Published on Thursday, June 8 2006 by the Baltimore Sun
With Ineptitude on Full Display, the Party's Over for Republicans
by Garrison Keillor


People who live in mud huts should not throw mud, especially if it comes from their own roofs. As Scripture says, don't point to the speck in your neighbor's eye when you have a piece of kindling in your own.

I see by the papers that the Republicans want to make an issue of Nancy Pelosi in the congressional races this fall: Would you want a San Francisco woman to be speaker of the House?

Will the podium be repainted in lavender stripes with a disco ball overhead? Will she be borne into the chamber by male dancers with glistening torsos and wearing pink tutus? After all, in the unique worldview of old elephants, "San Francisco" is a code word for "g-a-y," and after assembling a record of government lies, incompetence and disaster, the party in power hopes that the fear of g-a-y-s will pull it through in November.

Running against Ms. Pelosi, a woman who comes from a district where there are known gay persons, is a nice trick, but it does draw attention to the large shambling galoot who is speaker now, Tom DeLay's enabler for years, a man who, judging by his public mutterances, is about as smart as most high school wrestling coaches.

For the past year, Dennis Hastert has been two heartbeats from the presidency. He is a man who seems content just to have a car and driver and three square meals a day. He has no apparent vision beyond the urge to hang onto powe r. He has succeeded in turning Congress into a branch of the executive branch. If Mr. Hastert becomes the poster boy for the Republican Party, this does not speak well for them as the Party of Ideas.

People who want to take a swing at San Francisco should think twice. Yes, the Irish coffee at Fisherman's Wharf is overpriced, and the bus tour of Haight-Ashbury is disappointing (where are the hippies?), but the Bay Area is the cradle of the computer and software industry, which continues to create jobs for our children.

The iPod was not developed by Baptists in Waco. There may be a reason for this. Creative people thrive in a climate of openness and tolerance, since some great ideas start out sounding ridiculous.

Creativity is a key to economic progress. Authoritarianism is stifling. I don't believe that Mr. Hewlett and Mr. Packard were gay, but what's important is: In San Francisco, it doesn't matter so much. When the cultural St urmbannfuhrers try to marshal everyone into straight lines, it has consequences for the economic future of this country.

Meanwhile, the Current Occupant goes on impersonating a president. Somewhere in the quiet leafy recesses of the Bush family, somebody is thinking, "Wrong son. Should've tried the smart one."

This one's eyes don't quite focus. Five years in office and he doesn't have a grip on it yet. You stand him up next to Tony Blair at a press conference and the comparison is not kind to Our Guy. Historians are starting to place him at or near the bottom of the list. And one of the basic assumptions of American culture is falling apart: the competence of Republicans.

You might not have always liked Republicans, but you could count on them to manage the bank. They might be lousy tippers, act snooty, talk through their noses, wear spats and splash mud on you as they race their Pierce-Arrows through the village, but you knew t hey could do the math.

To see them produce a ninny and then follow him loyally into the swamp for five years is disconcerting, like seeing the Rolling Stones take up lite jazz. So here we are at an uneasy point in our history, mired in a costly war and getting nowhere, a supine Congress granting absolute power to a president who seems to get smaller and dimmer, and the best the GOP can offer is San Franciscophobia? This is beyond pitiful. This is violently stupid.

It is painful to look at your father and realize the old man should not be allowed to manage his own money anymore. This is the discovery the country has made about the party in power. They are inept. The checkbook needs to be taken away. They will rant, they will screech, they will wave their canes at you and call you all sorts of names, but you have to do what you have to do.

Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" can be heard Saturday nights on public radio s tations across the country.

Poll show Americans keeping an eye on Congress
Updated 6/27/2006 11:21 PM ET E-mail | Save | Print | Reprints & Permissions | Subscribe to stories like this



By Susan Page, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Americans are paying unusually close attention to the congressional elections in November, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds. They are more inclined to deliver significant gains to Democrats than in any year since Republicans won control of the House and Senate in 1994.
Those surveyed are more concerned about national issues than local ones — a situation that favors Democrats hoping to tap discontent over the Iraq war and gasoline prices — and prefer Democrats over Republicans on handling every major issue except terrorism.

DETAILED RESULTS: Majority wants to see third major party

President Bush looms as a significant drag: 40% of Americans say they are less likely to vote for a candidate who supports Bush. A fifth say they are more likely.

"At this point, it certainly looks like a significant tilt to the Democrats, but it's still early," says James Campbell, a political scientist at the University of Buffalo and author of The Presidential Pulse of Congressional Elections. He says the Democratic advantage could narrow over the next four months if voters see the election more as a choice between two candidates and less as a referendum on the president.

House Democrats, including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, express optimism about prospects they will pick up the 15 seats needed to take control. They are hampered, though, by the limited number of competitive districts. The non-partisan Cook Political Report now ranks 35 GOP-held seats as competitive.

"Things are difficult, and there's a reasonable chance we'll lose some seats in both bodies," says Republican pollster David Winston. "But at the moment the majorities look reasonably solid because Democrats haven't put into play the sort of seats they need to."

The poll of 1,000 adults Friday through Sunday has an error margin of +/-3 percentage points.

Among the findings:

• Americans are interested in the election at levels not usually seen in non-presidential years. More than a third have thought "quite a lot" about the congressional elections. Seven of 10 say they are very motivated to get out and vote this year.

• Democrats are particularly engaged: 56% say they are "more enthusiastic about voting than usual," the highest level recorded since the question was first asked in 1994. Among Republicans, 43% say they are more enthusiastic than usual.

• Americans are increasingly likely to identify themselves as Democrats. Including those who "lean" to one party or the other, 55% call themselves Democrats; 38%, Republicans. That's the biggest edge for Democrats since 1998. By 54%-38%, the registered voters surveyed say they'd vote for a Democratic congressional candidate over a Republican one if the election were held today.

• That said, voters aren't particularly enamored of Democratic officeholders. Congressional Democrats have an approval rating of just 38%, 1 percentage point above Bush and 5 points above congressional Republicans.

• Democrats are preferred by double digits to Republicans on four of the five top-ranked issues: Iraq, government corruption, the economy and health care. Republicans are preferred by 11 percentage points on handling terrorism.

• Only 39% say most members of Congress deserve re-election, but 61% say their own representative does. That disparity is common and no guarantee to incumbents. The numbers were similar in July 1994, the year Democrats lost 54 House seats. Then, 60% said their representative deserved re-election; 41% said most members did.

Will Morgan’s Campaign for the Minnesota House seeks energetic, dedicated
volunteers and interns to work in district 40A to elect a strong advocate for
quality education, comprehensive transportation policy and access to health
care for all Minnesotans.
Will lost his 2004 bid for election against an entrenched incumbent by just
419 votes. He is facing a tough race this year, but the key to his victory is
communicating with undecided voters early. With your help, we will elect Will
to the Minnesota House.
Responsibilities · Assist campaign with grassroots organizing, voter
contact and Get Out the Vote efforts.
· Help coordinate and participate in voter contact activities such as
door knocking and phone banking.
· Help recruit, organize and train volunteers to participate in voter
contact events.
Requirements · Excellent oral and written communication skills
· Ability to work effectively both individually and in a team.
· Strong commitment to electing DFLers
For more information about Will Morgan, go to his website at
www.votewillmorgan.com.
Please contact Joanna Dornfeld at jmdornfeld@yahoo.com or 651.343.8216, if
you are interested in interning or volunteering.

Oops

MySpace is that wonderful networking tool for people who have graduated college and feel to old and mature to use Facebook. Anyways, like Facebook, one needs to be careful with what they post. A lesson now learned by Republican Congressman Brian Bilbray´s children who posted photos of themselves drinking underage.

As a reminder, Bilbray recently barely won a hotly contested congressional race in San Diego.

The race replaced disgraced Republican Randy "Duke" Cunningham who resigned after admitting accepting bribes.

The close election scared Republicans who were poured millions into saving this normally safe Republican seat. The race came down to Immigration (perceived GOP strength) vs. Corruption (actual GOP weakness).

*Politics And Civil Rights In The 21^st Century; *

*A Lunch Time Discussion*

/With Special Guest/

Rev. Jesse Jackson

Friday June 30^th

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

University Of Minnesota Law School

Walter F. Mondale Hall – Room 30

229 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN

*Suggested Donation
$25/Person*

/(Lunch Will Be Provided)/

Call David at 651-523-0914 or e-mail at dkaplan@dfl.org
to reserve your seat today.

Prepared and paid for by the Minnesota DFL, Brian Melendez Chair

Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

The College Democrats National Convention is coming up July 20-23 in St.
Louis, MO. Speakers include Nancy Pelosi, Howard Dean, Tom Vilsack, and
others. We will also be electing our national officers. The College
Democrats of Minnesota are pleased to announce that the DFL has agreed
to fund a limited number of students to go to the convention. We will
fund transportation, housing, and registration. This is open to any
college student in the State of Minnesota. Interested people should
contact Alex Valen ASAP at alex@mncollegedems.org or 651-270-6294. We
only have 9 spots left, they will go fast!

On Thursday June 29th, the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance
presents the first in a series of policy talks by candidates running for
public office.

Amy Klobuchar, candidate for United States Senate, will address a public
audience at the Humphrey Institute on "A Minnesota Vision for Ethics Reform
in Washington". Ms. Klobuchar's talk will be followed by an open question
and answer session with the audience, including media.

As part of the series, U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kennedy will speak at the
Humphrey Institute later this summer.

Please join us:
Thursday June 29th
11:30am: Light lunch
Noon * 1:30pm: Ms. Klobuchar speaks and answers questions

Cowles Auditorium
Hubert H. Humphrey Center
301 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Ms. Klobuchar's talk is free and open to the public; registration is not
required.

For directions and parking:
http://www.hhh.umn.edu/about/contact/parking.html

For more information, please contact the Humphrey Institute of Public
Affairs Communications Office at 612.624.1190

Funny...Yet Sad

So I´m in Spain but my family got together to celebrate my grandma´s 80th birthday. She has some Republican cousins who attended. Apparantely, all of them said they would vote for Bush again if given the chance and one of them asked my parents to name one Democratic President better than George W. Bush. My gracious folks didn´t respond with what everyone is thinking right now (all of them) but stared dumbfounded that someone could say such a thing without a hint of sarcasm. Wow. So I was wrong, not everyone who supports President Bush in those polls are related to him. Some are related to me.

-Noah

1) Klobuchar for U.S. Senate--Interns Wanted
Klobuchar for MN is looking for interns to help with one of the biggest Senate
campaigns in the country. If you are eager to make a difference working for a
candidate who will bring change to Washington, we would love to speak with you.
The campaign is looking for motivated people who would like to see how a
top-tier
US Senate campaign works. We are currently accepting resume’s to help with
compliance, database work, and general office help.
This position requires excellent knowledge of spreadsheet programs, basic
accounting and attention to detail. While these will be your main tasks, there
will
be opportunities to see how all aspects of the campaign work.
We are looking for individuals who can commit to 20 hours per week for the
summer. Interested individuals should send their resume to Charlie,
cposter@amyklobuchar.com, and please put “internship” in the subject line.
Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you soon.


2) Call for Applications for Young Global Leaders Summits (FREE Conference)
Globally conscious young leaders at the University of Minnesota wishing to
make a difference in the world are invited to apply for one of Americans for
Informed Democracy™s Young Global Leaders Summits, which are taking
place across America in the summer of 2006! The summits will bring
together young leaders from across the U.S. for workshops, speakers, and
discussions on how young people can take positive action to ensure a
principled and collaborative U.S. role in the world. Participants will hear
from top experts and then be immersed in breakout sessions where the y
will have the chance to weigh in with their own view on the U.S. role in
global issues. The summits are free for selected participants thanks to
generous support from the Ford Foundation, Hewlett Foundation,
Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and Open Society Institute.
To learn more about our summer conferences, click on the link below for
more on the global summit that interests you:
- June 30-July 2 in Richmond, VA: Oil Dependence & Climate Change:
We Do Have a Choice
- July 8 in New York City, NY: The Future of Western-Muslim World
Relations
- July 15 in Bowling Green, OH: The Future of U.S.-Islamic World
Relations
- July 22 in New Haven, CT: Bringing the World Home through Media
- July 28 in Washington, DC: Oil Dependence and Climate Change: We
Do Have a Choice
- August 4 in Washington, DC: Transatlantic Approaches to Global
Security
- August 11 in Washington, DC: Transatlantic Approaches to Global
Development
- August 12 in Omaha, NE: Oil Dependence and Climate Change: We Do
Have a Choice
- August 19 in Houston, TX: The Future of U.S.-Islamic World Relations

Bush pokes fun at legally blind reporter

At this morning’s Rose Garden press conference Dubya joked with Peter Wallsten of the Los Angeles Times who was wearing sunglasses:

Bush: You gonna ask your question with shades on?

Wallsten: Yes...

Bush: But there's no sun out here.

Wallsten: It depends on your perspective.

Bush: Touché.

After the press conference Bush was informed Wallsten is legally blind. Later in the day Bush called to apologize.

ADIOS

I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be traveling to Toledo, Spain Thursday and will be gone until the end of July. To get ahold of me, please use my email seli0052@umn.edu. I will be in Spain with UDFLers Megan Kosse and Nathan Olson.

-Noah Seligman

Brownie DID Do a Heckuva Job

Interesting to see how this story plays out. According to CNN, Bush sent an email after Katrina indicating how glad he was that Michael Brown was taking the heat for the government's inept response. In my view, every problem I have with the Bush Administration can be explained via Katrina, and this plot just keeps thickening.

Please note the picture is doctored but I wouldn't be surprised if it happens someday.

Just a quick reminder, John Benson is the campaign UDFL has "adopted" and will be helping with next fall.

Political Internship Opportunities with DFL Minnesota State House campaign

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Be involved in a winning political campaign!
John Benson is looking for part time and full time campaign interns this summer and/or fall
for his election campaign. Internships will include a financial stipend.

John is the DFL endorsed candidate in Minnesota House District 43B
(Minnetonka/Plymouth). The race for this legislative seat is one of the most critical in this
fall's election. Representative Ron Abrams will not be seeking re-election this November,
leaving John with a great opportunity to win this now-open seat.

Internships are described below. Scheduling is flexible. All majors are welcome to apply,
and no specific experience is required. These positions are great for anyone looking to gain
campaign experience, considering a career in law, politics, or government, or looking to
make connections in the DFL community.

To apply, please e-mail your resume and cover letter to:

Benson Volunteer Committee
c/o Peter Hill, campaign manager
peter@johnbenson.us

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Communications Intern
Communications interns will be involved in our media campaign.
Applicants should have writing, research, organizational, and telephone
skills.

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Field Intern
Field interns will help manage a successful ground campaign. Applicants
should be mobile, enjoy being outdoors and have organizational,
interpersonal, and research skills.

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Technical Intern
Technical interns will help manage the campaign website and volunteer
and voter databases. Website and/or database experience would be
helpful, but are not mandatory.

Convention Morning, Day 3

11:35 AM - Aaron Landry and Robin and Stephen Marty have left. Looks like it's over, many of the delegates have already left. Zack and I just been informed by a DFL staffer that Becky Lourey is about to have a press conference about her primary intentions. We've just adjourned sine die. Trying to find out about the Lourey press conference.

11:32 AM - Brian Melendez is recognizing DFL staff. It appears that the convention is about ready to adjourn.

11:30 AM - Ruth Johnson just moved for an acclamation of Mark Ritchie. It paseed. He delived a very brief acceptance speech which I missed entirely on my way up to the blogger's nest. MN Publius, Stephen from Power Liberal, and Aaron Landry are up here.

11:24 AM - Christian Sande is conceding. Talking about the age of the people working for him. He does have a very young staff with many people that I know, in fact many people who are members or associates of the UDFL. He's off the stage. Now onto "other business" in the agenda.

11:21 AM - Robin and Stephen Marty, Zack Stephenson, Jon-David Schlough, and Aaron Landry are now here. I think they drank a tad too much tequila last night. The bums, I was here early!

11:11 AM - Preliminary results of the first ballot for Secretary of State: 57% for Mark Ritchie, 43% to Christian Sande. Expect to see Christian Sande concede here or if not to see Mark Ritchie win 60% on the next ballot.

10:10 AM - Fair speech. Received well. I'm running out of batteries, so the next post will be the results of the first ballot.

10:09 AM - "No one should have to fight to protect their right to vote."

10:05 AM - A Chippewa tribe member is now up giving a Christian Sande endorsement speech. Now a former state chairwoman (whose name I didn't catch) is now giving one also. She just goofed, saying "I second the nomination of Christian Science...uh, Sande". Tom Rukavina of Duluth is now up. The crowd loves him. The DFL endorsed candidate for Ramsey County Sheriff is now up speaking.

10:05 AM - He's done. Good, though not great, speech. Very well received on the floor.

10:02 AM - Mark Ritchie is now up.

10:01 AM - Mark Ritchie gets the first nomination speech. His wife is up, "I've been his friend for thirty years and his wife for 26". People are listening very carefully to this. She's talking about losing her daughter to a drunk driver and how it has affected them. I didn't get breakfast, so I'm opening another fortune cookie. Another "his Mom would want you to" fortune.

9:59 AM - Mark Ritchie gets the first nomination speech. His wife is up "I've been his friend for thirty years and his wife for 26". People are listening very carefully to this. She's talking about losing her daughter to a drunk driver and how it has affected them. I didn't get breakfast, so I'm opening another fortune cookie. Another "his Mom would want you to" fortune.

9:54 AM - Mark Ritchie has been nominated by someone from Senate District 44. Sande people had signs up but I saw a staffer running around telling them to take them down. Very classy move, and I'm considering voting for him just for that. "We Are Family" is playing over the speakers.

9:51 AM -



9:50 AM - A number of Mark Ritchie people now are walking around with signs. I can't stand that, it's such a rude thing to do.

9:45 AM - Nominations for Secretary of State are now open. Someone from Senate District 50 is nominating Christian Sande. I'm working on posting pictures of the hit piece. Reasonably large demonstration of people in green shirts with Christian Sande signs walking around. Not as many as I expected, actually.

9:40 AM - Rebecca Otto is speaking. To be honest, people aren't paying all that much attention, though she's a pretty decent speaker. People from campaigns left and right are dropping stuff on the delegates, I've received paper on medical marijuana and a hit piece on Mark Ritchie by a Sande staffer. More about that in a moment. Rebecca Otto is shouting "Never again!" She's done, and it didn't take long. Not bad.

9:36 AM - Nominations for State Auditor are now being taken. Frank Hornstein of the MN House has just nominated Rebecca Otto. Nominations are now closed. Someone from the third congressional district just moved to suspend the rules and endorse Rebecca Otto by acclimation. Passed.

9:32 AM - He's done. Good speech.

9:30 AM - Now talking about President Bush and Washington.

9:29 AM - He's now on to veterans. Covering a lot of issues.

9:27 AM - Matt Entenza favors universal health care, talking about how important that is. Public safety, how important it is, but his Republican opponent (Jeff Johnson) voted for cuts. I just opened a new fortune cookie, and it says "Your lucky number is 2006." Won't mention Jeff Johnson's name, just calling him "my Republican opponent."

9:24 AM - Political heroes/teachers are Paul Wellstone ("Stand up, keep fighting") and a Republican, Elmer Anderson. He's experienced as a prosecutor, the only one in the race who is so. Also experienced as a legislator, though held up by Tim Pawlenty. Best way to keep kids out of jail is education. When $180 million in cuts to education were proposed by Republicans, he fought. He's standing up for the rights of consumers and people. MinnesotaCare cuts were one thing he fought against.

9:21 AM - Matt Entenza appreciates our nomination (duh). He has praised Mike Hatch and other previous attorneys general. He's proud to have David Kopperud of Nobles County, one of his high school teachers, nominate him. He knows what it's like to have hard times and strong community, because when his father died of alcoholism his community came around him. Talking about how great Worthington is and how he won't forget where he comes from. He wants to make sure everyone in Minnesota is protected with a prosecutor for the people.

9:19 AM - Rick Stafford of the DNC just proposed a suspension of the rules for a unanimous vote for Matt Entenza for Attorney General. The suspension has passed. The vote has passed. Matt Entenza's on the stage.

9:18 AM - Attorney General's race is beginning. Matt Entenza has been nominated. He is the only one.

9:16 AM - Candidates have all kinds of various stuff on the tables for delegates. The funniest thing are fortune cookies that have Matt Entenza fortunes inside. Two of the "fortunes" I've gotten are "Matt Entenza is Norwegian for 'A Prosecutor for the People'" and "Vote for Matt. His Mom would want you to."

9:11 AM - We're beginning. I'm on the floor because I'm not sure how long it will be before the State Auditor and Attorney General's races. They're calling the session to order and talking about the newly (semi)organized "People of Faith" caucus to show "that no party has a lock on the truth."

Convention Afternoon, Day 2

7:07 PM - Mike Hatch celebration announced. We're adjourning. I may or may not be at the Secretary of State debate.

7:06 PM - Balloon drop! And now tons popping, sounds like gunfire.

7:03 PM - STILL going. Someone up here just said that we should make a motion to reconsider, given how long the speech is going. Oh wait he said FINALLY. I think that means he's always done

6:59 PM - He's STILL going. He talked about education, something else, and then went back to education.

6:55 PM - This is an unbelievably long acceptance speech. People in the blogger's nest are not liking it.

6:48 PM - Mike Hatch is delivering his acceptance speech. I got back to the blogger's nest half-way through the speech, so it's too late for me to blog it. On my way back up I passed and shook hands with Steve Kelley, who was thanking people in the aisle. He ran a very classy campaign and left with a lot of class as well.

6:28 PM - An extremely reliable source just told me that Steve Kelley and Ruth Johnson are conceding.

5:23 PM - There was just a motion to suspend the rules to have another question and answer session. It was shouted down, mostly by the Mike Hatch supporters I believe.

5:18 PM - We've approved the constitution with one amendment. 6th ballot results are being announced.

1296.5 votes cast, 60% would be 778. Of those ballots, Mike Hatch with 665 ballots for 51.3% and Steve Kelley with 606.5 ballots for 46.8%.

5:02 PM - 51-47-2 is the result of the sixth ballot.

5:01 PM - Working on the constitution now.

4:46 PM - Flash at Centrisity is now blogging with us. Robin Marty/REW thinks 52-47-1. Mr. Brodkorb and Flash don't have any guess. I'd talk to Jon-David and Aaron, but they're too far away for me to talk to.

4:43 PM - Kelley people are handing out response pieces to the union-busting flier on the floor. Many of the Hatch votes are switching after Steve Kelley's strong showing. I'd expect Steve Kelley to overtake Mike Hatch on this ballot. I'd predict 53% Steve Kelley, 45% Mike Hatch, 2% No Endorsement. I'm starting a pool.

4:13 PM - I need to return to the floor to vote again.

4:06 PM - See the piece here

4:05 PM - Word up here in the blogger's nest is that Mike Hatch has got Judi Dutcher as his lieutenant governor candidate. There is also a Hatch flier that someone found that has an extremely negative attack on Steve Kelley, saying that his law firm engages in union-busting. No idea if this is true or not, but it looks like Mike Hatch is the first to go negative.

3:57 PM - Hope you've been keeping up somewhere else, because I was drafted by the Becky Lourey campaign for the last few hours. Becky is now out, and running in the primary. I'm voting for Steve Kelley at this point. The floor is locked as the fifth ballot is being counted.

12:45 PM - Preliminary, unofficial results say Mike Hatch picked up a bit, Becky Lourey fell a bit, Steve Kelley stayed the same. Becky Lourey is now in third, about three votes behind Steve Kelley.

12:45 PM - First ballot results. 1300 ballots cast, 2 spoiled. 60% was 780 votes. Mike Hatch 512.5 votes for 39.4%, Steve Kelley 382.5 votes for 29.4%, Becky Lourey 403.5 votes for 31%. Ole Savior 1=.01%.

12:42 PM - First ballot is over. I just had a semi-official report that the score is 40% for Mike Hatch, 30% (+~25 votes) Becky Lourey, 30% Steve Kelley. A delegate next to me just commented that it's going to be a long afternoon.

Convention Morning, Day 2

11:06 AM - Q&A has begun. I don't have time to follow it as I'm on the floor.

10:55 AM - Steve Kelley is finishing up his speech. Both he and Lourey gave excellent ones. The first ballot should be coming up soon. I guess it is going to be done roll-call style by county unit. The Kelley people are very loud. He's done.

10:26 AM - Ole Savior is done and Tina Liebling, a State Representative of Rochester is up. She is talking about the problems that Minnesota faces and that Becky Lourey is the best candidate to provide the strong leadership that we need. She's a great speaker.

10:18 AM - Ole Savior is now speaking. No one introduced him. I'm not going to post everything that he says.

10:15 AM - Starting to talk about his accomplishments as a AG. Crowd is not that excited right now. He's finished. Pretty loud now. Cheers of "We want Mike."

10:11 AM - "Minnesota can't take four more years of Tim Pawlenty's rudderless leadership." Says that no one should be barred from college for cost, new technologies like stem cell research and broadband to prevent outsourcing. Won't bash public schools and will give them the tools to teach our kids. We deal with problems today instead of putting them off into the future. Now talking about the war, saying we should be devoting more resources to those returning home.

10:06 AM - He's starting by talking about the Mayo Clinic, and now the University of Minnesota. Missed a bit from a phone call. He's talking about the high cost of higher education. Now about his courage. Just said "he won't abide by the status quo".

10:02 AM - The ACORN PAC chairwoman is speaking to do the second introduction. She's asking who was there to help with medical bills. Another guy's now speaking, but I didn't get who it was. Connie Bernardy, an assistant majority leader in the House, is seconding the nomination. "Mike Hatch will reignite Minnesota's progressive spirit." Patty Fritz, another DFL House member is also seconding. The Hatch daughter (Elizabeth) is now introducing her father. He's up.

10:02 AM - One of the Hatch daughters just introduced her dad. Here we go.

9:56 AM - The order of the speakers was drawn. It will go Mike Hatch, Ole Savior, Becky Lourey, Steve Kelley. I will have to leave before Kelley's speech is over to get to the floor.

9:56 AM - Steve Kelley has been nominated. A lot of Kelley signs, but not as many as either Becky Lourey or Mike Hatch signs. The Call's "Let the Day Begin" is playing. Rude Mike Hatch supporters are again holding up their signs, but I don't see any Becky Lourey signs. Chants of "Kelley, Kelley" are coming from the floor but they're not that loud.

9:51 AM - Becky Lourey has just been nominated. It's loud and there are a lot of Becky Lourey and Lourey/Baylor signs being waved, as well as a few rude Mike Hatch and Steve Kelley supporters waving their signs. It's very loud in here. Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop" is playing.

9:45 AM - Mike Hatch was just nominated. He literally has a marching band up there. I'm in the Lourey war room now, returning to the nest for power.

9:30 AM - Back on the floor with my delegation. Governor nominations have been opened, Ole Savior has just been nominated.

9:25 AM - He's done. This is as loud as the room has been besides Amy Klobuchar's endorsement last night. People here love the guy.

9:24 AM - He has mentioned "high crimes and misdemeanors". I can't hear at the moment, but is he talking about impeachment? Oops, just called for censure. Loud applause. Mentioned that Pres. Bush will be in office for the next two and a half years, to boos from the audience.

9:22 AM - Feingold says he'd be different, that he'd protect America under the law.

9:22 AM - "Last I checked, the bill of rights was not repealed on 9/11". "No need to break the laws of this country to protect us from those who would hurt us."

9:19 AM - Feingold is getting another standing ovation. People here love him.

9:19 AM - Now on to foreign issues and the administration's failure on terrorism, Al Qaeda, and Iraq. Reiterates his opposition vote to the Iraq war.

9:15 AM - Feingold voted against NCLB, says we should be bold, says we shouldn't be teaching to the test, we should be fixing things and take a bold stand on education. Now talking about the FMA and his opposition to it.

9:14 AM - "We should talk like Paul Wellstone" and talk about health care for every American.

9:13 AM - We already have bold ideas, but we have to start expressing them boldly.

9:13 AM - "We will not win this November by default. We will not win this year by trying to run out the clock. If we do, people will percieve us Democrats as weak and full of fear."

9:12 AM - Being in the majority isn't enough, we have to do things the right way once we're there.

9:10 AM - Russ says he'll help us keep Mark Dayton's seat and reclaim Norm Coleman's.

9:09 AM - Russ says they've always admired our DFL party in Wisconsin.

9:05 AM - We've just been called to order. The place is packed.

9:01 AM - I'm in the blogger's nest now. Mr. Brodkorb and REW/Robin Marty are here. No other bloggers so far. Unfortunately, there's no power at all available on the floor so I'll be booking it up and down here to the floor to vote once the balloting starts.

8:34 AM - Just now leaving for the Civic Center. Russ Feingold's speech is at 9, followed by the time certain governor's endorsement at 9:45.

Post-Convention

7:18 PM I had to go home for a moment and totally missed the young people roundtable in the process. I am taking a moment here in the Lourey war room (or peace room, maybe) to recharge my electronics and to blog.

7:25 PM That room is closing up and everyone is leaving for the night, so I'm out in the lobby preparing my party-hopping circuit for the night.

Convention Afternoon

5:46 PM She's off the stage and the convention stands adjourned until tomorrow morning. I will continue posting at the next event.

5:41 PM Amy Klobuchar has made her way to the stage and is beginning to speak, saying that she'll start the campaign tomorrow. Her husband and daughter are on the dais with her.

5:38 PM Amy Klobuchar is the DFL endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate.
9 spoiled/blank ballots for .07%
252 "No Endorsement" ballots for 20.4%
3.5 "Charlie Underwood" ballots for .3%
2.5 "Bill Ratte" ballots for .2%
967 "Amy Klobuchar" ballots for 78.4%

5:34 PM Counting is finished, five minutes until the announcement of the winner. Everyone in the blogger nest knows it's Amy Klobuchar.

5:12 PM David Lillehaug is back on stage talking about how close Mark Kennedy is to George Bush. Zack Stephenson has confirmed that Ford Bell is here. I can't imagine that he's got a lot of goodwill from the delegates here after deciding to forgo the endorsement.

5:12 PM DFL Senate is reporting that Ford Bell is in the building, though not on the floor. I'll check on this on my way out. Wendy's wrapping up, and it was a little bit of a weird speech.

5:12 PM Brian Melendez just introduced Wendy Wilde.

5:02 PM He's now wrapping up. It was basically a speech to get everyone pumped up for their legislative candidates, but he finished by saying, "Dear Lord, hear my prayer, send us a Democratic governor for the next four years. Amen."

5:02 PM Brian Melendez just introduced Dean Johnson. Johnson's giving a nice speech praising DFL legislators. Talking about special election victories in Minnetonka and St. Cloud.

4:57 PM The floor's still frozen but I left immediately after casting my ballot. My battery died, so I'm back in the blogger's nest. My guess for the combined no endorsement/Charlie Underwood vote will be between 10-15%, and if I had to choose one number I'd say 14%. 82% will go to Klobuchar and the remaining 4% will go to Phil Ratte or be junk in some way.

4:01 PM Amy's speech is the best I've seen her give so far, and I've seen her give several. The question-and-answer session is about to begin. My battery is running low, so I'm going to let the other bloggers handle this and save my power for the balloting.

3:53 PM As she has before she's talking about changing what's right and what's left to what's right and what's wrong. Talking about energy independence and making us respected in the world. Affordable, universal health care for everyone. Talking about science and how important it is. Better ethics rules for Congress, like the ones we have in Minnesota. This seat is the top Republican target and they'll smear her and flood the state with campaign money. "We won't let them smear or Swift Boat us, we will triumph." "America was not built on fear, it was bulit on courage and determination." She has promised to win and bring change to Washington. She's done, and the room is very loud. A delegate next to me just said "it was a very good speech."

3:51 PM "Are you ready for a change??"

3:49 PM "Are you ready for a change??"

3:47 PM Amy Klobuchar is starting out by saying nice things about Rochester, especially how they're beginning to vote Democratic here. She's talking about her family, how her daughter and husband are the two most important people in her life and how well her parents have raised her. Fairness is important to her as Hennepin County DA and it will be as U.S. Senator.

3:43 PM Steve Kelley just came by my table and shook everyone's hand. Amy Klobuchar's demonstration video is showing on the projectors right now. It's over, and she's getting a standing ovation. The crowd is very loud and very excited.

3:39 PM Charlie Underwood is really a very talented speaker. His address to us is going over incredibly well, though it got pretty quiet when he asked for a vote of no endorsement. He's done now, and Klobuchar's now up.

3:29 PM Charlie Underwood is up. He's the rumored Peace First candidate. He's a sixty year old kindergarten teacher. Quite an articulate guy, actually. He's giving a really good speech.

3:19 PM The candidate up here is talking about running cars on tap water. He did the same thing at the 1st CD convention.

3:12 PM 1st CD Congressional candidate Tim Walz is right across the table from me speaking to Andy Welti.

3:12 PM The third name is Charlie Underwood. Phil Ratte is speaking.

3:09 PM - Another name has just been placed in nomination, but I didn't hear it. It wasn't Darryl Stanton. Loud clapping in the 1st CD section as Tim Walz came onto the floor. Attorney General Mike Hatch is shaking hands over in the 1st CD area and talking to delegates.

3:02 PM - State Representative Tony Sertich just nominated Amy Klobuchar for U.S. Senate. Lots of cheering, clapping, and sign-waving. Phil Ratte has just been nominated also.

3:01 PM - David Lillehaug is now announcing the rules for the Senate nomination. When will Darryl Stanton be introduced? And how does he feel about gun control?

2:35 PM - I just saw Amy Klobuchar's husband and daughter. I didn't see her, but she has obviously arrived. I'm back on the floor preparing for the Senate ballot and rounding up support for Lourey among my delegation.

2:21 PM - Robin Marty and Jon-David have found a site for Darryl Stanton for ?. They believe that he is going to be the Peace First candidate. I'm now returning to the floor to reclaim my credential.

2:12 PM - New Senate race information that could shake up the race. Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer's address to the convention, with an endorsement for Lourey. Union vote on Mike Hatch endorsement fails. If anyone's interested in contacting me, my email is on the sidebar and my AIM screenname is DLLiebow. Feel free.

2:03 PM - State party chair Brian Melendez just came and introduced himself to Mr. Brodkorb and welcomed him to the convention. Hilarious! We're now in recess until 2:30, and I'll use the time to catch up on a couple of minutes of blogging and reclaim my delegate credential.

1:19 PM - "Guys, we're talking about hogs here, can you please pay attention?" Mr. Brodkorb to me, Jon-David and Zack. It was a joke, but I think it means it's time for lunch. Be right back.

1:02 PM - Having surrendered my credentials for the moment, as the resolution business goes on I'm not paying attention. I spent a while talking to Joe Bodell of MNCR and Mr. Brodkorb. I'm currently speaking to Zack Stephenson and Jon-David Schlough of MN Publius and former U.S. attorney and U.S. Senate candidate David Lillehaug.

12:15 PM - Jon-David Schlough of MN Publius is now here and is sitting next to me and apparently Zack Stephenson of the same blog is on the floor and hopefully I will get a chance to meet him. Oh, he just showed up. REW/Robin Marty of DFL Senate is now here as well. I was asked and agreed to give up my delegate credentials for the time being to allow alternates to upgrade and have a couple of hours on the floor. I'll return to the floor for the Senate ballot. We're now considering platform resolutions, and while people aren't paying a whole lot of attention resulting in some confusion, things are going quickly.

- DL

Pardon the Interruption

Sorry, I know this is all convention stuff all the time but I had to interject one thing. The FIFA World Cup has started. The biggest sporting event in the world takes center stage from now until the whole thing ends in Berlin next month. I for one am a HUGE soccer fan as is "Our Dear Leader" (henceforth his new nickname) MSA President Max Page. Not only is this great sport it unites the world and its historical impact cannot be overrstated. Perhaps the greatest story is about Ivory Coast and how they finally have a respite from war thanks to a peace deal brokered that was inspired by the country making its first World Cup appearance.

Convention Morning

11:50 AM - Brian Melendez just presented a picture of Gov. Tim Pawlenty and an audio clip of his saying, "I can tell you what your worst nightmare is. It's one of the big-spendin', tax-raisin', abortion-promotin', gay marriage-embracin', more welfare-without-accountability lovin', school reform-resistin', illegal immigration-supportin' Democrats for governor who think Hillary Clinton should be president of the United States." Melendez went on to say "I'm a God-fearin', America lovin', property tax payin', Minnesota law-abidin' citizen, and I think the President should be too. Governor, I read my Bible, but I don't think that makes me better than anyone else and I don't try to jam it down anyone's throat. I read my Constitution too, by the way, and I like hunting, I like fishing, and I like the Second Amendment."

11:39 AM - Mr. Brodkorb just sent up a post or two about how few delegates are here. I disagree, because while there's not a full house yet it is still early enough that delegates are still filing in constantly. The Senate nomination isn't until three, so the number in attendance at that time will be a better indicator of the attendance here. Even better will be the count tomorrow for the governor's race.

11:37 AM - Brian Melendez just announced that the convention is about to come back to order.

11:28 AM - More than a moment it has now been over twenty minutes. I took a brief trip to the floor to visit my delegation. On the way I said hello to Mark Ritchie and saw Rebecca Otto again. I also spoke to one of my high school teachers who is also a delegate here - it's a small world. He was undecided on the governor's race, and I tried to swing him. Mr. Brodkorb just pointed Mike Hatch out to me on the floor, and he's surrounded by staffers, media (he's got a TV camera and a reporter on him) and assorted others.

11:04 AM - We just accepted the rules as moved by the rules committee. We're recessing for a moment to allow the credentials committee to complete the upgrading of alternates to delegates where applicable.

11:00 AM - Mr. Brodkorb leaned over a minute ago and told me that he was impressed by the organization of the convention, and he posted the same. That's high praise from a Republican blogger.

10:54 AM - We just took our first vote on electing convention co-chairs. We're now hearing a report from the rules committee.

10:52 AM - Brian Melendez just said, "How does Mark Kennedy know he's independent from President Bush?...He read it in some White House talking points."

10:50 AM - We're back. The credentials committee has just reported that there are 759 delegates and alternates are in attendance, representing 498.4 votes.

10:44 AM - The break is to elect delegation co-chairs. It's almost over.



10:29 AM - Brian Melendez has just finished making some routine announcements and adjourned the convention for about twenty minutes for...something or other. I'm a little surprised at how few bloggers are here - up in our section so far it's just myself and Mr. Brodkorb. I made a pass through some of the blogs that might have people here to look for other bloggers. apparently Aaron Landry of Minvolved is blogging somewhere in the building, "rew" of DFL Senate should be here for Amy Klobuchar's endorsement, MNCR is on his/her way, and Jon-David Schlough of MN Publius was here last night.

10:15 AM - Affirmative Action statement is being read. I didn't catch her name (I assume it's state AA officer Megan Thomas) but the woman at the podium is talking about the accommodations that have been made for the disabled, as well as the number of caucuses for all kinds of people.

10:09 AM - Tina Liebling and Andy Welti, two legislators from here in Rochester, are delivering the introduction to the convention. Liebling is talking about how Rochester's growth is linked to the investment we make in it, by funding education, health care. Fairness, justice, and diversity is important to our future. Talking about the party that isn't about giving more to the wealthy. Welti is talking about the progress Democrats have made in Rochester and how he believes that progress will continue this year.

10:03 AM - State party chair Brian Melendez has just called the convention to order. Flag ceremony (Native American color guard from St. Paul) is in progress.

9:58 AM - I'm now in the blogger area sitting with Michael Brodkorb, who is apparently the only blogger here so far. I've taken a few pictures of the auditorium and I will post those in a second.

9:35 AM - Becky, along with press secretary Jim Robins and two other staffers, just left. As a note, the stuff I'm writing as people speak is not my own opinion, it's paraphrasing of the candidates' own statements.

9:27 AM - More people including CDM President Alex Valen just walked in. Becky Lourey just arrived as well. She is buliding her campaign on people who have come to stand in line and talk about a better state. She is running because she feels she has the best chance to beat Tim Pawlenty. A man she met said, "I watched you on Almanac and I like your spunk...I can see you debating Pawlenty." "We need a governor who is old and wise enough to be Tim Pawlenty's mother, so that she can tell Tim that he's been a bad boy!" We need universal health coverage, one of her employees said he wouldn't leave her business because the coverage the business provides is so good. She was on the first health care access commission, and she has helped set up MinnesotaCare. Lots of details about her health care experience. She's excited about her lieutenant gubernatorial candidate, Tim Baylor. She remembers when college was affordable, and it will be so again under her own administration. If they graduate from high school, students should be able to go to college. College is the key to self-sufficiency. Transportation and energy independence for Minnesota by 2030. Key to creating a vibrant economy. I asked her also about when she sees the race ending and she said she would win on the fourth ballot.

9:19 AM - Ruth Johnson has just come into the room. She is talking about her own involvement in MYDFL/CDM and how important it is that everyone's voices are heard. "Clean for Gene" McCarthy. Goldwater supporter at 15, but came to college and voted Democrat. Asked for our support but talked about how important a unified convention is.

9:13 AM - Steve Kelley is addressing us and a few more people have come into the room. He is speaking about how there are more young (high-school/college) DFL delegates than at any other time in recent memory and how good it is to get people into the party and engaged. He has has started to talk about why we should be supporting him for governor. He is focusing on opportunity and investment in the future - education, health care, renewable energy. He'll work in the suburbs, where John Kerry did so well, and work to build up legislative strength in those areas as well, areas which have been traditionally ceded to the GOP (Edina, Minnetonka, Excelsior, Woodbury). I just asked him how many ballots he is predicting his race to go to, and he says seven. Another guy here (Hennepin County resident) just expressed his displeasure with Kelley's Twins stadium cheerleading. Kelley responded by saying that people have told him that they elected him to exercise his judgement, and that he has staked out a pro position on the stadiums. We wouldn't use tax dollars for education or health care, that money is for infrastructure, and the stadium is infrastructure.

9:09 AM - Steve Kelley just came into the room!

9:07 AM - Former UDFL president and incoming U of M student body president Max Page has arrived.

9:05 AM - I've been here for about fifteen minutes so far and I've already seen a lot of political names. Michael Brodkorb of Minnesota Democrats Exposed was signed up immediately in front of me on the blogger sign-in list, and I've already seen Steve Kelley and Becky Lourey today and Rebecca Otto last night. Steve Kelley is apparently about to stop in at our caucus meeting.

8:59 AM - I'm now officially credentialed as a blogger (I registered as a delegate last night) and I'm here in the Legions Suite of the Mayo Civic Center awaiting the beginning of the MYDFL/CDM caucus. Unfortunately, attendance is pretty sparse so far - there are four of us sitting here.

- DL

Pre-Convention

9:03 - By "not until Sign Wars is underway" I actually meant "not for another two and a half hours". Sign Wars is a crazy event, but it all seemed to go pretty well. Amy Klobuchar's signs were dominating the room when I left (kind of weird for the only candidate, don't you think?) followed by Mike Hatch's. I'll bring a camera and take pictures of the convention floor tomorrow.

On that note, there are not one, not two, but THREE CDM/YDFL events tomorrow, and I'm planning on attending all three and blogging them when appropriate. In the morning there's the gubernatorial candidate forum (9 AM, Legion Suite) and after adjournment there will be a "Young People in Politics" forum (30 minutes post-adjournment, Legion Suite) followed by a hospitality suite (8 PM, Kahler Inn and Suites) where us whippersnappers can mingle. See you tomorrow!

6:21 - With forty minutes left before the actual beginning of "Sign Wars," the entire hallway outside the main entrance to the auditorium is packed with supporters and signs. All of the major campaigns are represented, even the ones who aren't in an endorsement contest (Rebecca Otto for State Auditor, Matt Entenza for Attorney General, and Amy Klobuchar for Senate). It looks like there are more Mike Hatch signs than anybody else's. The organization that's obviously in place here for all of the campaigns is really impressive. Staffers are walking around with cell phone headsets on one ear and radio headsets on the other, and they have their hands full keeping all the volunteers in place and on task.

Blogger is being finicky, so I may not post again until Sign Wars is underway.

6:00 PM - I've been sitting in a treasurer training session with state party comptroller Mary Bonk for the last hour. I just had to step outside to take a phone call and it's obvious that Mike Hatch's campaign, mostly quiet all day so far, is getting ramped up. People wearing purple SEIU shirts are taking tons of huge Hatch signs towards the convention floor. "Sign Wars" start at 7, so it looks like they're getting ready to flood the auditorium with Hatch signs.

- DL

Convention Report

This is David Liebow and I'm here at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester as we're preparing for the opening of the DFL covention tomorrow. I've been here since this morning but I haven't seen much of what's going on because I've been here in the Lourey campaign's war room (Riverview Suite A, stop on by) helping to get them ready. Staff and materials are slowly starting to arrive for us, though other campaigns seem to be a little ahead. The Christian Sande and Steve Kelley campaigns in particular seem to have a lot of people and a ton of signs, etc. down here so far. This morning I've already seen DFL Party chair Brian Melendez who stopped in and said hi, and UDFL member and CDM secretary Sean Olson walking around.

I'm planning on blogging here starting today and going through the close of the convention on Sunday. I'm not sure, but I hope I can get power and internet access on the floor, and if I can I'll try to blog the convention as it's happening. If at all possible, I'll try to talk to some of the big names around here and report back to everyone. Keep clicking here today and during the weekend for updates. I'm going to start walking around and say hello to all of the campaigns.

- David Liebow

BREAKING NEWS

We got him. The most dangerous man in Iraq is dead. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq is dead after US airstrikes took him down. This is obviously a blow to the terrorists who have taken over Iraq since the US invasion. Now, don't expect the war to stop of course, but this is some long awaited good news out of Iraq.

The Kathy Saltzman for Minnesota Senate campaign is seeking motivated,
responsible, and passionate individuals to work on a highly competitive
suburban race. Kathy Saltzman is currently an education lobbyist who is running
as a Democrat for the Senate seat in District 56 (the eastern suburbs including
Woodbury and Stillwater).

We are offering internship and volunteer opportunities in several areas
including: field organizing, research, fundraising, communications, and
volunteer recruitment. As an intern with the Saltzman for Senate campaign, you
will be provided with experience in all facets of campaigning with a strong
focus on developing grassroots organizing skills from hands-on experience
within the district.

Hours and days are flexible. Saltzman campaign staff will be happy to work
with you so that you can earn credit towards graduation. This is an unpaid
position.

Next week, Thurs. June 15, we will have our Senate District picnic with Al
Franken. For those interested in volunteering for this event, we will pay your
ticket and offer you an opportunity to meet Al Franken.

If you are interested in applying as an intern or volunteer, send an email
with a message detailing your interest and attach your resume to
saltzmancampaignmanager@yahoo.com
Please call me with any questions, 651-247-1034.
We hope to hire soon, so priority will be given to those who apply first.
Thanks and we look forward to hearing from you soon!
Alice Seuffert
Saltzman Campaign Manager

A HUGE day at the Polls

Maybe its the Red Bull I'm drinking, maybe its the stakes, but today is a very very big day for Democrats nationally.



There are primaries in 8 states, plus one US House seat up for grabs in California's 50th CD. The House seat is trending republican, but the most fired up voters in the district are (by a wide margin) voting democratic. Plus, the election falls on the same day as the hotly contested Democratic primary in CA. While I wouldn't bet on Democrat Francine Busby winning, it will be very, very close. The latest polls show her in a statistical tie, and I wouldn't be shocked if she pulled this off. A win here would shape the media narrative for November and almost guarantee a democratic takeover. That is not an overstatement. Keep a close eye on this race tonight.

Also, a close democratic primary in Montana may very well determine whether the Dems take a Senate seat there, with outsider Jon Tester (MT Senate President) gaining momentum against John Morrison, who has higher name ID, but also some serious skeletons in his closet (an affair with the wife of a guy he was investigating). Tester is statistically tied (and has all the momentum) but there is a chance that the open primary could be swung towards Morrison with crossover votes from Republicans who believe Morrison is the weaker candidate.

------------------------------------



Also, check out the front page story on Becky Lourey in the PiPress.


-Aaron

Rep. Ruth Johnson joins Kelley Ticket

Senator Steve Kelley has selected State Representative Ruth Johnson as his running mate. Earlier in the week Becky Lourey announced her Lt. Governor choice, businessman and former Viking Tim Baylor. Attorney General Mike Hatch has yet to announce his running mate.

Republican State Convention

For anyone who's interested, Minnesota Public Radio is broadcasting live from the podium of the Republican State Convention.

Decider, Divider, or Uniter?

Guess which one of the three does not apply to President Bush? Just in time for the midterms, the GOP is dragging out the anti-gay marriage ammendment just in case we didn't get the point the past few years.

And, for the second time this week a prominent donor to George W Bush is guilty of something. In this case, it's just illegally funneling money to Bush's campaign in Ohio.