Author Archive for Sean Broom

Madia Sets The Tone (and raises money like it’s going out of style)

by
Sean Broom
Published on August 27, 2008 at 5:07 pm
, filed in CD3
. 6 Comments

Jeff Rosenberg at MNCR (the actual snarky one) reports today that Ash Madia has raised somewhere in the neighborhood of 350K — a number we’ve gotten confirmation on as well.

This blistering fundraising pace might allow Ash to surpass his impressive second quarter take — but what’s more important that simple fundraising totals is what the cash has allowed Madia to do; namely get on the air before Erik Paulsen.  See the thing is no matter how much replaced Paulsen spokester Michael Brodkorb and the GOP try, Madia is already defining himself to the voting public in the biggest venue he’s got, without any response from the GooPers.

Matt was right in his post about Madia’s ad — that it’s only a matter of time before Erik “Hey, what’s your opinion on Iraq?” Paulsen rolls out his ads.  But by then Madia will have already had some time to define himself to the voters of the 3rd — and any negligible COH (cash on hand) advantage Paulsen has over Madia will be neutralized by the Scrooge McDuck sized advantage the DCCC has over the woefully underperforming NRCC — and the DCCC has shown they’re willing to devote those resources to candidates who work dilligently.

Something Madia has obviously done.

Tim Walz Raises Almost 250K Since July!

by
Sean Broom
Published on August 27, 2008 at 1:47 pm
, filed in CD1
. 0 Comments

Gov. Rep. Tim Walz announced today that he had raised nearly 250K since July 1st.

Today, the Walz campaign announced that Congressman Tim Walz has raised almost $250,000 in the pre-primary reporting period (July 1-August 20). So far, over 7,500 individual donors have contributed to Tim’s campaign.

Given the paltry 100 grand from millionaire Dr. Brian Davis, and (probably) less from Dick Day, Tim Walz is in a great position to coast to victory this year.

But all the same, years from now when one of your kids asks you what you ever did for Tim Walz (who will by then have joined Humphrey, Mondale and Wellstone in the DFL firmament) you could say you donated to him waaay back when he was just a freshman legislator — or that you even went and volunteered for him.


Keep Going!

by
Sean Broom
Published on August 27, 2008 at 8:30 am
, filed in Misc. National Politics
. 9 Comments

The text of Hillary Clinton’s amazing speech last night, after the jump.
Continue reading ‘Keep Going!’

It’s Biden!

by
Sean Broom
Published on August 23, 2008 at 12:03 am
, filed in General
. 12 Comments

CNN reports that Biden is the VP choice.

Go Joe! More tomorrow!

Walz and Ellison Get Ed Benefits For Veterans

by
Sean Broom
Published on August 21, 2008 at 4:48 pm
, filed in General
. 13 Comments

Last year members of the 34th Infantry Division set a record for longest time in country during the Iraq war — the brave citizen soldiers of the Minnesota National Guard did their service in Iraq unfailingly and with distinction.

Representatives Tim Walz and Keith Ellison have been working hard for the last year to ensure that they get the education benefits they deserve. Just today the good Representatives announced that they have finally gotten the last of the benefits cleared up with the VA.

– Today, Congressman Tim Walz and Congressman Keith Ellison announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs has agreed to their request to provide full educational benefits to nearly 400 soldiers from the 1/34th Brigade Combat Team who had previously been denied the payments they had earned.

On July 28, 2008, Reps. Walz and Ellison spearheaded a letter from the Minnesota Congressional Delegation to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, requesting that he act quickly to ensure that the 1/34th members received their benefits. Secretary Peake announced VA’s decision to award those benefits in a letter of August 11, 2008. The National Guard estimates that this decision will affect approximately 367 veterans nationally.

The entire press release after the jump.

Continue reading ‘Walz and Ellison Get Ed Benefits For Veterans’

Oh Snap!

by
Sean Broom
Published on August 21, 2008 at 12:06 pm
, filed in White House '08
. 8 Comments

McCain Doesn’t Know How Many Houses He Owns

by
Sean Broom
Published on August 21, 2008 at 7:59 am
, filed in White House '08
. 28 Comments

From Politico

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said in an interview Wednesday that he was uncertain how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, own.

“I think — I’ll have my staff get to you,” McCain told Politico in Las Cruces, N.M. “It’s condominiums where — I’ll have them get to you.”

The correct answer is at least four, located in Arizona, California and Virginia, according to his staff. Newsweek estimated this summer that the couple owns at least seven properties.

How many houses do you need to get before you can’t remember all of them?

No, Really, It’s A Good Thing

by
Sean Broom
Published on August 18, 2008 at 9:35 pm
, filed in White House '08
. 32 Comments

Over at whathisnames site they’ve been crowing about some Democrats dissatisfaction with Barack Obama’s lawn sign policy (namely, you’ve gotta pay for them). I heard about this policy a while ago, and was pretty sure that it would result in folks complaining about the $8 you had to spend to get them.

Memo

To: All
From: Sean

There is no such thing as a free lunch. That is all.

After the jump, some more.

Continue reading ‘No, Really, It’s A Good Thing’

By This Time Next Week

by
Sean Broom
Published on August 18, 2008 at 9:05 am
, filed in White House '08
. 15 Comments

We will know who Barack Obama’s VP choice is. And, I’m just sayin’.

Update: The senior Senator from Deleware was in Georgia (the country, not the state) this weekend.  Gosh, sure would be handy to have that actual on the ground perspective on the ticket.

Franken in Time

by
Sean Broom
Published on August 15, 2008 at 11:31 am
, filed in MN 2008: Senate
. 3 Comments

From the website:

But toward the end of the day, Franken finds a way to connect. He’s at the Rum River Family House Residence, a place for recovering-addict moms. And he doesn’t even consider making a joke about the fact that it’s the world’s worst-named rehab center. Sitting around the living room, drinking coffee and eating lemon bars that the recovering meth moms have made, Franken reveals that he was “co-dependent” with someone close to him. As they tell their addiction stories, he’s perfectly empathetic, nodding and using the language of recovery like someone mistakenly doing a serious, dramatic reading of his 12-step Saturday Night Live character, Stuart Smalley. After they finish, Franken looks up and says, “Thanks for inspiring me. If I’m in the Senate, I’ll fight for this stuff. Because …” And then he stops and looks away, trying not to cry. It’s silent for a minute, and then one of the women quietly says, “You’ve got my vote.” To which Franken says, “That’s why I said it.” And at that moment, Franken is an unbeatable politician. Not because he’s funny or smart. But because all the people in the room know he understands them.

(emphasis mine)

When’s the last time you heard someone describe Norm Coleman as genuine, or empathic, or understanding?

Colin Powell To Endorse Barack Obama (Mayhaps)

by
Sean Broom
Published on August 13, 2008 at 4:40 pm
, filed in General
. 13 Comments

World renowned jackass commentator Bill Kristol might have just redeemed himself after his most recent stupid sabre rattling column by reporting today that COLIN POWELL IS GOING TO ENDORSE BARACK OBAMA!!!

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell will endorse Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention, Weekly Standard Publisher Bill Kristol told FOX News exclusively on Thursday.

“He may well give a speech at the Democratic convention explaining his endorsement of Obama,” Kristol said, citing inside sources. “For whatever reason I think he has decided he’s going to endorse Obama. I think [Powell] has a high respect for Senator McCain, they go back a long way.”

Kristol continued, “This is not an absolute done deal, but these people are very confident that Powell will endorse Obama.”

As news goes this is somewhere near “You just won the Publishers Clearinghouse grand prize!” and “This one is on the house”. In other words, sweet. Very, very sweet news.

Kristol couches his scoop with all sorts of waffly comments, but if just for a few minutes this afternoon the thought of this made my heart flutter. There are few Americans I hold in greater regard than Secretary Powell, and if this is true I am so happy, and so proud of his stand for the future of our country.

As Old As The Hill: Robert Byrd

by
Sean Broom
Published on August 13, 2008 at 1:18 pm
, filed in Misc. National Politics
. 40 Comments

In the upcoming issue of GQ there is a positively fascinating article about Robert Byrd. The 90 year old Senator from West Virginia has been serving longer than Amy Klobuchar (and Barack Obama) have been alive.

There are few people left in Washington who remember when Robert C. Byrd was not known for his oratory or his pork dispensing or even his longevity. Back then, they called him Bob (or Bobby, if they wished to be snide), and they’d say: Well, Bob Byrd sure knows how to make the trains run on time. The suggestion that he excelled only at herding bills through the Senate had riled Byrd. A self-taught scholar in British and Roman history, by God! A parliamentary master! Not to mention the best fiddler on Capitol Hill. Still, it was true: The man could count votes, accommodate favors, and maintain the Senate’s legislative rhythms like a metronome. Bob Byrd, as the line goes, would floor you with his punctuality.

Today, Robert C. Byrd is 90 and wheelchair-dependent. Time is no longer his ally. In any other town, this would not matter. People would spot a nonagenarian a few extra minutes. But inside the Beltway, nothing is so delicious as the public spectacle of power in decline.

Although he looks vaguely like Emperor Palpatine the longest serving member of the Senate sounds a lot more munificent in the article.  Give it a gander.

Policy and Politics: Past And Present

by
Sean Broom
Published on August 7, 2008 at 12:11 pm
, filed in General
. 3 Comments

I’m going to take a second to shill a great event being put on by an organization I am a board member of.

This Saturday at 8am, join the DFL Education Foundation as it welcomes Rep. Martin Olav Sabo to it’s Stone Arch discussion group, as he talks about local and national politics and policy. The discussion will be held at Jitters Comedy Club at 205 E. Hennepin Ave. (same block as Kramarczuks, below the Times) It’ll start at about 8am and end promptly at 9:30.

Rep. Sabo was first elected a state Representative in 1960 and then was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1978. He’ll be spending the hour and a half giving making some observations about the current political environment and then taking questions from the attendees.

So a couple things: contrary to the name the DFL Education Foundation is a non-partisan organization that promotes citizen education, leadership development, and public discussion of political issues. All are welcome to come to the Stone Arch Discussion group, they also post mp3’s of most of their discussion groups at their website. Again I’m a board member and I’m just schilling what is always a really great event (although, I won’t be at this one).

So — again, 8AM this Saturday at Jitters Comedy Club, (205 E. Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55414) come listen to former Representative Martin Olav Sabo talk about politics.

(Photo courtesy of Dave Lee, the sweetest Dave in all the land)

Thank You Lord For Sending Me Ron Carey pt. 24

by
Sean Broom
Published on August 7, 2008 at 10:40 am
, filed in General
. 41 Comments

Every time I think to myself “wow, we could be in trouble here.” I stop for a second and say “Wait… they’ve got Ron Carey, that guy couldn’t organize a political party with a blowtorch, a unified party structure, a compelling message, and a pack of sherpas.” And then I think to myself “Meh… we’ll be alright.”

Ash Madia’s law license expired this past summer while he was running what has been to date one of the more spectacular runs for a federal office I’ve ever seen. As problems go this is a pretty minor one since Madia hasn’t been practicing law since last October.

Ron Carey, who was last seen wringing his hands in the 3rd Congressional District over Madia’s decided lack of bluster over Iran decided to weigh in with this overwrought blabber:

“Ashwin Madia’s failure to renew his law license because it was ‘an oversight’ is just one more example of why he isn’t ready to represent the people of the Third District…. Madia has apparently failed to keep his key credential for serving in the House up to date.” (emphasis mine)

(closed circuit to Gina Countryman: Alright, so who am I kidding, Ron didn’t write this, hopefully he signed off on it, but more accurately you or some other communications staff employee wrote this. All the same: come on, you can do better!)

“His key credential for serving in the House…”?!?!?!?! Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? For the Constitutionally ignorant yahoos operating the MN I-R communications shop, I’ll remind you that these are the credentials necessary for serving in the House of Representatives:

No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

That’s in Article One of the Constitution, and there’s this too:

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

That’s Article Six — I like to just throw it in there for it’s own sake.

Okay, now down to the brass tacks, Madia’s credentials.  Over 25?  Check.  An American citizen for at least 7 years (and in his case, his whole life)?  Check.  Resident of the state of Minnesota?  Check.

Madia has all the right credentials to serve in the United States House of Representatives.  Now, for his qualifications?  Thoughtful, articulate, intelligent, believes in service, capable of being a representative of all the people in the 3rd?  Check, check, check.

Representative Madia.  That’s got a wonderful ring to it.  And chairman Carey should start worrying about the day that we have Representative Madia, it’ll be right around the time he’ll be looking for a new job.

Steve Sarvi Picks Up IP Endorsement

by
Sean Broom
Published on July 30, 2008 at 1:26 pm
, filed in General
. 10 Comments

Fresh off of his race being upgraded by CQ politics (which we were remiss in not mentioning), the Second District Independence Party announced their endorsement of Steve Sarvi.

From the release:

“As I have gotten to know the members of the Independence Party, it has become clear to me that if anyone wants a change in course, it’s them,” said Steve Sarvi. “They want real fiscal responsibility – not politicians who run up our deficits and spend endlessly in Iraq while talking about fiscal responsibility. They want government that represents everyone – not just members of one party or donors with powerful corporate interests. They represent one special interest: making sure we leave a better world for our children and grandchildren. That’s what I want, and it’s what my supporters want. I’m proud to have this endorsement, and I look forward to having the Independence Party as an integral part of our team working for victory.”

Steve Sarvi is probably my favorite candidate in the state of Minnesota right now, and the closing of this race is due to people like you, who donated to Steve a few weeks ago.  Sarvi obviously is picking up momentum but that can’t go on forever — you need to help Steve, give him some dough here, or sign up to volunteer for him here.