TOM RUKAVINA MEET AND GREET

Tom Rukavina (on right) with supporter.

Orrie Salper (on left) with Rukavina Meet & Greet Guests

More Rukavina Meet & Greet Guests

Tom Rukavina, Gubernatorial Candidate

Meet and Greet for Tom Rukavina, St. Paul MN, 04-14-2010

Last night I attended Tom Rukavina's Meet and Greet. I got a whole new look at Rukavina's campaign. I really liked what I saw. He was so serious that I took him seriously. Sometimes at debates and forums he adds a lot of humor to the extent that it seems like he's just joking around. Tonight, though, he was adept at getting his points across. Everything he said made a lot of sense. I felt myself being swayed toward supporting him.

Tom Rukavina really is refreshingly honest. Or brutally honest. Whichever term you want to use is fine. He gives facts and opinions straight up without sugarcoating. Many politicians like to tell us what we want to hear. Not Tom Rukavina. He'll tell us the truth. We can count on it.

This was the first time I ever heard him talk in depth about several issues. That's because the forums and debates only allow about two or three minutes per question. Tonight he spoke for an hour and a half. I was quite impressed.

The subjects he covered included mineral rights on the iron range, the budget, dealing with Pawlenty, what the legislature is trying to do, the criminal justice system, Second Chance Coalition, and several other topics of interest.

For those who haven't heard Tom Rukavina talk in depth, I would highly recommend that you hurry up and do so within the next week. He's really good when he has longer than a few minutes to speak. Take my word on this.

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CD2 AND CD3 CONVENTIONS

Me and Matt Entenza at CD2 Convention

                                            Team Thissen

Team Rybak at CD2 Convention

Blogger Eric Pusey (The Big E)

Tom Rukavina

Blogger Steve Quist

John Marty and Micah Marty

Blogger Holly Cairns (far right)

                          

Blogger Dave Mindeman

Today I attended two congressional district conventions. They were CD2 in Chanhassen and CD3 in Plymouth. I heard the candidates speak only at CD2. Unfortunately, I missed R. T. Rybak. He must have been coming to CD2 as I was leaving for CD3. Darn!

I enjoyed seeing old and new friends today, including Orrie Salper, Tom Rukavina, Matt Entenza, John Marty, Paul Thissen, Dave Mindeman, Eric Pusey, Steve Quist, the Rybak and Thissen staffers who I have come to know, and especially Holly Cairns. It's great having blogger and candidate friends! Especially now while I'm on a two-week medical leave of absence from work.

There were quite a few speakers today. I'll give a brief rundown of what each one said.

Jim Klobuchar - is the father of Senator Amy Klobuchar. He gave an interesting speech. He said that we must think anew and act anew. The Bush administration has wrecked the economy of this country. We need to fix it. We need to keep the backbone we had when we swept the Democrats back into the White House. We have to be together during this election year. We'll win by sticking together. Mr. Klobuchar also emphatically stated that corporations are not people.

Frannie Franken - "What a difference an election makes. We now have health care." Frannie touched on this important subject before stating that we now have to move on to jobs and the economy. She also told us that Al is in Rochester today attending a funeral.

Brian Melendez - gave a speech about why we need to win in November. He stated that Michele Bachmann doesn't show up to vote. We need to elect Tarryl Clark in CD6. We must not divide the party. Brian is the MN DFL Chair. He's a good speaker and always has something pertinent to say.

Donna Cassutt - stated that we absolutely must elect a DFL governor. It will take each and every one of us to do this. We have to stand together. We can't let the party be divided. (I don't know for sure, but I get the feeling that Brian and Donna are talking about the endorsed candidate versus the non-endorsed candidates. Could this divide the party?)

Lori Swanson - has always supported health care reform. She knew a woman who could barely pay her bills because of the cost of prescription drugs. She also knows of an elderly gentleman who unknowingly bought a phony insurance policy. When he got sick, the insurance company wouldn't pay his medical bills. Now the clinic wants thousands of dollars that he doesn't have. There are hundreds of stories like this. Hopefully the new health care reform will solve many of these issues.

Tom Rukavina - has six issues to focus on: education, education, education and jobs, jobs, jobs. He's got a blue collar background and is fully union. He comes from the old Farmer-Labor part of the DFL party. Tom's speech today was fiery and passionate. (He got a lot of applause.) Tom's daughter is an AFSCME staff representative. Tom believes that working people should be treated with respect and dignity. They should not be treated the way they are in Minnesota today. (Applause, claps, shouts of agreement.) Tom said, "When we're doing less, less, less, then we're not doing more for the people of Minnesota." 

John Marty - "Look into your hearts and see why we first got involved in politics." Remember the DFL platform. Remember the reNew MN vision. Never forget all the issues that we're fighting for. These are important issues that are worth fighting for. We need a governor who will make sure that we get what Minnesotans need. John Marty will carry out the vision. He's the one candidate who doesn't take lobby money. He authored the Minnesota Health Plan. Hewill build a better future for all of us.

Margaret Anderson Kelliher - was at her very best today. She was very enthusiastic right from the very beginning of her speech. She was fiery and passionate. She said, "We are all shaped by the road we have walked on." We need a strong DFL governor to turn this state around. The governor we have now has taken tea with the right wingers. We need a DFL governor. Go Margaret! This was an excellent speech today, as always.

Paul Thissen - Our current administration likes to settle legislation by saying, "Well, it's better than nothing." Paul says, "Minnesota has never settled for better than nothing." Don't slap a coat of paint on a buiding that's falling down. We need to build a new building.  Paul Thissen has great ideas to bring Minnesota into the future. One thing he'll focus on is the changing demographics of Minnesota. He knows how vital this is to our future.

Matt Entenza - He speaks with the voice of reason. Matt doesn't play on our emotions with lots of fiery passion. Instead, he speaks in a way that appeals to our logic and our common sense. He talks sensibly about the issues facing Minnesota and what the solutions might be. He doesn't go on a rampage about Governor Pawlenty. Instead, he talks about his ideas for fixing Minnesota. Today Matt said, "We need a governor who has a vision that will take us where we need to go." Matt will take us in the direction of green energy. He will make sure we take our state back. 

Rebecca Otto - She wants to make affordable housing that is good for the long term. She wants to innovate Minnesota government to be a national leader. Rebecca can do it. Vote for her. She's been an excellent state auditor so far and will continue to be.

At this point I left CD2 and went on to CD3 in Plymouth. I didn't stick around in Chanhassen to hear the speeches and the question and answer period of Madore and Powers. Other bloggers are covering that at MPP.

It's along way from Chanhassen to Plymouth. By the time I got there the speakers had all finished except for Meffert and Hackett. I mingled in the foyer with candidates and staff. I didn't stay very long. My energy is very low today. 

The next convention I'll attend is next Saturday, April 17, in Roseville. It's the CD4 convention. That's my home district. I'm looking forward to it.

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DFL GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE FORUM AT NORTH HIGH SCHOOL TONIGHT

First the pictures. Then scroll down for the text of my take on tonight's forum.

North High School Students

(They helped at the Gubernatorial Forum)

My new friend Mildred Caldwell

(She needed a hat for the picture so I loaned her mine. Doesn't she look great?)

Zak and Juan

                                                                     

Zak and Mildred

Paul Thissen, Mark Ritchie and Margaret Anderson Kelliher

Dayton Staffers Becky and Dana

Cody and Dave

(The video guys who work at North High School)

Donna Watson (the one in the blue sweater sitting down)
Donna is going to Louisiana to college for premed. She likes
Paul Thissen for governor and thinks he has a nice personality.
She loves R. T. Rybak because he's such a great mayor. He
has been to North High School many times.

Ben Entenza with Volunteer

Kelliher Staffer

Zak and (Oh no, I forgot his name. Somebody please tell

me who this nice man in the red shirt is. I swore that I

would remember his name.)

Tonight I attended the DFL Gubernatorial Candidate Forum at North High School in Minneapolis. I arrived an hour and a half early. That was okay, for I had time to get acquainted with all the new people I met.  The first person I talked to was Mildred Caldwell. She's the security person at the school. She's undecided as to who she will vote for. She's not into politics but she does read a lot. I told her about all the great DFL candidates. She smiled at my description of Rukavina and was duly impressed when I told her about Dayton and Thissen. She already knew who Rybak is. This is his territory.

I then met some of the North High School students. What great kids! Donna Watson agreed to have her picture taken and to give a brief interview. She's going to college in Lousisiana when she graduates from North High. She's going into premed. She wants to be a pediatrician.  She thinks Paul Thissen has a very nice personality. She loves R. T. Rybak and thinks he's a great mayor.

The next person I met was Zak, who is with Descendants of Africa. I hit it off with him right away. He's Mr. Cool. He's got a tv show. When he found out that I'm a political blogger, he said he would like to interview me on the show. I agreed to do it.

I also met Cody and Dan. They were running the video cameras in the back of the auditorium. We had an interesting conversation. I told them about my volunteer work at CTV. They talked about their jobs in the video room at North High School.

The candidates finally arrived. Special thanks to Paul Thissen for asking me extensively about my health and how the HCV is going. Kudos to Mark Ritchie for his interest in Toastmasters. It was fun talking to John Marty's volunteer (darn, I'm really bad at names tonight. Brain fog is another symptom of HCV.)

It was nice seeing Becky Jergenson from Mark Dayton's campaign again. She sure is nice. I also had a chance to talk to Ben Entenza, Matt's son. What a credible young man. I liked him.

Orrie Salper was there with Tom Rukavina, one of my favorite candidates. Tom has a very engaging personality. Margaret Anderson Kelliher was there, too. I'm starting to warm up to her quite a bit.

I didn't get a chance to talk to John Marty tonight. He was there, although he had to leave early because the Senate was convening at 8:00 tonight. He was able to answer some of the questions at the forum before he left. He just keeps getting better and better in his presentations. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a good percentage of the uncommitted delegates.

Mark Dayton arrived when I wasn't looking. He was busy talking to students and others. He had a brief conversation with my new friend Zak. He had time to come over and talk to me. (He must have read my Facebook wall.) He liked my purple shirt and hat. He looked very dapper in his attire. Sigh.

Dayton was wearing his strong, powerful political personna tonight. (How's that for alliteration?) I like his personal personna better, but this wasn't about me. This was about him getting elected as our next governor. If he keeps giving speeches like he did tonight, he'll win for sure. His experience in politics was strongly evident. His answers to the questions as well as his anecdotes were right on target. He definitely knew exactly what he was talking about. 

I kept waiting for Katie to come over and say hi. Katie's a great gal. Oh well.

It was time for the forum to begin. The principal of North High, Ellen Stewart, gave some opening remarks. Next up was Troy Parker. He thanked the candidates for coming to engage with the audience.

Booker Hodges spoke. He's a very good speaker. He thanked both the candidates and the students who worked so hard to put this event together. He told us that fifty percent of the kids in North Minneapolis would not graduate. He said that the adults have failed the kids. I liked Hodges' manner and his obvious concern and caring for the students. I think he makes an excellent role model for these kids.

Next the candidates came up to the stage one at a time. Each candidate was escorted by two students. I liked the way that worked out. As Mark Dayton took his seat at one of the tables on the stage, he said in reference to the two students, "They wished me luck. They must think I need it." Dayton felt comfortable enough tonight to engage in humor right away.

When R. T. was escorted to the stage, he got a rah rah cheer from the students. The kids love him. They know him. He's been to their school many times. They know he cares about them.

The Question and Answer period then began. I'll list each question and how each candidate answered it. Paraphrased, of course, as I can't take notes at mach 10.

Question #1: North Community High School lost a lot of extracurricular activities as well as activity buses. How will you bring them back?

R. T. Rybak - The State should put more money directly into the schools. He mentioned "The Power of You," which is a partnership between private and public organizations.

Paul Thissen - It's absolutely unacceptable to have some kids not have access to thinkgs other kids have access to. Art, science, theatre, etc., engage kids in learning and make learning fun. The State should fund all these things and not just math and reading.

Tom Rukavina - Too many schools have closed or consolidated. We're cheating students. Fair taxes are income taxes because everyone pays based on their ability to pay. He may not have a million bucks (insinuating that some candidates do...maybe he can talk Dayton and Entenza into giving it all away), but he has a good heart and knows that schools need funding.

Margaret Anderson Kelliher - She wants equal education for all. Our constitution provides for that. She likes The New Minnesota Miracle. She wants to fund education for all kids across the state. She kept getting applause from the audience. Kelliher was on a roll tonight.

Peter Idusogie - This is the first time I've ever heard him speak in a forum. I talked to him previously at a couple of senate district conventions. He said he hasn't been active in the forums and debates up to now because he's been all over the place. In answer to this first question, he emphasized how important education is for everyone. He said that we can't apply 20th century solutions to 21st century problems. We need to be entepreneurs in our view of today's world. Education is his top priority.

John Marty -  He agrees with Peter that education made MN great. It's important that we provide good education for everyone. He authored the bill for the New Minnesota Miracle. Kids who come to school hungry aren't ready to learn. We need to meet the needs of all our students.

Mark Dayton - His first job out of college was in an inner city school in New York City. He taught general science to ninth graders. This school had no sports and no extracurricular activities. Tim Pawlenty cut $1400/student in Minnesota. Dayton never thought that Minnesota schools could ever be like the one he taught at in NYC. Minnesota schools always had a lot of extracurricular activities. It's a disgrace that Minnesota's educational system is in this condition now. If he is governor he will tax the rich. Many members of the Dayton family will vote against him. That's okay; he's going with his conscience and with doing what's right for the people of Minnesota, just as he always does.

Ole Savior - He's the only candidate who won't raise our taxes. His plan is to bring more money into Minnesota from Canada and Europe. He'll sue the big oil companies in order to bring in even more money. Ok Ole.


Question #2 - New African communities in Minnesota, such as the Somali community, need to feel a part of the bigger, more established communities. What will you do as governor to help them integrate? 

Ole Savior - He'll bring lots of money into the state and then all Minnesota's problems will be solved. He didn't listen to or understand the question, for he made no attempt to answer it.

Mark Dayton - He told a story about a Somali student in Rochester MN who was beaten. Mark went down there and set something up for the family. He also told of a Somalian woman who was beat at the Mall of America by some men. He said that if he is governor, this kind of behavior will not be tolerated in Minnesota. "Not in our state." He got lots of applause for this statement.

John Marty - He knows the challenges the Somali community faces because a Somali woman married into his family. He got applause too. He believes that immigrants should have equal rights in Minnesota. As governor, he'll make that happen. He pointed out that we are all immigrants except for Native Americans. He then told the audience that he had to leave now because the Senate is convening at 8:00.

Peter Idusogie - He wants to work with immigrant kids. He's an excellent speaker. I hope he comes to visit us at Golden Rule Toastmasters. If elected governor, he will form a strategic partnership with the Somali community based on their needs.

Margaret Anderson Kelliher - She created Day on the Hill for Somalis. "Should not make decisions about us without us." Make sure that professional level credentials are recognized in Minnesota for those professionals who have immigrated from other countries. Everyone should get to share in economic opportunities.

Tom Rukavina - He has an Iron Range background and an immigration background. He believes that a good education equals a good job. He spoke about the Dream Act - all new immigrants, citizens or not, should have equal educational rights. We cannot cheat our new immigrants out of getting a good education and a good job.

Paul Thissen - We need to be a destination state. Do this by making sure immigrans are taken care of. He cares about their struggles. The State should provide the foundation. Community members will build the community. We're all in this together.

R. T. Rybak - He thought that Pawlenty was politically obscene when he targeted immigrants in his campaign. He got lots of applause when he said that. The Minneapolis Promise is about getting new kids into the higher education system. He wants to get Somali people into leadership positions. Minneapolis now has three Somali cops on the police force.

Question #3 - No Child Left Behind. If elected governor, what will you do to change this?

Margaret Anderson Kelliher - As a mom she knows that these federally mandated tests have set up students, schools and teachers for failure. The Department of Education should not be a Department of Regulation.

Tom Rukavina - The federal government tells us what to do but doesn't give us much money to do it with. He gave a kudos to Mark Dayton for what he tried to do as Senator in regard to No Child Left Behind. Rukavina then asked, "How can kids learn when they are hungry?" Good question.

Paul Thissen - His parents and his sister are all public school teachers. He stated that schools should not be factories. We need to do more than just run kids through the system.

R. T. Rybak - Teachers don't raise kids. Parents raise kids. Kids shouldn't be having kids. Stopping teenage preganancy is so important.

Ole Savior - He doesn't blame the current governor or the legislators anymore. He spoke up about solving the problem of drug dealers. Ole tried to be profound. He was getting very serious.

Mark Dayton - He voted against No Child Left Behind when he was a U. S. Senator. This mandate has no value. He stated that it's idiotic. He further said that those he came up with the idea obviously didn't read Statistics for Dummies. He tried hard many times as Senator to fund special education, but it couldn't get past the mostly Republican Senate. Dayton was absolutely superb with his answer to this question.

Peter Idusogie - His mother was a school teacher who died when he was seven. What she taught him at home was very valuable. A generation that doesn't have boundaries is a lawless generation.


Question #4 - The Minnesota unemployment gap is igher than nationally. As governor, what would you do to hold MNDOT responsible for their contracts?

Tom Rukavina - Make sure women and minorities get listed in building trades and road construction. He's a very strong union person. This isn't a recession, it's a depression. We have to make sure that we give everyone a chance.

Paul Thissen - We need a governor who is actually going to enforce those laws. The audience applauded at this statement. We must create jobs in Minnesota that people can actually live on. Racism is going on in our society. We need to address this issue. Keep kids out of the system. Thissen then gave a plug for Second Chance. Thissen gave an excellent speech in answer to this question. Well done!

R. T. Rybak - This state has the biggest gap between haves and have nots and it goes along racial lines. This is intolerable. He gave examples of what has been done in Minnapolis as far as jobs and the closing of racial disparities. He wants contracts broken down into smaller parts. He is focused on the Minneapolis Promise. He wants people to have their needs met from cradle to grave. He wants to close this unacceptable gap.

Ole Savior - He expounded on racism all over the world. He wants us to all come together. Then he segued into white collar crime.

Mark Dayton - He got lots of applause for his remarks about Tim Pawlenty. We have his promise that minorities will get jobs if he is governor. He was the Commissioner of Economic Security under Governor Rudy Perpich. Dayton learned from Perpich how to go anywhere to bring jobs to Minnesota. He then talked about the responsibility of government. We were told that the current administration is shameful and disgraceful. Everyone seems to agree with that. Applause and more applause from the audience.

Peter Idusogie - He said that this is not just about hiring minorities; it's also about minority businesses getting state contracts. We need passion and vision (at which point he put passion into his voice). We must have an export economy to be successful.

Margaret Anderson Kelliher - The current law is not being enforced. We need to make the law better. We need meaningful measurement so we know how to do better with the resources we have. We need an updated DBE law. Kelliher got lots of applause at this point.


Question #5: Only 150 police officers are black. Would you set aside funding for racial job studies? Would you propose legislation that would address this issue?

Paul Thissen - He told a story of how the Maplewood police are posing as homeless people in order to see if people are wearing seatbelts. (I live on the edge of Maplewood. I was wondering why there are so many homeless people on White Bear Avenue by Maplewood Mall who keep peering into the windows of cars that drive up.) Thissen admitted that he doesn't know everything and that he is willing to learn more and to work with people in communities. I definitely believe him, as I've had firsthand experience in seeing him reach out to learn more about various issues.

Tom Rukavina - He voted against 22 criminal justice omnibus bills. These laws are against our kids. We have forgotten what it's like to be kids. Kids screw up. Anyone who never screwed up as a kid, raise your hand, and he'll call you a liar. He gave a Second Chance plug. Lots of applause here. He said that people should be thirty years old with some experience before they can become police officers. You can't keep throwing people in jail and you can't keep putting people on probation for petty crimes and misdemeanors.

R. T. Rybak - We have to address racial profiling. Divisity in the police forces is essential.

Ole Savior - Our main problem is the outsourcing of jobs and money to China. On crime: if you can't do the time, don't do the crime. Ole felt that someone in the audience was laughing at him and/or making fun of him so he called them on it.

Mark Dayton - There is a disproportionate representation of minorities in the criminal justice system. He told the story of a child he saw getting out of a police car and being brought into a holding facility. The child, a minority youth, was in leg irons and chains. He was appalled. This was just a child. I heard the outrage in his voice and knew that this was something that would not happen if he were governor. He concluded that cultural competency is something that we are all responsible for.

Peter Idusogie - We need vision. Vision is a function of the heart. The prison industry is the largest industry in Minnesota. We didn't outsource it to China. We need to plan how many jobs we need for the future.

Margaret Anderson Kelliher - Think about what the best way is to solve these problems. She is open to working with this audience. She is good on Second Chance ideals.


Question #6 - There is a possibility that North Community High School will have to close because of all the funding cuts. As governor, what will you do to ensure that this doesn't happen?

Mark Dayton - He promises to increase state funding for k - 12 education every year that he is governor. No excuses, no exceptions. He's appalled that some Minnesota schools are going to a 4-day school week because that's all they can afford because of a lack of funding. He will raise taxes on the wealthy to pay for education. His Dayton relatives won't vote for him, but he'll raise their taxes anyway. (He's definitely not in this for the money; he's in it because he cares deeply about what happens to Minnesota and Minnesotans.)

Peter Idusogie - We have to decide what our priorities are. We should not cut education funding. Parents need to instill a sense of responsibility in their kids.

Margaret Anderson Kelliher - A good educational system starts with money and having stable educational funding. We need to make the school system attractive to potential students by having a varied curriculum.

Paul Thissen - Schools are not just about kids, but also about being centers of the community. People should be vested in the schools. This was make the schools successful. As a center of the community, schools should also have health care.

R. T. Rybak - North Community High is an institution that we have to fight for. He's worked with these kids. He helped them move Dunwoody into this school. He will take the personal stories of North Community High School to the governor's office.

Ole Savior - He won't raise taxes. If he did something naughty when he was a kid, his mother would wait til he was asleep and then take the broom to him. (I can't remember where that came from. Out of the blue? I don't think it was in answer to any question. One of the manual speeches in the first Toastmasters' manual is "Get to the Point.")


It was getting late. The forum had gone longer than expected. It was over. The candidates then had their pictures taken with the students. I took a couple but they didn't turn out. If I'm not up close, the pictures end up very dark. I'm sure I can find some good ones on the internet in a day or two, though.

Many stayed to mingle and chat. Some of the candidates left right away. It was time for me to go home. Driving home in the dark with only one headlight was not fun, but at least the roads had the white and yellow lines.

Here's the award winners for the evening:

Best speakers:  Mark Dayton, John Marty and Paul Thissen
Best tie:  Mark Dayton (great color; Thissen might have won but his was wrinkled; I have a story about Dayton's tie, but that's for another blog at another time)
Most applause:  Mark Dayton and Tom Rukavina
Most humorous:  Tom Rukavina
Most revelent anecdotes:  Mark Dayton
Most impressive:  Peter Idusogie
Name most mentioned before and after the forum:  Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Mark Dayton, Paul Thissen and R. T. Rybak
Freshest personna:  Paul Thissen
Most powerful personna:  Mark Dayton

VOTERS LOOK AT CANDIDATE PERSONALITIES

"If national research on voting is any indicator, only a small number of people will base their vote on issues outlined in platforms. Most will fill out a ballot based on their perceptions of candidate personalities and likability," said psychology professor Melanie Green.

"Politicians in national and state elections have problems conveying their true personality to voters. Candidates are subject to the whims of fickle voters and word-of-mouth opinions that shape public perception," she said.

As a result, most voters tend to cast their votes on the limited portrait created by signs, personal connections and word-of-mouth characterizations.

The personal connection some voters feel with a candidate is the main factor in how he or she will vote. The written platform of a candidate is just not enough for many voters to go by. Public forums and personal conversations sway more voters than candidate websites or campaign literature.

Some people vote on the basis of religious convictions. Some churches tell their parishioners who to vote for. Check out this website for an eye opener as to what some church goers are told.

For those who insist on voting by candidate personalities, keep reading. Here's my take on the personalities of the DFL gubernatorial candidates.

Tom Bakk - He seems kind of gruff on the surface but I suspect he's an old softie on the inside. I'll be he can be tough as nails in the legislature, though. From what he has said about his new grandbaby, it's obvious that he's a loving family man. He spent his childhood summers at a church camp where his father was the director, so I'm pretty sure he was brought up with values. He loves the outdoors. Anyone who loves trees, meadows, fields and lakes is okay in my book.

Mark Dayton - Ok, where should we start? Dayton's life is pretty much an open book since he has revealed so much about his personal life over the years, especially in Christmas cards and letters. Nothing wrong with that as long as its by his own choice. Almost everyone who knows Mark agrees that he's a kind, caring and compassionate person. Some say that's all for political reasons, but I don't believe that. A small portion of it might be, but hey, he's been in politics a long, long time. To me, Mark is the kind of guy that you want to bring to meet your friends, your neighbors, your kids and even your whiny cat. You want to bring him to Toastmasters because you know he would fit in so well. He's just the kind of guy you want to hug, like a favorite teddy bear. Mark has a great personality and a wonderful, although sometimes dry, sense of humor. He also has a very quick wit. He gets things right away. He gets his feathers ruffled sometimes, but they soon settle back down again and all is fine. Also, he loves dogs, cats and children. So we know we can trust him. He's got a history of keeping promises. If he says he'll do something, then you can be sure that he'll do it. He's the kind of guy you think would be great fun on a first date, but then you wonder if he would bring his attorney along. (Just kidding.) Basically, Mark Dayton is a very endearing man. Isn't it time we had an endearing governor? Think of what a great change that would be. Plus, with all the decades of public service experience, he'd know how to get things done and make Minnesota a great state again. He's got a good heart. Let's elect a good-hearted governor. Our two-timing governor that we have now, Governor Veto, can begone!

Matt Entenza - It's been said that the eyes are the mirror of the soul. The problem is that I can't see Matt's eyes. He's 6'5". I'm 5'4". I would need a stepladder. So let's listen to his voice instead. You can tell a lot about a person by his voice. Matt's is mellow and soft-spoken. That usually means slow to anger. And quick to let bygones be bygones. He's proven that he can stand up for what's right, though. He stood up to Governor Pawlenty and the governor backed down. So I conclude that Matt is a great guy to be around but he will move quickly to protect what he believes in. Matt must care about people. The evidence is his hard work in protecting consumers and families. Matt must be a pretty good guy or he wouldn't have been married for 24 years. That says a lot. And he must be smart. He's the founder of the progressive think tank called Minnesota 2020. Plus, according to blogger Dyna, he's very likeable. Blogger Grace Kelly said that "Matt is quiet, reserved and responsible. Matt has always been trustworthy. My neighborhood likes him." By the way, I just read that Entenza is not Norwegian...it's Catalonian.


Susan Gaertner - She makes me think of Laverne and Shirley, Joanie Cunningham from Happy Days and Betty Rizzo from Grease. Gaertner is real. She's tough. She's street smart. It's be hard to pull the wool over her eyes. She's the one you'd want for a best friend. The one you'd turn to if you had a problem. You might not like everything she says, but you'd know that she was telling it like it is. She doesn't pull any punches.

Margaret Anderson Kelliher - I don't know much about Margaret because I've never talked to her at length. I suspect that she's pretty darn smart and that she likes to win. She must practice her speeches diligently because her speaking skills are almost perfect. A few people have said that they feel she talks down to them or talks to them like they are school kids. Maybe she just wants to get her point across. Mary Lahammer said that "Anderson-Kelliher and Pawlenty just simply get along better than Pogemiller and Pawlenty." If Kelliher can get along even somewhat with Pawlenty, she probably is doing better than most DFLers. Perhaps she has some good negotiation skills. I do think MAK is a hard worker. Most farm kids are.

John Marty - He's got a reputation for being highly ethical and moral. He doesn't take lobby money or PAC money. Apparently he's the only candidate who doesn't. He's kind of quiet usually, but he can get nicely fired up when he's campaigning on his issues. He's a hard worker, too. Just look at all the bills he authored. John definitely has the courage of his convictions. He's outspoken about his beliefs. I don't know John personally, except for having met him several times at various events. I do think that he truly cares about Minnesota as well as about the plight of individuals. He always asks after my health in a concerned manner.

R. T. Rybak - No hidden surprises here. R. T. is upfront. He's got a positive attitude about almost everything. He's nearly always cheerful. He's proud of what he's done in Minneapolis. He's glad that a lot of people have benefitted from his innovations. R. T. Rybak has motivation. He's got charisma. He loves people and enjoys a crowd. His best asset is his knack for making each person he talks to feel special. He comes early and leaves late as much as he can with his tight schedule. No one feels that Rybak is anxious to rush away. There's nothing elusive about him He isn't surrounded by staffers who try to protect him from the crowd. You couldn't keep R. T. away from the people. He adores them. He's easy to get along with, too. Plus he's always smiling, which draws people to him.



Tom Rukavina - He's spunky, mischievious, entertaining and has a heart of gold. Yet he can stand up strong against those who need standing up to, such as certain Republican politicians. Rukavina likes to have a good time but is totally serious when the situation calls for it. This can especialy be seen when he's working on behalf of his constituents. Tom Rukavina is a physical person. He likes to hug people, which in turn makes them feel good and makes them want to vote for him. I don't think he does it for political reasons, though. I think he's just a very friendly guy who has a lot of love in his heart. He's also rather opinionated and won't hesitate to say what he thinks.




Paul Thissen - I really like Paul. He's so friendly. He's innocent, too. He's the boy next door type. Plus he's really smart. I like the fact that if Paul gets new information that shows his previous views were wrong (which I suspect happens very seldomly), he is willing to change his viewpoint. Just like a true scientist. Paul's a great speaker and can truly connect with his audience. He appears to be happily married to his beautiful wife, who is also an excellent speaker. Paul can bring people together so that they will want to work together to get things done. He's got a soothing voice. He'll ask the opinions of others, too, about various issues. And he cares about children. He's the one who got 20,000 more children the health care access that they needed so badly. Talk to Paul and see for yourself what a great guy he is.

SD46 CONVENTION TODAY

Charles Downey, Tom Rukavina and Me

Today I attended the SD46 Convention with my son Charlie. He lives in that district so he was willing to go with me. He's very interested in politics, and he has always voted DFL. He is, like many of us, fed up with Blue Dog Democrats.

Compared to the SD53 Convention, I thought SD46 had a rather low turnout. Plus they didn't have a boxed lunch, so people had to leave and then come back if they wanted to eat.

I met a new person. Her name is Eve. She's a delegate but was uncommitted/undecided. By the time it was her turn to subcaucus, I saw her with a MAK sign. I asked her how she made her decision. She said she got roped into it.

Candidates were given the opportunity to speak throughout the day as they arrived. Some candidates just couldn't make it so had a proxy speaker.

The first speaker was Bev Scalze. She's the SD54B state representative. She spoke on behalf of John Marty. She said that John Marty is the candidate for ethical leadership. He's the author of the Minnesota Health Plan. He's the only candidate who doesn't take PAC money or money from lobbyists. He has a reputation for being able to work with others to get things done. Scalze was an excellent speaker. She did a great job for Marty.

Next, Mike Nelson spoke for Tom Bakk. He emphasized that Bakk was a carpenter all his life. He told Tom's story of when he lost his job and had to figure out how to support his family. He said that Tom's big push is jobs, jobs, jobs. He will create jobs. (How? Charlie said that statement was way too vague. I commented that John Marty's speaker was much better than Bakk's. Charlie responded that Scalze had more to work with than Nelson did.)

Next there was a long boring discussion of convention rules with motions, more discussions and votes. Yawn.

Then R. T. Rybak showed up and everyone woke up. He got quite a bit of applause right away. He sure has a lot of energy and enthusiasm. He brings enthusiasm and excitement with him wherever he goes. He was at his usual best today. He said we need a governor who is a strong manager and a progressive leader. That would be him. Look what he did in Minneapolis. He reminded us of all the successes he's had. He has chief executive experience. He loves to campaign. (The audience wildly applaused at this point. Rybak is going to get the DFL endorsement.)

Matt Entenza obviously reads my blogs, or his staffers do and then tell him about it. He listened. As a result, his presentation today was superb. He put passion and excitement into his normally mellow voice. He also emphatically told what he did in the House to stand up to Pawlenty, even though it was an unpopular move at the time. Entenza rose up ten feet in my estimation today. Not only for listening to darn good advice, but for carrying through with his speech delivery. Way to go Matt! Keep your eye on him as he prepares for the Primary. Also, Kudos to Matt for telling me that I have a really good blog!

Jim Meffert is running for Congress in the 3rd District. I was in the ladies room when he spoke so I'll give Charlie's comments about him. Charlie said he didn't have much to say for himself and he sounded whiny. He said that he loves his kids and joined the PTA. This wasn't enough for Charlie. My son was very interested in the race between Meffert and Hackett because whoever wins will represent Charles and Becky. Charlie has decided that he will vote for Hackett.

Maureen Hackett is someone I didn't previously know very much about. However, I met her when I was in the ladies room. She seemed a bit flustered about her glasses. Apparently she couldn't find the glasses that make her look younger so she had to wear a second pair she has. She wasn't happy. I could relate to her because I don't like looking older than I did when I was 28, either! Hackett told the audience that she's a physician as well as a forensics psychiatrist who is often called upon to testify. She's also an Air Force veteran. She can get things done. Charlie and I both like her. Charlie can vote for her. I can't, since she's not running in my district.

Mike Freeman had a stand-in speaker. I didn't catch his name. Freeman is running for Hennepin County Attorney. He wants to keep kids in school. He also works with DNA evidence, both for proving guilt and for proving innocence. He has worked hard on domestic abuse issues to make sure that the victims are heard.

Several people spoke up for Linda Scheid. The first was another woman named Linda. She told us how Scheid had served in the Peace Corps in Africa and that she works with children and teens. She wants to work to eliminate racial inequality and poverty and wants equality for all.

Dan Ryan also spoke up for Linda Scheid. As a speaker, he was not as good as the woman named Linda who had just spoken. He merely read his speech and stumbled over it. He should speak from his heart and not from the printed page. He was a boring speaker but could be helped immensely by joining Toastmasters. On the good side, he spoke up for a candidate he really believed in.

Linda Scheid then spoke for herself. She is running for reelection as State Senator from SD46. She knows about education. She knows about the achievement gap. She's working to eliminate it entirely. She thinks that education spending is a smart investment. She believes that health care is a right, not a privilege. She is bipartisan in her ability to work together with GOPPERS to get things done while still adhering to DFL values.

Bill Davis had a man named Tim speak on his behalf. Davis is running against Scheid for State Senator. Tim told us that Bill is a friend to labor and that he is a good listener.

Next, Mattie Davis spoke. She's the mother of Bill Davis. She raised him to be a good citizen with values. The audience liked her. They applauded loudly for her.

Bill Davis then spoke up in his own behalf. He had excellent voice projection. He has two masters degrees. He was taught to get a good education and to work hard. (Bill, throw away the written speech and talk directly to the audience right from your heart. Just like Rybak does.) Davis said that he believes in giving people a hand up, not a handout. He wants to make people responsible for their actions. I thought he had good ideas for what to do with Brookdale Mall, which is mostly empty now. He wants to make it into a big Technological Center with several schools, including Dunwoody, Brown and some others. (Charlie liked Scheid's idea better of putting in businesses that would cater to Brooklyn Center residents. Charlie said that if it's made into a school, there would be no retail area for Brooklyn Center to speak of, except for Kohls. Charlie said that he will vote for Scheid because she has seniority and is already the chair of some committees. Davis would have to start at the bottom.)

Margaret Anderson Kelliher said that our best days are yet to come. She's a proven effective leader. (Huh.) She is emphatic that education needs funding. She will make sure it gets it. She believes in progressive taxes. (Charlie was not impressed with her presentation at all.)

Richard W. Stanek is the current Hennepin County Sheriff. He's running for reelection. As a speaker, he was very good. He made excellent use of his floor space. He did not use any notes. He spoke from his heart. He's been a Minneapolis police officer for 25 years. He has successfully worked to reduce violent crime. Charlie and I both liked him.

Karen Thissen spoke for her husband Paul Thissen. She's an excellent speaker. I can't say enough good things about her. She said Paul is clear on leadership, on health care and on education. She emphasized all the reasons that we should vote for Paul. One of the reasons is that he can win. I really liked Karen and think she would make a great First Lady of Minnesota. (I've never met any of the other candidates' wives.)

Tom Rukavina arrived after the subcaucusing had already begun. He was still allowed to speak when the subcaucus round in progress had finished. He had already been to seven conventions already. After this one he would attempt to reach two more before they closed. Tom gave his usual speech with the references to union made and to the lovechild of Paul Wellstone and Jesse Ventura. That was the first time Charlie had heard him. Kudos to Rukavina for greeting me with a big smile and a big hug. He sure has a lot of enthusiasm. He knows that he can win this race. He might be able to if he can only get his name out there.

Let me give out a few awards now:

Best improvement in presentation:  Matt Entenza

Best speakers of the day:  R. T. Rybak, Matt Entenza, Richard Stanek, Karen Thissen and Tom Rukavina

Best ability to work a room:  R. T. Rybak
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Linda Scheid won the endorsement over Bill Davis.
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Then it was time for the subcaucus routine. There were 23 called. Here's the scoop. These are the number of subcaucuses at the first round, not the number of delegates.

Uncommitted - 10
Rybak - 5
Kelliher - 3
Entenza - 2
Bakk - 1
Marty - 1
Thissen - 1

After the first round and after Rukavina's speech, Charlie and I decided to leave. We were getting hungry. We met Rukavina in the foyer so I was able to introduce them to each other. Charlie liked him. He also likes Marty, Thissen, Rybak and Dayton. Hey, that's all the ones I like. Could it be genetic?

I took pictures, but unfortunately, I left my camera in Charlie's car. He might bring it over tomorrow. Then I'll post them.
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Augsburg College DFL Gubernatorial Debate

Six DFL candidates participated in the DFL gubernatorial debate at Augsburg College last night (February 16, 2010). They were R. T. Rybak, Tom Rukavina, Paul Thissen, Mark Dayton, John Marty and Tom Bakk. The event was sponsored by Sabo Center and Augsburg Political Science Department.

Since I never like to go home first after work, I went straight to Augsburg . I arrived around 4:30. I found the building and the auditorium, then went next door to the Student Center cafeteria and had a very light dinner, which I couldn’t finish because I’ve lost my appetite in the past couple of months.

I went back to the Music Hall, where the debate was taking place. It was still early, so I wandered down the hallway and found a Medieval Event going on in the chapel. How I wanted to go there instead of to the debate. If you’ve seen one gubernatorial candidate forum, you’ve seen them all. It’s not often that a medieval event takes place, though. I have a double major from the University of Minnesota in English literature and history. My history emphasis was Tudor/Stuart England as well as Renaissance and Medieval History. I love the Renaissance Festival in Shakopee and try to go there every year.

Duty called, and back I went down the hallway to the auditorium. It was still early, so I chatted for awhile with the moderator of the gubernatorial debate. This was Jay Benanav, Augsburg 's director of government relations. He is a former member of the St. Paul City Council. I had a very interesting conversation with him for about twenty minutes.

"The next governor will set the tone for issues ranging from health care to the environment to taxes to economic development," said Benanav. "All of these issues will impact the job market in the state and would directly impact the ability to get a job in Minnesota after graduation."

By now people were beginning to arrive, including campaign staffers. Benanav went off to prepare for his duties of the evening. Frank Brown, my friend from TakeAction MN and Second Chance Coalition, walked in the door and came over to say hi to me. It was good to see him again.

Rybak has a lot of excellent staffers. They’re always right on top of it as they try to get new supporters. They tried to get me, but Brian II from Dayton ’s campaign put a stop to that. Orrie tried once again to get me to support Rukavina. Since I’m going to be a delegate at the SD53 convention this Saturday, and since my alleged candidate is not part of the endorsement process by choice, Orrie figured I may as well caucus for Rukavina. I really ought to caucus for reNEW MN. (Coincidentally, I just got off the phone with Elizabeth from TakeAction.) Tom Rukavina caught me in the aisle of the auditorium and pressed one of his campaign buttons into my hand and smiled so engagingly. How come Dayton never does that? Oh well, he gives hugs. I can go a long time (at least 24 hours) on a good hug. Hugs are energizing.

Kudos to Paul Thissen, Tom Rukavina and Mark Dayton for coming up to me before the debate and asking how I am. They all know I’m fighting liver disease. It’s nice of them to remember to inquire after my health. I had a chance to talk to Paul Thissen for several minutes regarding Pawlenty’s horrible budget news. Paul is always ready to listen and to respond in a meaningful way. When you talk to him, you know he’s really listening. He’s focused on you and not on the next voter or the next person who might be walking in the door. He should give lessons on that to all the other candidates.

Frank Brown and I sat in front of the auditorium, in the second row, so we could see the candidates up close and hear what they said. The forum began promptly at 7:00. A few prepared questions focusing on education issues and policy were asked of the candidates. At the end of the prepared questions and the candidates’ answers, the audience was invited to ask questions.

Here are some of the questions and how the candidates responded to them.

Question #1:  School districts are creatures of the state. What is the responsibility of the state vs the responsibility of the school district? How should education be funded?

R. T. Rybak - He gave a rousing but brief analysis of how funding won't come from Pawlenty. He believes that most of the control of schools should be at the local level. People should rally around the kids in the communities. He gave some examples of what's been working in Minneapolis.

Tom Rukavina - Jobs, jobs, jobs and education, education, education. I think the jobs jobs jobs is from Bakk's campaign, although that mantra really should have gone to Dayton as he worked so closely with Rudy Perpich, whose mantra it was originally. He likes the Minnesota Miracle. He talked about excess levy. He says the current main criteria for education comes from federal laws and mandates and that they are handed down with no money.

Paul Thissen - We should consider what tone the governor will set. The state should provide resources for education. Education should be funded by the state. He's a fan of having a liberal education in order to provide students with a well-rounded education in order to prepare students for life and lead them into the future.

Mark Dayton - He believes that shifting the financial costs of education onto property taxes is unconstitutional. He has the knowledge to back up that claim. When he is governor, he will increase K - 12 funding every year that he is in office, no excuses and no exceptions. He means it, too. You can count on it. As far as campaign promises and doing what he says, he is never wishy-washy. As far as politics, he says what he means and means what he says.

John Marty - Education is a good thing to invest in for our future. We need to train people from an early age to be good human beings and to be compassionate toward others. He thinks that our educational system should teach, among other things, language, music, arts and sex education. He is in favor of a broad range of subjects being taught to our kids.

Tom Bakk - If you can pass a levy in a school district you can get funding. If the levy doesn't pass, the school district doesn't get that funding. Many school districts are being left behind because the levy doesn't pass. He used Grand Marais as an example. 

Question #2:  What ideas do you have for new models of education. Where will you get other ideas?

Tom Rukavina - He'll get new ideas from teachers. Governor Pawlenty is pulling six million dollars out of the educational system, including colleges. We must train the workforce with educational opportunities. He has legislated mining endowments for the University of Minnesota.

Paul Thissen - He will look to teachers and communities for new ideas. We must close the achievement gap. Look to the good charter schools for good ideas. 

Mark Dayton - He will look to teachers and administrators. As Senator, he legislated Excellence in Education. He voted against No Child Left Behind because it didn't work. He gave another anecdote about energy savings in a particular school in Minnesota. This school uses geothermal energy and has built a dome around the school.

John Marty - He wants to reinstate a state-wide school board. He doesn't want to leave it in the hands of the governor and the commissioner. He wants to have master teachers who mentor younger teachers. He believes in taking care of the whole child and meeting their needs.

Tom Bakk - Governors set the tone. The next governor will be very important. We're at a fork in the road. The next governor will need to bring in teachers and administrators and talk about what is working in the educational system and what is not working. Pawlenty says our schools are failing, but Bakk says that is not true. Minnesota schools have the highest ACT scores and the highest graduation rates in the country. 

R. T. Rybak - He told the audience that he spends a tremendous amount of time in schools. He feels energized when he comes out of schools. He wants to teach students about agriculture and let them learn how to home grow and how to cook the food. He wants more programs like elementary music. He talked about the success of the Minneapolis Promise.

Question #3:  How much K  - 12 federal funding concedes to the federal government?

Paul Thissen - Be wary of the strings attached to federal government. The Feds try to tie our hands. 

Mark Dayton - Paul Wellstone held the legislature for No Child Left Behind for six months. Teachers don't want to teach to the tests. They want to instill a love of learning in the kids. The Feds should fund special education. Dayton told of his experiences teaching school right after his college graduation from Yale University. 

John Marty - No Child Left Behind is a terrible way to test kids. We can't measure compassion, character, etc.

Tom Bakk - The carrot always comes with attachments. (Great metaphor, Tom.) Real reforms come from states, not from the Feds. We need to find a new way to fund schools.

R. T. Rybak - TPaw puts too much ideaology into education. The next governor needs to be involved. The achievement gap is at a critical level. This brings an urgency to the education issues.

Tom Rukavina - We judge the school districts on who shows up to take the tests. Some kids just don't come to school on test day. 

Question #4:  What is a fair, transparent, expedient way to evaluate teachers?

Mark Dayton - Evaluation of teachers should be a local matter. It should be done by the superintendent, principal, etc. Teachers should be held accountable. He doesn't know of any teachers who don't want to be accountable. (I do. Talk to my son Charles and his wife Becky. Also my son Marcus. They can tell you about several teachers at Irondale who never wanted to be held accountable. These teachers were terrible! One teacher didn't even teach. He just had his classes watch movies all the time. Another didn't know the first thing about the math he was teaching. He always had to go next door to another teacher and ask how to do the problem. There are a lot of teachers like that in our school systems.)

John Marty - Put the evaluations of teachers at the local level. Most teachers really care about the kids. (I don't know about most. I do know that there are far too many who don't care about the kids. Some of it is probably because they are overworked and underpaid. Some is because teachers are no longer allowed to discipline naughty kids in any way whatsoever. Some are just worn out from years of teaching.)

Tom Bakk - The way we pay teachers is fundamentally flawed. Teachers need more money.

R. T. Rybak - He recently blogged aobut a teacher on his website. Go there and read it. He likes to sit with others at the table to look at educational challenges and the achievement gap.

Tom Rukavina - He can't think of one bad teacher that he ever had. Teachers have the most challenging job in society. We don't pay them enough.

Paul Thissen - The problem is, how do you measure a teacher's performance? He thinks they should get higher salaries if they are teaching in tough communities.

Question #5:  How would you structure early education in Minnesota?

John Marty - Make sure that every kid with intensive needs gets intensive help. Visiting nurses should go to the home when necessary. We need to meet the mental health needs of the students and their families as well as look at the chemical dependency issues. Also, parents need education too.

Tom Bakk - The legislators get to see the research that's going on. Studies at the University of Minnesota shows incredible learning that happens in just the first three months of life.

R. T. Rybak - Kids must come to school ready to learn. Northside Achievement Zone in Minneapolis is modeled after the Harlem Children's Zone in New York. Allina in Minneapolis has the Backyard Project. We need to stop kids from having kids. We must train the parents.

Tom Rukavina - A Virginia school district has an innovation for bonding. It didn't get funded, though. Taxes are an investment in society.

Paul Thissen - Wants to make good information available to parents. He also wants to move Early Childhood Family Education to the public school system.

Mark Dayton - He thinks it's important to have funding for all day kindergarden. He volunteered at Head Start 40 years ago when he was a senior in school. (Now there's something new I hadn't heard before. It's always good to mention new things that the audience doesn't know about yet. It keeps the responses fresh and interesting.) He thinks that better and more productive citizens are created through Early Childhood Family Education.

That was the last of the set questions. After that the audience asked questions of the candidates. By that time I was tired of scribbling notes so I put down my pen and notebook and just listened. The candidates were all talking rather fast tonight as they wanted to convey a lot of thoughts in just a minute or two. It was very hard for me to keep up with my notes. I have got to get a digital recorder.

After questions from the audience and candidate responses, each candidate was given time to present their closing statements.

Here's my take on the evening:

These particular six DFL gubernatorial candidates were all in top form tonight. Every one of them was excellent in their answers as well as in their communication skills. If this was the first time I had heard any of them, I would not be able to choose just one to vote for. If I did not already have a chosen candidate who I support, I don't know how I would make the decision. All six of these candidates pretty much agreed on all the issues. If we really want a DFL governor this time, I guess we need to decide who is the most electable. The problem with that is, though, that you never know for sure until the primary and the general election in November. Which one can beat Marty Seifert or Tom Emmer? Will it have to be someone who doesn't have much that the Republicans can throw up in their faces? Or are all the DFL candidates looking for things against the GOP candidates as well? Is it going to be another mud-slinging campaign? God, I hope not. People are so sick of that.

A few more remarks about the evening:

Tom Rukavina was outrageously funny again tonight and at times had the audience in stitches. Is he losing votes and delegates because people think he can't be serious? I know he can be dead serious when he wants to be, but I've heard some people say they wondered about it. It's great to have a good sense of humor, though, to add spice to the evening.

At one point Tom Rukavina flung a cheap shot at Mark Dayton. It started out as a compliment but ended with a barb. He said that Dayton quit the Senate. I knew as soon as those words popped out of the Representative's mouth that he shouldn't have said that. Then it was another candidate's turn to answer the question that had been asked, and next it was our former Senator's turn. Mark Dayton took half the time allotted to the question to respond to what Rukavina had said. He gave an excellent answer, then went on to respond to the original question. I thought it was smart for Dayton to set the record straight on what his Iron Range Buddy had said.

Paul Thissen made a verbal gaffe when he accidently said breast instead of best. Some of the students in the audience snickered, but Thissen made an excellent recovery in spite of the somewhat embarrassing moment.

The best humorous moment belongs to Mark Dayton. He said, in response to the question from an audience member about the teaching of more languages in the schools, "I went to China seven times and tried to learn the language but found I have two left tongues. I did learn to say the chid sat on the chair under the airplane."  ROFL.

All in all in was a good evening. I enjoy being around a lot of people. I liked seeing old and new friends again. I wish I could have talked to the candidates longer afterwards, but they're always in such a hurry. Perhaps they hurry elsewhere to talk to people who can donate more money to their campaigns. I personally have never been poor in my entire life. I've merely been temporarily broke for the past 59 years.

That's the thing I would hate most about being a candidate. The constant chasing after money and trying to get others to donate to my campaign. That would be very distasteful.

One more comment: the candidates should smile more when the other candidates are speaking. Most of them frown way too much. Why would anyone vote for someone who frowned all the time?

That's all, folks. Until next time...