Clearly Walter Mondale has become irrelevant to politics in Minneapolis. It is unfortunate that he has attempted to use that past political capital with the DFL to influence Minneapolis Politics. It taints the shine of the regard he once had from the DFL. Now all that he gives is a photo opportunity and a chance for TV coverage for a candidate he supports. Walter probably should stay out of local politics where he knows nothing about them.
Jim, are you talking about the same Walter Mondale that debated Norm Coleman right off the stage but a couple years back? And are you trying to tell us that our senator who sponsored the Voting Rights Act, Civil Rights Act, etc. is a poor judge of who should carry on his work and the DFL's great and honorable traditions? If so, you owe Walter and R.T. apologies!
There was no tie yesterday, Peter McLaughlin won every ballot and had more than a majority of the Democrats present voting for him.
Peter's widest margin was barely a hundred votes- peanuts in a city with over 100,000 DFL voters.
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.
At the conclusion of voting there had been no movement in several ballots, and we would have been deadlocked all night.
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.
R.T. may have realized the obvious: the convention was deadlocked.
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.
I finally managed to corner Peter and asked how he would fund the 200 cops and firefighters that he blames R.T. for losing. His "answer"- a one time twenty five million dollar paper transfer from merging Minneapolis pension programs into he states. That one time transfer would keep all those firefighters and cops on the job for maybe a year and a half...
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.
Peter led but did not win the race because he did a better job of packing the convention with his supporters. Peter will face a much more uphill battle in the upcoming elections, as voter's ask "Peter who" and higher turnout in R.T.'s strongest precincts will win reelection for him.
from Hawthorne,
Dyna Sluyter
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