While Gil Gutknecht was hobnobbing with Laura Bush and other Republicans, Tim Walz was worknig a tougher crowd on Wednesday: high school students. The Mankato Free Press reports:
While first lady Laura Bush was busy campaigning for Gil Gutknecht in Rochester Wednesday, Tim Walz spent most of the morning talking to Maple River High School students.
Most of whom can’t vote.
“I’m not here to convince you to vote for me,” he said. “... (I’m) here to tell you why you should care.”
While the Walz stop was rather surprising given the time element, perhaps the more interesting fact is he isn’t the only area candidate who has made a pit stop at Maple River High School.
State House candidates Tony Cornish and Jim Peterson, state Senate candidate Julie Rosen and now U.S. House candidate Walz have all chatted with classes at the high school of about 430 students.
Maple River is still waiting on confirmation from Gutknecht and Rosen’s opponent Dave Wertjes, but Principal Dan Anderson said there is a good chance both will swing by before the election — meaning students would get a chance to hear from opposing candidates in three key area races.
“It’s a great opportunity to learn about how the system works,” Anderson said. “You look at the amount of 18- to 25 year-olds that vote, and it’s not a very good percentage.”
Besides getting students interested in voting, the visits give them a true taste of the democratic process.
And when the politicians/candidates come, students are expected to be prepared. Before each visit, they’re given a list of topics and asked to construct a question and ask candidates.
Which is exactly what happened Wednesday. After Walz gave a brief introduction, students quizzed him about topics including college tuition, the Iraq war, Social Security and campaign advertisements.
Maple River social studies teacher and Mapleton Mayor Jim Swanson has been instrumental to getting the politicians to come to the town and talk, Anderson said.
“He’s very good about getting both sides in,” Anderson said. “(Students) think it’s pretty neat that they’re here.”
Twelfth-grader Brad Caldwell is one of them.
Unlike most of his of classmates, Caldwell recently turned 18, so he’ll be casting a vote Nov. 7. Although he already has opinions about each candidate and certain issues, it certainly helps to hear their views firsthand, he said.
“It helps to get to know (candidates),” Caldwell said. “It’s nice to know they pay attention to us.”
MANKATO FREE PRESS LTE: WALZ WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT RETURNING SOLDIERS Ruth Harvey of St. Peter shares her experience during Max Cleland's visit:
I just attended an event for First District U.S. Congressional candidate Tim Walz in which former Senator Max Cleland, head of the VA under President Carter, spoke in support of Walz.
My husband, as well as his dad and uncles, my brother, my father and my uncles all served their country in the military. Walz himself and Cleland have also served with honor in the military. Their position is that the troops now serving be treated fairly, whether they are National Guard, Reserves or regular military. This rings true coming from Walz and Cleland. It is not something the current administration or Republican Congress honors. The troops and families of troops that are now being wounded or killed are paying a huge price, without the necessary help from the VA, because this Congress and White House have underfunded and voted against these essential programs.
For what is spent in one month in Iraq, the VA could be put back on track and our returning troops could be given the help they need to return to their jobs, families and lives. I myself have issues with the war in Iraq, but I have always felt that “support our troops” should mean support not only while they serve, but once they come home, too. Walz is the guy who will make that happen.
10/26/06 FOX NEWS POLL: DEMOCRATS PREFERRED ON MOST ISSUES
Gil Gutknecht may have told a Republican audience in Rochester that their party will pick up seats in November's election, but the preferred news source for conservatives doesn't support his set of facts:
NEW YORK — Less than two weeks before Election Day, Democrats hold a double-digit lead over Republicans among likely voters in the Congressional election — not surprising, as Democrats are seen as the party that can do a better job on almost all of the top issues facing the country today, according to a new FOX News poll. Republicans still have the advantage on one of their traditional strengths — handling the issue of terrorism, although
President George W. Bush’s job rating is essentially unchanged this week: 40 percent of voters say they approve of the job Bush is doing and 53 percent disapprove. And the vote for Congress looks similar to those numbers — in reverse.
Today Democrats have an 11-percentage point advantage in the Congressional election (49-38 percent), up from a 9-point edge over Republicans two weeks ago.
Almost all Democrats would vote for their party’s candidate (92 percent), and most Republicans would vote Republican (85 percent). Independents are more likely to back the Democrat in their district by 14 points (43 percent to 29 percent).
About one in 10 voters who backed President Bush in the 2004 election (11 percent) say they will support the Democratic candidate in their district — by comparison, 6 percent of those who voted for Kerry say they will vote for the Republican.
Fox also looks at targeting voters in the First. They report; you decide.
MORE NETROOTS
Minnesota Monitor has posted a issue-by-issue comparison of Walz and Gutknecht's positions.
The Blue Catablog putsthe Fighting First on a list of smart places to contribute:
7) Tim Walz (MN-1): This Army National Guard veteran and High School coach and teacher just got the endorsement of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune over incumbent Gil Gutknecht, who the paper had endorsed two years ago. In a seat that also was thought to be safe GOP. Tim has accomplished all this by raising under $1 million, so you know that his campaign uses its funds wisely.
The Wege puts the First Lady's visit in context of an unpopular war and its consequences for the troops.
Comments