Despite Evan's sensible observation (that most Minnesotans live in the
'burbs), Scott Vreeland still carries the day, at least as far as any
blanket no-minor-office-coverage policy really exists.
It isn't hard to construct a rationale for pre-convention stories on library
board and park board races. The starting point (and go with me here, Greens
and Republicans, 'cause this helps you, too in the long run) is that DFL
endorsement has been tantamount to election, and the DFL convention -
especially in minor races - often produces the eventual winner.
The library peg is obvious: there's a $100-million-plus library about to be
built, and the new library board will oversee that. The figure is big enough
to grab the attention of suburbanites (and remember, Minneapolis coverage
isn't just for people who live here, it's for all the suburbanites who work
here). Again: the DFL endorsement in this race is tantamount to election.
Don't the Strib's readers want to know who is likely to be in charge -
especially in a story about the candidates BEFORE delegates winnow them? I'm
told (second hand) that one candidate is running on a platform primarily of
giving amnesty to people with overdue books - do we want HIM getting through
the process and sitting on the board overseeing this mega-project? Steve
Brandt, Linda Mack, etc. have and will do a lot of stories about the library
project in the next few years - isn't it worth one pre-convention piece when
the dominant political party prepares to select the likely winners?
The park board peg is a little more subtle: Steve Brandt has covered the
high-decibel, low-quality sniping going on between Park Board members, who
oversee what everyone agrees is a crown jewel of the REGION (recall the
stats on all the suburbanites who use the Chain of Lakes parks, etc.). Well,
again, the convention endorsement is usually tantamount to election. Many
incumbents from the "dysfunctional board" face convention challenges - Annie
Young and Rochelle Berry Graves have at-large challengers, Bob Fine has a
fight from Tracy Nordstrom in the 6th. Isn't it worth a look ahead at
whether the DFL will spank squabbling Park board members?
As for Green, GOP, etc. endorsements: Given all the stupid stuff the appears
in the Strib, there is enough room in the paper for a few lines about who
got the endorsement nod when the endorsement actually happens. Based on my
candidate directory, the Greens have endorsed five candidates and the
Republicans exactly one. As Craig Cox noted in his excellent op-ed piece on
Saturday, if you have room for the English football standings in agate type
in sports, you should have enough room for a few endorsement winners in your
Metro section. You can fit the whole minor-party endorsement list in if you
cut one supermodel tidbit from People & Places - and if you want to trim a
couple, you might actually do a STORY on the minor-party activity this
spring!
The neighborhood papers are relied upon for in-depth coverage, but Strib has
no excuse for doing nothing.
David Brauer
Kingfield - Ward 10
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