On this particular topic, I have to agree with GOP Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb: “If you don’t want to be asked questions, if you don’t want to interact with the public, if you don’t want an opportunity to to get a tough question, uh, don’t run for office.”
Archive for the 'CD2' Category
Sean reported Tim Walz’s offer to John Kline to hold joint town-hall meetings in both of their districts. In The Least Surprising News Ever, Kline has refused, calling it a publicity stunt. Only John Kline, who has always avoided his own constituents like a plague, would consider town hall meetings a “publicity stunt.” Why won’t Kline agree to debate health reform in public?
Representative Tim Walz (the next lion of Minnesota politics) invited Representative John Kline to join him at a health care town hall on Thursday in East Mankato, and in exchange Congressman Walz will join Kline at a similar event in the 2nd district. Kline hasn’t responded as of yet.
The Dear John letter, after the jump.
Here are the numbers:
Walz
Raised - $157,000
Cash on Hand - $111,000
Kline
Raised - $142,000
Cash on Hand - $103,000
Bachmann
Raised - $314,000
Cash on Hand - $224,000
That’s a pretty impressive quarter for Bachmann, and a so-so quarter for Walz and Kline. All three of these Representatives could concievably face serious challenges in 2010, but the reality is that none of them are really in any danger at this point.
Just when I thought I could be done talking about the Star Tribune, MN Blue’s Eric Pusey has the dirt on the Star Tribune’s endorsement in CD2:
What you probably didn’t know is that the editorial board probably already had its mind made up. Instead of meeting with the full editorial board, Steve met with two retirees. These retirees are brought back in during high politcal season to “help” when it gets busy. No members of the editorial board were present for Steve’s screening.
Huh? They gave an endorsement to John Kline without screening any other candidates? Even then, the endorsement itself even said they might have given the endorsement to Steve Sarvi:
Kline’s challenger, Democrat Steve Sarvi, easily is one of the most outstanding political newcomers this year. A former mayor of Watertown and an Iraq veteran, Sarvi is a fresh face on the political scene. His service in Iraq gives him considerable depth as a candidate. In a televised debate with Kline, Sarvi held his own on foreign policy. He’s also passionate and well-informed on veterans’ issues.
If this were an open seat, Sarvi may well have garnered the Editorial Board’s endorsement. But Kline’s expertise, seniority and growing clout — he’s the ranking member on an influential Education and Labor subcommittee — make him the strongest contender.
Meanwhile, Kline’s single main position is to remove the power gained by that “seniority and growing clout.” Again, what a bizarre endorsement. There’s more: Eric Pusey goes into more detail on how backwards this endorsement is.
UPDATE: Sarvi releases his TV ad:
Remember how the NRCC pulled ads to help other candidates? Well, a source confirmed that the NRCC are coming back and bought up time for week two (Oct 20th-26th) in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area to air ads. I guess they decided they need to spend money here now. Here’s the question though: Is it for CD3, CD6 or, dare I say it… CD2?
From the DFL:
Still in Hiding, Paulsen Accepts Help from Embattled Republican Leader
Boehner raises money for Paulsen, Bachmann and Kline behind closed doors
St. Paul (October 14, 2008) — This evening, Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner is expected to appear at a fundraising event in downtown Minneapolis. Appearing with the embattled Republican leader will be Republican Third District Candidate Erik Paulsen and Republican Representatives Michele Bachmann and John Kline.
Minnesota DFL Associate Communications Director Eric Fought released this statement:
“Erik Paulsen has spent the past 14 years as a professional partisan politician, advancing the most radical tenets of his party’s platform and leading the charge in the Minnesota House.
“True to form, Paulsen and fellow Republicans will gladly accept help tonight from one of the most ardent champions of the failed policies of the Bush administration. And in the spirit of Paulsen’s stealth campaign for Congress, which he conducted by hiding from the public and press, Paulsen will accept Boehner’s help behind closed doors, away from public and media scrutiny.
“Erik Paulsen would have Minnesotans forget his long career of far right-wing Republican partisanship — which is why he’s refusing to meet with anyone except other partisan Republicans in private. It’s past time for Erik Paulsen — not to mention Michele Bachmann and John Kline — to level with the people of Minnesota how their ideas for the next two years are any different than the past eight.”
Anyone in the mood for a $1,000 steak dinner with Republicans not being public about how they’re Republicans tonight?
Let’s not talk about voting records, let’s not talk about veterans, let’s not talk about the bailout, and let’s not talk about that smirky grin Kline had when that woman made that offensive, ignorant race comment last Friday. Let’s talk about, um, congressional provisions:
Meanwhile, John Kline voted against the independent panel on ethics, voted against earmark reform in January 2007, and actually has been the beneficiary of earmarks many times before, as well as voting for earmarks that have nothing to do with Minnesotans. Now that Kline is an earmark, or congressional provisions protester, he refuses to support congressional provisions even if they help projects for the residents of Apple Valley, Lakeville and Eagan, for example.
Why is he talking so much about congressional provisions anyway? Does he not want to talk about his voting record with the Bush administration on the Iraq and the economy? I guess if I was John Kline, I wouldn’t.
Steve Sarvi is a solid, smart and independent guy that’s fighting for the people in CD2 (which I must remind, got the endorsement of both the DFL and the Independence Party). I wouldn’t be terribly surprised if he pulled off winning this one but he needs support to compete against Kline’s machine.
Update: The UpTake will be broadcasting the Sarvi v Kline debate live at 1:30 today.
Steve Sarvi got a nice guest post on The Hill:
[Kline’s] excuse for short-changing veterans? According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, his spokesman says it is because he is fiscally conservative.
Really?
It is so-called fiscal conservatives like Kline who approved runaway spending in Iraq and the Bush tax cuts which have led to huge deficit spending and a $3 trillion growth in the federal debt. Meanwhile, Kline and this Administration have presided over the greatest growth of government in our history. That is not conservatism; it is profligacy pretending to be conservative.
Who pays? Veterans, seniors, the middle class and others who can least afford to. But people are figuring it out.
Read the whole piece here.
How are they going to explain this one? From El Tinklenberg:
With record unemployment, real wages declining, and living expenses and fuel costs strangling budgets, more families than ever are relying on credit cards to make ends meet. The average American family now has nearly $10,000 of credit card debt, and most of their interest rates already seem like highway robbery. It just makes sense to ensure that consumers are protected from abusive rate increases and interest charges.
It certainly is that time of year; we have campaign commercials coming at us left and right! Well, here’s another one from the left. Steve Sarvi launched a new TV ad recently and it’s potent:
First, when he was no longer in the majority John Kline whined that the earmark system was broken and that he was going to take his ball and go home, but when it comes time to stand in front of his constituents he’s happy to show off improvements made with federal money.
U.S. Congressman John Kline has been among the most vocal critics of earmarking millions of dollars in federal money for specific projects in the home districts of U.S. senators and representatives.
But the Second District Republican wasn’t shy about appearing at a ribbon-cutting last week in Prior Lake to accept congratulations for obtaining more than $2 million to remodel one of the most dangerous roads in Scott County.
Now why was it that lil’ Johnnie decided that this was a good earmark? Because it came when he was in the majority.
The reason, he said, is that he earmarked the Scott County money years ago when he was like most members of Congress, pushing for special projects in their own districts.
Hypocrisy, thy name is John Kline. But the good news is Steve Sarvi is here.
The UpTake published a five minute piece on questionable tactics in John Kline’s reelection battle, including an exposé on one of his paid consultants. The whole thing is worth seeing:
The DFL caught John Kline slacking off…
Today, as U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Jim Oberstar, MnDOT Commissioner Tom Sorel, state legislators and Hastings city councilors came together to discuss progress on planning for the replacement of the Hastings Bridge over Highway 61, one face was noticeably absent: Rep. John Kline…
DFL Party Associate Communications Director Eric Fought released the following statement:
“Representative Kline’s lack of interest in showing up to do his job is not a surprise anymore, but it’s still very disappointing.
Way to represent your district John. Fortunately, Kline’s has an opponent in Steve Sarvi who actually wants to represent the 2nd District.
UPDATE: I should have been more clear in the original post: Sarvi attended the meeting.
Minnesota Democrats have a historic opportunity this fall. Between Al Franken, Steve Sarvi, Ashwin Madia and El Tinklenberg, the DFL has strong candidates running for every single Republican-held seat in our congressional delegation. With Barack Obama sporting double digit leads at the top of the ticket and a Democratic wave building, we could win each of these seats.
Achieving a 100% DFL delegation will not be easy. To even have a chance, we’ve got to give it everything we’ve got.
In that spirit, liberal leaning blogs in Minnesota are joining together to sponsor and end of quarter fundraising drive for our DFL challengers. Together with MNCR, Centrisity, Blue Man, Chris Truscott and Power Liberal, MN Publius is asking you to donate to one of our great DFL candidates before next Monday. We’ve established an Act Blue page so we can track our efforts, called Red to Blue MN. Our goal is modest, to raise $250 for each candidate.
So please take this opportunity to make a donation (no matter how small). Its your chance to be part of something historic.
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