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
. 8 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
. 1 Comment

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
. 10 Comments

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

Tim Walz’ First TV Ad: “Record”

by
Aaron Landry
Published on August 27, 2008 at 1:24 am
, filed in CD1
. 8 Comments

On Tuesday, August 26th, three congressional candidates released their first TV spots. Coincidence? I don’t know. The third comes from CD1:

A solid spot by Tim Walz on energy. Walz co-sponsored the DRILL act. He voted for the Clean Energy Act. He’s brought forth legislation to expand wind power. He’s fought for lower gas prices. The ad isn’t just rhetoric — it reflects the kind of positions Walz has taken in Congress and why we need to keep him in Washington.

[via]

Madia Releases First Ad; Wow!

by
Matt Martin
Published on August 26, 2008 at 4:46 pm
, filed in CD3
. 54 Comments

While I’ve always been optimistic about Ashwin Madia’s prospects in the 3rd Congressional District (I mean, we have a great candidate, an amazing campaign apparatus behind him, and a district that’s leaning blue), I’ve always said that I’ll know a lot more about how this race will play out after I see Ash’s first ad.  Well, the Madia campaign previewed their first TV ad today and let me say this: I’m feeling great about this race.

There’s little doubt that Paulsen will shortly roll out the inevitable Ramstad endorsement ad (I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes it his intro), but I don’t think Paulsen can win this race by continuing to play the nothing-new card. Paulsen seems to think that he can ride Ramstad’s coat-tails into the House without taking any significant policy stands but if there’s one message coming from the American people this cycle, it’s that that they want real leadership that can take this country in a new, better direction. Ashwin Madia is the one to provide that leadership.

Coleman Misleading Again About Alaska

by
Aaron Landry
Published on August 26, 2008 at 1:50 pm
, filed in MN 2008: Senate
. 4 Comments

Norm Coleman was flown out to be a “special guest” at indicted Senator Ted Stevens’ Kenai River Classic in Alaska three times. How does Coleman try to play it down at the Minnesota State Fair?

Norm Coleman said:

I went on a charity fishing trip. 501(c)(3), prove me. Yea, run it by the ethics committee. There are 74 boats in that. One of them obviously had somebody in it who had trouble. I wasn’t fishing with him.

ROFL. Wow, watch him try to run away from that. That guy “who had trouble” was convicted VECO executive Bill Allen. Bill Allen helped organize the entire trip! He also happens to be the very same guy who is involved with getting Stevens indicted in the first place. He also happens to be the same guy that gave money that Coleman hasn’t returned yet.

Yeah, that’s not fishy at all. Nice try, Norm.

Al Franken with Wolf Blitzer in Denver

by
Aaron Landry
Published on August 26, 2008 at 12:28 pm
, filed in MN 2008: Senate
. 5 Comments

As Al Franken explains to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, The Situation Room “explains the whole situation… in that room.” I think this is a good example of what Al’s talking about.

Paulsen to Speak at GOP Convention

by
Zack Stephenson
Published on August 26, 2008 at 12:26 pm
, filed in General
. 18 Comments

Erik Paulsen will be taking the stage next week at the Republican National Convention, some time just before President Bush (who clocks in at a 32% approval rating in Minnesota) and Vice President Cheney (who clocks in at -147%).  The political chattering class is predicting that the Republican gathering will be a massive Obama bash fest and it will be interesting to see if Paulsen joins in the fun.

I would expect him to for two reasons: First, Paulsen and his allies have already shown a willingness to embrace the darkest side of professional politics.  In fact, just last week it was revealed that Paulsen allies were engaged is the most dispicable of campaign tactics: the push poll.  Will Paulsen encore that preformance with a negative barn-burner at the DNC?  It would be true to form.  Second, all indications are that the GOP wants their convention to be a reprise of the 2004 model: all negative, all the time.  I doubt the Republican big-wigs would allow Paulsen within ten feet of the podium unless he promises at least a few jabs at Democrats.

Paulsen is really making a name for himself as a negative campaigner and I’m not sure that is to his benefit in the 3rd.

El Tinklenberg is Helping Out

by
Aaron Landry
Published on August 26, 2008 at 6:57 am
, filed in CD6
. 8 Comments

Michelle Obama for President

by
Zack Stephenson
Published on August 25, 2008 at 9:56 pm
, filed in General
. 24 Comments

But seriously, she knocked that one out of the park.

Also, that Ted Kennedy tribute was something special.

Coleman Campaign Desperate — Even More Desperate Than Before

by
Aaron Landry
Published on August 25, 2008 at 5:11 pm
, filed in MN 2008: Senate
. 15 Comments

Does anyone think that releasing a television ad with an eight-year-old girl lying came as an easy decision for Team Coleman? How about when Republican Operative / Erik Paulsen’s Spokesperson Michael Brodkorb pens a freak-out post trying to change the subject when I called him out on finding making an eight-year-old lie “hilarious”? What does it say when Brodkorb calls me the “biggest liar in the Minnesota blogosphere”? Coming from the biggest Karl Rove wanna-be in the state, isn’t that codeword for saying I’m the most honest guy in blogging? I don’t need the ego boost, please.

What does all of this say about Coleman? Oh yeah, it’s because of the issues.

Team Coleman, Carey and Brodkorb have never had a way to attack Al on the issues. I mean, can you believe that we’ve had a whole campaign where we don’t hear people calling Franken a liberal? It’s because Al’s on the side of Minnesotans on every single issue that matters, and Minnesotans know it.

In addition, Coleman has been caught taking a year’s worth of free utilities, violating the Senate Gift Ban. Coleman and indicted Senator Ted Stevens and criminal VECO executives spent a lot of time together up in Alaska and he still hasn’t returned all the dirty money. An oil company even bought Coleman’s fishing license. Coleman failed our troops, our tax dollars and our country when he failed to do oversight when his job was in fact, oversight.

So what’s Coleman’s attempted signature policy of this entire cycle? What’s the only issue he could possibly think he has an advantage on? Al pretty much stomps all over it and owns the issue today. (I recommend reading the whole piece.)

Franken has been around the state delivering an entire portfolio of solutions and he’s working with and listening to Minnesotans to make sure he represents them, not big-oil, in Washington. Al’s even spending his time skipping the national spotlight so he can spend more time at the State Fair.

Next week, Norm Coleman and his landlord and operative Jeff Larson bring the Republican National Convention to Minnesota. While it will already be hard to conduct business as usual downtown, if things go bad with the multiple anti-authoritarian and anarchist groups that are now rooted in Minnesota determined to raise havoc, it will not be easy for Coleman to run away from the mess. This doesn’t include the auxiliary effects such as the likely influx of sex workers that are coming to town. Coleman already would like to run away simply for the political ramifications. It’s too bad that Coleman and Larson are the two people responsible for it being here in the first place. I only hope that the local businesses actually gain from the fiasco but right now it sure seems like more of a burden to most people than a benefit.

On top of it all, every single Senate poll shows Franken closing the gap, maintaining a tie, or starting to edge ahead against Coleman.

So the end of summer is not so great for Norm Coleman. No wonder they’re putting up shameless lies delivered by a young girl and attacking bloggers.

 

 

P.S. Again, Coleman’s failure on energy policy today is really a good read.

Coleman Exploits Eight-Year-Old Girl In False Attack Ad

by
Aaron Landry
Published on August 25, 2008 at 12:00 pm
, filed in MN 2008: Senate
. 33 Comments

Coleman took his Senate race ten notches uglier over the weekend by getting an eight-year-old girl to lie twice and mislead people in a television spot. Prepare your barf bag and check it out yourself:

In case you’re just starting to follow the Senate race now, the cold, hard facts: Al Franken pays and has always paid taxes on every penny he’s earned. Al Franken pays workers compensation insurance. Al Franken is 57. Norm Coleman is 59.

In case you’re still believing the Coleman/MNGOP/MDE framing and lies, even though it has been covered a hundred times before, there was a small tax distribution issue that the IRS didn’t even notice that was swiftly and completely corrected. There was a small workers compensation lapse that had zero impact on any employees and has been completely resolved. This stuff is old news. They’re non-issues. Again, Al Franken pays and has always paid taxes on every penny’s he’s earned. Al Franken pays workers compensation insurance. To say that Franken does not pay tax or workers compensation are two flat-out lies.

Then, to have an eight-year-old girl deliver that garbage is sick. It is disgusting. It’s ten notches worse than equating regular Minnesotans to bowlers with missing teeth.

Meanwhile, the shameless Republican operative Michael Brodkorb said publicly: “The ad is hilarious.”

   (captured Aug 25, 2008 10:50 AM)

I guess Coleman is doing everything he can to distract from his record of corruption in Washington, even if it means having an eight-year-old girl do that dirty work. Everyone involved with this ad should be ashamed.

It Came Together in Minneapolis

by
Zack Stephenson
Published on August 25, 2008 at 10:45 am
, filed in General
. 0 Comments

A fun nugget in a WSJ article examining Obama’s selection of Joe Biden…

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama’s selection of Sen. Joe Biden to be his running mate reached a pivotal point in a secret meeting on the night of Aug. 6. Sen. Biden was whisked into a Minneapolis hotel room through a back entrance before Sen. Obama left for his Hawaii vacation. They talked one-on-one for 90 minutes. “It was spirited and pragmatic,” says one adviser who was briefed.

It looks like the Twin Cities had a role to play in the formation of both tickets this year.

Moderates Need Not Apply: The Strib Updates the Status of the Override Six

by
Zack Stephenson
Published on August 25, 2008 at 10:38 am
, filed in Minnesota House
. 0 Comments

Lori Sturdevant had a must-read article in the Strib over the weekend updating the status of the override six:

In all, six House Republicans dared to part company with Pawlenty and GOP leaders over transportation funding. For voting to raise the gas tax 5 cents by October, the Override Six were vilified by Republican mouthpieces, stripped of caucus leadership positions and advised to brace themselves for rough treatment by Republican voters…

Two of the six chose to end their legislative service. One is running as an independent. (Stay tuned for a wild fall in Edina.) One, Rod Hamilton of Mountain Lake, was embraced by his district’s Republicans. They can’t understand why anyone would take issue with a vote to fix a highway on which too many of their neighbors have needlessly died.

I think there are a lot of people across Minnesota who have difficulty understanding why the MN GOP is hell bent on driving the moderates from their party.

The most interesting part of the story, however, is Sturdevant’s profile of the conservative challengers opposing Neil Peterson and Jim Abeler. Don Huizenga, Abeler’s opponent, is already well-known on this site, but Sturdevant introduces him to a broader audience:

Huizenga allowed last week that he’s known as the “Vote No” guy on school levy referenda in his area, and “that’s given me a bad rap.” He says he’s itching to be elected so he can revamp public schools to employ fewer teachers and put parents in charge. During last year’s levy campaign, he posted a blog item describing the student achievement gap as “evidence of differing intelligence among different races.”

Amy at the DNC Tonight

by
Zack Stephenson
Published on August 25, 2008 at 10:10 am
, filed in General
. 2 Comments

Minnesota’s soon-to-be-Senior Senator will speak from the podium at the Democratic National Convention tonight.  I don’t know what the exact time will be, but from the looks of the schedule, I’d guess sometime in the early evening or late afternoon.  I’ll update when I know more.