Polinaut: April 19, 2006 Archive

Those upstarts are at it

Posted at 9:48 AM on April 19, 2006 by Bob Collins

Tom Scheck takes note of this item in The Hill:

New campaign-finance records show that key challengers are surpassing or matching the fundraising of incumbents this year in competitive races around the country, a sign of the gathering strength of an anti-incumbent wind that doesn’t necessarily distinguish between Republicans and Democrats.

Oh, doctor!

Posted at 12:45 PM on April 19, 2006 by Bob Collins (3 Comments)

Minnesota Citizens in Defense of Marriage is out with a bunch of ads, looking for some contributions and lambasting senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee who voted against the same-sex marriage ban. The thing is, though, they've doctored the photos of the senators to show them sticking their tongue out and making what some might consider an obscene (OK, it was obscene by the standards when I was growing up and my mother-in-law, two infallible yardsticks. Although one of the Disney characters gave me the same gesture at Disneyworld once) gesture.

Here's one.

Update: DFL has called a news conference. I'm betting they'll be shocked -- shocked -- that someone would do this to a politician's image.

Comment on this post

The Dirty Fingernail Coalition

Posted at 1:24 PM on April 19, 2006 by Bob Collins

Truth be told, we don't really know how "average" many of our politicians are. But we can tell a little by what they do in "real life." Call it the "Dirty Fingernail Coalition," the brainchild of someone with way too much time on his hands today, and a browser connected to the House member biographies.

First, we get rid of the lawyers (14), the educators (22), the realtors (4), doctors (including chiropractors) (4) people who list their occupation as "legislator" (16), and people who list their occupation as "business" (18), and, of course, consultants (7), and we're left with this year's Dirty Fingernail Coalition.

Bruce Anderson -- Listed as "agribusiness." I think that means farming or something having to do with farming. You're in.
Greg Blaine - Farmer
Rep. Tony Cornish - He's a retired cop. That qualifies.
Greg Davids - Farmer
David Dill - Aircraft and powerplant mechanic
Rod Hamilton -- Says "pork producer," which I think means hog farmer.
Lyle Koenen - Farmer
Doug Magnus - Farmer
Tim Mahoney - Pipefitter
Michael Nelson - Tradesman
Mark Olson - Carpenter
Mary Ellen Otremba -- Farmer (and substitute teacher. Yeah, that counts too!)
Duke Powell - Paramedic
Maria Ruud - Nurse
Steve Sviggum - Farmer

That's 9 Republicans and 6 DFLers if you're counting. And I know you are.

Now I have to come up with a logo and secret handshake. Oh and T-shirts. Gotta have T-shirts.

Respondents to Clinton: "No"

Posted at 1:59 PM on April 19, 2006 by Bob Collins

Rasmussen is out with a new poll today that shows support for a Hillary Clinton presidency at a new low.