Tim Walz released his first television ad today, one illustrating his work with area veterans--and one that underscores the need for leaders who persist when policy needs to be changed.
Here's the ad, followed by the backstory:
For years, Vietnam veterans tried to get Parkinson's disease categorized as a presumptive illness related to Agent Orange. Along with others, Walz joined their struggle when stricken vets appealed to him, and last fall, the VA changed policy.
Unfortunately, the change in classification has not been enough. As the Post-Bulletin noted last month in For these vets, the fight continues at home:
Nearly a year later, these veterans are still waiting for military benefits. The funding has gotten bogged down in bureaucratic red tape and political wrangling.
But there is good news. Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shiseki said on Tuesday he will defend the decision to add Parkinson's disease, along with B-cell leukemia and ischemic heart disease, to the list of presumptive illnesses. Veterans are hoping to start getting their checks beginning Nov. 1. An estimated 5,000 Vietnam veterans are expected to receive the benefits.
Parkinson's Action Network Deputy CEO John Schall credits the United State Military Veterans with Parkinson's group with performing a "small miracle."
"They are really heroes in this process. For average citizens to take that on and do that hard work and make that process work in a relatively short period of time is really a phenomenal story," Schall said.
One of those vets--the center of the PB's story--is Mike Trok. In Walz's new ad,"Right Thing," Trok notes the congressman's role in working with the vets to get things changed.
The ad is positive, hitting on one of Walz's committee appointments--he's on the House Vets committee and in a position to follow through on concerns veterans bring him.
No ads yet from Demmer, but his campaign has asked Walz to quit focusing on vets, as Bluestem noted in Demmer campaign to Walz office: quit listening to vets and find out how disagreeable Randy is.
While pundits try to spin this race as somehow competitive, the air war might be indicative of the campaign. Demmer isn't on the radar, and Walz has gone positive on his record.
A far cry from the ads in the Minnesota congressional race that actually is competitive: the Bachmann and Clark fight. Bachmann has gone negative with ads that are receiving bad grades from truth-tests from local journalists--and which distort not only Clark's record, but Bachmann's own positions.
Dump Bachmann notes in Big Taxin' Michele Bachmann:
. . . look who supported raising the state sales tax by .375 percent to support the outdoors and the arts in 2008: Michele Bachmann. That’s right — the same constitutional amendment that Bachmann has been tearing into Tarryl Clark for supporting — you know, the one that raised taxes on your State Fair corn dogs and fried bacon — was supported by none other than Ms. Teabagger herself.
According to Star-Tribune outdoor writer Dennis Anderson’s Oct. 23, 2008 column:
Coleman, Bachmann and Franken spoke in August at Game Fair in Anoka of their support of the Clean Water amendment. Coleman and Bachmann also displayed blaze orange "Sportsmen vote yes" placards in their Game Fair booths (Franken also might have, but I was unable to confirm it).
Classic. While Bachmann's ads don't mention her own record in congress, they do feature a paid actor dubbed "Jim the Election Guy" speaking for the campaign about taxable items at the State Fair. (CNN reports that the real Michael Bachmann got a mixed response at the fair)
The Clark campaign has responded brilliantly, assembling a chorus of real Sixth District voters really named Jim. Today's press release states:
Today, real Jims from across the 6th District take to the airwaves to talk about why they - and actual voters from St. Cloud to Stillwater - support Tarryl Clark. The new ad comes after three weeks of false and misleading attack ads from Congresswoman Michele Bachmann featuring a paid actor calling himself "Jim the Election Guy."
Clark's ad features 6th District residents Jim Huber, Jim Hesley and Jim Marks, all of Woodbury, Jim Rebrovich of Big Lake and Jim Samuelson of Forest Lake.
You can view the Real Jims ad here:
Bachmann's war chest is among the largest of any Republican incumbent in the House, yet it does look like she's not sharing the wealth with other GOP candidates as much as they might wish. Instead, she's spending it like water against Tarryl Clark. That alone says something.
Posted by: Phoenix Woman | Sep 11, 2010 at 08:46 PM