GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE FORUM AT HAMLINE UNIVERSITY

Rob Hahn, Independent Party

Susan Gaertner, DFL

Me with Thomas Horner (Independent Party)

Peter Idusogie (on left), DFL

RobBob for Governor (Independent Party)

(Rob Hahn is the author of The Funeral Home Murders)

Last night I had two events to attend. My plan was to start out at the tri-party gubernatorial forum at Hamline University and then go to Dave Pinto's birthday party in Roseville. This plan would have worked better had the gubernatorial forum started on time and had all the candidates who had committed to it actually shown up. Missing were Tom Rukavina, Paul Thissen and Mark Dayton. Matt Entenza and R. T. Rybak had not committed to it. There's lots going on in Minnesota's political world right now so there are lots of conflicts. I did feel bad for the students. They had expected all the candidates who had previously committed and were disappointed when this didn't happen. Out of all of our DFL candidates, only two had arrived at the forum before I left. They were Susan Gaertner and Peter Idusogie. I heard that John Marty was on his way.

Leslie Davis, Republican candidate, was there with copies of his book to sign. Although I've spoken to him at many of these events, he didn't remember who I was or remember ever having seen me before.

Peter Idusogie, on the other hand, clearly remembered me. His mind is razor sharp. He also has excellent communication skills. Minnesota would do very well with him as governor. Wouldn't that upset the proverbial applecart! I'd love it! Regardless of who actually wins, the other candidates ought to listen to Peter Idusogie, as he has some wonderful ideas.

Rob Hahn circulated around the room and took time to talk to lots of people. Rob is an author as well as a candidate for governor on the Independent ticket. He's a very good looking man and has some great ideas about what he would do as governor to make Minnesota better.

It was nice to see Susan Gaertner again. It's been quite awhile since I last saw her. I've missed her at many of these events. I always liked her personality. She's tough and has a streetwise way of talking.

It's always interesting to have a few words with Tom Horner. He's with the Independent Party. I'm waiting to see who the front runner will be in that party, Horner or Hahn.

If I wanted to arrive at Dave Pinto's birthday party at Grumpy's in Roseville, I had to leave. I was rather disappointed that this event started late and I didn't even get to hear the candidates' opening statements.

I'll do a separate blog post on the birthday party.

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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.

WHO WILL OUR NEW GOVERNOR BE?

Who will Minnesota's next governor be? We'll assume and hope that it will be a DFLer. There are a lot of candidates. Which one should we vote for? How do voters choose?

Many voters choose a name on the ballot at random. We've all done this at some point over the years, especially when we see a list of judges or county attorneys on the ballot. Most people have no idea who these candidates are. Some voters choose a name that sounds good to them or is vaguely familiar. Others may choose by gender. Some will choose a female just for the sake of having more females in office.

Others choose a name that they recognize. The more recognizable the candidate's name is, the better the chances of getting elected. In this year's gubernatorial race, the two top candidates for name recognition, at least so far, are Mark Dayton and R. T. Rybak.

Some voters actually research the candidates' stand on various issues. Others abide by the party's endorsement or by the endorsement of their union or other organization. Others will vote for their legislator who happens to be running for governor.

Many others vote on personalities. Jesse Ventura had a personality that was unforgettable. Skip Humphrey didn't. Norm Coleman might have had but his mudslinging alienated voters.

Finally, voters vote for a candidate they resonate with. They want a candidate they have something in common with. If they think a particular candidate is nothing at all like them, they probably won't vote for that person. 

Here's my take in reverse order:

Susan Gaertner - I wanted to like her for governor. I really did. But she gives me absolutely nothing to run with. Her slogan, A Fresh Start, is just not enough. When other candidates are speaking at the forums and debates, she frowns a lot. Plus, when she sees me at events, she doesn't show even a hint of recognition. Gaertner says she's going to the Primary regardless of whether she gets the DFL endorsement. I'm not sure why she would do that. It would take a lot of money. Who will back her? Susan Gaertner has the least chance of any of the serious candidates of becoming our next governor.

Steve Kelley - I like him as a person. He's friendly and upbeat. His Irish ancestry also appeals to me since I'm English, Irish and Scottish. He's smart about a lot of the issues. For some reason he's just not one of the top five contenders. So he dropped out. I hated to see him go, but I couldn't see him winning the election. I hope he'll stay involved in politics, though. We need people like him.

Tom Bakk - He could be a good governor. Not enough people know who he is for him to win, though. He's not one of my top choices because I don't feel he's one of the most liberal candidates.

Margaret Anderson Kelliher - I know she's got a lot of endorsements; I realize she was one of the three chosen candidates for reNEW Minnesota; I know she was way up there on the straw poll for the precinct caucuses. Still, she annoys a lot of people. She crows too much, her speech is a bit too perfect, and the question arises as to how sincere she is. If she were to be governor, would she keep her campaign promises or would she go on to do exactly what she wanted? A lot of people have doubts, but just as many are fully supportive of her. This will be an interesting one to watch. Will many vote for her because the idea of Minnesota having its first woman governor is appealing? Also, her Campaign Finance mistake may work against her. So might her inability to stand up effectively and consistently to Governor Pawlenty.

Matt Entenza - I don't know Entenza very well. I used to have him at the bottom of my list because of the fiasco in the Attorney General's Office a couple of years ago. He's moved up quite a bit in my estimation. I don't think he's a bad guy. He made a mistake and I think he's sorry for it. He would probably actually make a pretty good governor if he kept his eye on what's best for the people of Minnesota and not on any thought of personal gain or fame. I'll have to learn more about his stand on the various issues. If he wants to get elected he should do something about his voice projection at the forums and debates. His voice is too soft and bland. I wish he would liven it up. If he could develop passion and enthusiasm in his voice, he would definitely be a force to reckon with.

Tom Rukavina - He's a cutie and oh so funny. I've heard many wonder whether he were serious enough to be governor. My take is that he can be dead serious when the occasion calls for it. I like him. He's got some great staffers, too. Rukavina is the Farmer-Labor part of DFL. He's had progressive leanings for a long, long time. He could easily accomplish a lot as governor. He's likeable but a bit caustic at times. I could definitely support him as governor. I like his slogan of "refreshingly honest." He almost called it "brutally honest." Maybe that's what we need. He's got a lot of humor, too. He even makes the other candidates laugh. I saw Dayton laugh at something Rukavina said in the same manner that a picture shows him laughing at something Paul Wellstone had said. Free and unburdened. Rukavina's talent for making people laugh is a great start for bringing hope to Minnesota.

John Marty - He's one of the two most liberal and progressive candidates. His Minnesota Health Plan is a work of genius. He's a role model for ethics and morality in politics. Marty would be a great governor because he would make Minnesota a progressive state again. I'm not sure if he can get elected because his voter base is probably far left. I don't know if he can get the independent and swing voters. I wish him the best of luck.

Paul Thissen - No one expected Thissen to rise up so quickly. He was thought of as a dark horse. Most thought that he would be good to go in an election down the road sometime. He's surprised us all with how quickly he became a force to reckon with. Thissen can definitely get independent and swing voters. He might be just what Minnesota needs for a new start. I can't say enough good things about Paul Thissen. I think everyone would be happy if he were elected governor. He could easily win the general election in November, too. He's an excellent communicator; he thinks on his feet quickly and efficiently when he's asked unforeseen questions at the candidate forums and debates; he's got a good personality; he's honest; he definitely wants to make Minnesota a better place to live. For those who are tired of the old way of politics and the old school of political thought, and even the older candidates, then Thissen is the candidate to choose. I call him the Golden Boy. He's the boy next door type. The kind of man loving parents want their daughter to marry. He'd make a great governor. What I like most about him is his willingness to listen. If he doesn't completely understand a particular issue, he'll go out of his way to get more information. He not only listens, but he'll implement changes to address the problem. If he finds that he was wrong about something, which I suspect is seldom, he is willing to change his stand. This is the kind of governor we need. His governorship could be called Minnesota's Golden Years.

R. T. Rybak - Rybak has come up fast from being a virtual unknown. He started to have a recognizable name during the Obama campaign and has come up quickly from there. As mayor of Minnesota's largest city, he has made a name for himself in the metro area. He's done some great things in Minneapolis. It seems a logical step to go from mayor to governor. He's a major contender to win the governor's race. He's got a lot of good things going for him to capture votes in both the metro area and outstate Minnesota. He's friendly and outgoing and he's got excellent communication skills. He knows how to work a room; he knows how to schmooze. Almost everyone likes him. He's got an easy smile and a firm handshake. He's got a great personality. I'm very confident in his ability to be a good governor. I would definitely be happy with Rybak as our next governor. He can get the job done and bring Minnesota into a viable future. If Rybak were governor, we could sleep easy at night knowing that Minnesota would once again take care of it's poorest and sickest, would embrace all with no exceptions, would be on the way to eliminating discrimination and disparities and would again have one of the best educational systems in the country. I don't see many flaws in Rybak. I'm sure he must have some, but I don't see them. He's very popular. He borders on charismatic. He's got enthusiasm. I've never seen or heard him be anything less than positive.

Mark Dayton -  Why is Dayton at the top of my "Best Choices for Governor" list? Lots of reasons. First, he's got the most years of public service experience of any of the candidates. It numbers 35 years. He's been involved in progressive politics even longer than that. Some of that experience is very powerful. When I attended his campaign kickoff in Room 125 of the State Capitol, I was struck by the amount of power in that room. Some of it came from the former U. S. Senator; some from other important people in the room; and much of it from the room itself. There are a lot of intense political impressions that have been left in that building for many, many decades. Yet when Dayton was speaking, he had an aura of power as well. At least until the media start asking him their usual annoying questions. I'm glad he had so many of his friends, family, staff and other loved ones there for moral support. Dayton wraps his political cloak of power snugly around himself when he's playing that role. Yet when he's talking to people one-on-one or in small groups, all that power dissipates and he's just a regular guy. Kind, considerate and somewhat shy with a great sense of humor. Another reason he's my top choice is that his entire adult life has been spent trying to help those less fortunate, those who are oppressed, those who are discriminated against and those who are treated unfairly. He has stood up for these groups on the Senate floor even knowing that his views were unpopular in a Republican majority. He always voted his conscience and never wavered from doing what he thought was right. Dayton has earned a reputation for saying what he means and meaning what he says. If he says he'll do something, he will definitely do it. His word is honorable. So is his character. Also, many people vote for the candidate they feel they have the most in common with. The one they resonate with the best. For myself and a great many other Minnesotans, that candidate is Mark Dayton. What could I possibly have in common with Mark Dayton?

1.  Coming of age in the late 1960's. People who weren't alive then can't possibly understand the impact that era had on our lives.

2.  Neither one of us can sing.

3.  We both drive fast.

4.  We're both eligible for AARP. Come to think of it, so is Tom Rukavina.

5.  Commonality in caring about the same political issues, although I suppose most of the other DFL candiates do as well.

6.  We both have a propensity to sometimes blow up over trivial incidents, but then get over it immediately.

7.  A great fondness for reading.

8.  A thirst and quest for knowledge of spiritual truths.

9.  An intense dislike of hurting people's feelings.

10. A good sense of how other people are feeling and reacting.

Do the DFL candidates have flaws? Of course. Don't we all? If we were perfect we wouldn't need to be on this earth anymore. Do any of the candidates have fatal flaws? I leave that for you to decide.

SD50/51 GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE FORUM, JANUARY 7, 2010

Today after work I drove to Fridley for the SD50 gubernatorial candidate forum. It was held at the Fridley Community Center. I didn't go home first since the roads were very slick and greasy, so of course I arrived an hour and a half early. That was okay; I started a conversation with an elderly woman who was the evening monitor for the center. We had a great discussion about how Pawlenty has ruined Minnesota and what might be done about it. Of course we both agreed that the only solution is to elect a DFL governor. She noticed my by-now-famous campaign button and asked where she could get one. I just happened to have an extra one...

The first order of business at the forum was mingling. I saw some people I've met at other events. It was great to see them again. I also met some new people, such as John Choi, who is a candidate for Ramsey County Attorney, and Jeanna Sather. Here's a picture of them.

These are two very nice people. I'll have to learn more about John Choi and what his goals are for the Ramsey County Attorney position.

It was fantastic to see so many people come up and talk to me. I was surprised to hear how many are reading this blog. Three candidates greeted me warmly. They were John Marty, Paul Thissen and Steve Kelley. It's always good to be nice to political bloggers.

The only other two gubernatorial candidates who were there this evening were Susan Gaertner and Margaret Anderson Kelliher. Tom Bakk was supposed to be there but unfortunately he got stuck in southern Minnesota because the highways were closed due to the weather. The remaining candidates had been invited but they all had previous engagements. Quite a few people told me that they were disappointed that Mark Dayton couldn't make it. Apparently he had a fund raiser to attend that he had already committed to. "Rats!" exclaimed one woman. "That makes this a rather constricting experience."

I thought it was easier to manage a smaller forum. The candidates seemed more comfortable when there weren't so many of them. It was probably easier for the audience to keep them straight, too.

There were quite a few people there considering how slippery the roads were. Here's a couple of pictures of the crowd in the early stages.

Then the frolics began. Each candidate was given a couple of minutes to introduce themselves. After that they were given a question which each answered. Here's the highlights.

Susan Gaertner

In her introduction, Susan told us that she won the election four times in Ramsey County for the Ramsey County Attorney position. This means that she can definitely win the governorship. Okaaaay. Susan had good voice projection, excellent gestures, poignant use of pauses and used her floor space fairly well. I liked the way she presented herself in her introduction. I like Susan Gaertner. She'd make a fun friend. I doubt if she will ever be governor, though.

Steve Kelley (pictured in the middle)

Steve speaks well. From a Toastmasters perspective, he did use a few crutch words. Other than that, he had a good introduction. He said that DFLers must be clear about our values. Investing in our infrastructure is important. We must put people back to work. It's imperative to invest in schools. Steve was on high energy tonight. He has toned down his voice just a tad, too, so he wasn't quite as loud. He did a good job this evening.

Margaret Anderson Kelliher

MAK informed us that we can do a lot better as a state. She was emphatic about this. She has great speaking skills, although much of it did seem memorized. I'd like to hear her speak more off the cuff and from the heart. I was pleased with her abundant use of good metaphors.

John Marty (he's the one in the middle)

Tonight was the best I have ever heard John Marty. He was passionate and clear. His high ethical standards and integrity were obvious. Previously I had thought that he didn't have a chance of being elected governor. Now I'm not so sure. If he can keep presenting the way he did tonight, he might get a lot of swing voters. In his opening statement he emphasized that he is for social and economic justice. He said that everyone should have access to an education, a job and health care. He made it clear that he always refuses money from PAC and lobbyists.

Me standing next to Paul Thissen

Paul was an excellent speaker tonight, as he always is. He told us that the job of the new governor will be to rebuild Minnesota. We must learn lessons from the past and we must look to the future. He talked about retirement security. He reminded us that we now have a diverse and global economy and that we must change the way we do business.

After the opening statements, the candidates were given a series of questions. I'll paraphrase the questions and then briefly tell about each candidate's responses.

Question #1: What will you do to make sure the legislators and the governor can work together?

Gaertner said that the new governor needs to put aside labels and get the job done in a non-partisan way. She will be everyone's governor, not just a DFL governor. She will be a governor for all of Minnesota.

Kelley will start his relationship with the legislature by building teams.

MAK stated that Minnesotans are looking for someone to be on their side. She emphasized that the differences between DFL and GOP will always be here. Her values are health care, equality and justice.

Marty said that standing up for what you believe in doesn't mean you can't be effective. He said that everyone must be treated with respect and dignity. This is what will bring DFL and GOP together.

Thissen said that Minnesota needs a legislature that will stand up right away at the beginning of the term and state our values. He further stated that he is willing to change his opinion on various things if the facts don't agree with his opinions. He gave an example of this. He also wants to engage the people of Minnesota.

Question #2: What will you do as governor to create jobs and help small businesses?

Gaertner said that she will make sure that small businesses can have health care. She stated that our tax system needs to be kind to entepreneurs and small businesses.

Kelley wants to make sure that small businesses have access to credit. He will work with businesses. He wants Minnesota to invest in infrastructure and update homes to conserve energy.

MAK said she did a survey of 1,000 small businesses. The result showed that they want a network. MAK believes that Angel Investment will be viable. She's a believer in strong education for K - 12 and post high school. This will stimulate small businesses. She said she wants all Minnesota kids to have the same great education that her own kids are having. (She didn't tell us where they go to school.)

Marty wants to invest in a bonding bill and get our infrastructure moving again. He also stated that the Minnesota Health Plan will reduce age discrimination in jobs.

Thissen wants to get banks to make loans again. He's in favor of Legacy dollars and investing in a good transportation system. He wants to make sure that small businesses can compete in a global economy. He's also supportive of creating and protecting union jobs.

Question #3: What is your stand on tax policy and reform?

Gaertner talked about Pawlenty's tax policy and used the word "Duh!" a couple of times. The audience laughed. This was a great technique to connect with the audience, but as the election draws closer she will need to start cleaning up her slang and using proper English as befitting the position of governor. Everything a candidate says is being recorded by the GOP and usually ends up on MDE. Regarding taxes, Gaertner stated that it will take a lot of political courage to have tax discussions. (Remember that courage is her middle name.)

Kelley told his humorous story again of how Pawlenty should take his budget class but he didn't invite him to because he doesn't have the prerequisites and because Kelly doesn't like to flunk anyone. Ok, I've heard this story before many times so it's losing its impact for me. He should have used his few minutes to be more explicit about what tax reforms and policies he will push for if he is governor.

MAK stated that Minnesota's tax system is outdated. She went on in her sing-song voice and I have to admit that I dozed off and didn't catch all of what she said on this question.

Marty stated that we should rely on income taxes far more than on property taxes. He also stated that a food tax is the most regressive tax there is.

Thissen said that his answer will be short because most DFL candidates agree on taxes. He assured us that Minnesotans are fed up with Pawlenty's tax policy. He then stated that cutting the services of people is the same as a regressive tax.

Question #4: What will your major reform be that people will remember you for 40 years from now?

Gaertner said that she will dream big. She wants every child to have great educational opportunities. She talked about a program in a Minneapolis neighborhood called Baby Space which nourishes children from a very early age. She thinks that if our children get what they need when they are small, that in 40 years our prisons could be empty. The audience around me gasped. I don't think they believed that could happen, although I heard murmurs of how nice that would be.

Kelley said that his big goal is that every child in Minnesota will graduate from some kind of post-secondary school. He humorously added, "so kids can take care of us when we're old."

MAK wants a new Minnesota Miracle.

Marty wants to be remembered for a New Minnesota Miracle and for the Minnesota Health Plan. He reminded us that he authored the latter. He fully believes that everyone is entitled to comprehensive health care as a basic right.

Thissen said that Minnesota needs to be ambitious for the public good. His big reform is what he calls the Silver Tsunami. He wants every senior to be able to live in comfort and with dignity. The Baby Boomers retiring will change a lot of things in Minnesota and across the country. Thissen wants Minnesota to be ready for this.

My Take: My top two picks at this forum were John Marty and Paul Thissen.

I thought MAK was going to get through the evening without a reference to the dairy farm she grew up on or her four brothers. She almost made it. Unfortunately, she couldn't last the entire evening and in the final segment she had to throw it in.

Susan Gaertner was determined that she is the best candidate for governor. Funny how all the candidates think that. Gaertner came on too strong about it and the audience was not amused.

Steve Kelley was good tonight but I don't think he'll be our next governor. Sorry, Steve, I like you and you're Irish and all, but there's something missing in your presentation. Google Craig Valentine and get him to be your coach.

Here's some pictures of other people you should keep your eye out for.

Stephen Cusulos, DFL Outreach Director

This is the secretary of SD50.

FOUR CANDIDATES WON'T ABIDE BY DFL ENDORSEMENT

Susan Gaertner has just announced that she will run in the primary whether she wins the DFL endorsement or not. I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I don't think she has a chance of winning. I think she's wasting her time and money. Where is she getting that kind of money, anyway? On the other hand, I like her. Even so, would she make the kind of governor Minnesota needs and wants? I doubt it. Why did she prosecute those who were merely protesting at the Republican National Convention? Many, many years ago I protested the Viet Nam War. Would she have prosecuted me? Would she have prosecuted the protesters at Kent State? Does she really think that DFL voters will elect her? I thought she was a lot smarter than that.

What will that mean for the other candidates? We currently have four DFL gubernatorial candiates who say they won't abide by the endorsement. Dayton, Entenza, Kelley and now Gaertner. The only one who has a chance at winning the primary out of these four is Dayton. His other contender, though, will be whoever gets the DFL endorsement. I predict that will either be Kelliher, Thissen or Rybak. Of all these candidates, the race would be closest between Rybak, Thissen and Dayton. And what a close race that will be.

If Gaertner, Entenza and Kelley want to waste their money, I guess that's up to them. However, I would suggest that they take that money and put it toward paying off Minnesota's deficit. The people of Minnesota would be forever grateful.

A LOOK AT THE ELECTABILITY OF THE DFL GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES

It sure is hard to find a picture on the internet of all the DFL gubernatorial candidates that I haven't already used several times. Here's six of the candidates. From left to right, we have Mark Dayton, Tom Rukavina, Susan Gaertner, Steve Kelley, John Marty and Paul Thissen.

This post is to point something out to DFL voters. As you know, we have not had a DFL governor for twenty years. That's an entire generation. Young people don't know what it's like to have a DFL governor. We have got to change that in this November's election. How can we do that? By making sure we have a candidate who is electable. It's not just the DFL voters who will determine the final winner. It's also all the Minnesota voters who don't vote by party affiliation. They will vote for who they think will make the best governor. Some people will, as always, vote for the person whose name they recognize. Others vote for very strange reasons. One person told me they would never vote for anyone named Steve because that was her ex-husbands name. Crazy? Well sure. And we can't do anything about that kind of voting mentality. On the other hand, we can make sure that the candidate with the greatest liklihood of getting elected gets the DFL endorsement. We have to put aside thoughts of who we personally like best. We have to put aside ideas that the candidates may have that are just not going to bring in the independent voters. Also, we have to look at past electability. There are several candidates who have run for governor and lost. More than once. They have a history of not being electable.

Let's take a look at all the DFL candidates and see just how electable they might be. I won't include Ole Savior for obvious reasons.

Tom Bakk - I don't think that Bakk is the most electable candidate. On the other hand, he's certainly not at the bottom of the list. The trouble is that he's pretty much unknown among most Minnesota voters. He'd have to run a very expensive campaign to get his name out there. It can't be denied that he knows a lot about taxes and the budget. I don't think that's enough for Minnesota voters. Many voters do still vote on personalities. Bakk's a bit gruff. He doesn't seem very approachable to the average voter. He could work on that. I just don't think that voters will vote for someone who comes across as being an angry man.

Mark Dayton - As most of us know, Dayton is no doubt the most electable of all the candidates. His recent disclosures about his personal health have done nothing to change that. If anything, it has drawn even more supporters to his campaign. Dayton has more statewide name recognition than anyone else. Voters all across Minnesota fondly remember Dayton's Department Store. He's Minnesota's native son, even as JFK Jr. was America's native son. Also, he's got a reputation for being honest and sincere and having a great deal of integrity. He's got 34 years of public service experience. He's also experienced at winning statewide elections. He's campaigned and won against Republicans in the past. He knows how to win. Plus he's likable. When you add all these factors together, he's got the best chance of winning.

Matt Entenza -  I don't see Entenza as being electable. I don't think he would be able to get past Republican opponents enough to win the election. They've got too much against him. He made mistakes in the Attorney General's Office which people have not yet forgotten about. He should have waited this election out and instead started gearing up for the next one. There are only two ways that Entenza could win this election. One, he could buy his way in. Two, he could hire the best PR person he could possibly find and do a campaign on how he learned his lesson. He'd have to be very sincere, as voters aren't stupid. They can sense insincerity a hundred miles away.

Susan Gaertner - I wanted Gaertner to be electable. I really did. It's not happening, though. She's missing some necessary ingredient. It's one thing to win the office of Ramsey County Attorney. It's quite another to win a statewide election for governor. Voters might see her as being a real person and down to earth. They'll like the way she talks. Then they'll wonder what she will do for them and for Minnesota. I just don't see her as having the ability to win the governorship.

Steve Kelley - Sometimes you have to know when it's time to give up. He didn't win in 2006 and he's not going to win in 2010. He's not saying anything new, as many other bloggers have noted. I don't think that voters all across Minnesota would look to him to solve Minnesota's terrible problems. He does have good credentials. On the other hand, as Tim Pawlenty has shown in New Hampshire, voters look at their perception of a candidate's personality. Apparently for the presidential race, it's going to take a perception (however false) of charm, charisma and presentation skills. Kelley would need to work hard on these. Maybe if he hired a personal coach he could improve his public personna. And work on toning down a voice that is too loud. I've heard several people say that he seems to be yelling at the audiences at the debates and forums.

Margaret Kelliher Anderson - MAK has a lot of good things going for her. And some that are not so good. On the postive side, she's got a tremendous amount of endorsements. She's a good communicator, although sometimes she comes across as giving a canned speech. She should try to make her presentations more personable. And quit talking about the dairy farm she grew up on. That gets really old. On the negative side, she really didn't do much in the last two legislative sessions. She wasn't able to stand up effectively against the Terrible Tim. I've always had a problem with MAK but could never put my finger on exactly what it was. I finally figured it out. She's too much like me. Bossy, opinionated and always thinking she's right. On the other side of the coin, though, she probably has (like me) a lot of shyness and insecurity on the inside. And a great need to do the right thing and make a difference in the lives of Minnesotans. So I'm going to change my take on her and say that she is electable. I have no idea whether she could beat whoever the Republican opponent will be. But now I'm willing to give her a chance and see what happens. Besides, it would be kind of nice to have our first female governor.

John Marty - I don't think that Marty is electable. He's already proven that. Twice. Once in 1994 and again in 1998. What has changed between then and now? There's nothing new. He's a great senator for his district. He'll probably get reelected until the day he retires. He authored an excellent health bill, too. But governor? Winning enough votes to beat out everyone else? I just don't see it happening. I think he's wasting his time and money. Unless his main objective is to make all Minnesotans aware of Marty's Bill rather than to win the governorship. John Marty is great on ethics and great on health and fantastic on meeting the reNEW Minnesota vision. I just don't think he has a chance at being the next governor.

Tom Rukavina -  There are a lot of Minnesota voters who have no idea who Tom Rukavina is. He's been a representative to the Iron Range district for 23 years. He usually gets nearly 70 percent of the votes, from what I've been able to learn. Can he win, though? Our last DFL governor, Rudy Perpich, was also from the Iron Range. Will Tom take a good hard look at the way Perpich campaigned and learn whatever lessons there are to learn? I'm certainly not ruling Rukavina out. I wish him luck. He'll need a lot of money to win this campaign. Or the DFL endorsement. He does have a lot of popularity among those voters who know him. Can he carry that to the rest of the state? If his campaign staffer Orrie Salper has anything to say about it, he can. Orrie almost got me to change my allegiance. Almost, but not quite. After all, I'm extremely loyal. Often too much so.

R. T. Rybak - Is Rybak electable? Oh yes. Definitely. He's shown that several times in Minneapolis. Can he do the same thing statewide? I wouldn't doubt it a bit. He's likeable, personable and charasmatic. He knows how to work a room. He knows how to get supporters. When he shakes your hand and begins talking, you can't help but like him. A lot. And Rybak isn't one to come to an event late and leave early. He comes early and welcomes people. This easy charm makes voters want to vote for him. Plus he seems to have a good record in doing good things for Minnapolis. Rybak has an excellent chance of winning the general election. He's got excellent communication skills and organizational skills. People like him. Meaning that voters like him.

Paul Thissen -  Who is Paul Thissen? I had no idea before last year. Lots of voters still have no idea. He's changing that, though, and coming up fast. Everybody likes Thissen. He's young, he's smart, he's a fresh face and he's got great ideas. I feel that he's very electable. The more Thissen shows up around the state at various events, the more voters are swinging toward him. They like what he has to say. There are some voters who are tired of the same old, same old, and they want something and someone new. Thissen will definitely appeal to those voters.

Here's my take on electability based on what I wrote above. I'll list the top five candidates in order of their electability in my perception of what I've seen and heard from attending a multitude of forums and debates and of talking personally to some of the candidates and their staff. I've also talked to a lot of voters both in the Twin Cities and, to a lesser extent, across Minnesota. This is how it comes down:

1.  Mark Dayton
2.  R. T. Rybak
3.  Paul Thissen
4.  Margeret Anderson Kelliher
5.  Tom Rukavina

Leave your comments below on how well you agree with my assessments. Please comment according to electability. It's imperative that we support a candidate who actually has a chance to win the general election in November.

CANDIDATE NOSTALGIA

Do any of the candidates remind you of anyone or anything? When you look at them or listen to them, are you reminded of some nostalgic tidbit from long ago? For example, Tom Rukavina reminds me of Lt. Colombo because of his mannerisms. John Marty reminds me of Richard Thomas (John Boy Walton) because his ethics are beyond reproach. Susan Gaertner is a bit like Reese Witherspoon. Matt Entenza could be the spitting psychic image of Nicholas Cage. Now if you look really, really close, and very deep, you can see Al Pacino hiding in R.T. Rybak. Right? Tom Bakk reminds me of Dan Blocker (Hoss Cartwright from Bonanza). Steve Kelley has a vague resemblance to Jon Voight. Margaret Anderson Kelliher would, of course, be Rosanne Barr. That leaves Paul Thissen, who I'll tag as Richard Chamberlain (Dr. Kildare). And of course we can't forget Mark Dayton.  Much to his chagrin, I'm not going to cast him as George Reeves of Superman fame. Nope. He makes a much better Clayton Moore. The Lone Ranger. He comes riding in to save the day and then leaves. "Who was that masked man?" And everyone is envious because he's the hero who gets rid of the bad guys (like T-Paw, who is, naturally, the Joker).

Just so I don't leave out the GOP altogether, I do have one for Tony Sutton. He reminds me of Lumpy (Leave it to Beaver). I call his GOP crowd the Lumpy Crowd.

Now let's take this a step further. Every star has to have music attached to them. A theme song, if you will. Isn't this fun? Just click on each name and it will take you to the music that I associate with each candidate. A classical music tribute is the highest compliment I can give these candidates.

Tom Rukavina

John Marty

Susan Gaertner

Matt Entenza

R.T. Rybak

Tom Bakk

Steve Kelley

Margaret Anderson Kelliher

Paul Thissen

Mark Dayton

I hope you enjoyed the concert. These are some of my top favorite classical pieces.

A CLOSER LOOK AT SUSAN GAERTNER

The fourth DFL candidate in this series, in alphebetical order, is Susan Gaertner.



Susan Gaertner was born on December 2 a long, long, long time ago (that's what she gets for making it impossible to find the year of her birth online) on the East Side of St. Paul, Minnesota. She now makes her home in White Bear Lake. She is married with three daughters. Susan graduated from Harding High School and earned her undergraduate degree in political science (summa cum laude) from the University of Minnesota, Duluth. She went on to graduate with honors (cum laude) from the University of Minnesota Law School, where she was selected for the Minnesota Law Review and the prestigious Order of the Coif. Gaertner first served as a special assistant U.S. and Minnesota Environmental Law attorney.  In 1990 Susan became the first attorney to use DNA evidence in a criminal trial in Minnesota. She has since become a recognized expert on DNA evidence. In 1994 she won the election for Ramsey County Attorney and has held that office ever since. She was twice president of the Minnesota County Attorneys Association. She has also served on the board of the National District Attorneys Association for 14 years.

Here's how Susan Gaertner fares on the questions that I think are so important in deciding who to vote for:

1. How much experience working in government does the candidate have? Although Susan Gaertner has a lot of extensive experience as an attorney and in being the Ramsey County Attorney, she has never held legislative office. Is her experience as a distinguished attorney enough to run the entire state of Minnesota? That's for the voters to decide. I personally would say no. I don't think that's enough preparation for the very important executive position. She might be able to get things done, though. She, however, thinks differently. During her Minnesota Brown interview, she said that her status as the top prosecutor for one of the state's largest counties makes her more qualified to be governor than most legislators. Her jurisdiction includes 500,000 residents. She manages a budget of about $35 million a year, 320 employees and collects and distributes $62 million a year in child support payments for families in her area. Okay, we get her point.

2. Is the candidate electable? Does the candidate have state-wide name recognition? Most people I have talked to, who are not involved in politics, have no idea who Susan Gaertner is. A few know her only as the attorney who prosecuted the RNC protesters. They don't like her because she did that. They think those people should have been exonerated. I don't think Gaertner is electable as governor, although I wish her the best in her efforts to win.

3. Does the candidate have viable ideas about how to fix the crisis that Minnesota is in? Does the candidate have an actual plan for tackling most of the issues, or does he/she only talk about one or two issues? Does the candidate whine that the new governor can't do everything so has to concentrate on one or two things, or does he/she appear eager to get right to work on a plan to solve all the most pressing issues? Gaertner expresses a deep conviction that she can get it done. She reiterates again and again all that she accomplished as Ramsey County Attorney. She is certain that if she got it done there, she can also get it done in the governor's office. Personally, I think we need someone with a lot more experience working with actual state government. She does want health care for all Minnesotans (as do all the DFL candidates). She's also for marriage equality, improving education and creating safe communities. I don't think she would have any trouble accomplishing the latter. She also knows the importance of conserving our natural resources. She would need a good advisor on that one. At the last forum I attended, the candidates were asked a question about a pest that infests ash trees. She said she knew the answer once but she forgot. She said she would ask her husband. Will he fulfill the role of Mrs. Governor? Now I like Susan Gaertner. I really do. I just don't think she's the right candidate for the governor's office because she doesn't have the right kind of experience. And I haven't heard any plan from her about how she will fix the crisis we are in. All I hear her say is that she can get it done. That's not enough to win an election.

4. Is the candidate popular with voters? Susan Gaertner has a following but it's not nearly big enough to win an election. Most voters have no idea who she is.

5. Is there anything in the candidate's past that the opposition can use to turn voters against him or her? It appears that she is happily married to John Wodele (former press secretary to Governor Jesse Ventura). I can't find any dirt on her at all. Not even any gossip. She's clean.

6. If the candidate has past legislative experience, what was his or her voting record like? Gaertner doesn't have any legislative experience, so instead I'll tell you what she once said concerning health insurance. “The healthcare industry in Minnesota, much like the rest of the nation, is the only consumer directed industry where the consumer does not materially influence its delivery and consumption. The result is that the consumer, unlike in any other industry that serves them, does not demand efficiency and cost containment.” It sounds like she's got the lowdown on the health insurance industry. I wonder what she would do with that were she to win the governorship.

7. Does the candidate have the type of personality that can get along with the legislators well enough to work with them and get things done? Does he or she have a history of getting along well with others? I like Gaertner's personality. She's got guts and she seems so real. She's not a fake. She'd be way up there on my list of top candidates if she had more state government experience. I can't find anything suggesting that she doesn't get along well with others. Of course she would have arguments in court with opposing attorneys. That's the way the game is played. I think she gets along well with everyone outside of the courtroom, though. She did get the endorsement of the RNC 8 (sic).

8. What is the public image of the candidate? How do others see him or her? Sometimes what you see is what you get; other times how you perceive a person is not at all how they really are. Most people don't know who Susan Gaertner is, but she doesn't think that's necessarily a bad thing. During her Minnesota Brown interview, she said, "My candidacy is an opportunity for the state to have a fresh start."  She'd better get her name out there soon, though, or there's no chance at all that she would win. Not that there is anyway unless something drastically changes. Gaertner is generally liked by those who know her. She does, however, have enemies, which is to be expected for a prosecuting attorney.

9. How much budgeting experience does the candidate have? Is it enough to combat the current budget crisis? Does the candidate thoroughly understand money? I wouldn't have thought that she would have much budgeting experience in her job, but apparently I was wrong. As Ramsey County Attorney, she has an annual budget of about $35 million. Is that enough experience to manage and prepare for a multi-billion dollar state deficit? No, of course not.

10. Does the candidate have a history of going out of his or her way to help others? Does the candidate truly care about the people of Minnesota, or is the candidate only out for himself or herself? Gaertner maintains that her upbringing gave her a strong sense of public service to assist the neediest members of the public. She believes that the government needs to be there for those who are less fortunate.  Gaertner has done quite a bit to help others, including victims of crime. She also likes helping children.

11. What are the true inner motives as to why the candidate wants to be the next governor of Minnesota? Watch the video directly below to find out.




12. Will the candidate be able to win a debate against the opposition? I would give Gaertner an average chance of winning a debate. She's not the best communicator or presenter that there is, as she uses an abundance of crutch words. On the other hand, she has good voice projection and vocal variety and is forceful when she speaks. She can definitely get her point across. And she makes good points.

13. Does the candidate like children and animals? It's clear that Gaertner likes children. I have no idea whether she likes animals. I can't find anything regarding that. It must be hidden like the year of her birth. I do know that Gaertner spent time reading to kids as part of a national literary event. The following are pictures of her reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle, at McKnight Childhood Center in Minneapolis.

14. Does the candidate often say what he or she thinks the audience wants to hear or does he/she tell the truth no matter how unpopular that truth might be? Is the candidate honest with the audience or are there half-truths and embellishments? From what I can tell, Gaertner tells it like it is. I don't think I've ever heard her just say something because that's what she thought the audience wanted to hear. I can't see her doing that. I don't see any evidence of her giving half truths or embellishments to anything. She tough. She, like Dayton, says what she means and if the audience doesn't like it, too bad. I like that.

15. Does the candidate agree to be accountable to the people of Minnesota? I personally haven't heard her actually say that, but as Ramsey County Attorney, I'm sure she knows the importance of accountability. She has to be accountable on a full time basis already.

16. Does the candidate have a team of advisors and commissioners in mind yet? I have no idea, but I suspect she must be thinking, at least somewhat, about it. I'm sure all the candidates are.

17. In the final analysis, which candidate do you really connect with and why? Actually, I do connect with Susan Gaertner. I like her fiesty style and her no nonsense attitude. She's tough.  I admire her very much. I think she really can get things done. I wish I could support her more, but my loyalty is with the Dayton campaign.

18. And last but not least, what has the candidate done in his/her career to help various communities of people, such as Seniors, Veterans, Children, Disabled, GLBT, etc.? As Ramsey County Attorney, she has definitely helped a group of people known as victims. She has also worked with children. She's been a supporter of gay rights and equality.

NETROOTS MINNESOTA CONFERENCE GUBERNATORIAL FORUM

These are my impressions of the Netroots Minnesota gubernatorial forum last night in St. Paul. Nine of the DFL candidates attended. Not in attendance were Tom Bakk and Ole Savior. (I never know whether to even include Ole as a candidate, but I guess he is officially.)

The moderator was Lori Sturdevant from the Minneapolis Star Tribune. She gave the candidates their questions which had been submitted by posters on Facebook and Twitter and well as from the live audience. A question was asked; then the candidates turn turns answering it. Lori started with one candidate and worked through them all, then went on to the next question in the same manner.

This was the best forum yet because the candidates interacted more with each other. The audience was definitely engaged. The energy in the room was high. People were starting to weed out candidates in their own minds.

Instead of going through each question and answer separately, I'll just give an overall impression of each candidate. You can find the exact questions at a couple of other websites which I'll list at the end of this post.

R.T. Rybak - Great impromptu speaker. He had good ideas based on what he did to accomplish things in Minneapolis. One of the other candidates later said that it wasn't a good comparison of what he could accomplish as governor because Minneapolis has a strong Democratic base. Rybak made it clear that he would endorse and work hard for whoever ended up running on the DFL ticket. All of his answers to the various questions were clear and concise. He's a natural public speaker. His answers all sounded excellent. Rybak pointed out how he has brought jobs to Minneapolis and used specific examples. He talked about microgrants for the cleanup of greenhouse gas emissions. His tax policy will be to fix the broken budget, ease up on property taxes, expand sales taxes, raise income taxes and reduce spending. Rybak's closing statement was excellent. It was at the closing statement that the candidates each stood to address the audience. For the other questions they each remained seated. This was Rybak's shining moment. He enjoys being on stage. He has a great stage presence. He knows how to use his floor space. He's got great voice projection and vocal variety. Rybak is very electable because people like him. He's got an energy and charisma that's missing in many of the other candidates.

Susan Gaertner - Is focused on getting things done. She knows we can't improve education until we fix the budget. In her answer to the first question on making higher education affordable to all, she referred to Tim Pawlenty three times. Why? I'm so sick of hearing about Tim Pawlenty. He's gone. Let's move on and look to a glorious future without him (my words, not hers). On abortion access, Gaertner stated that politics should not get in the way of women's health. Again she referred to Pawlenty, saying that he should do things to help children once they're here instead of opposing abortion and then ignoring the children who need help. On greenhouse gas emissions, Gaertner spoke of the Legacy Amendment. On education, she said that children growing up in rural Minnesota should have the same access to education that city kids enjoy. Gaertner has a forceful way of speaking and has no trouble meeting the issues head on. She said, "Courage is my middle name." She wants to hold both kids and parents responsible for the child's success in school. On bringing jobs to Minnesota, Gaertner took the opportunity to lodge a mini protest on the gubernatorial campaign. On taxes, she wants to look at the entire tax structure and not just part of it. In her closing statement, she said she wants to give Minnesota a fresh start. Her mantra is that we all know what needs to get done, but it doesn't get done. She can get it done. Overall, Gaertner presents herself fairly well to the audience. She uses a few too many crutch words and should work on improving her posture. Her intent is to make the audience believe that she's the one who can get things done, and more so than any of the other candidates. My impression is that she's good on a couple of the issues, but not all of them. I'm not sure that her position as Ramsey County Attorney adequately prepares her for the governorship when Minnesota is in serious crisis.

Tom Rukavina - Is too funny. Seriously. He needs to tone down the humor. He's a very funny guy, but uses too many jokes when the focus is on a very serious subject. It's great to sprinkle speeches with humor, but you have to know when to stop. When answering the question about abortion access Rukavina quipped that if Pawlenty had to give birth, he'd be prochoice too. On higher education, he told the audience how he set up an endowment with the mineral rights that the University of Minnesota has on the Iron Range. The endowment is to go for Minnesota's higher education. On greenhouse gas emissions, he said he has already been working on this issue on the Iron Range. He stated that there are already eighty municipal power plants in Minnesota. When asked the question of how he would bring jobs to Minnesota, he talked about a new taconite nugget that's mostly iron. A new plant is expected to bring in many jobs. In his closing statement, Rukavina stated that he is running for governor because he loves Minnesota and he thinks it's going bad. He says Minnesota needs a governor who knows blue collar workers. Rukavina's strongest and weakest point is his ability to bring humor to his presentation and laughter from the audience. He does need to remember that too much of something is not necessarily a good thing.

Mark Dayton - Here's a man who says what he means and means what he says. If Dayton says he's going to do something, you can bet he's going to do it. (You can all look forward to a book signing for me at the Governor's Mansion...) Dayton promised that he would increase state funding every year that he's governor. He'll do this by raising taxes on the rich. This is where we read his lips. The audience always loves it when he says that. I've noticed that it's a phrase that's showing up on blogs all across the internet. Dayton has humor and knows exactly how and when to use it and when to be serious. On abortion access, Dayton supports reproductive choices. He knows that women should have control over their own bodies. On economic growth in Minnesota, Dayton has three goals: well educated, productive citizens; a good infrastructure; excellent public services. I noticed that Thissen was nodding his head in agreement when Dayton was speaking. Indeed, throughout the forum I noticed that several candidates referred back specifically to what Mark said on several of the issues. I got the impression that they looked to him for his many years of experience in government. We might as well just go to the top and vote for him. On education, Dayton wants schools to remain open from 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. so there is access and help available for any student who needs it. The audience seemed to like this idea, for it would provide help for kids who are having trouble at home and at school. Dayton likes kids and sincerely wants to help them have the best life they can. I've seen many pictures of Mark Dayton with kids. You can tell just by looking at the pictures that he has a good time interacting with them. Anyone who loves kids and dogs is top of the line. (I wonder how he feels about cats?) On bringing jobs to Minnesota, Dayton is the best candidate. He learned from Rudy Perpich, who was adept at bringing in jobs. Perpich would talk to anyone or go anywhere to bring in jobs. Dayton definitely knows how to do the same. In his closing statement, he was at his best. He used anecdotes of the days when he taught kids in an inner city school where there were 36 kids in the classroom. He knows the struggles teachers face when classes are overcrowded and underfunded. The audience burst into enthusiastic applause. If the closing statements from the candidates had determined the election, Mark Dayton would have won. This segment was the best I've heard him speak in front of an audience. He's got the passion of Paul Wellstone. He exudes honesty, integrity and compassion. He's got all the qualities necessary for good governorship.

Paul Thissen - He's a new face with a youthful refreshing look. He's gaining a lot of experience and name recognition by running for governor. Keep your eye on him in the future. Thissen is a good speaker and knows how to get his ideas across. He wants to make higher education affordable for all by way of public investment through fair taxes. On greenhouse gas emissions, Thissen says no big power plants. He wants to engage people at individual levels so each person does their part in reducing these emissions. On the question of how he will bring economic growth to Greater Minnesota, Thissen said his focus will be on living in a global economy. He's interested in Angel Investors where small communites pool money together. He says that individuals and businesses in rural communities can shape their own destinies by working together. Thissen's responses to the questions show that he is bright and refreshing. I hope he becomes governor later on down the road after Minnesota is well on the way to recovery and out of crisis. I'm not sure that he has enough experience to handle things as they currently stand. On taxes, Thissen wants more progressive taxes and comprehensive restructuring. One of his main ideas is to get health care costs under control. In his closing statement, Thissen stated that kids' health care is a moral responisbility of society.

John Marty - Reminds me of someone but I couldn't put my finger on it. Tonight it came to me. He reminds me a lot of Richard Thomas (John Boy Walton). Maybe it's the way he presents himself. John Boy was such an upright person and a role model for many. On education, Marty says we as a state must invest in it. Doing so will make our economy thrive. He reminded us that he voted against tax cuts and if he is governor he will undo them. On abortion access, Marty is prochoice but his focus is on preventing unwanted pregnancies in the first place. Good luck on that. On greenhouse gas emissions, Marty wants to change the behavior of each Minnesotan. He's outspoken in issues dealing with the protection of our planet. On economic growth, he says that Minnesota's entire economic system is currently unsustainable. John Marty wants to invest in early education. He referred back to what Mark Dayton said regarding expanding the hours that the schools are open. (Another example of the candidates mostly agreeing with Dayton.) In his closing statement, Marty said he wants to build a better state and referred twice to the url of his website. My impression is that Marty is great on health care reform (he wrote the bill that many hope will be made into law). He's got good ideas. I don't think he'll win the election, though.

Steve Kelley - On higher education, Kelly has a clear goal: every Minnesota child will graduate from some kind of institute of higher education, whether it's a four-year college or a technical school. On abortion access, he thinks the question of abortion should be made by the woman, her doctor, and perhaps, if she chooses, her clergy and/or family. On greenhouse gas emissions and a cleaner environment, Kelley advocates weatherizing low income and senior housing. He also mentioned conservation and using waste. On bringing economic growth to Minnesota, he thinks that bringing broadband infrastructure to all of Minnesota is the way to go. He also wants a diverse ecosystem. On the question asked by a member of the audience regarding which of the candidates would have the courage to hold kids and parents accountable in the education system, Kelley disagreed with the premise of the question. He thinks problems in the schools is an indicator of a far bigger social problem. In order to bring more jobs to Minnesota, Kelley advocates the new energy economy. He said that we must strengthen existing manufacturers. He's all for expanding regenerative medicine such as stem cell research. He also likes electronic storage technology. Kelly has good qualifications on these issues. He's currently a senior fellow at the Humphrey Institute as well as the director of the Center for Science, Technology and Public Policy. He teaches a class in Public Budgeting. My impression is that Kelley has the knowledge to tackle the budget crisis but that he's not the most electable candidate. He just doesn't have enough charisma to sway enough voters.

Margaret Anderson Kelliher - Here we go with the "I grew up on a dairy farm" routine. It's getting old. And here we go with the "I have four older brothers." I almost feel the insinuation that if I don't vote for her, she'll send her big brothers after me. I'm not really sure what my problem with Kelliher is. Does she come across as too egotistical? Too intense? Too opinionated? I think it's some combination of all these things. She's an excellent communicator, though. No crutch words here. I couldnt find even one. On abortion access, she agrees with the other candidates that the decision should be made by the woman, her doctor, her family and perhaps her clergy. On greenhouse gas emissions, she told of the bill on this and emphatically stated, "And I'm the one who got it passed!" On bringing economic growth to Greater Minnesota, she reiterated that she grew up on a dairy farm. (Really? Gosh, I did not know that...) She gave an impromtu speech at this point that sounded canned. I think most people try to give a canned speech that sounds impromptu. On health care, she stated that Minnesota needs to address the issues of disease in Minnesota. Doesn't she know that MDH is already doing an excellent job? All kinds of new ideas have arisen out of that agency, including the new Baskets of Care program. In her closing statement, I felt that Kelliher was too loud. Her focus was on investing in children and families. She likes to boast of her endorsements, but as we all know, endorsements don't necessarily cement the election. Besides, it's Mark Dayton who has the powerful Council 5 AFSCME endorsement. Dayton has Eliot Seide and cronies fully behind him. I think Kelliher is in the running, but I don't think she'll win.

Matt Entenza - Has a nice voice and a nice way of talking to the audience. He exudes Minnesota nice. Entenza agrees that the abortion decision should not be made by the government but by women and their doctors. It's a medical issue. On greenhouse gas emissions, clean energy is his top priority. He states that the governor can't focus on every issue at once; therefore you have to pick which ones to focus on. His is a clean energy economy. He sees a need to help deteriorating small communities in rural Minnesota. He wants to move toward organics and claims that farmers can make more money per acre with organics. He thinks that Minnesota can become the Silicon Valley of clean energy. On taxes, Entenza opposes raising sales taxes. He gave some good rhetoric on the issue. In his closing statement, he talked again about his childhood and how his father ran off on the family and left them destitute. He told about the opportunites he was given to pursue his education. He spoke with sincerity. I felt so sad about his childhood. On the other hand, many of us have a story to tell that's much worse than that. I wouldn't use the story as a way to get sympathy from the audience in an attempt to get votes. I like Matt Entenza. I think he'll be a top runner for the governorship. I'm still going with Mark Dayton, though, as the best choice for Governor of Minnesota.

Watch the video of the forum at The Uptake.