The essence of the story is that Dan Powers (DFL-endorsed) was a contractor and collected unemployment while Shelley Madore's contract wasn't renewed. Eric Roper and the editors of the Strib think something is fishy. They consider this more newsworthy than Bachmann stating "I think that all we should do is issue subpoenas and have one hearing after another" if Republicans regain the House and "we don't have to fund any of these programs and that's exactly what we need to do - defund all of this nonsense and then unwind it."
What is also interesting about the Strib's political coverage is that they very rarely (verging on never) cover Kline. The latest news (1 week old) is that Kline opposed funding child nutritional programs with the following hypocritical excuse:
"The debt crisis is the greatest national security threat we face," ranking Republican John Kline of Minnesota said. "The cost of this legislation cannot be ignored."
If the Strib did cover this story about Kline's vote, what do you think the chances are the someone like Roper would note that Kline supported the Bush agenda of tax cuts and borrowing to pay for two wars?
Rep. John Kline (R-MN) red-lined my hypocrisy meter today. The House Education and Labor committee passed a child nutrition bill. The bipartisan bill would spend an additional $8 billion over a decade on food programs for infants and children. They were unable to figure out a way to pay for the bill.
"The debt crisis is the greatest national security threat we face," ranking Republican John Kline of Minnesota said. "The cost of this legislation cannot be ignored."
The national debt mountain which Kline helped build is now our "greatest national security threat?" That's interesting to say the least. Kline has apparently forgotten how he and the Bush Administration spent like drunken Marines on leave.
Now after he's sobered up (although not repented for his errant ways), he wants us to believe he cares about the debt and that it "cannot be ignored" like he used to ignore it.
Rep. John Kline (R-MN) held a job fair today in Inver Grove Heights. Even though he sits on the House Education and Labor Committee (Labor = jobs?), he won't do or is incapable of doing anything to create jobs in his district. Instead he holds a job fair to make it look like he cares.
In today's tough economic times, many use any resources available to find jobs including job fairs. My Congressman, John Kline (R) sponsored one such fair at Inver Grove Community College this week. It had good attendance (lots of out-of-work folks) but as the guys in suits said on their way out, all the positions were lower paying entry jobs so they dressed up for nothing.
(Truth Surfer)
Rep. John Kline (R-MN) was promoted in 2009 to the ranking minority on the Education and Labor Committee largely because he was the highest ranking Republican without a major scandal. He has no expertise in education or employment/labor relations ... let alone mine safety -- he spent his working career in the Marines before running for Congress. His job as been to oppose anything the Democrats try to do. Kline is very good at toeing the party line and repeating the talking points he's been given.
To nobody's surprise, Kline is opposing the reforms that the Democrats are proposing to prevent further mine disasters. And what he said is a bunch of bunk:
Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) on Tuesday said newly proposed mine safety reforms - floated earlier in the day by some key Democrats - aren't focused enough on the problems they're intended to fix.
Instead, said Kline, the senior Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee, the Democrats have overreached, proposing "a much more expansive approach" than that needed to protect the nation's miners.
"Republicans," Kline said in an e-mail, "believe we need targeted steps to improve mine safety and prevent tragedies like the one that occurred at the Upper Big Branch mine in April of this year. That means improving the mine safety laws on the books and demanding stronger enforcement by the federal agency charged with protecting miners."
(The Hill)
The Republican have not proposed any "targeted steps" and it was under their watch that the MSHA was gutted and enforcement ignored. Funny that they'd be calling for enforcement now. Isn't that kinda like shutting the barn door after the cows already got out, Rep. Kline?
"This is the first solid meal I've had in four days," said Dan Powers as we sat down to lunch. He must have seen the look on my face. "I just had two wisdom teeth pulled and I've been eating only soft food."
Like Dan's quip about his meal, his race needs some explaining, too.
Dan is the DFL-endorsed candidate who wants to take out John Kline in the MN-02 race. You wouldn't know it from our state's TV, radio and newspapers. Their political coverage has disappeared with their ad revenue.
He handily won endorsement over one-term legislator Shelley Madore by out-working her. Madore said she'd abide in the run up to the convention, at the convention and in her concession speech. She changed her mind afterwards forcing Dan to run to the primary.
Dan is campaigning completely under the radar. He's appeared at hundreds of DFL events in the district. He'll have held 60 townhall style events by the primary on August 10th. He'll have marched in every parade he can make, at least 25 but possibly more. For example, they're going to pack 6 into this July 4th weekend. His phone banks and the DFL Coordinated Campaign's phone banks will have called thousands upon thousands of voters. The CC's door knock will have knocked on thousands of doors.
MN-06 DFL candidate Maureen Reed announced that she was "suspending her campaign" and would try to get her name off the August 10th primary ballot. Thank you for unifying behind the DFL-endorsed candidate Tarryl Clark. Just to be clear, y'all know why she's dropping out ... right?
The money.
Fundraising is tough out their if you're not Tarryl Clark or Margaret Anderson Kelliher. The word I'm hearing from multiple sources is that both of these candidates are hauling in some seriously large piles of cash.
If fundraising is so tough, how is Shelley Madore staying in the MN-02 primary race against Dan Powers? Madore is running against the DFL-endorsed Powers and Madore has had stretches of this year without a Finance Director. Lacking the endorsement hurts fundraising and so does not having a fundraising person.
Furthermore, she showed in the run up to the endorsing convention that she wasn't a hard worker and got waxed at the convention. Whereas, Powers works hard and smart. What would've changed since then?
Why won't Madore do what's best for the DFL Party and withdraw so Powers can focus on taking on John Kline?
Rep. John Kline (R-MN) tops the list of Minnesota politicians receiving campaign contributions from the oil industry. Kline has been a loyal trooper for the oil industry. Back in '08, he was a vocal proponent of the "Drill Baby Drill.
Coleman is at the top of the Minnesota list, accepting $347,000. Rod Grams accepted $191,000 and Rudy Boschwitz got $177,623.
Rounding out the six-figure leader board is former congressman Mark Kennedy, who accepted $166,000, and current congressman John Kline at $129,905.
(WCCO's Reality Check)
Kline has pushed debunked cap and trade lies that any cap and trade bill would increase people's energy costs. He has consistently voted against higher fuel efficiency standards and renewal energy. Conservation Minnesota gave Kline a zero rating. Back in August 2008 recess, he went back to DC to help out the oil industry with a publicity stunt to call for more domestic oil drilling.
I read an interesting piece at Daily Kos today about how candidates from a random sampling of Senate and House races nationwide are doing in terms of social media. The author was trying to answer, objectively, how Democrats were doing against Republicans. Her reasoning was she doesn't think that the meme that Republicans are kicking our butts on social media is all that true.
This essay marks the beginning of an occasional series examining just that. Today, I'm focusing on some races for open Senate seats, two Republican, two Democratic. I'm also focusing on Twitter and Facebook. There are many more races to cover and many more forms of online media to look at -- how many times have their YouTube videos been viewed? Are they engaging with the blogosphere? What are their online ad buys like? Online fundraising, texting...there's a wealth of media to check out. But Twitter and Facebook are public metrics that are readily comparable.
We'll expect candidates to have more Facebook fans than followers on Twitter, because there are many more people on Facebook. But advertising on Facebook can rack up large numbers of fans relatively quickly, so a case where a candidate's Facebook-to-Twitter ratio seems out of the ordinary may suggest that the campaign has been advertising heavily on Facebook. (Which may be a good idea, mind you.) Also worth noting, some Republican candidates (including Peter Schiff in today's group) have created splash pages on Facebook -- when you search for them and initially go to the page, instead of seeing a normal Facebook wall there's...a splash page -- big graphic, sign-up, etc. I haven't yet found any Democrats who are doing that.
With this in mind, how do the competitive races in MN stack up? I'll examine the MN-GOV, MN-02, MN-03 and MN-06 races.
29 miners died in West Virginia and their deaths were entirely preventable. The Upper Big Branch Mine had 19 times the regulation violations of other mines. As WV and the town of Comfort try to come to grips with this horrible and preventable tragedy, Rep. John Kline (R-MN) tries to score political points from their pain.
Rep. John Kline (R-MN), the top Republican on the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee, today said federal and state investigations of the tragic explosion that killed 29 miners in the Upper Big Branch mine must carefully scrutinize the actions of the federal mine safety agency, particularly amid troubling indications that the agency failed to increase oversight of the mine despite repeat violations.
"It has been almost four years since Congress acted in a bipartisan way to strengthen mine safety laws and impose tough new penalties on mines that violate basic safety requirements," said Kline. "In the aftermath of the worst mining disaster in nearly four decades, we must ask: Why didn't federal officials enforce the law to the fullest extent?"
(republicans.edlabor.house.gov, h/t TPM)
During the Bush Administration, Republicans gutted the mine safety regulations. At the same time they filled the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) with cronies and political hacks.
Now John Kline is attempting to feign shock that the mine regulations weren't enforced. Is Kline that ignorant or that shameless?
Shelley Madore has a few questions to answer. First of all, she went back on her word that she would abide by the DFL endorsement. Secondly, her behavior at the MN-02 convention was unacceptable. According to DFL-endorsed 36A candidate Colin Lee, she threatened him in an effort to get him to support her:
I campaigned in '08 and saw Shelley in many debates. Because of an incident that occurred after the Transportation Alliance's South of the River candidate forum in Eagan that year, I decided to support Dan for 2010. About fifteen minutes after that debate had ended, Shelley started yelling at the top of her voice at one of her constituents from the Independence Party who supported Shelley, but who was also speaking fondly about Republican Pat Garofalo from Farmington. At the time, over half a dozen politicos and candidates were still lingering in the room, including a couple Republican challengers. I have had honest concerns that Shelley would not keep her cool during the 2010 election and that it would reflect poorly on all of the DFL candidates in CD-2 this year, but I mostly kept those concerns to myself out of tact.
When Shelley approached me at the lunch table during the CD2 convention this year, her behavior was even more appalling. In front of Coleen Rowley and about four other delegates and alternates, she threatened my campaign. When she asked if I would vote for her, I only said that I would support the nominee. "That's not good enough," she said. She then told me that she would not support me and that her campaign would not come to Lakeville. Her behavior was infantile.
I confirmed with Coleen Rowley that Lee's story from the convention was accurate.
Madore's behavior at the convention indicates that she was panicking. From conversations with delegates and watching this race, I conclude that this episode is further proof that Madore didn't do the work. When she realized (and probably at the convention) that she didn't have the votes, she resorted to crass and unacceptable behavior.
I spoke with Carolyn Farmer Sampson of the Madore campaign yesterday. She had no comment then. I asked for a statement or comment from the campaign, but I have not yet received anything.
UPDATE
My bad. I did receive a response from the Madore campaign last night. Here it is:
"Colin Lee's claim of being threatened by Shelley Madore at the CD2 Convention are baseless and untrue. Shelley recalls asking who he would support, as both candidates were supposed to do at the convention. When he said he was undecided, she tried to get him to commit. When he still didn't commit, she told him to vote for the candidate he was most comfortable with and moved on to another delegate. I'm surprised he would say such a thing. In fact, it was on Shelley's recommendation that Colin was invited by me, former SD36 DFL chair, to run on the DFL ticket after his unsuccessful run for the seat on the Green Party ticket in 2008."
Carolyn Sampson, spokesperson, Madore for Congress Campaign.
Dan Powers beat Shelley Madore for the DFL endorsement fair and square. Madore agreed to abide not just two times, as TwoPuttTommy noted, but three times -- She did so at the MN-02 convention. I know, I was there. Plus, The Uptake was there, too.
Not only did Powers beat Madore fair and square, Shelley deserved to lose. The bottom line is that Madore didn't work all that hard. A number of delegates told me that Madore never even tried to contact them while Powers either did or left lots of messages. Others told me that they received a call from Madore in the last week.
I could find little evidence of a coherent campaign plan as Madore had no social media plan I could see. Another incriminating example is she botched the Goodhue County convention by scolding delegates for not electing delegates to the MN-02 convention -- She didn't know that the county unit didn't send any delegates to her convention. Madore was cold-calling elected DFLers at their offices (and calling their office numbers) to ask for money. Then she fired her campaign Nick Conti-Sanz two weeks prior to the convention.
Yup, that's some plan.
No campaign manager, no plan
I have confirmed with David Griggs, Conti-Sanz replacement, that he had only signed a short-term contract through the convention and that he will not be involved in her primary run. That's two campaign managers gone within three weeks. Now with no campaign manager and no money, Madore suddenly thinks that she can win?
If there is anything other than ego feeding this campaign, please let me know.
Pattern of ineffective campaigning?
Madore was unprepared for her 2008 37A reelection campaign. Her race was clearly a swing district, yet she began 2008 without any money in the bank. Ok, $258.19 isn't nothing, but it's far short of something.
While she raised $4,500 in '07, she also spent $4,700. In an off year. That's just foolish money management, if you ask me.
I know from personal experience that an elected House member can raise around $2K easy at a fundraiser. If they know how to do a fundraiser correctly, $4K isn't an unreasonable expectation. So ... did Shelley just not work hard?
In addition, I have heard several stories about Madore's '08 reelection bid. I have been told that she did not target her lit dropping as advised. Why anger and motivate Republicans who might otherwise stayed home because McCain/Palin were uninspiring? The DFL database is awesome and allows campaigns to do excellent targeting.
Furthermore, The DFL, labor and environmental groups helped out Madore the best they could, spending over $120,000 in her race. The DFL spent almost $30,000 against her Republican challenger, Tara Mack (details here, warning .CSV file). And a host of groups (DFL, Labor and environment) spent $92K on her behalf (details here, warning .CSV file).
Yet, with all that cash splashed on her behalf, this seems to me to be a pattern of either ineffective campaign or simply not working hard.
When Dr. Hackett conceded her race for endorsement, she said, and I quote:
"By the way, Jim - I'll have your back."
Both Dr. Hackett and Meffert had agreed to abide; when Dr. Hackett lost she lost with class.
On the other hand, this one - from an e-mail just in:
Shelley Madore back in the race against John Kline
Dear Tommy,
I wanted you to be among the first to know that I have decided to place my name on the August 10 primary ballot seeking the DFL endorsement in the Second Congressional District to run against John Kline.
Both Dan Powers and Shelley Madore had agreed to abide by the endorsement, as cited here and here.
That was then; this is now - and Shelley Madore getting back in the race is great news - for John Kline.
Looks like Shelley Madore is pulling a Maureen Reed, or Priscilla Lord Faris. Rather than doing what's best to beat John Kline - in Ferris' case, ol' Smokescreen - Madore seems to be chasing a vanity campaign. Considering how poorly Madore's endorsement campaign was run, I doubt she'll accomplish anything other than a spoiler role as evidenced by the two to one 2nd ballot endorsement vote: the DFL Activists are solidly behind Powers.
The posts on Madore's Facebook Page are none too complimentary, either.
A call to Dave Griggs - Madore's Campaign Manager - for comment was not returned; Caroline Sampson - Campaign Financier Spokesman - cited "fundraising" as a major reason for Madore's flip-flopping reneging - more on that, later.
At least Maureen Reed was clear on not abiding; Madore can't even say that.
Dan Powers won the MN-02 DFL endorsement last Saturday over former legislator Shelley Madore only to face a daunting campaign against an entrenched Republican, John Kline. Steve Sarvi, Coleen Rowley and Teresa Daly have tried and failed against Kline. Let's be realistic, what will make Dan different?
All three prior candidates had trouble raising much money and gaining any traction. Rowley became famous as an FBI agent who uncovered leads that might have stopped the 9/11 attacks. She was also Time magazine's 2002 Person of the Year. Sarvi is retired soldier and city administrator. They both had compeling stories, but were ignored.
Furthermore, Tarryl Clark running against Michele Bachmann and the MN-GOV race consumes all the oxygen in our state politics.
Dan said something interesting in his nomination speech to delegates on Saturday:
"There are three legs to a successful campaign. First, you've got to have a strong candidate. Second, you have got to have a strong staff. My staff is made up of people from the Mark Ritchie and Al Franken campaigns. They know how to win. And third, you have to have a plan. We have a plan to reach out to the voters in the second district and send Kline packing."
With his words from Saturday and my reflections upon past races, we talked over the phone and exchanged some emails. He's been really busy since the endorsement.
In case there was any question as to whether the MN-GOP wouldn't break out its tired old attacks against DFL-endorsed congressional candidates immediately following those endorsements, that question is now answered.
Attack: Jim Meffert is a lobbyist.
Some Dems have indeed expressed concerns about Meffert's previous work as a lobbyist at the State House. Indeed, it was one of the elbows thrown his way by Team Hackett during the endorsement campaign. The attack didn't go very far; delegates recognized (as general election voters should and will) that whether one is a lobbyist is not as important as for whom one lobbies.
EdMinn has lobbyists. The labor unions have lobbyists. Community organizations have lobbyists. On the other hand, Big Ag, Pharma, the health insurance companies, and other huge corporate interests have lobbyists. Trying to put the two groups of lobbyists (one for working people and the disadvantaged, one for the self-interested corporations and their CEOs) is patently absurd.
Attack: Dan Powers supports President Obama's agenda.
One might respectfully remind the powers-that-be at MDE and its GOP overlords that America overwhelmingly voted for President Obama, as did Minnesotans. If their plan is to convince voters that Obama lied to them, or that voters were simply dumb enough to believe in candidate Obama's platform...
Bring it on.
To learn more about Jim Meffert and his campaign without the slime filter, click here.
Today is the 2nd district (MN-02) DFL convention. Dan Powers and Shelley Madore are vying to be the candidate to take on 4-term Republican John Kline. Powers is a small businessman intent on unseating Kline and Madore is a 1-term state legislator.
Powers has agreed to abide by the nomination, but it isn't as cut-and-dried with Madore. Delegates I have talked to have heard different stories, though Steve Quist got a statement from her that she would abide.
The doors have just opened at Chanhassen High School and I'll be here all day with all the gory details, insights, photos and interviews. The candidate speeches will (providing everything is on schedule) start around 11:30AM or so. The first vote should be around 1:00PM.
Wifi is working and I'll be able update this post, but you can also follow me on twitter:
"This is the first solid meal I've had in four days," said 
Today is the 2nd district (MN-02) DFL convention. Dan Powers and Shelley Madore are vying to be the candidate to take on 4-term Republican John Kline. Powers is a small businessman intent on unseating Kline and Madore is a 1-term state legislator.
