreds of Minnesota National Guard into a situation he knows nothing about because he didn’t do what John Lesch did. Tim could demand that all Minnesota National Guardsmen be returned or he could’ve refused to send them in the first place. Would’ve you then accuse him of “grandstanding”?
As a person who has been against the war from the beginning, and find all those who voted to allow and continue to vote to support the war complicit in the unnecessary deaths of thousands of Americans and tens of thousands of Iraqis, my issue is not with Lesch’s stance on the war. I think from Bush on down the primary reason politicians go to Iraq is for a photo they can put in campaign literature. They do this despite the cost to the tax payer and the risk in which it puts our military personnel. I understand that at certain points different elected official may have legitimate needs where the gains of such a visit would outweigh the costs but I doubt Bachman’s official visits wouldn’t be included and am positive Lesch’s wouldn’t.
We elect people to do certain jobs. The president to do one, school board members to do another and state representatives for something else. Lesch had no more business going to Iraq than any other citizen and given that he was risking more than his own life I consider his trip highly irresponsible.
I would, however, consider making everybody who has voted for the war at any point to have to live in Iraq until either they leave office or every single member of our armed forces is back home.
Back to the original intent of the post, it will be an interesting primary season. I’m hoping for an increase in interest and in participation this year. I plan on attending two pre-primary prepatory sessions with my youngest son and 21 year old daughter. The three of us are all working for differant candidates which makes for a lively supper table. This is going to be the year of the first time voter. Youth will come out as never before. The torch is passing.
Obama has the potential to get lots of newbies out to vote. Forget his skin color or his youthfulness. He has a charisma about him that you don’t see often. You Dems complain about how we constantly refer to Reagan as the hallowed leader of our movement. Many of you sound the same way when talking about Obama - and I don’t blame you.
It will be interesting to see, if Obama is the nominee, there is a ripple effect on congressional and state races as new Dems come out of the woodwork to vote for the first time.
Let’s be thankful ‘08 isn’t a MN Gubernatorial election year. By ‘10, we should be safely back in a position for a bright young moderate Republican to win that election.
That is unless the Republicans have succeeded in driving all moderates from their party, as it seems there is a movement to do. Just look over at the comments at MDE railing against nominating RINOs like Cox.
Speaking for myself, given the choice between “Democrat lite” and the genuine article, I’d rather have a genuine democrat in office.
When Republican’s vote with Democrats, they put themselves, and our party in the position of having to explain to the people why their lives are being turned upside down.
Take Saint Paul for instance; I’m pleased as can be that there isn’t a GOP fingerprint anywhere near that developing disaster.
People in SP are starting to realize what a leftist government is all about…and predictably, they don’t like what they see.
Ray Cox was a disaster waiting to happen. Better he stay home and let a genuine demolition expert go to work. The folks in SD 25 will not soon forget what happens when friends let friends vote Democrat, and Kevin Dahle will just be an unpleasant memory.
The only problem Republicans have is that they’re not conservative enough. They need to drive that bus off the cliff and go stark raving conservative. Only property owning white men should be allowed to vote. There’s a conservative position that could win for them.
All issues are black and white. You are either with the Republican party 100%, or you are against it.
I’m grateful that there is no middle ground on MDE or any of the other patriotic websites who’s sole purpose is to destroy Liberalunatics.
It is because of these true Americans that we have not been attacked since 9/11. :razz:
“”Take Saint Paul for instance; I’m pleased as can be that there isn’t a GOP fingerprint anywhere near that developing disaster.””
It’s the failed a flawed Politics of REPUBLICAN Norm Coleman and Republican “I supported Bush” Lite Kelley that created the mess that is taking the competance and clear vision of Chris Coleman to fix.
Leave it to Swiftee who still believes the GOP is the Pro-Life party Talk about a myth! — >>Former St. Paul Mayor Jim Schiebel — No relation and it is actually spelt SchEIbel. Us pesky Germans pronounce our vowels backwards
Bwhahahahaha!!!! Nice try Flash but it is 100% the fault of DFL’ers for the condition of St. Paul. Your hero Comrade Coleman has only one answer and that is to raise taxes by a record amount!! Guess it may finally happen that the cities may have to pay for the services they actually use.
The suburbs are sick of being the bail out money for the failing cities. many of us left the cities because of the way they were run and what do the cities politicians try to do, bilk those who left to still pay for the services the city wants. What a joke. if Coleman does raise taxes as he plans, he will be a one term mayor. 
Mpls is in the same boat. Again, you leave DFL’ers to run anything and they will screw it up and bankrupt the towns and cities they infest with wasteful social programs most will never use.
Taxes going up, schools failing, crime at record levels again and somehow it is all one Republicans fault when everything else is run by liberal DFL’ers.
Yep, no one sees through that crap at all. ;)
I see right through all that crap too, Big Kahuna. Apparently we are in a minority here on MN Publius, although everybody knows there is a huge majority of Minnesotans who would agree with us. I Agree with you 100%. :razz:
BK, the reason the GOP continues to lose elections is the people recognize that what the GOP says and what they do are two different things.
My statement was based on FACTUAL information involving Right leaning mayors who had a housing bubble (read automatic tax increases due to property appreciation. My taxes went up EVERY year undder bnoth administration. I NEVER saw a tax cut or even freeze. That is a myth they tried to perpetuate)) and LGA while cutting expenditures to the bone. Now, due to failed economic policies of TPaw and Bush we are knocking on the door of ANOTHER recession under their watch, with no where to cut and the TPaw shell game stripping Coleman of the LGA that both Kelly and Coleman (coincidence, I think not) had while at the same time facing a reduction of Property values, thus a built in decrease in revenue.
Sorry, not sure who made up the No GOP fingerprints line, but it is blatantly false! Along with most of the slight of hand GOP talking points. It is the opposite of what they appear. Flash
Flash so you actually believe the crap you are trying to sell.
So now it is the suburbs fault for not wanting to fund the inner cities budgets? That is what you are saying about LGA. A program that allows local government to spend without having to answer to the local public. That was a horrible program and should be completely concelled. Funny how the two biggest cities (run by DFL’ers) needs the most LGA of any other city in MN. Your local or fed taxes went up every year Flash?
i get a kick out of the fact you are excusing every single DFL politician who ACTUALLY runs the cities involved.
Guess it just shows how fair you are in your assesment. 
My guess, somehow you make your living working for one of the cities and therefor cannot point the blame at your own party.
Anyone who actually lives in those cities knows which party has screwed them over the last few years. In fact, I think with the threat of raising taxes as much as Comrade Coleman wants, I think the DFL could be in very big trouble in 2008 for local races. :)
I agree 100% Big Kahuna my soulmate.
I’m sure that there will be a record turnout at the Republican caucuses here in Minnesota because everyone knows the DummocRats are to blame for all the problems Minnesota has faced these past few years.
I fully expect that the elections of 2008 will be the year the permanent Republican majority is actually, finally, and definitavely realized.
I congradulate all the Republican policy makers for making this all possible. They have shown a strong, steady hadn and with compassion have guides our Nation in the right direction. :razz:
Now I see BK’s problem, factually substantiated facts that are outside his desired perspective = Crap
“So now it is the suburbs fault” I said nothing about the Burbs. I am saying that Mayors Norm and Randy had the luxury of the very program you despise, but give them credit for not having to ‘raise taxes’ since they had Free LGA money and substantial increases in PropTax revenues with the built in appreciation tax without needing to raise the levy. Now that LGA is stripped and Prop Values dropping and you chastise the true Fiscally Responsible mayor for having to find money elsewhere.
“”I fully expect that the elections of 2008 will be the year the permanent Republican majority is actually, finally, and definitavely realized.””
As my favorite Comedian says, “Hold on to that dream!”
Flash opined: “It’s the failed a flawed Politics of REPUBLICAN Norm Coleman and Republican “I supported Bush” Lite Kelley that created the mess that is taking the competance and clear vision of Chris Coleman to fix.”
Sorry Flash, the fact is that taxes were not raised for 12, count ‘em 12 years under Coleman and Kelly.
Kelly was indeed faced with reductions in LGA during his tenure, but instead of instuting the revised “rape of Nanking” that Coleman has embarked on, Kelly instituted the well reasoned approach of asking citizens to pay for the services they were using…fees for things like street maintenance, sewer and water, you know, the things that cities are *supposed* to be providing.
Of course that got the hard core left’s panties all knotted up because when you charge for services, people expect to *see* those services. Much better from the socialist’s perspective to just issue a blanket raise in taxes..say 15% or so and pile it into a nice big heap from which the various leftist special interests can help themselves.
There are dozens of large cities in this state get by without LG *AID* at all! Can you imagine that Flash??
Somehow, these financial necromancers have discovered how to turn their existing tax bases into the “gold” of services that constituents expect.
Wow!
Spin it anyway you want Flash, the moonbat parade that is being marched through the city of Saint Paul will soon be faced with a voting majority that suddenly remembers the unmitigated disaster that Jim Schiebel delivered and will deal with the present incompetants in a similar fashion.
Swiftee, easy on flash, that was way too much factual information for his brain to take in all at once.
It will be a very fun thing to watch as both cities trun from their liberal DFL base. Just a matter of fact that any major city run by liberals will fall apart. History has prven over and over that their policies do not work in the real world and quite honestly the only way they get anything they want is by forcing the public through laws they pass to push their agendas.
Hey Flash, I notice you do not mention that Coleman could look to fee’s or cutting prgrams, yet he is the responsible one.
Typical looney liberal you are Flash.
Go lay by your dish. :)
The Pioneer Press just ran two articles about Saint Paul within the last week.
The first was an interview with mayor Coleman which I highly recommend if you enjoy watching a Democrat try to spin a successful record from ashes.
http://www.twincities.com//ci_7845339?IADID=Search-www.twincities.com-www.twincities.com
The second was a story about the tumbleweeds blowing through downtown SP.
http://www.twincities.com//ci_7889056?IADID=Search-www.twincities.com-www.twincities.com
The most interesting part of both however, are the 19-20 pages of comments left by really pissed off Saint Paulites.
Despite the whining of Coleman and his Democrat hacks (“Where’s our LGAAaaaaAAAaa?…sob!”), people are laying the destruction of the city squarely at the feet of Coleman, Kathy Lantry and especially Dave Thune…right where it belongs.
It will be more clear after 5 February as to who will be the Democratic and GOP Presidential candidates as 22 states will hold be holding Primaries or Cauceses.
Barack Obama is my #1 choice, folowed by John Edwards, Bill Richardson, with Hillary at #4.
When Obama came to Rochester just days before the General Election in 2006 for Amy Klobuchar and Tim Walz, I sensed his charisma even then. His speech was riveting and uniting. Over 3,000 people came out for him, while First Lady Laura Bush attracted only 300 people less than a week prior on behalf of GOP candidates.
You frinken liberals best get in line and start talking positive about Hillary!!
She is the chosen one and will be VERY upset if you simply do not roll over and give her the presidency.
If somehow the Clinton machine screws this up, I will very much enjoy watching her go away.
Then we can start on Osama er I mean Obama. ;)
Bush’s last day: 01.20.09. As of 5:38, Bushie has 729 days, 21 hrs, 7 minutes, and seconds counting before he leaves office. It can’t come soon enough…
I agree 100% Big Kahuna, my dear friend,
Barak Hussein Osama is part of the Muslim invasion of the United States and their takeover of our culture, unless we stop them.
Everyone knows he attended a Muslim school when he was a child. I do not want him in charge of our countries nuclear arsenal.
Keith Mohammed Ellison started the takeover of the government by these people, and this is only the start.
WE MUST STOP THEM!!!
Think of the children. :razz:
Do you know how rediculous you sound TFRWG!!!
TFRWG’s satire continues to confuse people he agrees with. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of his viewpoint.
There is no confusion. :razz: