SurveyUSA Poll: Bachmann Ahead Of Challenger Clark

By Katie Lynn
KSTP.com
July 13, 2010

The first significant poll in the 6th District Congressional race contains good news for Michele Bachmann but it also gives Tarryl Clark reason to hope she can make a breakthrough in a tough district for Democrats.

The results of our exclusive KSTP/SurveyUSA poll show Republican Michele Bachmann with a significant lead, but with Democrat Tarryl Clark within striking distance.

In the poll conducted Friday through Sunday [July 9-11], Bachmann gets the support of 48 percent of likely voters surveyed. Challenger Tarryl Clark gets 39 percent. Independence Party candidate Bob Anderson is at six percent [and unaffiliated independent Aubrey Immelman at 2 percent] with very few [5 percent] undecided voters.

The SurveyUSA poll results come less than a week after Bachmann reported she’s now raised $4.1 million. Clark is now at $2.1 million but so far only Clark has spent money on television ads in the race.

Clark has been running TV ads attacking Bachmann’s comments about the BP oil spill, which might be keeping Clark within single digits.

University of Minnesota political science professor Larry Jacobs says Clark and Bachmann are tied among voters 50 and older, who tend to turn out at the highest rates. However, Bachmann has a 20-point lead among 18 to 49 year olds.

There’s also a huge gender gap. Bachmann has a 25-point lead among males while Clark leads by eight-points among women.

Jacobs points out the fact Bachmann is short of the 50-percent mark gives Clark some hope, but when Bachmann begins running her TV ads, she’ll make a big effort to define Clark as a tax-raising Democrat. …

To view the results of SurveyUSA, click here.

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Analysis

The table below reports data from the two available surveys of the U.S. House race conducted thus far during the 2010 election cycle in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District. 

                                                  Bachmann Clark Anderson Immelman Undec’d
Public Policy Polling (Dec. 17-20) 55      37          —                 —                 8
KSTP/SurveyUSA (Jul. 9-11)         48     39           6                  2                 5

Comparison of the December 2009 and July 2010 poll results shows that Independence Party nominee Bob Anderson and unaffiliated independent candidate Aubrey Immelman (Bachmann’s 2008 Republican challenger) are jointly shaving about 8 percentage points off Bachmann’s poll numbers.

Specifically, Bachmann shed 7 percentage points from the first poll to the second. That can be accounted for by the combined 8 points in the second poll for Anderson and Immelman, two conservative candidates whose names did not appear on the first survey.

In addition, Clark’s 2-point gain since the first poll comports with the 3-point reduction in the Undecided column. It is plausible that Clark’s active campaigning and improved name recognition since the first poll accounts for the reduction in undecided voters.

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Related reports on this site

MN-6 Poll: Bachmann Approval 53% (Dec. 22, 2009)

Poll: Bachmann Approval at 51% (Nov. 14, 2009)

Building a Non-Partisan Coalition (Aug. 5, 2009)

Can a Democrat Beat Bachmann? (July 27, 2009)

Bachmann Rated ‘Most Vulnerable’ (July 24, 2009)

Bachmann Faces Two-Front Fight (July 16, 2009)

MN-06: Who is ‘The Third Man’? (May 24, 2009)

Tinklenberg Challenger Speaks (May 13, 2009)

How to Beat Bachmann (May 9, 2009)

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago — July 30, 2009

Video

Iraq memo declares victory, stirs controversy – A memo written by Col. Timothy Reese, which urged U.S. military commanders to “declare victory” and leave Iraq, is causing quite a stir amid continued deadly attacks on Iraqi civilians by insurgents. (02:43)

Iraq: ‘Declare Victory’ and Get Out

One-year retrospective: One year ago today, I featured a New York Times report that Col. Timothy R. Reese, a senior American military adviser in Baghdad, had concluded in an unusually blunt memo that Iraqi forces suffered from entrenched deficiencies but were able to protect the Iraqi government, and that it was therefore time “for the U.S. to declare victory and go home.” In his report, Col. Reese detailed Iraqi military weaknesses in scathing language, including corruption, poor management, and the inability to resist Shiite political pressure.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: Two Years Ago — July 29, 2008

On the Campaign Trail: Day 16

Aubrey Immelman listening to the water quality concerns of Little Rock Lake residents, July 29, 2008.

Two-year retrospective: Two years ago today, on the 16th day of my 2008 campaign against incumbent U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, I attended the St. Cloud area joint town hall meeting with the mayors of St. Cloud, St. Augusta, St. Joseph, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, and Waite Park to learn about the concerns of area civic leaders; and attended the Little Rock Lake TMDL Public Meeting to learn about water quality issues on Little Rock Lake and efforts to mitigate phosphorus, the water quality limiting nutrient responsible for the toxic blue-green algae blooms in the lake.

Missouri Tea Partiers Rip Michele Bachmann for Backing Roy Blunt

Reps. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and Roy Blunt (R-MO)
(Photo credit: Newscom via Talking Points Memo)

By Christina Bellantoni

Talking Points Memo
July 28, 2010

Tea party groups in Missouri are furious that national tea party icon, Rep. Michele Bachmann, endorsed the strong frontrunner for the Senate nomination Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO). Bachmann will join Blunt for a fundraiser and to make campaign calls in his St. Louis headquarters Saturday.

Given that Bachmann has emerged as a tea party hero and formed the brand-new Tea Party Caucus in Congress, the groups said “we were shocked” that she is backing Blunt since he voted for the TARP bailout funds and “Cash for Clunkers.”

“We believe she has been grossly misled if she understands him to be a Missouri Tea Party candidate,” read a statement issued by 38 groups from the Show Me state, claiming to represent more than 8,660 activists. The statement came with a list of the groups, noting they have “NOT” endorsed Blunt.

The Eureka Tea Party said Bachmann is risking the “status” of her caucus by taking sides.

“The Tea Party is not the Republicans to claim. This is the citizen’s movement and we will not stand for any politicians to try to use us for their own political gain,” wrote MID MO 9/12 Patriots in a statement.

FiredUp Missouri reports that Blunt skipped the first tea party rally in April 2009, even though he was in town that day. Other tea party groups declined to invite him to further rallies.

As we mentioned yesterday, Blunt is facing a challenge from state lawmaker Chuck Purgason in next Tuesday’s primary election. There are 18 candidates in total on the primary ballot. Blunt is expected to handily win the nomination and go on to face Robin Carnahan (D) in the general election.

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Related reports on this site

The Real Trouble with Bachmann (July 21, 2010)

False Witness! The Michele Bachmann Story

Bachmann’s St. Cloud Tea Party (June 5, 2010)

Rep. Michele Bachmann gestures at a Tea Party rally organized by the Republican Party at Lake George, St. Cloud, Minn., Friday, June 4, 2010.

‘Bizarre’ Bachmann ‘No Friend’ (Feb. 18, 2010)

Michele Bachmann is the modern face of an emerging brand of American protofascism being spawned by the “perfect storm” of the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and the election of America’s first African-American president.

Bachmann Heads Teabaggers (Sept. 13, 2009)

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago — July 29, 2009

Chuck Hagel to Deliver Eugene McCarthy Lecture

Chuck Hagel and Aubrey Immelman

One-year retrospective: One year ago today, I reported that former U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), Distinguished Professor in the Practice of National Governance at Georgetown University, had been selected to deliver the Third Annual Eugene McCarthy Lecture at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: Two Years Ago — July 29, 2008

On the Campaign Trail: Day 15

Meet Rep. Bachmann’s Republican primary challenger (06:48)

Two-year retrospective: Two years ago today, on the 15th day of my 2008 campaign against incumbent U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, I featured an op-ed article dealing with energy prices that I had written for the St. Cloud Times; met with Stearns County Sheriff John Sanner and Emergency Manager Marvin Klug; announced the release of a new web video in which I discuss my core campaign issues; and debunked Independence Party candidate Bob Anderson’s justification for the Iraq war.

The federal government has delivered a stinging blow against The People, granting an injunction against key provisions of Arizona’s new immigration law, enacted to counter the federal government’s dereliction of duty in securing the border and upholding the law of the land.

Key legal provisions blocked by federal judge

• Officers to check immigration status of a person stopped, detained or arrested
• Immigrants to carry legal papers, or “alien-registration papers” at all times
• Undocumented workers not allowed to seek work

Source: MSNBC

Judge Rules to Block Provisions of Arizona Law

Judge grants injunction on part of Ariz. law (MSNBC, July 28, 2010) — A federal judge has granted an injunction on some of the most controversial parts of the Arizona immigration bill. NBC’s Pete Williams reports. (03:47)

By Jonathan J. Cooper and Michelle Price

July 28, 2010

Excerpts

PHOENIX — A federal judge dealt a serious blow to Arizona’s immigration law on Wednesday when she put most of the crackdown on hold just hours before it was to take effect.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton sets up a lengthy legal battle as Arizona fights to enact the nation’s toughest-in-the-nation law.

Republican Gov. Jan Brewer said the state will likely appeal the ruling and seek to get the judge’s order overturned. But for now, opponents of the law have prevailed: The provisions that angered opponents will not take effect, including sections that required officers to check a person’s immigration status while enforcing other laws.

The judge also delayed parts of the law that required immigrants to carry their papers at all times, and made it illegal for undocumented workers to solicit employment in public places. In addition, the judge blocked officers from making warrantless arrests of suspected illegal immigrants. …

Other provisions of the law, many of them procedural and slight revisions to existing Arizona immigration statute, will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. …

‘It’s a temporary bump in the road’

Lawyers for the state contend the law was a constitutionally sound attempt by Arizona — the busiest illegal gateway into the country — to assist federal immigration agents and lessen border woes such as the heavy costs for educating, jailing and providing health care for illegal immigrants.

“It’s a temporary bump in the road, we will move forward, and I’m sure that after consultation with our counsel we will appeal,” Brewer told the Associated Press. “The bottom line is we’ve known all along that it is the responsibility of the feds and they haven’t done their job so we were going to help them do that.” …

In a sign of the international interest in the law, about 100 protesters in Mexico City who had gathered in front of the U.S. Embassy broke into cheers when speakers told them about the federal judge’s ruling. The demonstrators had been monitoring the news on a laptop computer on the stage.

The crowed clapped and started chanting, “Migrants, hang on, the people are rising up!” …

‘Distinct, unusual and extraordinary’

Opponents argued the law will lead to racial profiling, conflict with federal immigration law and distract local police from fighting more serious crimes. …

“There is a substantial likelihood that officers will wrongfully arrest legal resident aliens under the new (law),” Bolton ruled. “By enforcing this statute, Arizona would impose a ‘distinct, unusual and extraordinary’ burden on legal resident aliens that only the federal government has the authority to impose.” …

The law has inspired rallies in Arizona and elsewhere by advocates on both sides of the immigration debate. …

It also led an unknown number of illegal immigrants to leave Arizona for other American states or their home countries.

Brewer’s lawyers said Arizona shouldn’t have to suffer from America’s broken immigration system when it has 15,000 police officers who can arrest illegal immigrants. …

Full story

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MSNBC Interactive

Immigration to the U.S. Timeline: Immigration policy since 1790.

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Lindsey Graham: Birthright Citizenship is a Mistake

“There’s another problem we have in this nation that I think is novel and needs to be fixed. If you come across the border illegally and you have a child in America, automatically, that child becomes an American citizen. …  I may introduce a constitutional amendment that changes the rules if you have a child here. Birthright citizenship I think is a mistake, that we should change our Constitution and say if you come here illegally and you have a child, that child’s automatically not a citizen.”

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Related reports on this site

Brian Ochoa, left, and Gustavo Rocha, both from Phoenix, join hundreds of protesters as they rally at the Arizona Capitol on Friday, April 23, 2010 to protest the signing of an immigration bill by Gov. Jan Brewer. (Photo credit: Ross D. Franklin / AP) 

Position Statement on Illegal Immigration

Immigration Enforcement Surge (June 25, 2010)

AZ Tough on Illegal Immigration (April 23, 2010)

Immelman vs. Bachmann: Year 2 (July 15, 2009)

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago — July 28, 2009

Iraq-Afghanistan Casualties

One-year retrospective: One year ago today, I provided my weekly report of U.S. military deaths in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), compiled from U.S. Department of Defense News Releases.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: Two Years Ago — July 28, 2008

Empty prison in Iraq a $40M ‘failure’ (Associated Press, July 28, 2008) — In this undated photograph released by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, the Khan Bani Saad Correctional Facility, about 12 miles northeast of Baghdad, is seen with unused building materials nearby. The site is a chronicle of U.S. government waste, misguided planning, and construction shortcuts costing $40 million …

On the Campaign Trail: Day 14

Two-year retrospective: Two years ago today, on the 14th day of my 2008 campaign against incumbent U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, I said that voters should see the Iraq war not only as a national security or foreign policy issue, but as a pocketbook issue, in that the war and occupation contributed to driving up the price of oil by weakening the dollar. In that context, he also pointed to a Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction report detailing billions of dollars lost on construction projects in Iraq.

U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq

As of Tuesday, July 27, 2010, at least 4,413 members of the U.S. military had died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

Since the start of U.S. military operations in Iraq, 31,897 U.S. service members have been wounded in hostile action, according to the Defense Department’s weekly tally.

U.S. Troop Casualties in Iraq

Latest identification:

Army 1st Lt. Michael L. Runyan, 24, Newark, Ohio, died July 21, 2010 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his convoy vehicle with an improvised explosive device in Muqdadiyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 52nd Infantry, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

U.S. Military Deaths in Afghanistan

As of Thursday, July 22, 2010, at least 1,113 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department.

Latest identifications:

Army Sgt. Jesse R. Tilton, 23, Decatur, Ill., died July 16, 2010 at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained July 13 when insurgents attacked his unit in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, with rifle-, rocket-propelled grenade, and small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army 1st Lt. Robert N. Bennedsen, 25, Vashon, Wash., died July 18, 2010 at Qalat, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.

Marine Gunnery Sgt. Christopher L. Eastman, 28, Moose Pass, Alaska, died July 18, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Army Sgt. Anibal Santiago, 37, Belvidere, Ill., died July 18, 2010 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained July 17 in a non-combat related incident in Khowst, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.

Marine Cpl. Joe L. Wrightsman, 23, Jonesboro, La., died July 18, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Marine Cpl. Paul J. Miller, 22, Traverse City, Mich., died July 19, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Army Staff Sgt. Brian F. Piercy, 27, Clovis, Calif., died July 19, 2010 in Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Marine Cpl. Julio Vargas, 23, Sylmar, Calif., died July 20, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Marine Lt. Col. Mario D. Carazo, 41, of Springfield, Ohio, died July 22, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Marine Maj. James M. Weis, 37, of Toms River, N.J., died July 22, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin McNeley, 30, Wheatridge, Colo., died July 23, 2010 from wounds sustained in Logar province, Afghanistan, while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He was assigned to Assault Craft Unit One (ACU-1), San Diego, Calif.

Army Pfc. James J. Oquin, 20, El Paso, Texas, died July 23, 2010 , in Orgun-E, Afghanistan, from drowning when he was swept away by the current when a levee broke near his military vehicle in Paktika, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Fort Campbell, Ky.

Army Spc. Joseph A. Bauer, 27, of Cincinnati, Ohio, died July 24, 2010 at Qalat, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his military vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Army Pfc. Andrew L. Hand, 25, of Enterprise, Ala., died July 24, 2010 at Qalat, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his military vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. [Update: Pfc. Hand was posthumously promoted to Specialist.]

Army Sgt. Daniel Lim, 23, of Cypress, Calif., died July 24, 2010 at Qalat, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his military vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Army Staff Sgt. Conrad A. Mora, 24, of San Diego, Calif., died July 24, 2010 at Qalat, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his military vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Marine Lance Cpl. Frederik E. Vazquez, 20, Melrose Park, Ill., died July 24, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, IIMarine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

7/27/10: The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor and the identity of another sailor listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN). The announcement resulted from a July 23, 2010 incident in Logar province, Afghanistan, while the sailors were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin McNeley, 30, of Wheatridge, Colo., died from wounds sustained from the July 23 incident. Coalition Forces recovered his body July 25 after an extensive search. He was assigned to Assault Craft Unit One (ACU-1), San Diego. Petty Officer 3rd Class Jarod Newlove, 25, of Renton, Wash., is listed as DUSTWUN from the July 23 incident. Search and recovery efforts are ongoing, and the incident is under investigation.

7/27/10 update: Marine Lance Cpl. Abram L. Howard, 21, Williamsport, Pa., died July 27, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Headquarters and Service Battalion, 4th Marine Logistics Group, Marine Forces Reserve, based out of North Versailles, Pa.

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Remember Their Sacrifice

Related links

Iraq Casualties

Afghanistan Casualties

Honor the Fallen

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago — July 27, 2009

Can a Democrat Beat Bachmann?

One-year retrospective: One year ago today, I analyzed the outlook for the 2010 U.S. House of Representatives election in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, surveying the political environment in which the contest will take place.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: Two Years Ago — July 27, 2008

On the Campaign Trail: Day 13

Two-year retrospective: Two years ago today, on the 13th day of my 2008 campaign against incumbent U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, Sunday, July 27, 2008, I posted a public service announcement to help raise funds for memorials in honor of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Bachmann: Subpoenas and Hearings Are Coming in 2011

By JDubb7
Three Fingers of Politics blog
July 22, 2010

Excerpts

According to Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., the House Republicans [if they win control of the House of Representatives this fall] should exercise their power to subpoena and hold continuous hearings.

Speaking to a gathering for the GOP Youth Convention on July 22 in Washington, D.C., she emphasized this point.

“Oh, I think that’s all we should do,” Bachmann said. “I think that all we should do is issue subpoenas and have one hearing after another. And expose all the nonsense that is going on. And it’s very important when we come back that we have constitutional conservative leadership because the American people’s patience is about this big.”

“This is the year – this is it,” Bachmann continued. “All of our chips are on November. If we don’t get it back and then starve the beast – the House, we have the power of the purse – so we can starve ObamaCare. We don’t have to fund any of these programs and that’s exactly what we need to do – defund all of this nonsense and then unwind it.”

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Related reports on this site

Bachmann’s ‘Anti-American’ Rant (Oct. 18, 2009)

Bachmann’s MSNBC Amnesia (Oct. 12, 2009)

Bachmann Bears False Witness (Nov. 20, 2008)

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago — July 24, 2009

Bachmann Rated ‘Most Vulnerable’

Rep. Michele Bachmann (Photo: Huffington Post)

One-year retrospective: One year ago today, I reported that the National Republican Congressional Committee had added U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann to its list of most vulnerable incumbents for 2010 in the NRCC’s “Patriot Program,” while the Swing State Project rated Bachmann as being in “real danger” of losing her seat in the next election. [She has since enjoyed a dramatic reversal of fortune.] I also noted that a survey of 25 nations conducted by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center in spring 2009 found that positive public attitudes toward the United States had surged in many parts of the world since President Barack Obama’s election, to levels not seen since before President George W. Bush took office in 2001.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: Two Years Ago — July 24, 2008

On the Campaign Trail: Day 10

Two-year retrospective: Two years ago today, on the tenth day of my 2008 campaign against incumbent U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, I met with residents on Little Rock Lake, near Rice in Benton County, to learn about the lake’s persistent water quality problems.

Today’s St. Cloud Times has a letter to the editor by Ray Rowland of St. Joseph, in which the letter writer offers a broad-ranging indictment of 6th District Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.). Rowland characterizes Bachmann as self-centered, unresponsive to the needs of her district, meager in her legislative accomplishments, and shirking the hard work of effective governance. It’s not until the end of the letter that Rowland touches on what I consider the real problem with Bachmann: her delusion-like paranoia, her shameless conspiracy-peddling, and her incessant fear-mongering; in short, as a figure of speech, Bachmann could more aptly be dubbed crazy rather than lazy. Following are excerpts from the letter annotated with added content for background context.

“In eight months, [Bachmann] was in 11 states other than Minnesota for political appearances.”

Where in the World is Michele Bachmann?

Michele Bachmann Found in Ohio (March 1, 2010)

“[Bachmann] bypasses the hard work of governing, calling attention to herself as a populist [actually, demagogue] spokeswoman of the ideological fringe.”

Bachmann on the Media Circuit (March 9, 2009)

Bachmann sounds the socialism alarm.
(Photo credit: CNN / Getty Images)

“[Bachmann] falsely claiming that the [health care] bill would allow ‘sex clinics’ to arrange abortions for teenagers.”

Bachmann ‘School Sex Clinics’ (Oct. 2, 2009)

From the C-SPAN transcript of Bachmann’s remarks:

Now the Federal Government is going the final step, and they’re saying, Let’s put sex clinics in our schools.

Can you believe this, Mr. Speaker? Let’s put sex clinics in our schools, and let’s put Planned Parenthood in charge of these sex clinics. … They would go into effect next summer so that these clinics would appear in public schools next fall [2010] …

Mr. Speaker, I am almost without words to think that we have come to the time when the Democrats … want the taxpayers, if they haven’t been beleaguered enough, to pay for sex clinics all across the United States. …

And now we’re going to have the sex clinics in the schools and they’re essentially going to take over the health care services of our kids?

“[Bachmann] recommends that people give only cursory information to census takers, encouraging those who think census information can be used to oppress citizens and take away their rights.”

Census: Bachmann ‘Pants on Fire’
(July 1, 2009)

Bachmann’s Census Paranoia
(June 27, 2009)

“Bachmann says President Obama might have ‘anti-American views’ …”

Bachmann’s ‘Anti-American’ Rant (Oct. 18, 2009)

“Bachmann says President Obama … practices ‘economic Marxism’ …”

From Talking Points Memo: The Year of Michele Bachmann:

Bachmann’s specialty has been the open use of revolutionary rhetoric … on a whole range of issues. “I’m a foreign correspondent on enemy lines and I try to let everyone back here in Minnesota know exactly the nefarious activities that are taking place in Washington,” she said in March. She also said she wanted her constituents “armed and dangerous” against the cap-and-trade bill, and added: “Thomas Jefferson told us, having a revolution every now and then is a good thing. And the people — we the people — are going to have to fight back hard if we’re not going to lose our country.”

Newscom/ZumaWire

Bachmann then stepped up the rhetoric, going on Sean Hannity’s radio show and accusing President Obama of “economic Marxism.” She called for drastic action: “At this point the American people — it’s like Thomas Jefferson said, a revolution every now and then is a good thing. We are at the point, Sean, of revolution.” …

“Bachmann says President Obama … wants to ‘annihilate’ conservatives and heads an administration that is a ‘gangster government’ …”

“She has spent about a quarter of a million tax dollars for self-promoting mailings.”

Bachmann Big Spender (June 20, 2009)

Rep. Michele Bachmann spent more than $100,000 on printing and franked mail in the first quarter of 2009. (Photo credit: John Shinkle /Politico)

“Bachmann is a favorite of the extreme conservative wing of the Republican party because of her paranoid and conspiratorial rhetoric, promulgating reckless fear-mongering.”

Bachmann Brainwashing Paranoia (April 8, 2009)

MN-06 Endorses Conspiracy Nut (March 22, 2010)

False Witness! The Michele Bachmann Story

Bachmann Conspiracy Nation (Feb. 20, 2010)

Town Hall Face. (Photo credits: Landov, AP, Getty Images / Newsweek)

‘Bizarre’ Bachmann ‘No Friend’ (Feb. 18, 2010)

Michele Bachmann is the modern face of an emerging brand of American protofascism being spawned by the “perfect storm” of the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and the election of America’s first African-American president.

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FULL TEXT OF LETTER

Bachmann Works for Herself, Not 6th District

By Ray Rowland, St. Joseph
Letter to the Editor
St. Cloud Times
July 21, 2010

Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District should be represented by someone who responds to the needs of the district. That isn’t happening.

Rep. Michele Bachmann won’t seek federal funds for district projects. She is on only one committee and hasn’t gotten any substantive bill passed to address the concerns of her constituents.

She has missed numerous votes in the House, attending a $1,000-per-plate dinner for her campaign on a day when 10 votes were taken. In eight months, she was in 11 states other than Minnesota for political appearances.

Instead of working her way up the ranks of the House, proving herself worthy of leadership positions, she bypasses the hard work of governing, calling attention to herself as a populist spokeswoman of the ideological fringe.

Bachmann says the government should “wean” people off Social Security and Medicare. She opposed health care reform, falsely claiming that the bill would allow “sex clinics” to arrange abortions for teenagers. When the bill passed, she immediately introduced a bill to repeal it.

She recommends that people give only cursory information to census takers, encouraging those who think census information can be used to oppress citizens and take away their rights.

Bachmann says President Obama might have “anti-American views,” practices “economic Marxism,” wants to “annihilate” conservatives and heads an administration that is a “gangster government.” She has spent about a quarter of a million tax dollars for self-promoting mailings.

Bachmann is a favorite of the extreme conservative wing of the Republican party because of her paranoid and conspiratorial rhetoric, promulgating reckless fear-mongering.

Our district needs better representation in Congress. Voters can make that happen in November.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago — July 21, 2009

War Comes Home to Minnesota

Spc. Dan Drevnick

Spc. James Wertish

Spc. Carlos Wilcox

One-year retrospective: One year ago today, I reported that the tragedy of war came home to Minnesota with news that five service members with local connections had died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

On July 16, Spc. Daniel Drevnick of Woodbury, Spc. James Wertish of Olivia, and Spc. Carlos Wilcox of Cottage Grove were killed in a rocket attack on their base in Basra, Iraq. They served with the Minnesota Army National Guard’s 34th Infantry Division Red Bulls.

On July 17, Air Force Capt. Thomas Gramith of Eagan was killed when his F-15E fighter jet crashed in Afghanistan. He served with the 336th Fighter Squadron out of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.

On July 18, Cpl. Benjamin Kopp of Rosemount died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center of wounds sustained July 10 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with small-arms fire. He served with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Fort Benning, Georgia.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: Two Years Ago — July 21, 2008

On the Campaign Trail: Day Seven

Two-year retrospective: Two years ago today, on the seventh day of my 2008 campaign against incumbent U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, I worked on my position statement on national security and studied a local controversy regarding illegal immigration.

U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq

As of Tuesday, July 20, 2010, at least 4,412 members of the U.S. military had died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

Since the start of U.S. military operations in Iraq, 31,888 U.S. service members have been wounded in hostile action, according to the Defense Department’s weekly tally.

U.S. Troop Casualties in Iraq

Latest identification:

None

7/23/10 update: Army 1st Lt. Michael L. Runyan, 24, Newark, Ohio, died July 21, 2010 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his convoy vehicle with an improvised explosive device in Muqdadiyah, Iraq. He was assigned to the 52nd Infantry, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

U.S. Military Deaths in Afghanistan

As of Friday, July 16, 2010, at least 1,099 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department.

Latest identifications:

Army Sgt. Shaun M. Mittler, 32, Austin, Texas, died July 10, 2010 in Konar, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit using rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. [Update: Sgt. Mittler was posthumously promoted to Staff Sergeant.]

Army 1st Lt. Christopher S. Goeke, 23, Apple Valley, Minn., died July 13, 2010 in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with rifle-, rocket-propelled grenade-, and small-arms fire. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army Spc. Christopher J. Moon, 20, Tucson, Ariz., died July 13, 2010 at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device on July 6 in Arghandab, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army Staff Sgt. Christopher T. Stout, 34, Worthville, Ky., died July 13, 2010 in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with rifle-, rocket-propelled grenade-, and small-arms fire. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army Staff Sgt. Sheldon L. Tate, 27, Hinesville, Ga., died July 13, 2010 in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with rifle-, rocket-propelled grenade-, and small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army Sgt. Zachary M. Fisher, 24, Ballwin, Mo., died July 14, 2010 in Zabul Province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his military vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat Airborne), 20th Engineer Brigade (Combat), Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army Spc. Matthew J. Johnson, 21, Maplewood, Minn., died July 14, 2010 in Zabul Province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his military vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat Airborne), 20th Engineer Brigade (Combat), Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army Pvt. Brandon M. King, 23, Tallahassee, Fla., died July 14, 2010 at Combat Outpost Nolen, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Army Spc. Jesse D. Reed, 26, Orefield, Penn., died July 14, 2010 in Zabul Province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his military vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat Airborne), 20th Engineer Brigade (Combat), Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army Spc. Chase Stanley, 21, Napa, Calif., died July 14, 2010 in Zabul Province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his military vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat Airborne), 20th Engineer Brigade (Combat), Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army Sgt. 1st Class John H. Jarrell, 32, Brunson, S.C., died July 15, 2010 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Army Sgt. Leston M. Winters, 30, Sour Lake, Texas, died July 15, 2010 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Marine Staff Sgt. Justus S. Bartelt, 27, Polo, Ill., died July 16, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marine Cpl. Dave M. Santos, 21, Rota, Marianas Islands of the Pacific, died July 16, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. [Note: According to David Santos, father of Cpl. Santos, a military representative tasked to officially notify the family of his son’s death said Cpl. Santos allegedly was stabbed by a fellow Marine.]

Army Sgt. Matthew W. Weikert, 29, Jacksonville, Ill., died July 17, 2010 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Army Sgt. Justin B. Allen, 23, Coal Grove, Ohio, died July 18, 2010 in Zhari, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he was shot by insurgents while conducting combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

7/21/10 update: Army Sgt. Jesse R. Tilton, 23, Decatur, Ill., died July 16, 2010 at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained July 13 when insurgents attacked his unit in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, with rifle-, rocket-propelled grenade, and small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

7/21/10 update: Army 1st Lt. Robert N. Bennedsen, 25, Vashon, Wash., died July 18, 2010 at Qalat, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.

7/21/10 update: Marine Gunnery Sgt. Christopher L. Eastman, 28, Moose Pass, Alaska, died July 18, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

7/21/10 update: Army Sgt. Anibal Santiago, 37, Belvidere, Ill., died July 18, 2010 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained July 17 in a non-combat related incident in Khowst, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.

7/22/10 update: Marine Cpl. Paul J. Miller, 22, Traverse City, Mich., died July 19, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

7/22/10 update: Army Staff Sgt. Brian F. Piercy, 27, Clovis, Calif., died July 19, 2010 in Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

7/22/10 update: Marine Cpl. Julio Vargas, 23, Sylmar, Calif., died July 20, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

7/22/10 update: Marine Cpl. Joe L. Wrightsman, 23, Jonesboro, La., died July 18, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

7/26/10 update: Marine Lance Cpl. Frederik E. Vazquez, 20, Melrose Park, Ill., died July 24, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, IIMarine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

7/27/10 update: Marine Lt. Col. Mario D. Carazo, 41, of Springfield, Ohio, died July 22, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.

7/27/10 update: Marine Maj. James M. Weis, 37, of Toms River, N.J., died July 22, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.

7/27/10 update: Army Spc. Joseph A. Bauer, 27, of Cincinnati, Ohio, died July 24, 2010 at Qalat, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his military vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

7/27/10 update: Army Pfc. Andrew L. Hand, 25, of Enterprise, Ala., died July 24, 2010 at Qalat, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his military vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. 

7/27/10 update: Army Sgt. Daniel Lim, 23, of Cypress, Calif., died July 24, 2010 at Qalat, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his military vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

7/27/10 update: Army Staff Sgt. Conrad A. Mora, 24, of San Diego, Calif., died July 24, 2010 at Qalat, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his military vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Army Pfc. James J. Oquin, 20, El Paso, Texas, died July 23, 2010 , in Orgun-E, Afghanistan, from drowning when he was swept away by the current when a levee broke near his military vehicle in Paktika, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Fort Campbell, Ky.

7/27/10 update: The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor and the identity of another sailor listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN). The announcement resulted from a July 23, 2010 incident in Logar province, Afghanistan, while the sailors were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin McNeley, 30, of Wheatridge, Colo., died from wounds sustained from the July 23 incident. Coalition Forces recovered his body July 25 after an extensive search. He was assigned to Assault Craft Unit One (ACU-1), San Diego. Petty Officer 3rd Class Jarod Newlove, 25, of Renton, Wash., is listed as DUSTWUN from the July 23 incident.  Search and recovery efforts are ongoing, and the incident is under investigation.

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Remember Their Sacrifice

Related links

Iraq Casualties

Afghanistan Casualties

Honor the Fallen

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago — July 20, 2009

Photo collage by
The Minnesota Independent

Michele Bachmann Unmasked

One-year retrospective: One year ago today, I reported that U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann’s outlandish behavior, uninformed, misleading, and unsubstantiated comments, and inability to craft viable public policy may have reached critical mass, crossing the tipping point beyond which Minnesota media can no longer tune out the insanity.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: Two Years Ago — July 20, 2008

On the Campaign Trail: Day Six

Two-year retrospective: Two years ago today, on Sunday, July 20, 2008, the sixth day of my 2008 campaign against incumbent U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, I took a rest from campaigning.

It’s been a good week for Independent Tom Horner’s campaign for governor of Minnesota. Not only did Horner meet his July 19 fundraising goal to qualify for public campaign funds, he also attracted favorable media attention highlighting the fact that he can win in November.

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Public Money’s Political Power

By Lori Sturdevant
Star Tribune
June 16, 2010

A happy Tom Horner personally served notice Friday that his Independence Party campaign for governor had crossed an important threshhold. It had collected more than the 700 $50 contributions required to qualify for a public campaign subsidy later this year, with three days to spare before the deadline. If he wins the IP primary, his campaign stands to receive an estimated $241,500 in time for the general election, according to the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board. 

A quick Google search unearthed an explanation for Horner’s excitement. An analysis of Gov. Jesse Ventura’s 1998 victory by state Senate counsel Peter Wattson, dating from 1999, is entitled “How Minnesota’s campaign finance law helped elect a third-party governor.”

It relates how Ventura’s ability to borrow money against that year’s expected $310,000 public subsidy for gubernatorial candidates made it possible for him to air TV ads and do a credibility-building campaign tour just before the election. Lacking those things, most analysts believe that Ventura would not have been the winner of that year’s three-way race. …

Full story

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Horner, IP Eye Middle Ground

By Dennis Lien
Pioneer Press
July 18, 2010

Excerpts

Tom Horner used to be a go-to Republican political commentator on television and radio.

Then he watched his party, once filled with moderates like Dave Durenberger, Arne Carlson and Jim Ramstad, turn to more conservative leaders such as Michele Bachmann [link added].

In a nutshell, that’s how Horner, a 59-year-old public relations executive, finds himself with the Independence Party endorsement for Minnesota governor. The Republican base, he said, has moved too far to the right, where its battles with Democrats on the partisan fringe have produced one political standoff and budget impasse after another. …

Within that great divide, Horner sees a large middle ground, where people want decisions made not for political purposes but for what’s best for Minnesota. …

Feeling outside GOP mainstream

Born in Minneapolis, Horner graduated from Benilde High School (now Benilde-St. Margaret’s) and the College of St. Thomas. His father, Jack, was a well-known radio and television broadcaster.

After moving to New York and working in marketing for Kinney Shoes, Horner returned to Minnesota, got a reporting job with the suburban Sun newspapers, eventually became managing editor, and then quit to work for Durenberger, who was elected U.S. senator in 1978. He started as press secretary and finished as chief of staff.

On his first day in Washington, he met his future wife, Libby, who was working for outgoing Sen. Muriel Humphrey. In the mid-1980s, they returned to Minnesota, where he headed a public relations company. …

In 1989, he co-founded Himle-Horner, Inc., a successful public relations and public affairs firm. …

Feeling increasingly outside the Republican mainstream, Horner said, he became especially disenchanted two years ago when Republican presidential candidate John McCain picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate and Bachmann, Minnesota’s 6th District representative, emerged as a standard bearer for the party.

A year ago, he said an Independence Party representative asked him to consider running for governor.

“In all honesty, I wasn’t particularly interested in running for office,” Horner said.

But he said he was concerned about where the state was heading and the two major parties’ emerging options for governor.

“Libby and I sat down and talked, and what really came home to us was our three kids — (ages) 26, 24, 21 — aren’t going to have the opportunities to have the same kind of professional careers Libby and I have had and the same community involvement I enjoyed … if we don’t start turning Minnesota around,” he said.

Horner said he decided to explore a run in January and made the decision in early May, after state Rep. Tom Emmer defeated Rep. Marty Seifert for the Republican endorsement and just before the Independence Party convention.

“Marty Seifert is a person I have a great deal of respect for,” he said. “When Marty Seifert is too moderate for the Republican Party, that is a party that is too far off the cliff.” …

Defined government is goal

“I always have been comfortable with that centrist Republican approach: defined government, limited taxation, clear roles for government at each level. Through it all, I always believed there is a role for government at times in peoples’ lives when they are vulnerable.”

Instead of parroting one set of ideas or the other, he said he seeks balanced solutions that would make the state a better place to live.

With the state facing what’s likely to be a $6 billion budget deficit, he said the state must cut some taxes, particularly for businesses, but raise others. Meanwhile, he said, spending must be cut, with many budgets and programs taking big hits or being scrapped.

Areas that deserve attention, he said, include early-childhood education; research that would help Minnesota grow; transit opportunities that help people and freight to move; the environment; health care; and transportation infrastructure.

When people ask how his administration would govern, he said he reminds them of the early years of the Jesse Ventura administration, when agency appointments garnered widespread praise for their abilities.

“That’s the (type of) Cabinet I am appointing,” Horner said. “I know who those people are.”

Before he can, he must get elected, and that’s always a tough prospect for a third-party candidate.

In 1998, Ventura rode celebrity and an authenticity that resonated with the public to a narrow win. In 2002, former U.S. Rep. Tim Penny was in a close race until he fell off badly at the end, losing to Tim Pawlenty. …

Horner doesn’t have Ventura’s over-the-top personality or Penny’s name recognition.

About to turn 60, Horner doesn’t dominate a room like Ventura, but like him, he’s got a voice that can project. He wears glasses, has a full head of graying hair, and on the campaign trail wears natty clothes, often without a tie.

He estimated he’ll need $2.5 million to $3 million to get his message out — almost three times what Penny spent eight years ago.

“It’s too early to say I will raise the money,” he said. “I think it’s a daunting challenge. But if I can raise the money, I think this is a year solutions win, ideas win and leadership wins.”

A ‘promising environment’

Can he do it? Possibly.

“He is in a good position,” said Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute. “There is a very high level of political distrust, and there are polls showing Americans are about as distrustful of the political environment as they have been in some time.”

“That’s a very promising environment for a reformist third-party candidate,” he said.

Horner, he said, is well known among the “chattering class” of political enthusiasts. But he added that hardly anyone else knows him, and he doesn’t have a large campaign organization behind him. Then, there’s all that money to raise.

John Wodele, a St. Paul-based communications and media consultant who was Ventura’s spokesman, predicted things will have to break right for Horner to prevail.

“Looking at it objectively, it’s a tough climb for Tom,” Wodele said. “I think it will be very difficult for him to be successful and win. For him to be successful, I think some event will have to occur that will damage his two opponents.”

One advantage, Wodele said, is Horner isn’t nearly as tied to the status quo as the other candidates.

“He brings to the race an independence of the legislative environment and political environment that Emmer and (former U.S. Sen. Mark) Dayton, (former Minnesota state Rep. Matt) Entenza and the (House) speaker (Margaret Anderson Kelliher) all have. I think that, from a sort of general perspective, that is a good thing. And perhaps this year, it might be a better thing for his fortunes.”

Moderate alternative

Still, he’s attracted backing from some well-known names, including Durenberger, his old boss.

Penny, a former Democratic congressman who switched to the Independence Party for the 2002 gubernatorial run, said he believes Horner is drawing interest from moderate Republicans and has a good chance of luring moderate Democrats as the election nears.

He said Horner has “a unique set of skills,” having worked extensively on public policy issues, in business and in community service.

“But the bottom line with Tom, I think, is he has some wonderful leadership traits,” Penny said. “When you see him in action, you see a leader. He knows how to frame issues, how to inspire people and to bring people together.”

Former Republican state Sen. George Pillsbury of Orono sees Horner as a moderate alternative to candidates advocating policies that could harm the state.

“Hopefully, there will be a lot of people flocking to him because he’s more reasonable than the Republican candidate and more responsible than whoever is the Democratic candidate,” Pillsbury said. …

Full story

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Other recent reports

Tom Horner: Targeting the middle ground
(Jim Spencer, Star Tribune, July 11, 2010)

IP candidate Horner has plan to strengthen communities
(Joe Kimball, MinnPost, July 15, 2010)

Horner hopes to pump the economy
(Mark Fischenich, Mankato Free Press, July 16, 2010)

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For more information about Tom Horner’s campaign for governor, visit www.Horner2010.com. And please remember, Tom needs a strong voter turnout in the August 10 primary.

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Related reports on this site

Horner Campaign at Granite City (June 26, 2010)

Tom Horner for Governor of Minnesota campaign at Granite City Days parade, St. Cloud, Minn., June 26, 2010. (Photo: Aubrey Immelman)

Tom Horner Rises in the Polls (June 8, 2010)

“I’ve been watching the Republican Party devolve with the rise of Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin … in the willingness to pander to the extreme right wing.” — Tom Horner

Tom Horner’s Statewide Swing (May 12, 2010)

Sixth District independent congressional candidate Aubrey Immelman welcomes Tom Horner to St. Cloud for his press conference at Stop Light Bait ahead of Minnesota’s fishing opener, May 12, 2010.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago — July 19, 2009

Captured U.S. Soldier Identified

Video

Captured soldier ID’d as 23-year-old (MSNBC, July 19, 2009) –
A U.S. soldier who is apparently being held captive by the Taliban in Afghanistan has been identified as 23-year-old Bowe Bergdahl of Ketchum, Idaho. NBC’s Jim Miklaszewski reports. (02:43)

One-year retrospective: One year ago today, I reported that the Pentagon had identified the captured American soldier who went missing from his forward operating base in Afghanistan as Pfc. Bowe R. Bergdahl, 23, Ketchum, Idaho, a member of 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: Two Years Ago — July 19, 2008

On the Campaign Trail: Day Five

Two-year retrospective: Two years ago today, on the fifth day of my 2008 campaign against incumbent U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, I highlighted the growing mortgage crisis, noting that from a small-government, fiscally conservative perspective it is difficult to support the Bush administration plan to bail out mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

Following is the reader comment that has been removed from the St. Cloud Times’ online commentary for “violating the terms of service,” along with the associated letter to the editor.

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St. Cloud Times online:

StandintheDoor’s comment has been removed for violating the terms of service.

7/16/2010 1:13:27 AM

——

CONTENT OF CENSORED POST

The rest of the story:

http://www.immelman.us/news/bachmanns-march-of-folly/

Including . . .

Bachmann and Violent Extremism 
Bachmann Call for Armed Revolt?
Bachmann ‘School Sex Clinics’
Michele Bachmann’s Abortion Lie 
Bachmann Finalist for Liar Award 
Bachmann’s ‘Anti-American’ Rant 
Bachmann Rebuked for Nazi Image 
Bomb-Throwing Bachmann
Bachmann: “Slit Our Wrists”
Michele Bachmann ‘Lies in Christ’
Bachmann Ignites Truth-O-Meter
The Empress of Exaggeration
The Princess of Pork
Bachmann Big Spender
Michele Bachmann Unmasked
Bachmann’s Census Paranoia
Bachmann Brainwashing Paranoia
MN-06 Endorses Conspiracy Nut 
Bachmann Says “I’m Not a Kook”
“Craziest Interview” in U.S. History
Bachmann Retort “Kind of Stupid”
Bachmann “Wingnut of the Week”

AI
http://www.immelman.us/

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TEXT OF ST. CLOUD TIMES LTE

Bachmann Never Forgets Where She Came From

Kate Paul, Arden Hills
Letter to the Editor
St. Cloud Times
July 16, 2010

It was so exciting to see Congresswoman Michele Bachmann out and enjoying the Andover Fun Fest parade this past weekend. It’s easy to see how much passion and desire the congresswoman has to offer the constituents of the 6th District.

I really think the people of Andover and the surrounding areas appreciate that she never forgets where she came from and, most importantly, who she is working very, very hard for.

Michele is one of the few politicians who listens to the voice of her constituents and who makes sure Washington is working for them. It’s empowering to see such a strong, fearless Minnesotan woman like Michele Bachmann speaking her mind and working to not only better the great state of Minnesota, but also strengthen and better our country on a national scale.

I’m sure that I will be seeing her more this summer, and I cannot wait to see her back in Washington continuing her excellent work for the people of Minnesota.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago — July 16, 2009

Bachmann Faces Two-Front Fight

One-year retrospective: One year ago today, I reported that Rep. Michele Bachmann, in addition to three likely Democratic opponents (Elwyn Tinklenberg, Maureen Reed, and Tarryl Clark), also faced a battle on a second front — a potential primary challenge from within the Republican Party.

Excerpt:

I take issue with the substance of [Alex Koppelman's article in Salon.com], in which he notes that the DCCC may not “really want to get rid of Bachmann,” who “energizes Democrats all over the country,” serves as “a club against her fellow Republicans,” and helps Democrats raise money “to win races elsewhere.”

I, like many of Bachmann’s outraged constituents, am offended when outside observers dismiss Bachmann as a mere embarrassment, cheap entertainment, a stealth weapon to relegate the GOP to permanent minority status, or a fundraising tool for Democrats. In my opinion, that is both short-sighted and a grave mistake.

Bachmann is not a buffoon, nor does she misspeak or make careless gaffes, as is the conventional wisdom. What she says — her extremist, inflammatory rhetoric, conspiracy theories, and political paranoia — is what she truly believes.

The message I’ve tried to convey in my campaign is that Bachmann’s position of political power in high office amplifies her voice and incites a receptive audience of like-minded political extremists, some of whom may lack the clarity of mind, soundness of judgment, and emotional restraint necessary to refrain from acts of violence.

It’s irresponsible to tolerate Bachmann’s demagoguery and fear-mongering in return for the short-term benefits of national Democratic fundraising efforts and defeating Republicans outside Bachmann’s district.

When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.
– Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951)

Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.
– Wendell Phillips (1811-1884)

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Two Years Ago — July 16, 2008

On the Campaign Trail: Day Two

Two-year retrospective: Two years ago today, on the second day of my 2008 campaign against incumbent U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, I spoke about the challenges for a self-funded political outsider in setting up a campaign office, building a campaign organization, and introducing himself to voters.

Two years ago today, I launched my campaign against incumbent U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District.

Image: 2008 Republican primary campaign sticker

Related post on this site:

Immelman vs. Bachmann, Round 2 (April 7, 2010)

Today, I announce a second challenge to incumbent Rep. Michele Bachmann for the U.S. House of Representatives seat in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, on a platform of national security, law and order, fiscal responsibility, and uncompromising opposition to political extremism.

Please click on the menu bar above for contact information, to volunteer, or to contribute to the campaign to defeat Bachmann.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago — July 15, 2009

Immelman vs. Bachmann: Year 2

One-year retrospective: One year ago today, I noted that one year had passed since I launched my campaign against Rep. Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District.

KEYC TV 12, Mankato (July 4, 2008) — Sixth District congresswoman Michele Bachmann will face a challenge from a fellow Republican. Fifty-two-year-old Aubrey Immelman is an associate professor at St. John’s University. He says he’s running to restore conservative values, including fiscal responsibility and strong national security. Immelman opposes the Iraq war, saying it has further destabilized the Middle East, strengthened Iran and hurt the United States.” …

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Two Years Ago — July 15, 2008

On the Campaign Trail: Day One

Two-year retrospective: Two years ago today, on the first day of my campaign against incumbent U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, I rolled out my policy statement on immigration, followed soon after by position statements on U.S. national security and law enforcement & public safety.