Dennis Plante and a couple of RT supporters are completely wrong when they say that this is the same as what occured when RT ran against Sharon. Rybak's greatest lead over Sharon was only 1.4%! Rybak was overjoyed to get that virtual tie. Some of us begged him to hold on for several more rounds to get an endorsement, but he refused because of fear that the another vote would put him back trailing Sharon. But do not be mistaken, RT Rybak never received 50% of the vote in that convention.
There was no tie yesterday, Peter McLaughlin won every ballot and had more than a majority of the Democrats present voting for him. At the conclusion of voting Saturday Peter McLaughlin lead by nearly 10% and was on his way to endorsement. The shame was to allow someone who had no respect for the DFL and the endorsement process to prevent the one candidate who respected and desired that endorsement from getting it.
When RT walked out a chant started of "Where's RT?" "Where's RT?" "Where's RT?" But RT had turned his back on the DFL and its members. Turning his back on campaign commitments and neighborhoods lead many who had been his most ardent supporters in the first campaign to turn against him yesterday. RT's campaign against Neighborhood "citizen participation" and NRP also had many feeling that RT had betrayed them. Those attempts have been very thoroughly discussed on this "List" as they were going on. Using the Mpls List to expose those attempts probably saved NRP and certainly affected the Mayor's attempt to kill citizen participation.
Rybak's campaign passed out literature yesterday that claimed that RT Rybak had saved NRP. Neighborhood activist were furious about this bold faced lie. Everyone knew that the Mayor's office had lead the fight to kill NRP and neighborhood empowerment. It is truly amazing, RT attempts to kill NRP and claims he saved it. RT claims 6000 housing units that were accomplished by others. Claims to have provided for public Safety when he has cut the force to dangerous levels. And the list goes on and on.
Many of us may disagree with some of McLaughlin's issues, but at least we can argue and talk to him knowing he is going to tell us the truth. Most of us resent being told by a smiling face that it is raining when the Mayor's office is doing something else on our backs! Rybak seems to think that someone pointing out his campaigns bold faced lies is negative campaigning. It is not negative, it's the truth! The truth is hell and that truth is going to sink RT's ship when the general public starts looking at it. The real problem with RT's campaign is that those who were there are willing to point out that truth.
Sharon really did not lose last year, it was a virtual dead heat that amazed RT Rybak. But even that tie showed Sharon's feet of clay. Rybak LOST yesterday and that clear loss shows that even with the Mayor's office, a ton of political favors, and a few has been politicians supporting him he has lost the community support he once enjoyed so much of. Once you have lost that public trust you don't come back. Four years ago Martin Sabo said that, and said that Sharon's campaign was dead. He proved prophetic. Yesterday RT showed that he had dug himself a political grave that he will have a hard time crawling out of.
One of RT's former supporters drew on the Cosby Show for humor yesterday when he said, "We brought him into the political world, and now we are going to take him out of it!" I think he might prove correct. Those who worked so hard to bring RT to a surprise win that even he could not believe, will probably take him out of office. The perception of RT's promise got him into office, and failed promise will probably get him out.
Jim Graham, Ventura Village
"The rarest of gems,
with the greatest clarity,
and with the greatest brilliance
is not the diamond.
The rarest of all gems is the truth.
Yet as scarce as truth is, the supply has always far exceeded any demand for it. In fact it may well be the
lest desirable commodity in the Universe.
Ask any politician."
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