So, for those that think that King Randy Kelly�s recent letter to Democrats was
intended to boost Chris Coleman, please consider the following:
�
One, is anybody that easily fooled.��
Two months ago Kelly�s own internal polling showed the candidates in the
following order as the most difficult opponents:��Bill Finney, Jay Benanav,
Rafeal Ortega, Chris Coleman.��How stupid do you have to be to not understand
the intent of the letter.��Focus on Chris and have everyone go, �Oh man, he
must totally want Rafeal by tearing down Chris�
Does anyone really need to remind us of Chris Coleman�s credentials, or lack of
them, as a supportive Democrat in this town?
- Vigorous support of Holman Field
- Support of Norm Coleman (Republican)
- Support of Randy Kelly against Jay Benanav
- Support of Christine Nelson against Dave Thune
- Support of Kris Reiter (Republican) over Lee Helgen
Chris Coleman and Randy Kelly are so much alike why do you suppose Randy does
want to run against him!��
Imagine the debate:���Gee, Chris, remember how you supported baseball (like me)
� remember how you supported hockey (like me) � remember how you worked against
the Benananv resolution on the war (boy, that sure sounds like Norm Coleman and
NOT Paul Wellstone) � remember how you supported the work of the Chamber even
when it was against our neighborhoods (like me)�
Use your head folks, Chris Coleman is Randy Kelly�s best daydream!!!
Two, the argument that Chris Coleman can raise money sure seems awfully fishy
to me.
Case in point.��Since 2000, when Chris ran against Betty McCollum (btw, another
DFL endorsed candidate � I think Randy Kelly worked against her, too, by
supporting either nobody or Steve Novak who was running against her) Chris has
carried a DEBT from his campaign.��I
t�s hard to tell how much since his campaign apparently FAILED to file a report
to the Federal Elections Commission SEVEN TIMES!!!!! And, required a letter
from the FEC telling them to file or face action!!!� It looks like he may have
owed almost $33,000.00 up until about the last month and has worked out some
deal with Bill Hillsman to either not pay the money or to pay a portion of it.
In any case, he has now taken out a LOAN to pay off a debt from a campaign FIVE
YEARS AGO!!!!!
And, of course, conveniently, he did all of this only weeks before the DFL
Precinct Caucuses.
Might it be that Chris has used some of the money he used to run for Mayor to
pay off his debt from his 2000 Congressional Campaign??
And, if he is already in debt personally from paying off debt and bills from a
campaign five years ago, is he really in a position to assume anymore financial
risk to run an effective Mayor�s race?
Folks, Randy Kelly has $300,000 in cash already sitting in his bank
account...Chris is already $5,000 in debt!!!
If you don�t believe me, go to FEC.GOV and check out his reports.��It�s a
pretty funny read for a guy who is telling everyone he has the proven record of
raising tons of money�
�apparently just a proven record of paying the bills from previous campaigns!!!
Three, those who argue that we shouldn�t just focus on who the most loyal DFLer
is, should think about this.��Chris Coleman�s argument that he is a team player
and will get the Council to work for him is nuts.
Go back and check your clippings, folks.��On issue after issue after issue
Chris Coleman picked fights with Kathy Lantry and Jay Benananv.��This was even
before the 2001 Mayors race.��
Kathy may have endorsed Chris, but, not knowing why she endorsed someone who
has worked against Democrats and for and in support of Republicans is
beyond��me.��I guess she will have to answer to that question some other time.
Chris Coleman is a notorious hothead who has the same level of patience as
Mayor Kelly.��WoW!!!! Another attribute the Mayor and Chris Coleman share�
Chris Coleman, the neighborhood activist, is also at odds with reality.
Advocating on behalf of Holman field is not about the neighborhoods.� Working
to shove a baseball stadium down our throats is not about the neighborhoods.�
Endorsing the Chamber Candidate in Ward Two over neighborhood activist Dave
Thune is not about the neighborhoods!
Finally, Chris Coleman�s own conflict with progressive issues should be of
concern to us.��
His cozy relationship with Goff and Howard � the former firm his father was a
partner of � was the subject of��City Pages article several years ago.
This firm, which was the lead firm in DEFEATING the Fair Wages Initiative in
1995 and the lead firm in PROMOTING the baseball stadium initiative in 1999 �
represents another example of Chris Coleman�s support of the Mayor � the
Republican Mayor Norm Coleman � and other totally anti-progressive issues.
In Conclusion, if you all want to support this idea that Chris Coleman is the
most electable candidate, please address these issues:
Can Raise more money?��Look at the FEC report and ask yourself whether this is
true.
He can secure the report of Democrats?��Look at his record of support for Norm
Coleman, for Republican Kris Reiter and other Republican initiatives.��Then ask
yourself if that is true.
Because he represents issues of importance to Progressives?��Working against
the Iraq War resolution � voting and working for baseball � and working for
companies that actively work against progressive issues seems rather odd for a
progressive!
Because Randy Kelly is afraid of him?��Hardly.��Randy�s salivating now thinking
we�re all stupid enough to see the bait and switch in his disingenuous DFL
letter.
Wake up folks!� We're smarter than this...aren't we?????
B. Anderson
St. Paul
���
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