Jim, endorsements are imperfect tools. When comparing
candidates with widely diverging platforms and past performance like
John Kerry and George W. Bush they're pretty accurate. When comparing
members of the same progressive wing of the same DFL party
endorsements are often of little value. Oftentimes in these cases
endorsements reflect who did the better job of getting their
supporters onto the endorsement deciding group more than their value
to the cohort the group pretends to represent.
Dyna's post about McLaughlin's endorsement by another labor
organization was comic relief as I read it this morning. Dyna
professes to be a strong labor supporter, yet has a difficult time
as each labor organization goes on board with support for
McLaughlin. It brought to mind the old "little bit pregnant" joke
about how pregnant is she? Dyna is still not believing in the
pregnancy after the labor mother is eight months along and about to
deliver. She demands to know who the father was and how many times
the act occured before she will believe the baby exists.
Again, an endorsement by a thin margin does little to move me
to support Peter McLaughlin. However, if the endorsement were truly
unanamous I would of course support Peter.
Does Peter McLaughlin have labor support? Yes, all the labor
support! Teamsters, Firefighters, AFL-CIO, AFSME, and pretty much
all the rest. The only "labor" endorsement he might not have yet is
the union of paperboys and lawn mowers, if one exists. So Dyna,
what are you going to do, invent a new labor group? Just so you can
say, "AH ha! He doesn't have ALL the labor" Of course Peter
McLaughlin does not have the Police Federation endorsement yet as
far as I know, but can any one even in a illusionary dream really
believe the police department is going to endorse Rybak. The Mayor
who created the worst morale within the Department in my memory?
Rybak has about the same chance of getting that labor endorsement as
he has of financing his campaign by winning the Power Ball lottery.
Jim, my own union representative tells me that many union
members spoke in favor of R.T. at the endorsing meetings.
As for Dyna's "'manufactured' endorsement like the Stonewall DFL's".
Come on Dyna you owe them an apology. In my opinion you seem to be
saying that the gay community does not have the ability to endorse a
candidate, and the endorsement has to be manufactured for them. I
believe there is a process for endorsement for that organization,
and believe at the end of that process an endorsement takes place or
does not take place. It is also like being a little pregnant,
either you got it or you didn't.
The Stonewall DFL more so owes gay DFLers an apology for
misrepresenting them.
Though Dyna's post did raise one important question. Other than the
wealthy yups from the Southwest, and the Sierra Club, does anyone
now support Rybak? All the labor, all the neighborhood activists,
the community development organizations, the Stonewall group, the
main workers in Rybak's last election. All these support now Peter
McLaughlin over Rybak. Now truthfully some of that support for
McLaughlin may indeed be more opposition to Rybak than wholehearted
support for McLaughlin, but that is indicative of their perception
of how bad a job RT's appointments have done at running the City of
Minneapolis. That goes doubly for the different departments of the
City of Minneapolis itself. The workers who actually do the work
for Minneapolis, and who are in the best position to know the job
RT's administration has done, almost to a man or woman oppose Rybak.
Almost all want anyone BUT Rybak. Want anyone but Rybak because of
his appointee's bungling management of the City.
First off the nonprofit community development groups cannot
legally support any candidate. As for your attempt at stereotyping
R.T.'s supporters, at the city convention we both saw folks from all
sectors of the city including union members on each candidates side.
Does RT have a chance to turn that mismanagement of the City around,
so as to get support from more than the affluent? Yes he does! Yes,
but he is certainly running out of time. Rybak must change and
begin to act in a competent manner immediately, or the opportunity
will be lost. Like the grasshopper fiddling and dancing RT has
enjoyed the "position" of Mayor too much. He has fiddled away three
years enjoying his Mayoral party. The cold hard political winter is
almost upon him. Can Rybak store a little "voter supply" away to
carry him through November? I don't know, but RT better hurry cause
"no one knows where the love of God goes when the Winds of November
come early." RT Rybak must already feel that cold winter chill
blowing up his back while he plays.
Even Peter McLaughlin's campaign admits they have an uphill
fight- he has the same demographic problem Sharon Sayles-Belton had
with most of her support coming from low turnout precincts.
The public safety fiasco, the StormWatergate fiasco, the attacks on
neighborhoods and attempts to destroy NRP fiasco, his lack of
leadership on housing and the mess CPED has become fiasco, and RT's
support of the criminal briber Basim Sabri fiasco. How many more
fiascos does it take? What happened to the promises that RT made,
and the promise he offered. RT has not done much while in office;
other than look good, take credit for other's work, and party. At
that New-Year's party three years ago RT promised to "run City Hall
by day and party all night". God knows Rybak remembered that part
about "party", unfortunately it seems to be the ONLY promise he
remembered. RT may not remember the part about "run the City by
day".
Jim, you forgot to blame R.T. for our gloomy weather.
RT was a cute, fun, date at first. But that is getting old fast,
and I think we are starting to look for a little more substance than
cute in this relationship and love affair. Is RT cuter and more
polished than Peter? Sure he is! I would much rather have RT running
a cocktail party for me, but running the City has probably taken RT
beyond his natural talent. Would I rather have RT Rybak being a
television talk show host or news announcer? Sure I would! It's his
natural talent! But running the City takes a lot "More Substance",
and a lot "Less Fluff".
Given our "weak mayor" charter, cuteness is almost an
essential talent for a mayor.
So if Dyna is waiting for the endorsement of the Models and TV
personality "labor union" she may have something. That may be the
only labor endorsement RT gets.
Ever hear of a labor union called AFRTA?
in solidarity from Hawthorne,
Dyna Sluyter
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