Speed Gibson

Since KAR is busy being insightful, I'll take a swing at the Moron Mail, Monday's Letter of the Day in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, complete with an endearing, pre-beard photograph of the late Senator.

On the anniversary of the death of Sen. Paul Wellstone, I was reminded of one of his last official acts on hehalf of Minnesotans - his vote against authorization for a war in Iraq.

That much is true, but what's the rest of the story? Paul Wellstone voted against the first Gulf War, to oust Saddam Hussein from Kuwait. Desert Storm had wide sanction and support from the U.N. and dozens of nations. We're not likely to see an international coalition like this again. Yet Wellstone voted no.

Wellstone was asked why in a radio interview, and gave a couple of reasons. The follow up question was if those points were resolved would he then vote yes? Well, no, said Wellstone, there are other reasons which he did not detail. The interviewer didn't press further, or need to.

Paul Wellstone, bless his memory, was true to his sixties' roots. He was not going to approve of any war, period. However consistent, his vote against this current war was really not a reasoned decision of the moment based on the specifics of this situation.

The rest of the letter, with Moonbat statistics and the "H" word (Halliburton) is what elevates this letter to Moron Mail status, merely a sophomoric attempt to have Paul Wellstone wag a finger at President Bush.

The Kool Aid Report is normally equal parts humor and theraputic release, but Learned Foot penned a profound point today:

"[adding] Howard Dean [...] to the Strib editorial board would effect absolutely no change from its current editorial direction."

That's the fact, Jack!

Mitch Berg thoroughly fisks the Minneapolis Star Tribune's endorsement of Amy Klobuchar, expected in every way. It is a classic start at the end (who) and work backwards (why).

But of course there is no honest, compelling argument for the underqualified, superficial Klobuchar, so the writers have to make it much of it up as Mitch points out. It was like their 2004 Kerry endorsement all over again.

"Her competence is manifest" it says. I love the choice of words these editorial writers use when they're having to play a weak hand like this. Manifest is just a fancy word for obvious, but connotes grand achievement in this context. But Klobuchar's actual record as Hennepin County Attorney is well short of that imagery, as Minneapolis residents can attest. Her staff didn't even want to endorse her at first, claiming she constantly took credit for others' work.

But our undemanding press requires nothing more than a "D" after a candidate's name.

I have a pretty well-reasoned post sitting in my blog drawer for why I will be voting for Peter Hutchinson. Briefly, I argue that if we have to have a non-Republican governor, let's at least elect the most honest, the most capable, the one with the most executive skills.

But it's still stuck in the drawer, for an increasing fear of the damage Mike Hatch could do to Minnesota in just four years. Pawlenty has done some damage, and will likely continue to do so. It's hard to say. His campaign promises are generally worthless.

Sure, Mike Hatch is obnoxious, on every level. We knew that already. Sure, Mike Hatch is running a nasty campaign. He always does, even against other Democrats. But since he hasn't been able to land the big jobs in the past, I really hadn't given thought to how such a man would govern.

The way the political winds are blowing this year, Mike Hatch could become Little Caesar. Those winds could carry his deputy Lori Swanson into the Attorney General's office. Swanson clearly would continue the Hatch policy of headlines before convictions. If MDE is right and Hatch appoints Judy Schaubach as his Education Commissioner, he will have total control of Education as well.

Senate Majority Liar Dean Johnson had little trouble finessing Pawlenty, but will get absolutely nowhere with a real street fighter like Hatch. Ditto whoever becomes Speaker of the House, even if it goes Democrat this year.

The judges are already on notice, both sitting and those who might be appointed. "Outcome-based Jurisprudence" will be the law of the land if Hatch gets his way.

Such a centralization of power, enforced by press conferences and lawsuits, is a real concern to me. But is it a big enough threat to make me give Pawlenty one more vote? I'll need more time on this one.

Moving on to the endorsement of Betty McCollum, here is what the St. Paul Pioneer Press has to say of Obi Sium:

Her opponent is Republican Obi Sium, a retired state engineer and naturalized citizen who grew up in the African nation of Eritrea. Sium declined our invitations to discuss his views on the issues."

That's the first and last mention of Mr. Sium, about 1.5 out of the 17 column inches.

Yes, Obi committed the unpardonable sin of not wasting his time before the Editorial Board. The Gophers have a better chance of beating Ohio State than Mr. Sium does of winning the endorsement let alone the election.

Actually, I don't mind the endorsement of McCollum. She does fit the district, and truly would better represent that district's (... Adjective Wanted! ...) views. And like Wetterling, Obi Sium brings no prior political experience to the job.

I do find it amusing that they spent all that ink for something they could have said in three short paragraphs including the one I quoted.

I am mystified on a couple of points regarding the Sixth District Congressional Race in Minnesota. Here I am, a Minneapolis Star Tribune subscriber who decides to pick up a St. Paul Pioneer Press at Caribou this morning. Right away starting on page 1 I'm treated to a pithy puff piece on Amy Klobuchar. It contains not one single fact relevant to the election. It could have waited until after the election. It could have been run a year ago. I keep hoping that the STPP will "grow up" and give us a real alternative. Not this year, I guess.

But in the next section comes the Patty Wetterling endorsement, only it's really mostly a condemnation of Michele Bachmann. Vote for Patty because Michele is a holy roller.

Question one: Why does it matter where Michele Bachmann gets her values? She can at least point to a book that has been passed down through millenia. Where do what Bill O'Reilly calls "Secular Progressives" get their values? This question has been put to them many times on various programs, and it always comes back "I feel ..." or words to that effect.

What counts in an election is how you translate your values into your positions. I would not go as far as Bachmann does on some issues, but she's up front with all that and the voters can decide. The Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, and others conclude that she is not only wrong, she is possessed, unknowingly doing great harm in blind obedience to her strong faith.

Question two: Why is Patty Wetterling getting a pass on her low campaign tactics from both editorial boards? This isn't rhetoric. This isn't BS. Wetterling is engaging in repeated, significant, outright lying and slander, messages "she approved." But there's not a word of this in either endorsement. Tell me, where did she get these values? Not from Hubert Humphrey, Roger Moe, or Paul Wellstone.

Suppose she's elected. Will she suddenly morph from Dirty Patty back to Saint Patty as seems to be assumed? That's typically not what happens. There is no reason to think the claws won't come out again in 2008. No, Patty Wetterling is now a full-fledged politician now, or will be if elected.

It's time to end Patty Wetterling's political career such as it is right now. For if sleaze like this can triumph in a solid Republican area, we may never see another honest DFL candidate.

"Jericho" would appear to be CBS's answer to "Lost" on ABC. I've maybe seen 10 minutes of the latter. The concept doesn't appeal to me, something about pressing a button every 108 minutes on an uncharted island where some plane crash survivors now call home.

"Jericho" is more straight-forward, real enough to be somewhere between disconcerting and sobering. Jericho is a town of 5,000 people in western Kansas who see a mushroom cloud rise in the distance over Denver. Soon, they learn Atlanta was also hit. A secretive man gets further updates by Morse code, pushing pins in a map to indicate San Diego, Chicago, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and other cities were attacked.

Electrical power, gasoline, and of course food are immediate issues. Their mid-western values are holding off the anarchy, but just barely. Last week they saw a couple of ICBM's arching up, a counter attack presumably. Another bomb comes in, an airburst whose EM pulse fries everything with a circuit board and knocks out the power.

It's well done. You haven't heard of anyone in the cast. There's no gratuitous sex scenes or skimpy outfits, a refreshing change from the likes of "Grey's Anatomy."

The writing is pretty good, too. Yes, they weave a bunch of sub-plots like Irwin Allen always did in his mega-disaster films. But they're subtle and woven nicely to where you really don't dwell on the war, the radiation, the next attack, what's left of America, and so on. That's just there to set the stage, to see some good people and a couple less so get along in the worst of times. I kind of feel like I'm there in Jericho myself.

In this era of heightened terrorism and nuclear proliferation, this show is a blunt reminder of how tenuous our life styles are. What's presented is not all that unthinkable, and more so if the far left Democrats have their way. To retreat to their comfort zone of courts, diplomacy, sanctions, open borders and the United Nations will certainly encourage those who would like to make "Jericho" a reality. Imagine the effect of just a single nuclear detonation in, say, New York City.

The main characters of "Jericho" are people you'd like to meet, except that we have met them all in course of our lives and travels. There really isn't any one character you would designate as the star of the show. They're a good cross-section of ages, and they're not portrayed as hicks, either.

I've had high hopes before, like for "Commander in Chief." The premise that put "Mac" in the White House was silly, the characters one-dimensional, and poorly cast. I was done with it when she started talking Spanish to a Latin American dictator. The producers seemed dumbfounded that they didn't have another "West Wing" on their hands.

It's only been five episodes so far, but this ranks second only to "Dancing with the Stars" in terms of "must see" TV this fall.

Having read the a bad news for the Learned Feet, I'm thinking of General Zod, staring down at a bewildered Cosmonaut in Superman II. "Fragile sort of life form this is," he dryly observes before proving the point.

It takes each of us some number of years before we look back at our own presumed immortality and invulnerability of youth, looking ahead to see - reality. We don't know how, we don't know when, but we eventually realize that the blogs and the beer cannot continue indefinitely. I myself finally realized that this is my last chance to lose all this weight before my blood pressure or whatever else kills me off way too soon.

In Mrs. Foot's case, however, we have strong reasons for hope. I'm guessing she's young enough to endure the treatment, and I'm praying that the detection was early enough to let the best health care providers in the world do their stuff.

What would have been her odds 100 years ago? Or in North Korea today? No, this glass is all but full, and I add my voice to the many well-wishers for Sparky.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune today published four U.S. House picks, Ellison, Wetterling, Peterson, and Oberstar. "Two incumbents, two newcomers" is their idea of balance, even if they are all Democrats. I think they got at least three of them wrong.

In endorsing Keith Ellison, the Star Tribune notes that the race "has turned into such a brawl of personal revelations and unseemly attacks that voters must be feeling starved for substance." They fail to note that they themselves are doing much of the brawling and withholding the substance that Powerline and others have published.

Out west, their pick of Colin Peterson is facing the "unusually articulate and well-researched" Mike Barrett. Why is it "unusual" for a Republican or any other challenger for a high office to be articulate? Or do the homework expected? It isn't of course; this is just a gentle swipe at the presumed lower average intelligence of Republicans. As Ann Coulter asks, why are conservative books always "surprise" best sellers? Speaking of articulate, the Star Tribune should check its own grammar in the sentence I quoted.

In the Eighth district, the Star Tribune claims that "[i]f the issue is a trade-off between jobs and environmental regulations, as Grams frames it, then [James] Oberstar has shown an admirable record of striking the right balance." Actually, no, the jobs are losing handily to the far left environmental votes of Oberstar who considers Minnesota "fly over" country. And how can you be considered "a champion" of this or "a master" of that when you miss over two-thirds of your committee meetings?

In endorsing Patty Wetterling, they claim that "voters who have taken a good, careful look will recognize that Wetterling is the real moderate here -- a compassionate but sensible voice for mainstream Minnesota values." To argue whether Wetterling is a moderate is pointless for lack of evidence one way or the other. Wetterling remains a one trick pony, unable to competently present, debate, or defend whatever views she might have. Even if she did, why believe her?

Patty Wetterling is running the most false and misleading ads in Minnesota. Despite media criticism as such, she continues to run them, perhaps because she has nothing else to say. Is lying to voters a mainstream Minnesota value? And personal slander? It is at the Star Tribune it would seem, judging by what they did to Alan Fine.

I won't quibble with Peterson vs Barrett. It looks like the Seventh district won't go too far wrong either way. But why endorse scofflaws, liars, and truants over those who do obey laws, speak plainly, and might actually might show up for work? Because they're Democrats.

I heard Gil Gutknect interviewed on the "Final Word" segment of the NARN this past Saturday. He spent a considerable amount of time on Ethanol, speaking of its many supposed advantages like energy independence and cleaner air. It was largely a crock, topped off with a cute piece of spin to claim ethanol really isn't subsidized - just taxed less!

Hosts King and Michael swallowed their whistles, letting Gutknect go on unrefuted. Is that what it's come to, now, the Hugh Hewitt vote GOP at all costs mantra? Forgive me King for using you as an example, but this seems to be a widespread problem in our ranks.

Now Gutknect is still a far better choice than challenger Tim Walz. At the national level, I will in fact be voting the straight GOP ticket, seeing nothing but issueless, underqualified candidates like Klobuchar on the DFL side. Mark Kennedy has it right. We have made some mistakes in Iraq, but cut and run is worse - for Americans and Iraqis alike. Socialized medicine doesn't work. And tax cuts beat tax increases as history repeatedly shows.

So are we going to stop all intellectual debate until after the election, desperate to retain control of the Congress? I would have been content to just confront Gutknecht with the hard fact that enthanol is not an energy source, at least not from corn.

The victory that counts, the majority that truly can govern must come from voters with their eyes open.

There isn't much to go on in these races, but here's how I see myself voting in district 46(B). These are very safe DFL districts.

House District 46B: Debra Hillstrom (DFL, incumbent since 2000)

I admit I know Debra from her City Council days, and haven't had the pleasure of meeting her opponent, Jill Peterson. I have never had cause to doubt Hillstrom's integrity. I know she works hard, and genuinely pursues what she thinks best for Brooklyn Center.

Granted, she did vote for the Twins stadium, and she has far too much faith in the public school system for the students' own good. But I also know Debra isn't a hard lefty, either. Given the district demographics, we could do far worse.

Peterson's campaign has been non-existent so far. For all I know, she could be anywhere from a conservative to a RINO, and I consider the latter more troubling than some Democrats, including Hillstrom.

A better challenger could easily get my vote in the future, but in 2006, my choice is to re-elect Debra Hillstrom.

Senate District 46: Steve Arakawa (GOP, challenger)

Again, I haven't met Arakawa, but his web site has sufficient information to win my vote.

Linda Scheid's performance her past 10 years in the Senate has not been particularly inspiring or effective. She is basically just a party line voter. There are rare exceptions like her support to repeal the 8 cents a gallon price fixing on gasoline. But on larger issues, she has let us down.

Yes, she voted for the Twins stadium, but so did Hillstrom and an unsettling number of Republicans, not to mention the Governor. After all, as the Taxpayers League of Minnesota has documented, she is a very big spender even by DFL standards, so give her points for consistency.

Speaking of spending, Scheid has more than once demonstrated a surprising poor grasp of money and financial concepts. I have to wonder if she even understands these budget bills she votes on.

But far worse, she voted to lynch Cheri Pierson Yecke in the middle of the night. Coupling that with her continued support of serial liar Senator Dean Johnson as Majority Leader, I question Scheid's loyalty and interest in truly representing the hard-working people of Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park. Scheid's somewhat arrogant manner tends to confirm this diagnosis for me.

Ten years is enough. I think it's time for a change - Steve Arakawa.

If the Minnesota Poll is to be believed, the DFL will handily defeat the GOP for Governor, U.S. Senator, the State House, and pick up two U.S. House seats, leaving only Kline and Ramstad.

So what's with all this DFL spying and false advertising, even repeated, blatant lying in one race? Don't they know they're ahead? The strategy is working! Smile, take no stands, and stay on message: "I'm running against George W. Bush!"

The hardest question I had with the Watergate story when it unfolded over 30 years ago was why? George McGovern was God's gift of the century to the Republicans, as the election showed. What was the point of the plumbers and the break-in?

Is that same level of paranoia now besetting the DFL and its friends at the Minneapolis Star Tribune? I agree with Scott Johnson at Power Line who posted that "All in all, the McEnroe and Olson story on Fine's expunged 1995 arrest may be the shoddiest story ever published in the Star Tribune." The story has no relevance to the election, and shouldn't be necessary in one of the 10 safest districts for Democrats in the country. Yet not only did they print it, they grossly distorted it against the GOP candidate.

Here's my theory: they don't believe the Minnesota Poll either. Oh, they do in general, but each player is worried about their race. What if they lose? More specifically, what if theirs is the only major DFL candidate who loses? On TV you see Amy smiling, Hatch beaming, and a big cheer goes up when they announce that the DFL has retaken the Minnesota House.

But no balloon drop for the Wetterling camp. (I used her campaign as the example, but it could be any major candidate.) Michele Bachmann is gracious in her victory speech, but you want to kick the TV set in. What did they do wrong? What's not to like about Patty? How stupid are these voters?

Only a rookie TV reporter, maybe a stringer or two are live at your glum party, which is fine, you don't want to be on TV anyway. You look wistfully at your watch, then the coverage of the other celebrations, wincing when they throw you a "good effort" bone. It's the greatest night the DFL has enjoyed since Humphrey and you're on the outside looking in.

That's my theory, for what it's worth: fear of failure when everyone else wins easily.

There's nothing like a General Election to provide topics and guests, and the Northern Alliance made great use of both today, six hours of entertaining, informative radio. (I'll be listening to Taxpayers League live later by transcription later.)

In particular, Minneapolis Star Tribune writer Rochelle Olson appeared in the 2 pm hour with Mitch Berg and Captain Ed. Olson co-wrote what I have no trouble calling a hit piece on 5th District Congressional candidate Alan Fine a week ago. Mitch sounded almost flustered at times, trying so hard to come up with clever questions she would think safe to answer. I think he succeeded.

That was the first half-hour, with Scott Johnson and Alan Fine in the second half. Together with the many posts at PowerLine, this hour tells you all you need to know about this race.

Getting back to Olson, I was reminded of an interview Ian Punnett had with a Scientologist. When he asked about the "secret" tenets regarding extra-terrestial aliens visiting Earth long ago, said Scientologist squirmed through various denials both pro and con. Afterward, Ian said he found her answers "unsatisfying." Olson acquitted herself no better.

I remember when I was incensed over the Minneapolis Star Tribune's ridiculous and shameless politically correct "twin tragedy" coverage of the murder of Police Officer Melissa Schmitt by Martha Donald. Then ombudsman Lou Gelfand devoted his Sunday column to it, largely quoting editor Anders Gyllenhaal's spin. I began to write a steaming e-Mail to Lou, but fortunately re-read Gelfand's column first. Gyllenhaal readily admitted everything we were all charging. There was no need for Gelfand to restate the obvious. I congratulated him instead.

Similarly, while I then wanted for Mitch and Ed to go for the throat, their kind, empathic words soon had Olson babbling the truth. Well done, boys!

Alan Fine shared still more, especially regarding the normally (formerly?) stand-up reporter Eric Black. Listen to the hour on Townhall when it becomes available.

I don't live in the 8th Congressional District. I've maybe seen him on television maybe five times in the last ten years or so. Maybe less. When I saw him on Almanac, I almost didn't recognize him.

I wouldn't think Oberstar has much to worry about in his bid for re-election, even with former Senator Rod Grams as his opponent. Oberstar has been a fixture in the House since his first election in 1974 and shouldn't have any trouble in this trying year for Republicans.

On Almanac's extended debate with Grams and a third party candiate, Oberstar looked tired, as in just flew in.
The younger Rod Grams might be the best debater running in Minnesota and he's got an issue that Oberstar can't deflect - attendance.

As Grams points out, Oberstar doesn't live in Minnesota and travels extensively to non-Minnesota locales according to travel records. He also misses most of his committee meetings in Congress.

As a result, Oberstar became visibly flustered while Grams calmly kept making his points and effectively parrying a desperate "what do you know about mining" shot by Oberstar. This fight was over in the first round. An incumbent of his years and political experience should have done much better, especially on home turf like public television.

Maybe Oberstar is remembering what happened to Speaker of the House Tom Foley and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. There's no good way to spin his attendance, but somehow I doubt that's generating enough traction. The relatively poor economy in the Arrowhead could be more significant and he has no cards to play there either, just more handouts.

I would think Oberstar is safe. Grams is hoping for the best, but even a loss sets the stage for a tighter rematch in 2008. If 2006 is at all close, Oberstar may retire before that.

The Home Depot store in Brooklyn Park lost me as a customer on Sunday. They have converted to all self-service checkout except for the "pro" line, and maybe a very slow trainee.

I'm not openly opposed to the concept, but you're not going to win me over with a poorly designed station with poor equipment. The bags that are supposed to be weighed as you put things into them were not mounted properly unless you unhook the bag first. The screen response times were slow, several seconds at times. The credit card station is mounted awkwardly at the end, and aimed at a customer maybe 5 foot 2. With its small font and LCD screen I had to bend over to read it. It prompts for PIN, expecting you to then hit the CREDIT button; most confusing.

ATM's took a good ten years to reach acceptable reliability and it looks like this technology will need another five years, too. Right now, it's vending machine grade equipment, and that's not good enough to keep me from going to Menard's from now on.

I will be voting for Dan Ryan and Mark Yelich for Brooklyn Center City Council in November. I first met Mark some years ago and think he will do a fine job for us, having both the energy and common sense required.

I confess I've only just met Dan Ryan, having perhaps a ten minute hallway conversation with him. And I saw him on a televised debate.

In both cases, I think we agree about 2/3 of the issues, probably the most you can hope for short of running yourself. That and civility close the deal for me.

The remaining candidate, the incumbent, is a talker and that's for polite company. Even when she has a point, she is often late, unprepared, or both. Her latest "tilt" was against the hiring of Curt Bogany as our City Manager or his contract or both - I really couldn't tell from her muddled oratory. It went for over three hours, spanning two Council meetings. She admitted up front she has no background in employment or contracts, and demonstrated no management experience. But she proceeded as if she is an expert in all three. All told, it was the proverbial tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. The original contract was approved tonight with one minor change.

I could make a case for Ryan and Yelich on civility alone, but I prefer to keep this mostly positive. Despite the incumbent's experience they are easily the best two candidates for the job.

There was a change made this morning on KTLK-FM regarding what was my favorite morning show. Kelly Guest is gone, and the 8-9 hour given to Dan Conry, expanding his show to 8-11 AM. The "Morning Show" is now the "First Word."

An hour was enough to convince me to change the dial. Kelly was a big part of the show, perhaps the proverbial better half. She was the somewhat conversative ying to the somewhat liberal yang of the remaining host, Andrew Colter, who still remains the most intelligent local morning host on the air in my opinion.

But the show now resembles the original Willie Clark offering, granted with a big difference: Colter discusses real news, Clark just fluff.

Another change has crept in - more commercials. I was spoiled in the beginning when they had nothing much booked, but now they do. They are now on par with the competition, but with the constant barrage of traffic and weather reports, it's too broken up.

Nothing is forever, especially in radio it seems. I just question whether KTLK made the right diagnosis. To simply retreat to what the others are already doing seems poor strategy. I expect there will be more changes within the next 6-9 months.

We put in a new ceiling fan this weekend. I keep thinking that one day I will be able to do one of these without incident. But this makes I believe fan #5 for my current abode, and nothing has changed.

In the ceiling fan business, ease of installation is last priority. "Wouldn't it be cute if we add a decorative flange where the blades attach to the motor?" someone must have said. "Sure, go ahead." That these flanges get in your way trying to do an already difficult balancing act, all upside down, doesn't figure in the decision.

"Oh, and I got this great deal on wire! Yes, it's so slippery you can hardly strip it, a lot of fun way up by the ceiling. Yes, it's about one gauge too small, but what a deal"

"What parts are we leaving out in this model? You know we always do!" This time it was the wire nuts, only two of the three required. (If I wired the lamp separately, I'd need four.) But for one connection I needed a larger one anyway, which I had in stock.

But ceiling fans are purchased on looks alone. There are no market advantages for the well-designed or the easy to install, not even for including all the parts required.

Maybe someone should have a web site of difficult to install products.

Much of retail these days is about "branding" - establishing a brand name or product niche that customers both want and can't find elsewhere. Once established, it is a great retail sin to "cheapen" that brand by getting greedy. Offering deep discounts, selling through too many channels, and saturation of the market make your branded product look cheap and commonplace are common mistakes that turn chic brands into mere commodities.

Mark Yost on the NARN today spoke of the National Football League's (NFL) product labeling / endorsement. They signed everyone that approached them, and soon the NFL and team logos were everywhere, from lunch boxes on up. It stopped being special, and NFL has since corrected that mistake.

Now consider Patty Wetterling, who founded the Jacob Wetterling Foundation is response to the tragic abduction and we presume worse of her son in 1989. This group advocates via education and lobbying for stronger laws, and assists victims of similar crimes. This is a fine organization by all accounts.

But now as candidate for U.S. House in District 6, Wetterling "has approved" two messages in ads still running I believe. One concerns Michele Bachmann (23% sales tax) and the other the House (i.e. Republican) leadership regarding disgraced and resigned Rep. Foley. Maybe Eric Black senses his job is on the line. Maybe Wy Spano continues to be somewhere between an idiot and unprincipled partisan. But we're adults here, including Wetterling. These messages were blatant lies. If you've followed my blog, you know I never make such a charge lightly. When even the Minneapolis Star Tribune and WDFL-TV are groaning, there is no reasonable doubt here.

Patty Wetterling has cheapened her brand, i.e. her Foundation. Lost now is the broad appeal, the wide public sympathy, and the ability to raise funds from all segments of the population. But she has moved on from founder and advocate to politician and liar.

We could understand how she might think political office would allow her to do still more for her cause. We couldn't understand why she thinks that cause is enough, that she didn't need to study, understand, and speak to the many other issues we face. She was defeated handily in 2004 as a result despite her name recognition and sympathy.

She is running again in 2006. She will lose again in 2006, probably by a still wider margin. But right or wrong, the Wetterling Foundation she will return to now looks like a political group, and that will cost it at least some of the good will and financial support of Republicans, maybe even a few Democrats, too. The Foundation also can no longer lobby as effectively. Even Democrats may not want to ally with it, fearing another, larger mistake in 2008 should Patty run again.

This is truly a shame. I never thought for a moment that Patty Wetterling would stoop to the Dean Johnson level, not once but twice.

Two apologies and a promise never to run for office again are now needed to set things right for the good of the Jacob Wetterling Foundation. I'm not holding my breath.

David Strom and other very smart people are saying that Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert must go. Hugh Hewitt and some other very smart people say otherwise.

I can't claim much political wisdom or experience in such matters, especially national. I have read the various accounts and editorials of this still developing story / scandal, but all I've really learned is that Foley's guilty, the GOP leadership either knew or strong suspected something was amiss, and there is no good way out of this mess. Perhaps the best is to hope the scandal dies in a week or two, as it very well could. The Democrats have shown some restraint, but are still overplaying it, possibly to the point of a backlash should some of their party have also known as seems likely. Regardless, the timing stinks.

Those for Hastert's immediate resignation make a good case, based on more than just this scandal. Immigration and the continued spending spree come to mind. Senator Trent Lott lost the Majority Leader post for the same kinds of peripheral reasons, his careless remark merely an excuse.

But I fail to see what good it does for the GOP or the USA to have him abruptly resign now. If anything, he could quietly announce that he would not seek another term next year as Speaker. Even if the House stays Republican, he likely won't have the votes anyway.

I also fail to see why the Speakership is such a valuable campaign tool in terms of fund raising and personal appearances. Who gets excited over such visits? Not me, and I suspect Democrats didn't either prior to 1994.

Booting Hastert now seems a sure way of keeping this scandal alive until election day. That's not all bad for Republicans, as it keeps Iraq and Bob Woodward off the front page. I kind of like the idea that Woodward wound up getting his own October Surprise that no doubt has hurt his book sales.

I'm siding with Hugh Hewitt on this one. Hastert should stay and make the best of the situation. After the election, though, he should retire from the Speakership.

We may never see such a well-qualified pairing again for Mayor of Brooklyn Center. I know I have never had a more difficult time in any city election, having to choose between Kathleen Carmody and Tim Willson. I know and respect them both. But a number of small indicators, including their performance on a televised debate tonight tell me that Willson is the better choice to meet the challenges and opportunities of our first ring suburb.

Yes, I'm crossing over to the dark side on this one. But it's going to take a little bit of Darth Vader to restore order, cooperation, and civility to the City Council. Having served with Willson on the Planning Commission for nearly ten years, I know he can be the strict parliamentarian required.

Being Mayor also puts you on the spot, often on camera as a representative of the city, for both happy and difficult occasions. Here, too, Willson has the edge. Carmody is at least his intellectual equal, but like so many of us, sometimes has trouble finding the right words when needed at candidate forums or even Council meetings.

I think very highly of Kathleen Carmody, and worked on her last campaign. And I do fear that Willson has a little too much faith in bigger government solutions, some of which haven't exactly worked out as planned in other first ring suburbs.

But a candidate that embodies the best of both isn't running, and I have to choose. In other years, facing different challenges, I might vote differently, but in 2006 my choice is for Tim Willson.

It seems that $4,500 is the going rate for hired bloggers. I think this is another manifestation of a larger belief among our friends on the left, that whatever the need, they can hire it done.

Air America is a great example of this. They hired dozens of producers and writers to support the famous names they placed behind the microphone. Al Franken wanted for nothing as he sought to show Rush Limbaugh how it's done. We all know what happened, that nothing really happened. But I'm not sure that the left still understands why.

It takes more than money; it takes talent and experience, too. National syndication was but the final step for Rush Limbaugh as he worked in and out of radio for years prior. Even his experience promoting the Kansas City Royals proved valuable in winning and holding affliates. Radio was his dream and he got there, but it took 20 years.

Bill O'Reilly is another dues payer whose fame and fortune didn't just happen. From teaching school to "Hard Copy" Bill worked hard to develop his "Factor" that Franken couldn't even parody effectively.

Whatever your opinion of his writing skills, Al Franken's resume doesn't begin to compare with Limbaugh's and O'Reilly's. He tried to jump from summer stock to leading man in a few months, something even Limbaugh and O'Reilly probably couldn't have done, either.

Closer to home, we had Matt Entenza buying elections and opposition research, and who knows what else rather than just doing the hard work of campaigning. If anything, his substitution of money for effort is what has him all but out of political office.

And if the left leaning blogs somehow can't compete with the NARN and other MOB notables on the right, once again, let's just buy our way to the dais. This obviously isn't working either; some are reportedly just copying the others, in fact.

It takes talent, insight, and experience: more Flash, less cash.