RAMSEY COUNTY CONVENTION

Gene Nichols, reNEW Minnesota

Grace Kelly

Matt Bostrom

Paul Thissen Signs

Ramsey County Convention

SD53 at Ramsey County Convention

Emily

Team Pinto (after the Convention, at Grumpy's)

Team Pinto, Consolation Dinner for a Job Well Done

After the CD4 endorsements concluded yesterday, the Ramsey County endorsements took place. Most, although not all, of Ramsey County is in CD4.

The winners of the Ramsey County endorsements were John Choi for Ramsey County Attorney and Matt Bostrom for Ramsey County Sheriff. Kudos to those who didn't win for a job well done.

Here's what happened during the endorsement process:

Laura Goodman, candidate for Ramsey County Sheriff, stated that she will abide by the endorsement. She started with a grassroots campaign. She attended Meet and Greets to build relationships. She put people together in committees to plan and prepare. She invited delegates to go with her offroad.

Matt Bostrom, another candidate for Ramsey County Sheriff, also stated that he will abide by the endorsement. He told the CD4 delegates that he understands how Fletcher campaigns and will meet him there, then campaign against him. Bostrom's campaign is highly organized and diverse. He can beat Fletcher on election day. (Matt Bostrom won the endorsement.)

Rebecca Otto then spoke. She's our State Auditor. She's been doing an excellent job. Her office makes wise investments to reduce energy costs. We can go back wards to hundereds of millions of dollars in errors or we can go forward with the good record that Rebecca Otto has.

David Schultz is an excellent speaker. He started The Innocent Project. He put his own safety on the line to rebuild a legal system in Kosovo. He will not abide by the endorsement. He has experience, leadership, and commitment to justice. He will be a working county attorney.

John Choi was introduced by Chris Coleman, who is an excellent speaker. Councilman Carter spoke up for Choi as well. I was disappointed that Dave Pinto didn't win.

Dave Pinto gave the most heartfelf speech. He has a vision which includes justice. Dave would have made an excellent Ramsey County Attorney. He had the vision for the position and he had the heart for it.

The candidates for Ramsey County Attorney were given a set of questions.

What will you do to win?

Dave Pinto - Grassroots support; excellent record as a domestic violence prosecutor; credibility; good record of preventing crime from happening in the first place.

David Schultz - Practices law across the entire spectrum in Ramsey County; has argued cases to juries for 25 years; makes decisions based on evidence and facts; listens and can tell when people are speaking from their hearts.

John Choi - He said that he will be the winner. He has more cash on hand than all three candidates combined. (This is an impossibility, since he is one of the three candidates. Did no one else catch this error?)

How will you prioritize your cases to meet justice in a depressed economy?

David Schultz - Evidence-based practices; child protection; institute practices that lower child abuse.

John Choi - Work with prosecutors in the criminal justice system.

Dave Pinto - Focus on violent and repeat offenders. Also focus on public safety.

Surprise Question for John Choi - A new group of immigrants is violating assembly laws but not maliciously. What to do?

John Choi - Charging anyone with unlawful assembly is hard to prove. We are not the INS.

Surprise Question for Dave Pinto - Elderly nuns have been occupying an abandoned warehouse on the riverfront for ten years. What to do?

Dave Pinto - Understand. Prosecute only if absolutely necessary.

Surprise Question for David Schultz - A dog frequently does his business in a service area. What to do about it?

David Schultz - Find a practical solution to a real world problem. Post signs so people don't step there. Very humorous response.

In the ballot for Ramsey County Attorney, John Choi received 185 of the 285 ballots cast. He is the winner.

In the ballot for Ramsey County Sheriff, Matt Bostrom was the winner.

This concluded the Ramsey County endorsement process. The day was adjourned.

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PAUL THISSEN MEET AND GREET

Paul Thissen at Stillwater Meet and Greet

Paul Thissen at The Daily Grind for Meet and Greet

Tonight I went to a Meet and Greet for Paul Thissen at The Daily Grind, 317 Main Street, in Stillwater, MN. This was a well attended event with over twenty people showing up to hear what Paul had to say.

Paul Thissen has been a Minnesota Representative for eight years. He chairs the Health and Human Service Committee. He is running for governor because he wants to work with everyone to rebuild Minnesota. He wants to prepare Minnesotans for demographic changes and for the future. Paul's leadership will focus on the future so that it will be better for all of us.

The campaign is climbing upward fast. He's gaining delegates and gaining in popularity. He's got excellent ideas and brings a freshness to Minnesota politics. One reason is because Thissen accepts the reality of where people are. He knows how to turn the negatives (fear and scarcity) into a positive.

Paul told us tonight that he wants to make reforms sustainable. "You can't starve yourself into reform," he said profoundly.

He then gave kudos to Matt Entenza for standing up to Governor Pawlenty in 2005. It shows a kindness of spirit when one candidate gives credit and praise to another for a job well done.

Paul knows that the budget needs to be cut in places, but he will do it in such a way that it will not undermine the future of our state. He's got an excellent record in the legislature. He knows how to get an abundance of work done for constituents becaues he can work across the table. He's also willing to forego taking credit for it in order to get the work done. 

Paul Thissen is aware that many Minnesotans feel anger and frustration that it's so hard to move forward. If he were governor, we would definitely move forward. Paul has a plan for changing things. He feels that the problem is not poor government, but poor leadership. He wants to run Minnesota with mutual accountability between the governor, the legislators and the people. He's a firm believer in personal responsibility and in what we owe to each other as Minnesotans.

Paul will back the Republicans down. He will make them answer such questions as "What agencies are you going to close?" "Which schools will you close?" Which police and fire departments will you close?"

He also has a list of tasks for Minnesota to accomplish. This list includes:

Research and development

Embrace science

Make Minnesota a destination state

Promote arts and culture

Assure marriage equality

Establish immigration reform

Compete in the global economy

Paul Thissen came across to the audience tonight, as he always does, as a very intelligent person with a lot of common sense. As one participant pointed out, he also has the quality of humbleness. He's willing to listen and learn.

Paul Thissen would make an excellent governor.

 

           Paul Thissen Meet and Greet in Stillwater, MN

                     The Daily Grind, Stillwater, MN

MARK DAYTON AND THE ENDORSEMENT PROCESS

Mark Dayton with Hawk (not Tiger)

Just from going to a lot of conventions, I have found that many party activists, delegates, etc., are totally bummed out at Mark Dayton for his refusal to go through the endorsement process. Many feel that he's not being fair to the candidates who are. His wanting to go straight to the Primary is because he knows he would not win the endorsement. He's going after the Primary voters, who are not party activists or delegates, because he knows they will probably vote for him because they know his name. It's not fair for him to buy another election. On the remote chance that he wins the November election, he'd probably just quit after one term anyway, like he did when he was State Auditor and Senator.

Someone wrote this on a Facebook comment regarding Mark Dayton:

My gutt feeling is that Dayton is only in this race to shape the issues. He knows he couldn't win at the convention or he would have gone for the DFL endorsement. I think he may step aside before the general election, or he could spoil the whole thing. He's a loyal Democrat, why would he want to hurt the party and ultimately Minnesota? We can't let a Republican win this election. Their two front runners could, both, be mayors of crazy town!!

My response:

Dayton is not going to step aside. If he wins the Primary, and it's very likely, he will be the DFL candidate for the November ballot. He thinks he's going to win. I think he can win in August but not in November. I know what the Republicans have on him. They will drag him through the dirt. What they have is nothing to DFLers, but it will vastly hurt his chances of getting swing voters and independent voters, which are needed to win November's election. The other thing is that Dayton wants to be the next governor really, really badly. He thinks it will be his redemption for his senate years. He was not treated well in Washington and it has deeply hurt him. Being the next MN governor will redeem him in the eyes of his beloved Minnesotans. Yet I'm pretty sure he can't win in November. Besides, treating his biggest supporter so shabbily doesn't help his electibility image. Heck, there's only one way he could possibly win in November at this point.

If Mark Dayton did by some chance win the November election, would he be a good governor? Well sure. He'd probably be the best governor that Minnesota has ever had. Each DFL voter will have to decide at the Minnesota Primary whether they are willing to take a chance on Dayton.  Because, my friends, if he loses in November, we will have four to eight more years of a Republican administration. We need to decide who is the most likely DFL candidate to win in November and vote for that person in August at the Primary.

I would start doing internet searches on each candidate and see who is the most qualified to win. I would say it's either Paul Thissen or R. T. Rybak.  Thissen has the cleanest record and Rybak has the most charisma, which always draws in voters. Also, remember that both Rybak and Thissen have the support and backing of TakeAction MN (the reNEW Minnesota Campaign). So does Kelliher. We based our endorsement of these three candidates on three things:

1. Can they win?

2. Are we willing to back them with our money and our time?

3. Are they progressive?

Let's all work together to support whoever the DFL endorsed candidate is.

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TALKING POLITICS AT LIFETIME FITNESS

I love Lifetime Fitness. Every two or three days I go there to get fit. As most of my gentle readers know, I start with running a mile or two around the track, then the stationary bike, then the weight machines. My muscles are all firming up.

After that I hit the lap pool for an hour. Then I reward myself with the oh so soothing and relaxing jacuzzi. All this for only $80/month. Not bad when you consider the rewards.

There's always someone to talk to in the jacuzzi. Today it was a young man originally from India. He was quite political. He had campaigned for Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar. Now he's getting involved in local/state politics. We had a good discussion about the gubernatorial race.

Smira said he really likes Rybak for governor and he also likes Thissen. See, we had something in common right away. He volunteered that he likes Dayton but is voting for Rybak or maybe Thissen. He asked me what I thought of Dayton. I thought it best not to go there. It's still pretty raw. For Secretary of State, he is in awe of Mark Ritchie. Aren't we all? We both agreed that Ritchie did a fantastic job on the whole senator recount issue. For State Auditor, he's a big Rebecca Otto fan. Me too.

He did mention that he didn't like the way a particular legislator treats people from India. I thought that was odd, as the legislator he was discussing is of Indian (from India) descent as well. He thought it was the caste issue. I was surprised.

Smira is now a new friend in person as well as a new Facebook friend. Am I having fun again yet? Not yet, but maybe soon.

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WHY PAUL THISSEN CAN WIN

Paul Thissen

For all those undecided delegates, here's some excellent reasons to choose Paul Thissen.

Paul Thissen is one of the most educated of all the candidates. He graduated with high honors from Harvard University in 1989. He then attended the University of Chicago Law School. He served as an editor of the law review and graduated with high honors in 1992. Paul then returned to Minnesota with his wife Karen. He clerked for the Honorable James B. Loken of the United State Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, worked for the Minnesota State Public Defenders Office and became a partner at the Minneapolis law firm of Briggs and Morgan.

In 2006, Paul was named one of “Forty Under 40” top business professionals in the Twin Cities by the Twin Cities Business Journal. In 2008, Paul was recognized as one of the 100 Influential Minnesotans in Health Care by Physician Magazine and named one of the Twin Cities “Best Brains” in Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine. Not only is Paul Thissen highly intelligent; he also has the common sense to put his education to work for Minnesota for the benefit of all.

The nicest thing about Paul is that he doesn't boast about his accomplishments. He just makes use of what he has learned in a viable way for his constituents and for all of Minnesota. He's a very friendly guy and has shown that he cares about individuals as well as about this state as a whole. 

If Paul doesn't know something about a particular issue, he makes sure that he finds out. If he gains new information, he is willing to accomodate and assimilate it and, when necessary, change his views to reflect what he has learned.

Paul Thissen is a candidate who, if elected governor, could work well with both parties in a nonpartisan way. Yet we can be sure that he won't cave in to things that aren't right, ethical or moral.

Paul has accomplished much in the Minnesota legislature. He was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2002. Since that time he has demonstrated both a high ability and a great willingness to tackle tough, complex issues and deliver viable solutions. In 2007, after just four years of legislative service, Paul was appointed Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. His legislative work has been recognized by numerous community groups and organizations.

Paul is the Chief Author of the Children’s Health Security Act. This resulted in nearly 40,000 children getting access to health care. He was also instrumental in passing the 2008 Health Reform Act, work the Star Tribune named the “prize” of the 2008 session.

Paul Thissen wants Minnesota to be a state where children and teenagers have every opportunity to learn, grow and succeed. He also wants our senior citizens to be able to live their lives with independence and dignity.

For a truly better Minnesota, let's endorse Paul Thissen at the MN DFL State Convention. 

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CD6 CONVENTION TODAY

Senator Amy Klobuchar and Me

Me and Senator Al Franken

I just got home from the CD6 Convention. Everyone was there. For those who couldn't attend, you missed some fantastic speeches, a lot of high energy and enthusiasm, and a great deal of passion. The consensus is that we will beat Michele Bachmann. I have no doubt about it.

The MN DFL website calendar said the event started at 11:00. Unfortunately, it didn't say anything about the events that took place right outside the building before the convention. Included in this was Tarryl Clark's rally. She just finished when I arrived. I'm not sure what else took place before that.

The first person I bumped into was Dyna from Entenza's campaign. She was standing by her motorcycle and sidecar that clearly state Entenza for Governor. That's quite a contraption. It always makes me smile when I see it. I chatted a bit with Dyna, had my picture taken with Al Franken, then went inside the building. This was the first time I had ever met Al in person. What a tremendously cool guy. I'm so glad he's our Senator.

All my campaign friends were there plus a lot of people I hadn't met before. It's always great to see Thissen's staff and Rybak's staff. They're always so cheerful. Clark's staff is too. I enjoyed a hug from Tarryl's son Nate. What a nice young man! Seeing Elizabeth and Ryan from reNEW MN is always a treat. I was so happy to see how much they all poured out their support for me and asked me how I was. That meant so much to me. Paul Thissen and R. T. Rybak also inquired as to how I was doing. Both showed compassion and empathy. What caring candidates they both are!

The convention officially opened right on time at 11:00. First was the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by The Star Spangled Banner sung by the assistant chair of CD6.

Next, David Loghawe, who hopes to be elected the new CD6 chair, introduced Al Franken. He told us that Republicans did not want Al Franken to be the 60th DFL Senator. Because Al succeeded in securing that seat, Health Care Reform passed!

Here's the gist of Al Franken's speech:

Kudos to everyone who knocked on doors and made phone calls. He and Frannie are having a wonderful time in Washington. He is supporting Tarryl Clark. One of the reasons is because she supported him. (Yup, that's how it's supposed to work. Support your supporters! I'm so glad Al understands this concept so well.)

Al said that the American people wanted HCR. Republicans think they don't want it. Republicans are wrong. He told us that fifty percent of bankruptcies in this country are caused by a health care crisis. That's not going to happen anymore.

Al said he had talked to many Americans who were frightened of losing their health care or had already lost it. They didn't know what they were going to do. Some were sick and desperately needed medical care.

He had wanted the public option. He realizes, though, that this bill is just a first step. There will be many changes just as there were when social security and Medicare first became legislated.

Al told us how hard Amy Klobuchar had fought for value reimbursement in Medicare. He said that we fought a good fight for HCR reform and we won. The Republicans have a problem with that, but Al said it made him feel like he's at a parent/teacher conference and his kid got an A but the other guy's kid got an F.

The reason the HCR bill is so great, Al said, is because we listened to the American people. The Republicans are lying to and deceiving the American people. Now that the bill has passed, people are curious about what is in it. Now that they are discovering what is in it, they like it.

Al also worked on a bill to get service dogs to returning veterans, particularly those with psychological repercussions from war. There are a lot of neat things happening in the Senate. The Stimulus Program is creating two million jobs.

He is working on getting No Child Left Behind changed. He helped pass COBRA extensions as well as REI extensions. He said, "We did all these good things because we're Democrats!" Lots of applause and cheers for Al.

Al Franken is a great speaker. He's got excellent voice projection and vocal variety and knows how to intersperse his speech with humor. Very impressive!

After Al Franken's speech, Nancy Schumacher, the current CD6 chair, took the floor. She introduced the reading of the Affirmative Action statement.

Next, Sue Regle, chair of the crendential committee, gave the report on that. Then came the treasurer's report.

Brian Rice spoke for Tom Rukavina, who chairs the Workforce Committee. Brian told us that Tom's focus is on jobs and education and that Tom understands people. (Tom Rukavina is a great guy with a heart of gold. If only there wasn't that rumor of him being the love child between Jesse Ventura and Paul Wellstone! Brian explained how that meant that Tom Rukavina can relate to both the DFL people and the independent voters.)

The next speaker was Amy Klobuchar. Claps, cheers, applause, standing ovation. Amy, Amy, Amy, the crowd chanted. Klobuchar is a wonderful speaker. She's motivational and enthusiastic.

Amy said that we must move our country away from being debt-ridden to being a country that exports to the world. We must expand biofuels in Minnesota rather than in India. We must build rail here in Minnesota, not in China. We need a backbone of steel. She also stated that no matter what the Supreme Court says, corporations are not people! She got cheers and a standing ovation for that!

Senator Klobuchar said we should respect veterans by making sure they have housing, medical and education. We need to extend the Northstar line from Big Lake to St. Cloud.

What a wonderful speaker Amy Klobuchar is. She's enthusiastic, motivational and energetic. This blogger was very impressed with the presentations of both Klobuchar and Franken.

Amy said, "We can't just let the Do Nothing Crowd go on with their agenda. We have to call them out." More applause. More cheers.

After Senator Klobuchar finished speaking it was time for the Constitutional Amendments report.

Next came the endorsement speeches. There were two nominations for this seat that Michele Bachmann now holds: Tarryl Clark and Dr. Maureen Reed. The applause and cheers sounded pretty close to a tie. This will have to be a paper ballot rather than vocal.

Clark and Reed were each given seventeen minutes for their speech slot. Each used part of this time to allow others to speak up for them.

First, a delegate spoke up for Dr. Maureen Reed. This delegate is a senior in high school. Gary Gross spoke next. He's a long time DFL activist. He said that Maureen is not so far to the left that she can't relate to moderate and independent voters. Susan Regle was the last speaker for Dr. Reed.

Next, Dr. Maureen Reed spoke in her own behalf. She said that she takes her job very seriously. She's been working fourteen hours per day to go against Michele Bachman. Reed appears to be very tough. Her focus is to work hard, play fair, don't whine, and make a difference.

Reed said that she has seen the good and bad of health care. She is glad for HCR, but she said that we are not done with it yet. Michele Bachman has got to go! Reed said that she will go after the swing voters and the independent voters. She knows them, she knows how they think, and she knows where they live.

Reed further stated that we have to neutralize Michele Bachmann. She will do this because she is a centrist, an outsider and because she knows business.

Dr. Maureen Reed was excellent in her presentation today. She made sense. Her supporters went wild. I thought she was good but she sounded a bit harsh and angry. I guess we all are in regard to Bachmann.

Now it was Tarryl Clark's turn. She got lots of applause, claps, cheers, foot stomps and rah rahs. Go Tarryl!

The first speaker on Tarryl Clark's behalf was Wes Snyder. He spoke of Tarryl's excellent character. Next, Grace Faltage, delegate from SD32, said that she's in awe of Tarryl for her commitment, dedication and passion.

The third speaker for Tarryl was Representative Marsha Swails. She said that Tarryl Clark has the common touch. She values her constituents. She values Minnesotans. She values her supporters. (!!!) She is so honored and proud to call Tarryl Clark her friend.

Tarryl then took the lectern herself. More applause, cheers, stomping of feet and chants of Tarryl, Tarryl, Tarryl. She's the candidate who will beat Michele Bachmann.

Tarryl told us that she has learned how to get every penny out of every dollar. She will do that in Washington. She has a passion for Minnesota and will work hard for this state.

Next, it's Question and Answer time. There were a total of 64 questions submitted by the audience. They have been consolidated. The Rules of this question and answer session were given. Clark and Reed were both asked to come to the podium. (Actually, it's a lectern, not a podium. A podium is the object that the band director stands on.) At first I thought it was said that both Clark and Reed were going to abide by the endorsement, but as it turns out, Reed will only abide by the results of the Primary in August.

Question #1: What will you do to ensure that Bachmann doesn't win again?

Reed - She will get the swing voters and the independent voters. These comprise ten percent of the vote in CD6. She said that we cannot leave this to chance. She claims that she can get their votes in their homes where they live.

Clark - She knows that Bachmann can be beat. She is already doing grassroots campaigning and going door to door and neighbor to neighbor. She will beat Bachmann the same way Klobachar beat Kennedy.

Question #2: What improvements will you make for Minnesotans if you win?

Clark - She will especially focus on cost containment. She's a results-based person. She will make sure that the underserved will now get health care.

Reed - She said we need reform for doctors and hospitals. She wants a waiver for Minnesota so we can be free from those things that are affecting such states as Alabama and Arkansas.

Question #3: How will you bring us out of the deficit?

Reed - Economic growth, cut spending and increase taxes.

Clark - Make sure seniors and nursing homes still get what they need. She supports pay as you go. She's interested in improving infrastructure and in agricultural jobs.

Question #4: How will you debate with Bachmann?

Clark - She will say to Bachmann, "There you go again." Bachmann is always going off on some irrelevent tangent that doesn't make any sense. Clark points out that we are all patriots, no matter what Bachmann says.

Reed - She will say to Bachmann, "Hold the phone, sister." She will come against Bachmann on every unfactual and bigotted thing that Bachmann says. She will also talk about Bachmann's 114 missed votes on the House floor.

Question #5: How will you make use of the new media in your campaign?

Reed and Clark pretty much answered this one the same. They are both using such sources as Twitter, Facebook, campaign websites, etc.

Question #6: How will you campaign for the DFL Primary?

Clark - She's running to defeat Bachmann. Period. She's not running against anyone else.

Reed - We are running one campaign and one campaign only. It will be directed against Michelle Bachmann, what she has done and what she has not done.

Some of the gubernatorial candidates spoke next.

John Marty - He gave a very passionate speech about the DFL platform and that now is the time to win. His presentation was excellent. It's getting better and better each time I hear him speak. He was passionate and emphathatic about what he stands for and why Minnesota needs a progressive leader now.

Peter Idusogie - He spoke of righteousness and justice. Life is about people. People are everything. Peter spoke with perfection. Excellent speaking techniques. He spoke with passion. I felt thrilled by his speech.

Paul Thissen - The only way to win is to concentrate on the issues. In Minnesota we should be striving for the best. Don't just slap a coat of paint on a building that's falling down. (Great metaphor.) We need leadership that works. Don't follow the status quo. Look forward, not backward. (Paul will be the fresh new leader that Minnesota voters are looking for. He stands for the new, not the old. He can get the swing voters and the independent voters. Paul Thissen is a candidate for all people.)

R. T. Rybak - Applause, claps, cheers. The crowd always goes wild before he even opens his mouth to speak. Rybak has a way with people. They love him! Today he was at his usual best. His message was, "Do not divide the Democratic Party." More cheers and applause. Rybak is such a passionate, enthusiastic and motivational speaker. He knows how to appeal to the masses. All he needs now is some kind of a rousing theme song for his campaign.

Following these speeches by gubernatorial candidates, we were lucky to hear two other speakers. They were Mark Ritchie and Brian Melendez. Mark is up for reelection for Secretary of State. Brian is the MN DFL chair. Donna, the assistant chair, was also present today.

Mark Ritchie - We've done a lot for the voting process, but we have more to do. He's got a serious opponent. Mark will honor his opponent for his long years of service as a veteran and as a legislator. He will campaign on the issues only. Mark Ritchie will not run a dirty campaign.

Brian Melendez - We have been working for years for this day. We have prepared for this campaign long and hard. He told us to play nice and treat each other with civility and respect. Treat supporters of both candidates in an excellent manner. United we stand; divided we fall. (Brian gave a great speech. This was excellent oratory.)

We then got the results of the voting. There were 150.5 votes cast. Dr. Maureen Reed received 56 of them. Tarryl Clark received 94.5. Reed got 37.2% of the votes; Clark got 62.8%. Therefore Tarryl Clark is the endorsed candidate.

Tarryl Clark gave an excellent acceptance speech. She said that we will all do this together!

I didn't stay for the rest of the meeting so I don't know who the new chair, assistant chair and other officers are. That will hopefully soon be found on the MN DFL website.

After chatting briefly with reNEW MN people and candidate staffers, I was ready to go home. Now to prepare for my Meet and Greet for Dave Pinto. It's tomorrow at 2:00 at Lakewood Hills Apartments in White Bear Lake. It's the northwest corner of McKnight Road and I694. Go to the bottom of the hill to the big brown apartment complex.

I really appreciated the high energy I experienced today at the CD6 Convention. I'm looking forward to attending more conventions in April.

Here's some more pictures I took today:

Amy Klobuchar

Donna Cassutt, Associate Chair of MN DFL Party

Mark Ritchie, Secretary of State

Rybak Staffers

Tarryl Clark

CD6 Convention

Another View of Me and Senator Al Franken

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MY POLITICAL DAY; MY POLITICAL THOUGHTS

Biker Chicks

I spent most of the day at work processing data that came in from health plans and clinics. This is the busiest time of the year for that. The researchers in the Health Economics Program use this data that we collect to do their research.

At lunch I walked the skyway. I ran into J. P. Barone again. He was having lunch at the fast food section right across the skyway from TCF. We both said hi, then I walked on to the Burlington Northern Building where my friend Frank J. Brown has his art gallery. He was there. He and Doug, another sculpturer, were just putting the clay on a woman they are making to go in a group sculpture.

They were glad to see me. Some people are, you know.

Frank and Doug were discussing the latest on the Catholic priests. We all agreed that child molesting is the worst crime there is.

We then discussed the upcoming gubernatorial election. I told them that I'm officially no longer a Dayton supporter. Frank asked why. I said because Dayton made me cry. Frank asked if it was just a misunderstanding. I said, "no, probably not."

Frank and Doug wanted to know who I would vote for then. I said probably Rybak, Thissen or Entenza. They both liked Entenza because they met him at an event in Lowertown and liked what he said and how he presented himself. They both like Rybak. They don't know anything about Thissen. He'd better get down there and introduce himself. Frank knows almost everyone who lives and/or works downtown. He's been down there for years and years. I told Dayton about Frank, but Dayton never saw fit to go see him. Frank, as you may recall from one of my previous blogs, had worked on a bill with Paul Wellstone.

Doug said he didn't care for Dayton because he only served one term in the Senate. I would have explained that to him, but what's the point now?

It was time for me to go back to work. Frank asked me if I was sure the thing with Dayton wasn't just a misunderstanding. I said no, he hates me. Oh well.

I'm running around the skyway trying to get back all the Dayton campaign pins that I had given out. I'm replacing them with Entenza, Rybak and Thissen pins. Let's spread the love around.

Some people liked the idea of having the Dayton pin with the big red X over it. They are wearing that on one side of their jacket and the other candidate's pin on the other side. They seem to be happy with that. One lady fought to keep her Dayton button, but I gave a fierce tug and got it back.

It was nice walking back to work through the skyway. Lots of people stopped to say hi to me or waved. I know a lot of people downtown now. They all like me. Only Dayton and his staffers don't.

Back to work. More data. More processing. It kept me busy the rest of the afternoon.

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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.