Although I am a resident of Maryland, and a strong supporter of Michael Steele, I have spent the summer in Minnesota. At this point, it looks to me like Mickey Mouse would be a far better choice for senator than either Kennedy or Klobuchar. If I had to vote here, I'd go for Kennedy just to keep the Democrats from taking control, but I would have to hold my nose and would have a hard time not throwing up in the voting booth. It's really a sickening choice.

While Kennedy would make a fine Senator from Minnesota, his election seems unlikely. Klobuchar has a significant lead in the polls, and Minnesotans seem to want to put another Democrat in Dayton's seat.

Perhaps it is hoping against hope that Minnesotans will wake up and discover that Klobucher is just too far to the left. At least we can make them spend some more money in the state.

By the way, great blog you've got there, George!

Dr. Jack Shepard says, I support Mark Kennedy and I think and know my support will turn the tide for Mark Kenendy's victory- to block the Democrats from taking control of the sentate.

I think the Kennedy campaign would center its attack on Amy Klobuchar where she is the weakest; her stormy relationship with her own employees, some who have worked for her for 7 years now.

Especially how Amy never prosecuted a case but on her website she falsely claimed all the credit for lowering the crime in Minneapolis, but the truth is that Minneapolis crime is presently up over 30% which is 6 times the national average:

I would think the Democratic Party should have endorsed the RAMSEY COUNTY Attorney for US Senate; if they wish to have a candidate who can truthfully really say she has a record of lowering crime.

Being Amy Klobuchar doesn’t have any political record to attack the Kennedy Campaign I think would use Amy’s failure to get the support of even her own employees to support and endorse her for the US Senate.

Amy Klobuchar has the luxury of being able to use 20/20 hind sight in attacking anything that she wishes to blame on Mark Kennedy even if he had no thing to do with it.

Last time I looked Mark Kennedy looked like and was Mark Kennedy himself and no one else.

Soon I expect to see a Klobuchar ad, running:

1) "Mark Kennedy himself could have stopped 9/11 why did he let America down"
2) “How could Mark Kennedy had left the people of New Orleans down by not responding himself first in the aftermath of Katrina"

Soon I expect to see the Kennedy ads, running:

1) Klobuchar's 100% wrong for the US Senate

2) 2) She can not treat her employees correctly how can she represent Minnesota in the Senate with her record!

3) Amy Klobuchar takes all the credit for the work of her staff and still treats her employees so bad that her own employees warn us not to support her!

4) Read the letter below from James Appleby President, Local 2938 on behalf of the Executive Board of Local 2938 bottom, says "As County Attorney, Amy Klobuchar has created a hostile work environment"

5)Amy Klobuchar is someone that we do not wish to have as Hennepin County Attorney or give her the chance to "Create a hostile work environment by treating her staff as poorly in Washington as she treats her staff in Minnesota."

6) Kennedy campaign asking this strike anybody as a shock? And they publish the Klobuchar letter

The strong feelings of our membership compel the Executive Board of Local 2938 to write you regarding AFSCME’s contemplated endorsement of a candidate for the United States Senate. Our local represents the attorneys and legal professionals in the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office who have worked under candidate Amy Klobuchar for seven years. Thus we are in the unique position of providing you with the most comprehensive information necessary to judge Ms. Klobuchar’s performance on the issues germane to our organization. Four years ago, this local asked Council 14 to withhold the endorsement from Amy Klobuchar. This request was ignored. We do not want that to happen again. The purpose of this letter is to tell you why Ms. Klobuchar continues to be wholly undeserving of AFSCME’s endorsement.
Throughout her tenure as Hennepin County Attorney, Amy Klobuchar has demonstrated her disdain for the very employees that have placed her in the position to run for the office she now seeks. She has denigrated these lawyers both publicly and privately. She has refused to support their efforts to obtain a fair wage adjustment. She has taken credit for the hard work of her employees. She has severely damaged the morale of the office.
As County Attorney, Amy Klobuchar has created a hostile work environment. This has resulted in increased grievances from employees as well as informal disciplinary matters in which the union was asked to intervene on the employee’s behalf. Ms. Klobuchar’s hiring practices have further evidenced disdain for her own employees. Qualified personnel from her own and other public offices have been rejected because her priority has been to choose candidates who support her ambitions. In a dispute with county investigators, Ms. Klobuchar made no effort to keep these qualified team members in the office. She has even succeeded in diminishing the union ranks by promoting retirement among a group of employees, and then rehiring them as independent contractors.

In short, Amy Klobuchar is exactly the kind of candidate that AFSCME should oppose. As you are aware, Hennepin County attorneys were seeking a market increase during the last contract negotiation so their wages would be representative of the work they do, and competitive with the wages of attorneys in neighboring jurisdictions. Local 2938 sought Ms. Klobuchar’s assistance. For months, Ms. Klobuchar refused to support these efforts. Last October Ms. Klobuchar attended a fund raiser for Senate District 19. A former AFSCME member, Lori Schmidt, asked for her position on the market increase. Ms. Klobuchar did not offer any words of support. Instead, she ridiculed the request and characterized it as unreasonable and unfair.
Around this time, Ms. Klobuchar met with AFSCME leaders in an attempt to obtain AFSCME’s early support. They, too, questioned Ms. Klobuchar’s support for the attorneys’ wage adjustment, pointing out that new associates from her former law firm were receiving starting salaries greater than the non-supervisory attorneys in her office that were at the top of the pay scale. Ms. Klobuchar responded that such a comparison was irrelevant since none of the attorneys in her office were competent enough to work in her former firm. AFSCME correctly withheld an early endorsement. Ms. Klobuchar was finally forced to meet with our local 2938’s bargaining team in mid-November. She said she would support a “fair increase” but refused to define what she meant by a “fair increase.” She promised to assist us, but refused to do so publicly. She promised to support us “behind the scenes” by advocating for a fair market adjustment with county board members prior to our scheduled mediation. We understood Ms. Klobuchar’s comments as a promise that she would actively lobby the county board on our behalf. We do not believe Ms. Klobuchar kept her promise to AFSCME. In the end, her “behind the scenes” assistance was so tardy, weak and grudgingly given that only one member of the County Board clearly recalled having any contact from either her or her management team. Any perception that Ms. Klobuchar sincerely helped our members on this issue is incorrect. We fear that AFSCME will support Ms. Klobuchar based on her unfulfilled promise of assistance.
The fact that Ms. Klobuchar holds so little regard for her employees have not stopped her from taking credit for their work. She has used the publicity from the many successfully prosecuted criminal cases to give the public the false impression that she was actively involved in those cases. She was not. She presents herself as a dedicated public servant acutely concerned with the public’s safety when her only dedication is to her own self-promotion.
AFSCME represents thousands of working men and women that have dedicated themselves to fairness in the workplace. Council 5’s slogan is: “One strong unified voice for Minnesota workers.” Amy Klobuchar assumes she will receive AFSCME’s endorsement. She believes that AFSCME’s fear that a Republican will be elected will preclude any fair review of her Labor record. This must not happen. AFSCME must hold Amy Klobuchar responsible for her shameful treatment of her employees. We, the members of Local 2938, demand that you deny Amy Klobuchar endorsement for the United States Senate.

Sincerely,
James Appleby

President, Local 2938 on behalf of the Executive Board of Local 2938

Posted by: Dr. Jack Shepard; Veteran America Service Officer a candidate in the GOP Primary for the 4th CD on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2006

Thanks, Jack.

I think your outline covers the generalities pretty well, but will you have some detailed, comprehensive, and specific proposals up soon?

It would really help us out if you could. On our reader surveys, the one thing that most people agree is their favorite thing about Wizbang! is scrolling past long posts.

Ya gotta give the people what they want, know what I mean, Vern? I mean - "Jack."