Polinaut: June 19, 2006 Archive

Where do blogs end and campaigns begin?

Posted at 8:52 AM on June 19, 2006 by Bob Collins (2 Comments)

A few months ago, I caused a firestorm when I asked whether any bloggers were tied to any campaigns. Apparently it was perceived as innuendo, and when it comes to blogger-MSM innuendo, it's a one-way street.

At the time, the one prominent blog I never heard from was Minnesota Democrats Exposed, a must-read blog that dares to say what no campaign in this safe, poll-driven, mush world of campaign flaks and consultants would ever allow on its own.

What always interested me is the work blogger Michael Brodkorb did was invariably picked up -- as themes -- by the state Republican Party; not surprising since Brodkorb is a former communications boss with the state Republican Party under then-chair Ron Eibensteiner. Up until he got sued by Blois Olson, the identity of the writer of MDE was a secret, at least creating the illusion that there was a good reason for anonymity.

I don't believe that MDE was ever paid to blog by the Republicans or anyone else, but I have always been interested in the relationship between campaigns and bloggers.

Over at Norwegianality, the writer stopped blogging when he became a staffer contractor (see comments) on the Ford Bell campaign.

Today, however, MDE has announced he's going to work for Senate candidate Mark Kennedy, but still blog at MDE, since his ideas are his own. That's a shot-in-the-arm for the Kennedy campaign, as I understand Brodkorb is quite talented, and, for the record, according to DFL bloggers who met him at the DFL convention, a heck of a nice guy.
And he sure "gets" the responsibilities inherent in blogging.

Bloggers in Minnesota do a great job of policing other bloggers with undisclosed professional connections to campaigns. But the ultimate responsibility lies with each individual blogger to ensure they operate their blog without an inherent conflict of interest. As I am a Republican operative who exposes Minnesota Democrats, I am continually aware of my responsibility to disclose any conflict that could tarnish the effectiveness of my blog.

Brodkorb, however, says you might see a "small drop" in coverage of the U.S. Senate race. Even so, the relationship between MDE and the Mark Kennedy campaign is going to strain the ability of either side to avoid responsibility for the words and actions of the other. Like it or not, there is now a "connection" between the Kennedy campaign and MDE.

It'll be fascinating to watch. Best of luck to both.

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Uldrich staying in

Posted at 9:18 AM on June 19, 2006 by Bob Collins

Jack John Uldrich, denied the GOP endorsement in the U.S. Senate race at the convention in Rochester Minneapolis, is filing for "minority party status," to avoid the September primary.

According to his release, that's not all.

The press conference release indicated he will discuss his filing of a complaint with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Attorney Generals Office (Minnesota and Washington) and the Federal Elections Commission - Washington. A Civil Rights complaint, he will address the conduct of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Congressman Mark Kennedy and Minnesota's Governor Tim Pawlenty in their effort to assure a 'first ballot' victory for the respective candidates. Among the points he will make at the press conference will be 'smoking gun' evidence of their tri-parte actions.

I guess that guarantees the media will show up.

Wanted: One sacrificial lamb

Posted at 11:18 AM on June 19, 2006 by Bob Collins (2 Comments)

Bob Carney -- that's him, there -- is on a mission: he's looking for a moderate Republican, any moderate Republican. Well, a moderate Republican that wants to run against a sitting incumbent Republican governor with fairly high approval ratings, who's got the might, the money, and the muscle in the form of the endorsement of his party.

According to MPR's Laura McCallum, he's trying to get Tim Pawlenty to sign a contract with voters saying he won't be bound by special interest pledges. Pawlenty's campaign responded to Carney in a letter, saying Pawlenty won't sign any interest group pledges at this time. So I guess that's that. No pledges, and no pledges about pledges.

Carney says if he can't find anybody, he'll run in the primary against Pawlenty.

His Web site is republicancontract.com/.

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IP candidates

Posted at 12:04 PM on June 19, 2006 by Bob Collins

Many of the Independence Party candidates were on Midday today. I'm doing a little surgery on the audio so that I can isolate the segment with the three Senate candidates from the one gubernatorial candidate that was in.

Peter Hutchinson was in last week.

Update 12:40 p.m. - Here's the segment with the Senate candidates (RealAudio)

Update 1:03 p.m. -- And here's Pam Ellison (RealAudio).

3:37 Laura McCallum sends this picture along of Ellison in the Arlington High School library, where she works as an assistant. Ellison, on Midday, by the way, named her running mate -- Kari Johnson.

Crumbs

Posted at 1:12 PM on June 19, 2006 by Bob Collins (5 Comments)

The more you get to know folks in politics, I think the easier it is to like them, mostly because the more you get to know them, the more you realize that there's more to them than just politics. So I guess this is a non-political post.

I was leafing through Shot In the Dark today and he acknowledges being a "long-suffering Milwaukee Brewers fan," -- as if there's any other kind.

But, boy, can I ever identify for I am a "long-suffering Cleveland Indians fan." I'm tempted to add, "as if there's any other kind," except that there actually are where Indians fans are concerned. There are the fans who are still fans and there are the fans who actually root for the team to lose so that we can get rid of the 50-gallon barrel of sludge known as manager Eric Wedge.

Then he drops the bombshell: Hugh Hewitt is a Cleveland Indians fan. On the recommendation of Gary Miller at Kennedy v. the Machine, I started listening to his radio program and, I'm sorry, I just couldn't continue. It's not my cup of team. Lest you think , "aha, he admits he's against conservatives," well, no, I don't listen to Al Franken and those folks either for pretty much the same reason. I just don't think it's very good radio. Plus I usually only listen in my car and since I started going deaf, I've had to stop listening to the radio so that I don't miss stuff I need to hear -- police cars, ambulances, and the sound of a crankshaft breaking in two, for example.

But, geez, if he's a Tribe fan, maybe I'll have to try again, except that I'm about ready to join that other type of Tribe fan.

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Klobuchar newser on alternative fuels

Posted at 2:19 PM on June 19, 2006 by Bob Collins

Amy Klobuchar had a news conference today on alternative fuels. I've stuck the audio of the news conference under the -- oddly enough -- "audio highlights" section of her page on Campaign 2006.