Star Tribune political reporter Abby Simons has tweeted the statement McFadden sent to the media:
Senate candidate @MikeForMN calls out MacDonald, Hagedorn pic.twitter.com/FrrNAjv7fQ
— Abby Simons (@AJillSimons) August 23, 2014
Simons later added:
McFadden condemned Hagedorn's writings but said were no different than comments Franken made on defunct Air America radio show; no specifics
— Abby Simons (@AJillSimons) August 24, 2014
The comparison with Franken isn't a new one, though randomly citing Air America is. In a December 5, 2009 Rochester Post Bulletin article, POL Democrats say Hagedorn blog entries are offensive, staff writer Heather Carlson reported:
Carleton College political science professor Steven Schier said it is important to keep in mind that Sen. Al Franken managed to win election in spite of several controversial jokes, including a Saturday Night Live skit he wrote that involved the drugging and raping of CBS reporter Lesley Stahl.
“If Al Franken can write a book called ‘Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot’ and get elected, I don’t see this as a problem," Schier said.
He did say that Hagedorn’s comments regarding Indians and female Supreme Court justices is “pretty insensitive" and that he does owe voters’ an explanation. But overall, he said, what Hagedorn has written does not rise above the standard set by Franken.
Apparently, only Jim Hagedorn finds his writing funny enough to warrant no apology or explanation. In the meantime, we'd like to learn what McFadden found offensive on Air America.
In October 2009, Bluestem Prairie was the first to examine the content of Hagedorn's blog, Mr. Conservative. Following Friday's publication of Tim Murphy's House Candidate Called Female Senators "Undeserving Bimbos in Tennis Shoes" at Mother Jones, the news of Minnesota First Congressional District Republican candidate Jim Hagedorn's defunct "Mr. Conservative" blog has gone viral.
Photo: Jim Hagedorn and a piece of John Deere farm equipment.
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