The Mankato Free Press looks at last night's debate in Disagreement in the 1st District:
Democratic Congressman Tim Walz of Mankato and Republican challenger Brian Davis of Rochester disagreed repeatedly on issues ranging from federal regulation of the marketplace to drilling for oil in the Alaskan wilderness during a 90-minute debate in Mankato Monday.
Walz, a former school teacher running for a second term in the U.S. House, and Davis, a Mayo Clinic doctor making his first attempt at public office, disagreed — almost always politely. But the audience of about 400 at Minnesota State University saw clear differences on a multitude of issues between the two major candidates in southern Minnesota’s 1st District.
Davis was unabashedly conservative, making repeated references to his Republican Party endorsement and calling for everything from a return to God and religion in schools to a partial privatization of Social Security.
“The 1st District tends to be more conservative than most places,” said Davis, who suggested that Walz is too liberal for the district. “It tends to want lower taxes, smaller government, more conservative values. It tends to look skeptically toward a government that wants to spend $700 billion in tax dollars to bail out bad policy. These are the values I respect.”
Walz struck themes similar to those that helped him topple 12-year-incumbent Republican Congressman Gil Gutknecht in 2006, becoming just the second Democrat in a century to represent the 1st District.
“What I told you I would do is I would go to Congress and I would support — and would make sure I was representing — every person in this district,” said Walz, who promised to follow the example of leaders in American history who also faced serious economic challenges. “.. Every time we’ve had those challenges, something amazing has happened in this country. We’ve been able to transcend politics, rise above it and find solutions.” . . .
Political reporter Mark Fischenich's article captures the flavor of the debate well, including exchanges like this one about health care:
“They [patients] don’t come through the door as a Republican or Democrat,” Davis said. “They come through the door as someone who needs help.”
Walz countered: “If they don’t have health insurance, they don’t come through your door.”
The debate will be broadcast at noon in Southern Minnesota by MPR's station at 91.5 FM. If the network posts audio files, we'll link to them. KEYC-TV covered the debate in Walz, Davis Debate in Mankato.
We thank Debate Minnesota for supporting forums like this one. Four hundred people got to see candidates answer tough questions and rebut each other. A terrific volunteer organization.
In Michelle Obama speaks of family struggles, the Associated Press's Elizbeth Dunbar reports:
In southern Minnesota and again in St. Paul later in the day, Obama spoke about how her father had multiple sclerosis but still got up to go to work without complaining. She also told the story of Barack Obama's mother, who lost her battle with ovarian cancer. Obama used the story to explain why she and her husband support a health care system that doesn't deny coverage for preexisting conditions.
Obama also mentioned several economic concerns, including layoffs and higher grocery prices.
"Don't we deserve leaders who get it?" Obama asked. "My husband, Barack Obama, gets it. He doesn't get it in a philosophical, theoretical way, he gets it because he's lived it."
The audience responded well:
Maya Jones, 24, of Rochester, said she was thrilled Obama and Democratic Rep. Tim Walz, who spoke beforehand, gave positive speeches.
"I just liked the tone of it. They didn't trash the other candidate at all," Jones said. . . .
Yet another mommy blogger posts about politics in Yes We Can! (Michelle Obama in Rochester) and posts a cute picture of Walz and her son. Southern Minnesota blogger Greg agrees with Michelle O. that Barack Gets It.
Update: WXOW in LaCrosse covers the MN-01 race in Thoughts on the economy. Though in Wisconsin, the stations serves SE Minnesota as well.
We'll have more later but we're off on a couple of errands.
Photos: (Above) John Cross of the Mankato Free Press captured this wonderful image of the debate.Cross is a consistently strong visual chronicler of Southern Minnesota. (Below) Walz speaks at the Michelle Obama rally in Rochester. More rally pix in Laura's album here. We've gotten some other pictures as well from readers that we'll be posting.
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