Yesterday, the Mankato Free Press posted Quist sees red when it comes to country's financial management, along with a note that a profile of primary opponent Mike Parry would appear today. Bluestem's reaction to the Quist piece: Today in MNCD1 Cray v. Cray: Allen Quist sees red, Mike Parry wanders around S. Minnesota
Parry vows to work hard to fix what’s broken is in the print/e-edition of the Free Press but not to online subscribers.
Update: The article is now online under the headline: Parry puts in the miles to spread his message
Staff writer Mark Fischenich reports that as a candidate, Waseca senator Mike Parry has seemed to have a split personality:
And when it comes to Parry’s message ... Well, it has varied.
At times he tells voters he has been a partisan warrior in the state Senate against union thugs and socialistic lefties, and he’s generated news and condemnation for personal attacks against Democrats such as Gov. Mark Dayton and President Barack Obama.
Other times, he talks about his willingness and ability to sit down with opponents, talk through differences and attempt to persuade them of the wisdom of his ideas. That was the message in the final week of the campaign, including in an interview with The Free Press.
Parry promises to build relationships in Congress with Republicans and Democrats alike and then work with people are willing to put the well-being of Americans above the interests of the party.
During the same week, Parry made his now infamous statement that Governor Dayton was "scary" sitting across a table because he popped "15-16 pills," and this frightening allegation was argument against DFL control of the legislature. It's enough to garner national attention, as Bluestem related in Buzzfeed places Mike Parry (#4) and Allen Quist (#5) on list of "8 Craziest Candidates Of 2012".
And then there was Thursday morning's hearing, where the GOP Congressional Candidate Delays Vote On Collective Bargaining Agreements because nothing builds a relationship than delaying two percent wage increases a year after public employees went for nearly a month without paychecks during the state shutdown.
Parry was building a relationship with his gavel and recesses as the Uptake noted in Sen. Parry Bristles At Laughter Directed At Republicans. Here's the video:
Another Parry-dox (Fischenich coined the term here) in the article: Parry touts the agreement that ended the state government shutdown as an example of his ability to unite people across the aisle, but Fischenich finds that claim a bit flimsy:
Working with committee members from both parties, Parry said he was able to negotiate an 11 percent reduction while getting more than a dozen reform proposals enacted with Dayton’s concurrence.
Although Dayton signed the bill as part of the global agreement to end the threeweek state government shutdown in July 2011, the bill passed on a largely party-line vote with all Republicans voting in favor and 24 of 27 Democrats opposed.
Parry sees that he's been given some help from above in creating bipartisan partnerships:
“I believe through some talents God’s given to me, I’d be able to do that going to Washington,” he said.
The rest of Parry's positions are pretty much what he's been saying the entire race, with one exception that marks a slight difference between the two candidates, who vary a bit on the Farm Bill and what to do once they've gotten the ACA repealed.
Both are generally resistant to claims of global warming, but while Quist denies climate change is happening in any way different than in the past, Parry is skeptical but willing to consider evidence:
Parry is a climate- change skeptic but said he’s always willing to evaluate evidence put before him.
“ You have to take a look at the information that’s given to you and make sure it’s credible,” he said.
It's definitely worth a voter's time to get a hold of today's thoughtful article by buying a copy of the Free Press and reading the two companion Fischenich articles.
Bluestem's response? Parry's real-life swings in personality from the driven partisan who makes personal attacks to the pussy cat in the Free Press interview inspires us to award Mike Parry--whom we joke about being the Emo Senator--the Flying Fickle Finger of Fate (also know as the wonderful wiggler) for his fickle personae and billing above Allen Quist on Buzzfeed's list of "8 Craziest Candidates Of 2012".
Will this fickleness win the hearts of voters in the same way that he's gained fans on Emo Senator? Tune in on Tuesday!
Image: The Flying Fickle Finger of Fate, from Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In.
Related posts: Today in MNCD1 Cray v. Cray: Allen Quist sees red, Mike Parry wanders around S. Minnesota
Emo Senator: Parry promises press conference, then dodges media on way to radio interview
Emo Senator: battered by contentious hearing, Mike Parry pours out heart to OPP reporter
TPT Almanac digs up Mike Parry's December 2011 hatchet burying moment with Dayton
Emo Senator: Top Republican leaders doubt Mike Parry's pill-popping gubernatorial memories
Farmfest video: MNCD1 candidate Mike Parry & Gov. Mark Dayton respond to "pills" claim fire
"Pill-popping" statement hypocrisy flushes Mike Parry from Farmfest
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