A Bluestem Prairie

Latest WSJ: Tim Walz on "The Clean Up Crew"

Jackie Calmes and Greg Hitt look at a dozen faces to watch in Can the Class of 2006 Save the Democrats? Pro-business, conservative and military candidates may be key to victory; look for tension with the left.

If the polls turn out to be correct and the Democrats rack up big congressional gains Tuesday, they will have to thank a crop of candidates who don't look like a lot of the Democrats already in Washington. . .

[snip]

The Clean-Up Crew

Democrats need a net gain of 15 seats to take over the House. In at least 20 contests, Democratic challengers are either running against Republican incumbents in ethics or legal scrapes, or against Republicans tarnished by others' scandals.

These new Democrats could form the nucleus of a reform movement similar to Republicans' own when they captured Congress in the "Republican Revolution" in 1994.

The newcomers could provide the critical mass for those old-guard Democrats who are waiting with proposed reforms. With Mrs. Pelosi's support, a so-called Gang of Four -- Reps. David Price of North Carolina, Tom Allen of Maine, Barney Frank of Massachusetts and David Obey of Wisconsin -- have a 20-point plan. It includes calls for more open debate in Congress, restrictions on lobbyists, and limits on spending earmarks for special projects. Earmarks have figured in several scandals of late.

Similarly, should Democrats win a majority, they'll confront pressure to limit their chairmen's terms, as Republicans did. That's something the old guard would vehemently oppose, having waited a dozen years to regain power.

How compromising the newcomers will be remains to be seen. Tim Walz, a high school teacher challenging Republican Rep. Gil Gutknecht in Minnesota, backs a ban on privately funded congressional trips, which won't sit well with some long-serving lawmakers. He also proposes a strengthened House ethics committee. He and other would-be members of the Class of 2006 will have allies among activists who have lent their support online: the "crashing-the-gate" crowd, as he calls them. "They're expecting us to be a voice...to speak up for real reform," Walz says.

ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE: DFL BUS TOUR DRAWS FULL HOUSE
Closer to home, the Albert Lea Tribune reports on the DFL candidate North Star Tour in Klobuchar tour stops in A.L.:            

By Sarah Light, staff writerSaturday, November 4, 2006 3:47 PM CST

This election is about putting the people of Minnesota first, said U.S. Senate candidate Amy Klobuchar Friday during a campaign stop in Albert Lea.

“These are real people in the real world, and they live in Minnesota,” Klobuchar said.

She stopped at the Union Center to a full house of supporters totaling more than 100 Friday morning with Democrats U.S. Congress candidate Tim Walz, Minnesota State Sen. Dan Sparks, Secretary of State candidate Mark Ritchie and Minnesota House candidate Robin Brown.

[snip]

Walz commended Klobuchar in his introduction and told attendees she embodies everything that is good about Minnesota.

He also commended each of the other candidates in attendance.

“We have got the strongest ticket I’ve ever seen here,” Walz said. “We’re going to make history.”

After their speeches, each of the candidates socialized with the people in attendance, posed for photos and signed autographs.

During a short interview afterward with the Tribune, Klobuchar said the biggest issues she had come across during her time campaigning are the rural economy, affordable health care and a change in the course of the war of Iraq.

“People know I’m running my own campaign, and we’ve been very focused on change in Washington,” she said.

After her speech, resident Dean Means said he thinks Klobuchar’s best attribute to offer to Minnesota is her bright ideas.

“I’m just glad they came and that they’re able to give us a message of hope,” he said.

                  

Rochester volunteer second wave

While the Twin Cities media may concentrate its coverage on the "star power" of political celebrities like John McCain and Barack Obama, a genuine grassroots campaign draws its power from everyday people who show up.   

An afternoon wave of volunteers has come to headquarters. 

Some of the volunteers are old hands. Others have been drawn by a desire to change our country's direction.Sue Benson (pictured in this post) signed up at a rally and showed up to doorknock a neighborhood in Rochester.

Other people are phoning undecided voters in an attempt to persuade them to vote for Tim Walz and other DFL candidates. 

The volunteers are optimistic, yet working as if Tim Walz is down by 10 points, rather than running neck-to-neck in a tight race.  If you are able to join them, sign up to volunteer here.

We're off to Mankato, for more observation and reporting.  More later.

Walz barnstorms district with Al Franken

Still in Rochester--Tim Walz has just shown up to greet volunteers for the afternoon shift.  Reports are filtering in of large volunteer turnouts on a day that was rainy and dreary, but has turned as pleasant a November Saturday afternoon as one could hope.  We'll have pictures in a bit.

There's more campaigning tomorrow. Sunday’s tour includes stops in Owatonna, Albert Lea, Austin, St. Charles, Winona and St. Peter.

Sunday, Nov. 5th
Noon-12:30pm
Door knock kick off in Owatonna Plaza
Morena Restaurant 369 18th St SE
Owatonna, MN

12:30-1:30
Event at Union Center, Albert Lea
1407 N Hwy 13 Albert Lea, MN  

1:30-2:30
Event Austin Union Center
316 NE 4th Ave Austin, MN

3:00-4:00
Event in St. Charles at the High School
830 Whitewater Avenue
St. Charles, MN                         

4:30-5:30
Winona State University Event
WSU campus,
Student Union Commons, lower level

7:30-8:30
Gustavus Adolphus College
Event Courtyard Café-
bottom floor of Student Union

Late morning netroots and news: Gutknecht's farewell tour?

VOX VERAX: MANKATO FREE PRESS LETTERS
Leigh Pomeroy opens the print edition of today's Mankato Free Press and finds letters that aren't online yet.  He likes this one supporting Walz:

And this from Clinton Meyer, who lives in the nearby small farming community of Wells:
Last election, I voted for Gutknecht, this year I’m voting for Tim Walz.

I got a call from the Republican Party talking about how Walz is for higher taxes because he would repeal the Bush tax cuts, blah, blah, blah...

I interrupted after the “soft on terror” and “raise your taxes” portion and said, “ma’am... I am an independent voter and have voted for Gil in the past... but his comments about Walz’s position on taxes and terror are so far out of context, they are not true. I don’t believe them and won’t vote for Gil again.”

Gutknecht blindly supports Bush and Iraq is a civil war we cannot afford and cannot win.

She then said “sir... I personally agree with you and wouldn’t vote for Gil either... but this is my job.”

PIPESTONE STAR: GUTKNECHT'S FAREWELL TOUR?
The Pipestone Star reports that Gil Gutknecht has started a 22-town, 3 day bus tour across the First. Those who wish to say good-bye to Gutknecht can catch the schedule here.

Gutknecht has been telling people this isn't the race he wanted.  But for many district residents, Tim Walz is running exactly the kind of campaign they'd hoped for.

Rochester doorknock and phone bank

We thought we were early for the launch of a door knock and phone bank for DFL candidates in Rochester, for we didn't see any cars when we pulled into the front parking lot in the rain.

It's that way sometimes--bad weather can trump good intentions. 

However, as soon as we got out of the car, three more vehicles pulled up--and we soon learned that the entrance to the Rochester DFL office was around the corner.

The back parking lot was full and the main room at party headquarters was already half full when we walked in the door.  More volunteers streamed in as we set up our laptop: young, old, middle aged, single, parents and grandparents with toddlers in tow.

So many people have volunteered that the Rochester office had to secure more space in the building where it rents; as I type, staffers and volunteers are setting up more workstations.

The DFL is charged up in Rochester--it's no accident that the city is trending blue.  Organizing and mobilizing are essential. Voter contact is the name of the game, and the volunteers are the heart of the game now, and Walz supporters are out in force now.

They came out in the rain, and the rain stopped.  It's just that kind of campaign.

Want to help make history in the Fighting First? Sign up to help Tim Walz.

GOTV Saturday morning: Clapping and cheering edition

KIMT-3: EVERYWHERE, CLAPPING, CHEERING, HONKING
The CBS affiliate in Mason City/Austin/Rochester reports on Campaign Bus Stops in Southern Minnesota:

United States Senate Democratic candidate Amy Klobuchar's "campaign for change" bus tour made stops in Austin and Albert Lea. Klobuchar spoke to large crowds endorsing other democratic candidates including united states congressman hopeful Tim Walz. She says he's the man for the job and support is high.

" Everywhere we go people are clapping and they're honking and they're cheering, so it's really been a lot fun," said Klobuchar.

Tim Walz is trying to knock off twelve year incumbent republican congressman Gil Gutknecht. . . .

WINONA DAILY NEWS: REPUBLICAN KICKING OFF TOUR TO SHORE UP SUPPORT IN FINAL DAYS
There may be a lot of clapping and cheering accompanying Klobuchar and Walz, but  things sounded a bit more subdued at the Winona County GOP headquarters. In Gutknecht: It's about values; Republican kicking off tour to shore up support in final days, the Winona Daily News reports:

. . .The Rochester Republican spoke Friday morning to about 15 supporters at the Winona County Republican Party office, kicking off an intense three-day bus tour across southern Minnesota in an attempt to shore up support in the election season’s final days.

The 12-year incumbent Gutknecht faces DFL challenger Tim Walz in a tight race for the 1st District House seat; recent polls have shown the two deadlocked.

Gutknecht was joined by Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., who planned to tour with Gutknecht throughout the day. . . .

This isn't the campaign Gutknecht had planned:

Gutknecht acknowledged that the race has been tougher than his campaign originally expected, and blamed Walz’s campaign for his struggles, saying they and other special-interest groups have spent nearly $2 million on advertising and other initiatives that falsely portray his positions.

“This is not really the campaign I wanted to run,” he said. “We had some beautiful ads in the can. But starting October, we’ve been under attack from every group you can imagine. We’ve had to tell the story in a somewhat different way.”

Walz campaign spokeswoman Meredith Salsbery said Friday that Gutknecht’s accusation is baseless.

“We have spent time comparing (Walz’s) standpoints to Gil,” she said. “(Gutknecht) can think they’re negative … but we take votes right out of the congressional record.”

She added: “We have spent time talking about the positive things Tim has done and the things in his background that make him a good candidate for Congress and a good leader … we’re proud of the campaign we ran.”

Gutknecht told attendees he’s confident he can win with their support and urged them to work on his behalf over the weekend.

“If our voters turn out as I think they will, we’re going to win this race very comfortably,” Gutknecht said. “If they decide they don’t have to get out and vote, well, we could wake up on Wednesday and be pretty disappointed.”

MANKATO FREE PRESS:  PEP RALLY IN ST. PETER
The story was a bit different in St. Peter, where the Walz segment of the Klobuchar bus tour ended. The Mankato Free Press reports in Klobuchar leads pep rally in St. Peter:

About two dozen young supporters waving campaign signs and chanting “Amy, Amy, Amy” greeted Amy Klobuchar as she stepped off of her tour bus at Gustavus Adolphus College Friday afternoon.

The Democratic U.S. Senate candidate was flanked by family members, campaign staff and Tim Walz, the Democratic candidate for Congress in the 1st District. St. Peter was one of seven stops on a last-minute campaign swing through Minnesota, taking Klobuchar from Austin to St. Cloud.

The chanting grew louder when Klobuchar entered the C. Charles Jackson Campus Center and was met with a stairwell packed with college-age supporters.

One member of her campaign staff, upon stepping into the frenzy, said to another: “This is good. This is really good.”

Klobuchar later said the goal in the final days of the race against Republican Mark Kennedy is to energize the local DFL base. Student supporters planned a door-knocking campaign after the rally that would begin on St. Peter streets and end in the dorms at Gustavus.

DFLer Terry Morrow, a candidate in state House District 23A, opened the rally with a reference to a recent campaign controversy.

“There’s been a little bit of a story about E-85,” Morrow said, alluding to the apparent ignorance of the corn-based ethanol fuel blend displayed by the DFL candidate for lieutenant governor. On Thursday, Judi Dutcher seemed stumped by a reporter’s question.

Morrow pointed out that both he and Walz drive E-85 vehicles, to cheers from the audience.

When Walz took the stage, he noted that early on many people called his bid against Rep. Gil Gutknecht, R-Rochester, a “pipe dream.” But he said his “integrity, honesty and hard work” will prove doubters wrong.

“It can be done,” he said. Indeed, recent polls show the two are neck-and-neck.

Walz promised to “move us forward without fear, but with hope and courage.” . . .

ROCHESTER POST BULLETIN: BARNSTORMING
The P-B's Washington Bureau correspondent Edward Felker reports on the weekend's schedule of barnstorming. Felker describes Thursday night's GOTV rally in Rochester with Garrison Keillor:

. . . Gutknecht was to tour the district by bus through Monday, his campaign manager Bryan Anderson said. Walz was to do much the same, though without the bus, and planned to spend Sunday making stops with radio host and satirist Al Franken, said campaign manager Meredith Salsbery.

Sunday will mark the second celebrity campaign event in four days for Walz, who enjoyed stage time Thursday with celebrated Minnesotan and radio host Garrison Keillor and singer Martin Zellar for a DFL candidate rally at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester.

Keillor was the clear draw for about 300 party faithful and others who jammed into the Rochester Art Center. He endorsed Walz and called for an end to the Republican dominance of Congress in Washington.

Keillor limited his criticism of Gutknecht to his support for the war in Iraq, at least until this summer, when Gutknecht returned from an official visit and questioned the lack of progress toward a stable democratic nation.

Keillor said he has met Gutknecht and is someone he personally likes but said voters should remember his support for the war before this summer. "He has made a terrible, terrible choice, and only in the last few months, facing the fact that he would be facing a disgusted electorate, he has begun to have qualms about his war. It is too late. You must be held responsible for what you have done."

Keillor, who held a fundraiser for Walz at his St. Paul home this summer, said later he was impressed early on with Walz's determination to mount a credible campaign. "I wanted people to know he was not a token candidate, that he was out there working for it," Keillor said.

Brad Finseth, 53, of Rochester, whose son is in the Army and recently returned from Iraq, said he liked Walz because of his military background in the National Guard. Finseth said Walz has a chance to win in what has long been considered Republican territory, due to his opposition to the war. "People are getting sick and tired of the whole thing," he said. . . .

ROCHESTER POST-BULLETIN LTES
Yet another voter brings up Gutknecht's conservation record. Jon E. Rosenblatt writes:

Gil Gutknecht declined to participate in an environmental forum held in Rochester on Oct. 5, citing a busy schedule.

Tim Walz attended and discussed a variety of subjects, including the need to seek alternative non-polluting sources of energy, global warming, ways to improve the water quality of our lakes and rivers, and preservation of our wilderness areas.

Although Rep. Gutknecht did not attend, we do have his voting record. The non-partisan League of Conservation Voters Scorecard gave him scores of 0 percent, 0 percent, 25 percent, and 0 percent over the past four years for his legislative votes on environmental issues This is the lowest score among all the members of Minnesota's congressional delegation.

Tim Walz will bring to Congress a Minnesota concern for the environment and its importance to our health and quality of life, something which has been lacking from our current representative.

In Gutknecht misled us writes Chris Clark:

Gil Gutknecht misled us in 1994 when he said he would serve no more than six terms and here he is, running for a seventh term. . . .

GOTV LIVE COVERAGE
We will be traveling around the district today, gathering snapshots and anecdotes from Tim Walz's GOTV efforts. The miracle of wireless will also allow us to keep up with the breaking news.

Rochester Post Bulletin: Gutknecht's claims about National Guard award "not completely accurate"

In a Rochester Post Bulletin article about barnstorming by the congressional candidates in the white-hot First, we found this information about Gil Gutknecht's new ad:

Both campaigns continued to flood the airwaves with paid advertising. Gutknecht this week unveiled an ad in which he points to a 2001 award from the National Guard Association of the United States, the Charles Dick Medal of Merit, as proof of his support for veterans and soldiers, counter to criticism of him by Walz.

Gutknecht says the award is from the National Guard and that it is the highest award that can be given to an elected official, but those claims are not completely accurate. The award is not from the guard but from the association, a private nonpartisan organization of 45,000 current and former guardsmen, and the award is given to elected officials and typically a handful a year are so honored, a spokesman said Thursday.

The association's highest accolade is the Harry S. Truman award, given to one individual annually. The 2006 winner was Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., who stands to become the next chairman of the House Armed Services Committee if Democrats win a majority in the House on Tuesday.

On the other hand, we find that Gutknecht may have played a key role in the War On Typos:

Gutknecht spent the day making appearances with U.S. Chamber of Commerce Vice President Doug Loon. The chamber has endorsed Gutknecht, and on Thursday the Gutknecht campaign circulated a letter from Nebraska Chamber of Commerce President Barry L. Kennedy that challenged Walz' claim that he won a 1993 award from the Nebraska chamber.

Walz amended his Internet site to note the award was from the Nebraska Junior Chamber of Commerce, also known as the Jaycees, and Salsbery characterized the flap as a "typographical error." Kennedy said in an interview that he had not spoken with Walz before sending the letter.

More about the typo at The Wege and  Mr. Barry Kennedy at Yowling.

OLLIE OX UPDATE
The Walz-Gutknecht contest makes the pages of the Guardian in London:

And in Minnesota, Tim Walz, who was deployed to Italy after the September 11, 2001 attacks, surprised Democratic strategists when he made his race competitive against Republican Gil Gutknecht. "We were kind of the dark horse that nobody expected," says spokeswoman Meredith Salsbery.

 

NPR: Minnesota House Seat May Depend on War Issues

On "All things Considered," Michelle Norris reports from the Fighting First that Minnesota House Seat May Depend on War Issues:

All Things Considered, November 3, 2006 · In Minnesota's 1st Congressional District, the race pits a once-safe Republican incumbent, Rep. Gil Gutknecht, against a National Guard veteran and high school teacher, Tim Walz.

Walz has made Iraq a centerpiece of his campaign, and as a 24-year member of the Minnesota National Guard, he delivers a authoritative critique of the war -- and its Republican supporters.

The race falls in a district of independent-minded voters that has trended Republican in recent elections. But support for the war has been falling. And during a recent visit to the area, the war in Iraq seemed to be the main issue on voters' minds. Some residents who voted for Gutknecht in previous elections now say they aren't sure they'll cast their ballot for him next week.

Sound should be up soon. Norris has talked to local barbers in Owatonna, rather than just the usual herd of political scientists.

                                                                                   

Change starts here: new Walz ad

Dobson column: Vote to return to our nation's values

No, not that Dobson.  Rather, Larry Dobson of Dodge Center, Minnesota, owner and editor of the Community News Corp, which publishes local papers in Bryon, Hayfield, and Dodge Center.

These are the values he's writing about:

. . .Our system was founded on values expressed in the Declaration of Independence and codified in the Constitution of the United States. It is time to return to those values upon which our nation was built.

It seems to me the most important votes we will cast this election are those for U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

Mark Kennedy and Gil Gutknecht have both had several years of opportunity to address the problems facing our nation today relative to terrorism and the Iraq War. Neither of them has done anything except rubber stamp whatever the Bush Administration does.

Neither of them has taken any action to hold Halliburton or its subsidiaries accountable for defrauding the U.S. Government of funds in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Katrina recovery.

Neither of them has done anything to clean up the corruption and perversion that permeates the Nation's Capitol today.

Neither of them has done anything to hold the Bush Administration accountable for the deceptive and incompetent leadership it has provided.

Neither of them has stood up for the values expressed in the Declaration of Independence and codified in the Constitution of the United States.

I don't think either of them is worthy of the privilege of representing us. . . .

Read the whole thing.

Pioneer Press/MPR poll on Congress: Can't get no satisfaction

Patrick Sweeney looks at a new Pioneer Press/MPR poll's findings on Minnesota's voter opinions of congress.  One word: Ouch!:

Only 14 percent of Minnesota voters are satisfied with the way Congress has been doing its job, according to a new poll conducted for the Pioneer Press and Minnesota Public Radio.

That's a low number — even for an institution that never rates highly with the U.S. public — and the dissatisfaction is likely to hurt Republicans in Tuesday's election, a congressional scholar said Thursday.

Seventy percent of the registered voters questioned in the statewide poll from Oct. 26 through Monday, said they disapproved of Congress' performance.

"That's astonishingly low," Steven Smith, a political science professor at Washington University in St. Louis, said of the 14 percent approval rating.

Smith said Congress often rates poorly, but that "approval ratings in the 30s and 40s are very, very common."

He said the poll findings reflect a national dissatisfaction with Congress. It stems partly from the war in Iraq, partly from recent scandals involving Republican lawmakers and partly from questions by voters about Congress' basic competency.

"It tends to hurt the party in power," Smith said of the likely impact. "One might think the public would take it out on all incumbents, but the historical record doesn't show that."

He said the national anti-Republican mood almost certainly is a big reason Democratic challenger Tim Walz is running even in national polls with U.S. Rep. Gil Gutknecht, a six-term Republican incumbent in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District. . . .

The best cure for dissatisfaction is grassroots action.  Volunteer for Tim Walz's campaign GOTV efforts. 

Walz on his service record

In today's Winona Daily News, Tim Walz responds to a letter questioning his military service and motives for retiring from the National Guard:

Serving with pride for 24 years

By Tim Walz | Candidate, U.S. Congress, Minnesota First District | Mankato, Minn.

I am writing in response to Tom Hagen’s lies about my service record. My biography on my official campaign website simply states that “prior to retiring, Walz served overseas with his battalion in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.”

From this, Mr. Hagen makes the ridiculous claim that I am misleading voters that I served in combat in Iraq. After completing 20 years of service in 2001, I re-enlisted to serve our country for an additional four years following Sept. 11 and retired the year before my battalion was deployed to Iraq in order to run for Congress. I’m proud of the 24 years I served our country in the Army National Guard. There’s a code of honor among those who’ve served, and normally this type of partisan political attack comes only from one who’s never worn a uniform.

Mr. Hagen, if you were confused about my service, you could have checked my Web site, or simply had the decency to call and ask me. When you dishonor a veteran, you dishonor all soldiers and veterans. You owe an apology to all those who serve honorably.

Walz addresses the timing of his retirement.  As for the  way Walz represents the nature of his service in  Operation Enduring Freedom, we had posted a passage about this letter on Wednesday when we looked  at LTEs in the Winona Daily News:

One negative letter complaining that Walz misrepresents his military service.

Funny, but back on July 22, Bluestem Prairie looked at how Tim Walz represented his service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  Walz wrote a letter about it to the Mankato Free Press in late July, responding to a query in the Free Press.  Back then, we did find an example of a well-known conservative blogger doing some creative editing of a CQ Politics article--the blogger's edits gave a false impression.  Check out what we wrote in August. 

Perhaps David Bonnifield and other Iraq veterans supporting Walz can take this issue up.

Let's unpack one of those "cursorized" links:

Tim Walz has always been quite clear that while he was deployed with his National Guard battalion as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, he did not serve in country, but rather in a support function overseas. 

Let's take a look at some of these representations.  The DCCC has this:

After he was named the Outstanding Young Nebraskan by the Nebraska [Junior] Chamber of Commerce for his service in the education, military, and small business communities, Walz served overseas with his battalion in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

From his web site bio:

Prior to retiring, Walz served overseas with his battalion in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Operation Enduring Freedom is the name for the conflict in Afghanistan. Surely Gates knows this, as well as what "in support of" means.

But don't take my word for it.  Major Gates could go straight to the one Walz supporter whom he mentions in the letter: Al Franken.  On Tuesday, January 24, 2006, Air America  featured Tim Walz as a "Fighting Dem." Here's what the Air America web site says:

Tim Walz is a National Guard vet, a high school history teacher and served in Italy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Walz, spent 24 years in the Army National Guard before retiring in the spring as a command sergeant major.

UPDATE: Tim Walz has also been pretty clear about his service in interviews and news articles.  Take this exchange in the widely  circulated City Pages interview:

CP: You are a member of the Minnesota National Guard. How long was your active service?

Walz: I did two stints where I was full-time. I did it in 1989 and then again in 1992. Then in '03 and '04 I did 10 months with Operation Enduring Freedom, where, by luck of the draw, I served in Italy. It was originally Turkey or Iraq and then they changed it to Enduring Freedom and I said, "That's Afghanistan." But they said, "You guys are going to do the supply lines between Turkey and England." We provided total base security and the training for soldiers coming in.

And in an article in Capital Eye, a money-in-politics newsletter from the Center for Responsive Politics, Walz provided straight-forward information about his service:

Walz, who participated in Operation Enduring Freedom—the U.S. military action in Afghanistan—from a base in Italy, called fundraising a “necessary evil” and said he doesn’t like making calls outside of his district.

And here's an excerpt from a  2004 Nick Coleman column about Walz' threatened ejection from the Bush rally, the incident that later prompted Walz to run for office after he had retired from the National Guard:

Walz is a first sergeant in the 125th Field Artillery Battalion in New Ulm. He returned in April from duty providing security at a U.S. base in Italy. (Star Tribune, August 13, 2004)

From a Roll Call article reprinted on Veterans for America in 2005:

Tim Walz, for his part, served in Italy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Now back in Minnesota, the Mankato High School teacher is taking on Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-Minn.) next year.

From the BBC in March 2006 in an article about veterans running for office:

Also running are Bronze Star winner Patrick Murphy (Pennsylvania), Joseph Sestak Jr (Pennsylvania) a Navy veteran, and Tim Walz (Minnesota) who served in Italy in support of the Afghan mission.

We don't know Mr. Hagen and the two other reservists who are making this attack (the letter was also printed in the New Ulm Journal over three signatures).

From all indications, they served honorably in the military. Their service to the country should not be questioned. 

Rather, what is at question is their judgement in launching a last-minute attack on the eve of a close election.

Don't like dirty politics? Then make sure it isn't rewarded. Volunteer with the Walz campaign and become part of one of the best grassroots congressional campaigns rural Minnesota has seen. GOTV is the name of the game now through November 7.

Rothenberg: MN-01 pure toss-up

The Rothenberg Political Report has moved MN-01 into the Pure Toss-up category.

Thursday afternoon: "Action over ideology"

ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE ENDORSES WALZ: WALZ OFFERS LEADERSHIP, ANSWERS
So far by our count, the New Ulm Journal has endorsed Gil Gutknecht, and we anticipate the Fairmont Sentinel doing the same.

Among the Fighting First's other daily papers, the Winona Daily News, the Mankato Free Press, and the Worthington Daily Globe have endorsed Tim Walz. The Strib also endorsed Walz, as did the weekly St. Peter Herald.

Now the Albert Lea Tribune joins them with Walz offers answers, leadership:

The Tribune endorsed U.S. Rep. Gil Gutknecht two years ago over a weak opponent. The Democratic Party this year has put forward a qualified candidate for Minnesota’s 1st District congressman. Tim Walz — a Mankato Teacher of the Year, a former high school football coach with two state titles and a veteran of the Army National Guard — is a well-spoken, intelligent leader. What he does, he does well. You can bet he will listen to the concerns of District 1 constituents.

Gutknecht has served in Washington for 12 years. In that time, he hasn’t become an influential member of the Republican Party.

Most conservatives in southern Minnesota who support the Republican Party do so because of its candidates often talk about the reduction of government expenditures. In fact, when Gutknecht stopped in Albert Lea on Oct. 17, he said that when he was elected in 1994 he was concerned about the debt the federal government was accumulating.

“I wanted to stop spending our grandchildren’s money,” he told the audience.

He has voted for every spending bill President Bush put in front of Congress, racking up more debt that his and your grandchildren will have to pay off. Essentially, that’s taxation without representation. And in 1994 he called for 12-year term limits, but he’s still running.

Gutknecht is conservative in talk, not in action.

Further, Gutknecht repeats he is “frustrated with Iraq,” but fails to see the problems of the Iraq War. He offers criticism of Walz’s plan more than answers of his own.

Walz opposes immediate withdrawal but supports milestones to bring troops home. He has been a vocal opponent of Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. Tax cuts for the middle class will help 1st District voters. He wants a balanced budget. Funding of federal education mandates will relieve the property tax burden. His call for negotiating for lower drug costs will help everyday folks, too. Walz offers voters more complete answers on every subject, from agriculture to immigration. Voters appreciate knowing the candidate’s intentions.

And, to point out a character trait, Walz seems more comfortable talking to District 1 residents than Gutknecht.

Gutknecht offers ideology. Walz offers action.

It’s time for a change.

POST-BULLETIN: ICE CREAM SOCIAL TIME
Staff writer John Weiss travels the back roads for the P-B. Here's one story he picked up:

PETERSON -- Mike and Karlin Symons moved permanently into a grand old home on the outskirts of Peterson a few months ago after buying it in 1994 as a weekend getaway spot.

They came down here, Mike still doing some consulting work and Karlin as a retired corporate attorney, to enjoy the quiet. And to continue with a tradition she started in the Twin Cities - hosting meet-the-candidate events.

When she was growing up, her mother, Alpha Smaby, was in the Minnesota Legislature and she often held open houses - sort of like ice-cream socials - for people to come and meet candidates. Anyone was welcome, it's important for people to push past the ads, brochures and fliers and look candidates in the eye, see how they respond, she said.

They looked into Democratic Congressional candidate Tim Walz. "We were just blown away at how sensible he was," Karlin said. They liked him enough to hold an open house for Walz Sunday.

It's not that they are hard-core Democrats, she said. She votes Democrat about 90 percent of the time, he's more independent. "I look at people and how they go about doing their work," he said. He listens to their pronouns - do they use 'I' and 'me' a lot or 'we' and 'us'?

In this case, they were impressed with Walz's background, his positions and he happens to be Democrat.

They realize they are in an area that has been more Republican but don't think that will be the only thing determining how their neighbors vote. "The people we have met are absolutely smart, self-reliant, engaged ," Karlin said.

POST-BULLETIN: MORE CAMPAIGN EVENTS
The Rochester Post Bulletin notes more campaign events:

The political events keep coming in southeastern Minnesota at a fast pace, as candidates seek to make good impressions leading into Tuesday's election.

• Minnesota humorist and author Garrison Keillor will join 1st District House candidate Tim Walz for a Get Out the Vote rally at 5:30 p.m. today at Rochester Art Center, 40 Civic Center Drive S.E. Music begins at 5 p.m. DFL candidates will be present, including Mike Hatch (governor), Lori Swanson (attorney general), Mark Ritchie (secretary of state) and Rebecca Otto (auditor). National recording artist and Austin resident Martin Zellar, formerly of the Gear Daddies, will perform.

• The Minnesota News Network will host a debate between the two major party candidates for U.S. Senate, Mark Kennedy and Amy Klobuchar. The debate will be from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. today in the grand ballroom at Mayo Civic Center. The event is free and open to the public.

• Klobuchar and Walz will host a get-out-the-vote rally at 8 a.m. Friday at the DFL office in Austin, 129 N. Main St. Doors will open at 7:45 a.m.

MSU REPORTER LTE: TUITION INCREASES A DECIDING FACTOR IN ELECTIONS
Hat-tip to Vox Verax: Casey Carmody, a political science student, writes about his experience with Gil Gutknecht while lobbying on higher education issues:

Before Tuesday's election, I wanted to relay some very important information to Minnesota State - Mankato students about one the candidate's wishing to represent them by being elected to Minnesota's First Congressional District.

Recently, I met Representative Gil Gutknecht while lobbying for student concerns in Washington D.C. I was immediately impressed with the representative because even though he had an extremely busy schedule that day, he wanted to sit down and meet with me and two other students I was with. Unfortunately, this feeling was short-lived. When one of my colleagues began asking for the congressman to support an increase in the amount of money available through the Pell Grant (a grant for students whose families can not help pay for college by any means possible), Rep. Gutknecht immediately interrupted her and said students need to stop asking for higher education funding from the federal government and need to start focusing on talking to the universities about curbing tuition. He then started quoting tuition increases University of Minnesota students have faced in the past 10 years.

Just in case you didn't know, the U of M is not even in Rep. Gutknecht's congressional district. Winona State University is though. Minnesota State - Mankato is too. Rep. Gutknecht was quite surprised when the other students and I told him the rate of tuition increases at these two universities was much higher than that of the U of M. He did not know Mankato students have experienced an increase in tuition of 67 percent in the past five years. He did not know Winona students have experienced an increase in tuition of 73 percent in the past five years. Rep. Gutknecht had no idea of what was going on at two of the largest colleges in the state, both of which he is supposed to represent in the U.S. House of Representatives. This means he is misrepresenting more than 20,000 students at these two colleges alone, not to mention the several community and technical colleges that are within his district. Not once does he mention higher education as being an important issue on his campaign website or on his congressional website. He has repeatedly dismissed education as being a secondary concern. Clearly, Rep. Gutknecht is out of touch with what students need. Is this someone we really want to be representing us, Minnesota State - Mankato students, in Congress? I don't know, but it is definitely something to keep in mind when you head to the polls Nov. 7th.

MNOBSERVER AT YOWLING: GUTKNECHT SEEKS OUT HELP FROM "PIG MAN" WHO KICKED WOMEN OUT OF JAYCEES
MnObserver turns her clear gaze toward the Fighting First, and discovers that Gutknecht once more shows his acumen in judging an ally's character:

Gil Gutknecht, desperate as ever to smear Tim Walz, has turned for help to a man who has a history of actively working to keep women out of one of the country's most popular civic organizations.

Yes, the Barry Kennedy who has jumped on a typo on a website to smear Tim Walz has a long and storied history of trying to EXPEL women from the National Jaycees.  From a Time magazine article from nearly thirty years ago . ..[read more]

What a charade.

I DON'T HATE AMERICA: MONDAY'S PICTURES
Pictures of, and reflections on, Monday's rallies in Winona and Rochester.

ORANGE PENNY LOAFERS: YOU'VE GOT GIL MAIL
N.D. Barrett is getting mail and phone calls from Politician Gutknecht.

MYDD: WHAT WASHES UP ON SHORE
Adam Conner looks at the flotsam that remains from the last great wave of 1994--Gutknecht is among those that are threatened with being swept out.

K/O: THE HEAT IS UP ALL OVER
Kid Oakland updates his readers about doings in the First, with fond memories of Winona, where his parents went to college.

Local news: Walz rally rebound

The Mankato Free Press carries a pair of articles about yesterday's dueling rallies in the Key City.  First up, coverage of the Walz rally and subsequent press conference, which threw the spotlight on Tim Walz:

A news conference after the rally drew more Twin Cities and national media than usual for such an event because of the close race and because of the Kerry flap. Kerry’s comments, which he said were a botched joke aimed at President Bush, were being portrayed by some Republicans as an attack on the intelligence of U.S. troops.

Walz, a 24-year National Guard veteran and a high school teacher, said he “can’t speak for the senator.” Walz said he’d take Kerry at his word that it was a botched joke and said it was up to Kerry to decide if he should apologize for the remarks.

Walz, who said he has never had a lot of “star power” around him in his campaign, said his run for office has grown from an extreme long shot to a tight race because he hasn’t been afraid to take firm stands in detailed position papers and because he’s addressing issues of concern such as the war, economy, children’s issues and health care.

Walz read the lead paragraph from a Wall Street Journal story to bolster his point:

“If there is one House race that captures the struggle between Republican power in Congress and a grass-roots demand for change, it is here in Minnesota’s 1st District,” read the article that appeared in Monday’s Journal.

A snapshot of the rally:

But the absence of the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee didn’t appear to hurt attendance or the enthusiasm of supporters for Walz, the Democrat trying to unseat Republican Gil Gutknecht in the 1st District U.S. House race.

With dozens of people wearing “Veterans for Walz” shirts in the front rows of seats at Bresnan Arena, Walz said Gutknecht has failed to face the issues of Iraq or provide details on what he believes should be done in Iraq.

“You can try to gloss over it, but I think a prerequisite to this job is to understand foreign policy, especially when you’re sending 3,000 of our young soldiers over there to die,” Walz said.

The McCain rally?  Gutknecht, McCain's star power, Minnesota's sitting governor. . .

. . .and as many as 300 people:

The fracas over comments made by Democratic Sen. John Kerry about the Iraq war — which prompted him to cancel plans to headline a competing rally across town — made only a brief cameo appearance in the GOP event at the Midwest Wireless Civic Center.

Instead, the rally was devoted to firing up Republican-leaning voters and to get activists active in the final days of several tight races.

“We need you to get out the vote,” said McCain, the early front-runner to be the Republican nominee for president in 2008. “That’s what it’s going to come down to.”

Although the rally came in the midst of a work-day morning, as many as 300 people came to see McCain.

The Strib's coverage focused on the gaffe, and put the attendance each rally at "over 200."

The New Ulm Journal covers the Walz rally:

MANKATO — National recording artist Martin Zellar belted out “I Want To Drive The Zamboni” Wednesday at Bresnan Arena as veterans and union workers filed in for Congressional candidate Tim Walz’s campaign rally.

Zellar, 43, the Mower County DFL Chairman, said he came to the rally not as a musician but as a husband and father of his two young sons he wants to protect.

Older military veterans and labor union members comprised a good share of the arena crowd.

Nicollet County Commissioner Colleen Landkammer said Walz is a father, husband, coach, teacher and businessman who cares deeply about the future of the United States.

Walz dashed down a stairway and onto the arena floor, smiling, shaking hands, raising his hands, waving, and hugging a number of supporters and political candidates.

He described his campaign race against Republican incumbent Gil Gutknecht, widely considered to be among the most competitive in the country, as an example of grassroots political change.

“One person asked me how a teacher and veteran could deal with the complex Congressional problems like U.S.-China trade. I answered the question in Chinese,” said Walz.

[snip]

Regarding the fact that Sen. John Kerry did not appear at the rally, Walz said he isn’t concerned about star power.

“If I have to bring in somebody to speak for me, I’m finished,” Walz added.

His platform planks include voting to bar lobbyists from congressional chambers and banning all privately-funded congressional trips.

Walz wants to make Congress pay for a larger portion of special education costs, leaving more money for new textbooks, building repairs, and more teachers.

Gubernatorial candidate Mike Hatch and his running mate Judi Dutcher join the Walz campaign tour today. They’ll be at the River Rock Coffee in St. Peter at 9 a.m. and in the lower level of Centennial Student Union, Minnesota State University, Mankato at 10:30 a.m.

Yesterday, the conservative paper editorialized about the Kerry gaffe:

Massachussetts Sen. John Kerry created quite a stir this week with what he called bungled joke about President Bush that sounded more like he was ridiculing the troops in Iraq.

While Republicans have been whipping up outrage, and succeeded in keeping Kerry from coming to Minnesota for a campaign trip, we think it’s pretty obvious Kerry is guilty of little more than the inability to tell a joke.

While we agree with Bush’s policies, we admit he is as ripe for ridicule as anyone. And anyone who can’t successfully tell a joke about Bush ought to give up humor for good.

The New Ulm Journal article about the rally mentioned Walz's commitment to helping clean up Congress. How bad is it?  Analysis in today's Washington Post carries the headline Scandals Alone Could Cost Republicans Their House Majority:

Indictments, investigations and allegations of wrongdoing have helped put at least 15 Republican House seats in jeopardy, enough to swing control to the Democrats on Tuesday even before the larger issues of war, economic unease and President Bush are invoked.

[snip]

"So many different kinds of scandals going on at the same time, that's pretty unique," Zelizer said. "There were scandals throughout the '70s, multiple scandals, but the number of stories now are almost overwhelming."

Tim Walz has campaigned primarily on the larger issues, but even Gutknecht knows how his chances are choking on the atmosphere of GOP scandals.

The WSJ quoted Tim Walz:

"When you wake up Nov. 8, it can be a brand new world," Walz told supporters last week in Owatonna. "It's not vindictiveness. It's not us saying all our Republican neighbors are wrong. It's us saying this Congress is broken. This rubber-stamp Congress is not giving this country the ability to move forward and compromise."

And that larger issue? Today's New York Times reports that With Election Driven by Iraq, Voters Want New Approach:

A substantial majority of Americans expect Democrats to reduce or end American military involvement in Iraq if they win control of Congress next Tuesday and say Republicans will maintain or increase troop levels to try to win the war if they hold on to power on Capitol Hill, according to the final New York Times/CBS News poll before the midterm election.

The poll showed that 29 percent of Americans approve of the way President Bush is managing the war, matching the lowest mark of his presidency. Nearly 70 percent said Mr. Bush did not have a plan to end the war, and 80 percent said Mr. Bush’s latest effort to rally public support for the conflict amounted to a change in language but not policy.

The poll underlined the extent to which the war has framed the midterm elections. Americans cited Iraq as the most important issue affecting their vote, and majorities of Republicans and Democrats said they wanted a change in approach. Twenty percent said they thought the United States was winning in Iraq, down from a high this year of 36 percent in January.

For the times they are a-changin': Winona Daily News endorses Tim Walz

The Winona Daily News has endorsed in a range of races, from sheriff to senator. While the choices lean DFL, the paper does pick Republican House speaker Steve Sviggum and Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Peter Hutchinson, as well as Tim Walz.

The editorial board writes:

  “And admit that the waters
Around you have grown”

— Bob Dylan “The Times They Are

A-Changin’”

Minnesota’s favorite son, Bob Dylan, talked a lot about change. And his song seems to have taken on new meaning lately.

Though it’s cliche, the one constant we’ve heard this election season is that it’s time for a change.

So many issues will face us in the next two years — health care, the war in Iraq, education, the economy, higher education, roads and bridges. All of them are getting talked about, and most of what we hear is that things are holding together, but just barely.

If there is a unifying theme in the Winona Daily News’ editorial board endorsements this year (and, there may not be one), it’s that we believe some change will do us good. We believe that without change health care may strangle businesses, individuals and government. The Iraq war desperately needs new approaches, and our schools and roads may both be falling apart due to neglectful funding.

As we considered all of the candidates at the local, state and federal level, we’re struck by the enormity of the issues facing them. In examining each candidate, the Daily News editorial board looked for who could serve the area the best, collaborate the most and looked for solutions more than spin.   

[snip]

U.S. Congress, Minnesota 1st District

Tim Walz

If he can legislate like he can campaign, look out, Washington, D.C., and hold on Minnesota. No one gave Walz a chance a year ago, and Walz never let that stop him. We need that kind of representation in Washington.

In 1994, U.S. Rep. Gil Gutknecht signed a pledge, vowing not to run after six terms. Now, he’s seeking a seventh. If Gil can’t keep a promise, the voters have a chance to help him keep it.

The problem is that Gil has wanted to paint himself as an independent thinking and voting Republican. The truth is he’s voted 90 percent of the time with the White House. He recently blamed his dwindling poll numbers on things like the Mark Foley scandal, but the truth is, Gil’s not done a lot for the 1st District.

We believe that a veteran, a school teacher and a hard worker like Walz has all the right qualities we need in our next representative. He has a fresh approach to health care and to the war in Iraq. We also think that his tenacity in this race and the national attention it’s drawn will put him in very good standing when he arrives at the Capitol.

And that endorsement brings to mind more of Dylan's famous song:

There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.

Please heed the call: volunteer to help Tim Walz in one of the great political ground battles in the nation this fall. 

Wednesday early evening update: in the news

STRIB  & KARE: WALZ ON KERRY
In a article about the Kerry remarks, Tim Walz responds:

In Minnesota, Meredith Salsbery, a spokeswoman for Tim Walz, the Democratic candidate in the 1st congressional district, said Kerry canceled an appearance with Walz slated for Wednesday in Mankato. "He wants to make sure the campaign is about the issues we've been talking about the last two years," she said of Kerry's decision. "It's important to him that we are able to do that."

Walz said, “I can’t speak for the senator, so I don’t know what he meant. I can’t imagine where he was going with it. It just shows Washington is a long way removed from southern Minnesota. I was a soldier and I know what my education was."

He called the flap over Kerry’s comments “a flavor-of-the-day scandal” that distracts from issues that really matter here. I don’t have time for it.”

Waltz, who chaired the Kerry campaign in Blue Earth County, said it was up to Kerry to decide whether he should apologize for his comments. He said his campaign didn’t ask Kerry to stay away.

“We got a call from them and they said they didn’t want to be a distraction, so they stepped away. I respect that.”

Walz's comments came after a rally at Minnesota State University, Mankato for about 300 supporters that Kerry had been scheduled to headline.

KARE- 11 reports here; video included.    Walz and Gutknecht on the race:

Walz, an Army National Guard vet, said Kerry's comments were unfortunate, but said the furor was a distraction to voters.

"The headline today should have been that we had 104 soldiers killed in Iraq in October," Walz said. "Instead, we've got this inside Washington stuff. Voters in southern Minnesota don't care about it."

The Gutknecht-Walz race, once consider a longshot for Democrats, has evolved into a tossup. The candidates held dueling rallies in Mankato, and though Gutknecht was joined by Pawlenty and McCain during their flyaround, he was outdrawn slightly by hometown boy Walz.

But Gutknecht, a six-term incumbent, said he's confident heading into the final days.

"I think the momentum is breaking our way and in the last week that's important," he said.

Gutknecht said he'd spend the next six days "shaking hands and kissing babies and taking nothing for granted. It's politics -- it's hand-to-hand combat."

Walz said his goal all along was to make the race close as Election Day approached.

"We've got a better ground game than the Republicans," Walz said. "The Democrats are more organized, and if we're within a few points we win."

ROCHESTER POST BULLETIN LTES
Once again, the Post Bulletin publishes a large collection of pre-election letters.  Once more, the letters on the MN-01 race run strong toward Tim Walz.  Maggi Davidson of Oronoco Township believes that
Gutknecht uses scare tactics:

Campaign literature recently mailed from Gutknecht for Congress has some questionable claims regarding the effects of amnesty (for illegal immigrants) on Social Security and Medicare, and I must protest these scare tactics.

This flyer claims that it will cost billions for these two programs, implying that "illegals" will be picking American citizens' ("Us" is the word he uses) pockets. I find it hard to believe that the representative is not aware of the fact that one must pay taxes into both of these programs for a significant number of quarters before one is eligible to receive any payments from either the Social Security Administration or Medicare.

So, if any of "Them" were to receive payments, it would be because they had worked and paid their taxes into these programs. If the programs are not sufficiently funded, it is not the fault of illegal immigrants; Congress has not had the will to fix those problems. Medicaid is a separate problem, with a different underlying philosophy, and Congress does not seem to be able to, or want to, tackle that problem either.

Attacking Tim Walz as a spendthrift and stirring up anti-immigrant emotions as campaign tactics? That's not very statesmanlike.

Ed Shafer of Rochester, whose son just returned from a second tour of duty in Iraq, writes that Gutknecht offers no Iraq solutions:

We are deeply thankful that our son recently returned safely from a second tour of duty in Iraq. To help us show our thanks, we are asking you to vote for Tim Walz.

Why?

Before "Shock and Awe" thrilled the country and "Mission Accomplished" was proclaimed, we asked Rep. Gil Gutknecht to seek solutions other than war. He replied with a form letter that merely reiterated President Bush's rationale for the planned invasion.

Now, years later, as the loss of life continues, you can continue to support a supposed fiscal conservative who will have your grandchildren pay for the Bush folly, or you can motivate Bush with a stern message, a new Congress. This is not "cut and run" vs. "stay the course." It is about hope and faith in someone who will think for himself and alleviate an international tragedy.

But Gutknecht might do one thing to sway us: Convince President and Mrs. Bush (and other supporters of the war) to have their children join the military and serve in Iraq. Maybe, only maybe, we could then believe it to be a worthy cause.

Voting the environment is on John Bacharach's mind in Environmental report opens eyes:

With elections around the corner and the vast deluge of personal attributes of the candidates it was difficult to find out how the various elected officials truly voted until I received the National Environmental Scorecard.

The report is published by the League of Conservation Voters. In Minnesota, we had Dayton with a score of 86 percent; Norm Coleman with a score of 29 percent.

In the U.S. House, Gil Gutknecht had 17 percent and Betty McCollum with 100 percent, John Kline with 3 percent, Mark Kennedy with 20 percent.

Toxic right to know, food safety, clean water, plus many other issues are listed in this report. It was a real eye opener to me to learn more of the truth about what representatives say and what they actually are doing.

Rochester's Michael Wojcik is making and list and checking it twice in Can Gutknecht defend record?

I agree with Tim Walz that the U.S. needs a new (and better) direction. Walz has put forth reasonable solutions to many of America's issues. We need a change of course.

I just wanted to remind voters that Gil Gutknecht:

Supports reckless spending like a $500 million bridge to nowhere, Alaska.

Took a bipartisan, balanced budget and turned it into the largest deficit in history.

Opposed higher fuel economy standards.

Eliminated mercury reduction standards.

Gave huge windfalls to oil executives and pharmaceutical companies.

Got campaign money in return.

Cut student loan and scientific research funding.

Doubts the HIV-AIDS link.

Opposes environmental standards.

Turned the Medicare Part-D into a taxpayer ripoff.

Has ignored recommendations of the independent 9/11 commission.

Created the Department of Homeland Security which created the Hurricane Katrina response.

Can't offer an Iraq plan and won't allow investigation into pre-war intelligence.

Ignores the family farm and lavishes the corporate farm.

Was invisible on DM&E when leadership was needed.

Violated the dignity of Michael and Terri Schiavo.

Gives Bush whatever he wants.

Promised to serve only 12 years.

TAKING ATTENDANCE: MCCAIN RALLY ROCHESTER; WALZ AND MCCAIN IN MANKATO
The McCain visit in Gil Gutknecht's hometown Rochester drew 200 people the Strib reports. Sources on the ground in Mankato tell us that between 200-300 attended the McCain rally in Mankato, while between 300-400 showed up to see Tim Walz.   

Leigh Pomeroy of Vox Verax was at both rallies. He estimates the McCain rally at 250, while Walz drew nearly 400.  Pomeroy writes:

Up at the Bresnan Center on the Minnesota State University campus, the crowd for the Walz event two hours later was a mixed blend of veterans, faculty and community members, and students. Pat Delaney and Joe Mace, both of White Bear Lake, were there because of their political science classes. Both were planning to vote in the upcoming election but hadn't decided yet on their choices. For them the key issues are college tuition and Iraq.

Like his Republican counterparts, Walz also addressed the Kerry gaffe, saying that the furor had caused the Senator to pull out of the event. "But we came to see you!" interrupted a woman in the audience to a mixture of laughter and applause.

Kerry's last minute cancellation may have been a boost to the Walz campaign, because for once, instead of being the second fiddle before statewide and national media, he was the main attraction. And attract them he did, partially because of the concurrent McCain-Pawlenty-Gutknecht event and partially because of Kerry's sudden prominence the news, whether he was physically at the Mankato event or not.

A partial list of the media in attendance included KTTC, KSTP, KAAL, KEYC and KARE for TV; NPR, WCCO and KTOE for radio; and the Associated Press, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Mankato Free Press, New Ulm Journal and Albert Lea Tribune for print. Video feeds are planned to go nationwide to CNN and MSNBC and perhaps the major networks.

OLLIE OX UPDATE: MnPublius has more, including a colorful graphic.

Walz on CNN

Busy day away from computers, so we have to catch up. In the meantime, here's a link where you can download a clip of Tim Walz on CNN.

Worthington Daily Globe endorses Tim Walz

Like the Mankato Free Press, and the Star Tribune and St. Peter Herald (behind subscription firewall) before them, the Worthington Daily Globe endorses Tim Walz today:

Walz for U.S. House
 Daily Globe, Worthington Daily Globe
 Published Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Tim Walz is no run-of-the-mill educator. He’s earned the Minnesota Ethics in Education award, a Mankato Teacher of the Year honor and the 2003 Minnesota Teacher of Excellence. He also helped coach Mankato West’s high school football team to a pair of state titles.

How has Walz become such a well-respected leader? Perhaps it’s from 24 years of service in the Army National Guard, from which Command Sergeant Major Walz retired in spring 2005. His original retirement date, incidentally, was September 2001, but he signed up once again in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Walz is now aiming to bring his leadership qualities to Washington, as he’s challenging six-term Rep. Gil Gutknecht for Minnesota’s 1st District seat. Though Walz may be a political novice compared to the incumbent, he’s proven to a formidable candidate. His positions on Iraq — where he’s repeatedly condemned the Bush administration — as well as on education (funding “unfunded mandates” such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act and re-evaluating No Child Left Behind) and immigration, among others, are well considered.

Gutknecht has been endorsed by the Daily Globe in the past, and we would be remiss if we didn’t recognize his years of commendable service. Some of that service has been on the House Committee on Agriculture, where he has been a member. Should Walz be elected, however, he would seek a seat on that same committee. And, should Democrats regain control of the House, fellow Minnesota Rep. Collin Peterson is poised to become that committee’s chair, ensuring Minnesota two advocates for farmers who will be heard loud and clear.

Gutknecht has said he has been “frustrated” over the war in Iraq. Walz, by contrast, seems angry and eager to chart a clearer course. Gutknecht is also finding himself hobbled by his support for the controversial Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad proposal, one which Walz said needs to be addressed openly and not behind the scenes.

Finally, at a time when so many across the country are sick of hearing from Washington insiders and their doublespeak, Walz represents a refreshing change and seems to put forth the voice of an everyman. In 1939, on screen, Mr. Smith went to Washington. In 2006, we recommend Tim Walz for the same journey.

The Worthington Daily Globe has endorsed a spilt ticket of candidates this year--Klobuchar for Senate, but Pawlenty for Governor and Johnson for AG.

MN-01 Wednesday morning: Peterson, populism, and priorities

Allen Brisson-Smith for The New York Times

Senator Barack Obama of Illinois appeared in Rochester, Minn., on Monday to help rally support for Amy Klobuchar, a Senate candidate, and Tim Walz, a House candidate. He hit the trail in Wisconsin Tuesday.

NEW YORK TIMES: SENATE NEWCOMER, HELPING FELLOW DEMOCRATS
The New York Times looks at Barack Obama's stumping for Democrats. Nice picture.

WORTHINGTON DAILY GLOBE: TALKING FARM BILL
The Worthington paper covers the town meeting Collin Peterson and Tim Walz had in Worthington yesterday in Congressman talks Farm Bill and renewable energy in Worthington:

WORTHINGTON — Minnesota 7th District Rep. Collin Peterson was in Worthington Tuesday to talk about federal Farm Bill legislation and stump for 1st District congressional candidate Tim Walz.

In a one-hour forum at the American Legion in Worthington, Peterson told a crowd of about 30 attendees he would like to see the United States become energy independent with increased production of renewable fuels, and he wants the existing federal Farm Bill to remain intact, albeit with some tweaking in areas such as cotton and rice production.

Peterson, a Democrat from Detroit Lakes, stands to gain the chair of the House Ag Committee following next Wednesday’s election if the Democrats can regain the majority in the House. Sending Walz to Congress would help in those efforts.

                             

A member of the Blue Dog Democrats, Peterson said, “I just vote the way I think is right. I vote for my district. We’ve got too many people way off to the right and too many people way off to the left.”

The Blue Dogs, which have increased from 24 to 37 members, try to be a practical moderating force in the House, Peterson said.

“Our priority is to balance the budget and work on sensible stuff for America,” he added.

That sensible stuff includes keeping the 2002 Farm Bill intact, Peterson said, adding that the message he’s received across the country is that people like the legislation.

The Farm Bill, as currently written, saved the agriculture budget $14 billion in money it had been allotted, Peterson said. It was the only budget that spent less money than it had budgeted for, he added.

“My view is, when you’ve got something that’s working, don’t upset the apple cart,” he said.

Besides areas of the bill that need revision, Peterson said there may also need to be some work if the country loses some soybean acreage to corn production next season.

“I would like to put a permanent disaster program in place, so when something happens, there’s a pot of money,” Peterson said. He’d also like to see more money put into conservation and rural development.

Rural development dollars could be used to fund more projects in the renewable energy industry, from ethanol to biodiesel and wind power.

“I’m committed to keeping Wall Street money out of these plants,” Peterson said. “We want farmers to keep ownership.”

He spoke of ongoing research in the areas of corn genomes to create a corn kernel with a higher level of starch or higher concentrations of protein — technology that could boost the ethanol and livestock industries in Minnesota. In addition, Peterson said the future of the ethanol industry may lie in cellulosic plants that extract cellulose from alternative crops such as switchgrass to be used in ethanol production.

“We’ll have cellulosic plants operating in five years,” Peterson said, notng that by then, corn production could be maxing out on yields.

Research has shown switchgrass can produce twice as much ethanol as corn, and Peterson said his vision is that one day, cellulosic plants will crop up about every 20 miles across the Minnesota landscape.

“Think what that could do — it would bring people back to rural America,” he added.

Bob Kirchner, a rural Brewster farmer, asked Peterson if his vision for cellulosic plants was feasible considering the shortage of water in southwest Minnesota.

Peterson responded that research shows the cellulosic plants can operate on about 15 times less water than existing ethanol plants.

“I think we’re going to work through some of that stuff just like we did with ethanol,” he added.

“Our new direction for America is to become energy independent. There’s people who say we can become energy independent in 15 years if we concentrate on it. …It’s my goal to get the heck out of the Middle East.”

In addition to the benefits renewable energy has for farmers and the environment, Peterson said the continued growth of renewable fuels could eventually lead to the elimination of farm programs.

“We could have a stable U.S. agricultural system if we do this right,” he added. “Twenty or 30 years ago, this system was set up because we produced more than we could use, and we exported it at a loss. Why would we export corn at a loss now when we can make ethanol and make money on it?”

Aside from renewable energy, Peterson’s agricultural vision includes passage of country of origin labeling (COOL) if the Democrats regain the lead in Congress. He’d also like to see the implementation of an animal identification program, but said as the legislation is currently written, he will not vote in favor of it.

 

WINONA DAILY NEWS LTES:  PRIORITIES, PRIORITIES
Echoing an observation Orange Penny Loafers made, Rick Howden of Winona writes about Gutknecht's lack of support for higher education in his letter Walz will change priorities:

As a student advocate for higher education I find it troubling that our current congressman has repeatedly voted against funding that would help Minnesota’s students achieve a degree in higher education.

In a district that contains two public universities and eight community and technical colleges, our congressman does not have a position on education on either his campaign or his congressional Web sites.

Having no formal position on education with these public institutions is nauseating.

Our next congressman, Tim Walz, is committed to the same goal that I am: Reducing the debt load that students have to take in order to attend these institutions. Our federal government’s response to the need of financial aid has been to send our students to private lenders for funding. This is undeserved and irresponsible. I encourage you to vote on

Nov. 7 for Tim Walz, the only candidate who will change our priorities in Congress.

Kathy Peterson makes the observation: Walz is the smart choice:

Tim Walz has chosen to run for public office not because of a career choice but because of a desire to make things better. He is a true grassroots, citizen candidate in the Minnesota tradition. He’s tough, smart and forward thinking. We need good people in Washington who are dedicated to improving the lives of everyone, not a privileged few. Walz has practical solutions for our nation’s problems, and believes in working hard for his taxpayer-generated paycheck. Voting for Tim Walz is the smart choice.

One negative letter complaining that Walz misrepresents his military service.

Funny, but back on July 22, Bluestem Prairie looked at how Tim Walz represented his service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  Walz wrote a letter about it to the Mankato Free Press in late July, responding to a query in the Free Press.  Back then, we did find an example of a well-known conservative blogger doing some creative editing of a CQ Politics article--the blogger's edits gave a false impression.  Check out what we wrote in August. 

Perhaps David Bonnifield and other Iraq veterans supporting Walz can take this issue up.

Finally, Rollie Sailing compares Democrat versus Republican prizes:

A friend of mine forwarded a message she received from Ron Carey, Chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party. He was offering an incentive program, drawing chances for some pretty good prizes, all in the hopes of getting volunteers for their election efforts. I volunteer for the Democratic Party, and our incentive is a change in the direction our country is heading. Fellow Democrats, stop at the DFL office and/or contact a Democratic leader in your community to volunteer. The prizes offered are enormous.

WCCO: KERRY CANCELS MINN VISIT
WCCO looks at the Kerry cancellation in Kerry Cancels Minn. Visit Amidst Controversy:

U.S. Sen. John Kerry canceled a campaign visit here in the wake of a controversy over remarks he made about students and the war in Iraq, according to a spokeswoman for congressional candidate Tim Walz.

"He wants to make sure the campaign is about the issues we've been talking about the last two years," the spokeswoman, Meredith Salsbery, said of Kerry's decision. "It's important to him that we are able to do that."

Kerry was to appear at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Minnesota State, Mankato, with 1st Congressional District candidate Tim Walz. Walz will still appear at the event, Salsbery said. Walz is trying to unseat U.S. Rep. Gil Gutknecht, R-Minn.   . . .

The show will go on; if you can, show up in Mankato to support Tim Walz.

MINNESOTA CENTRAL: GUTKNECHT'S 30 YEARS WAR?
Minnesota Central looks at Gutknecht’s Iraq Plan – 10 year or 30 year plan ?