Across the Great Divide

Wetterling and National "Help."

This is going to be harsh.

I resisted saying it before, but I'll say it now. The support Patty Wetterling got from the Democratic National Congressional Committee turned a borderline candidate into a loser. The result is that the 6th CD will be represented by Michele Bachmann, a far inferior candidate — imagine being inferior to a borderline candidate! — who will be an embarrassment to the state.

Bachmann accomplished exactly nothing in the state legislature, while alienating many. She will do even less in Washington. At least she has prayer breakfasts with Marilyn Musgrave and frozen yogurt runs with the President to look forward to.

Having Bachmann and John Kline as the state's Republican representatives will eventually be a gift to the DFL — and to Steven Colbert. But right now, in the flush of an overall strong showing, it goes down hard. Losing to losers.

Wetterling was a feel-good candidate who still would have lost to Coleen Rowley in a charisma run-off,  and to Dick Franson in a debate. Her nice "I'm not like other candidates" was factually correct, but not that appealing. Sort of like Michael Jackson's "I'm not like other guys" in "Thriller." Um, okay. Pass.

And still she could have won until some geniuses came up with the negative ads. Running negative ads against Bachmann is like offering to do H&R Block's taxes. Like selling "I'm with stupid t-shirts" to Dick Cheney. Like pitching RuPaul a free subscription to "Men's Health."

Just not necessary.

And now I'm sitting here missing Elwyn Tinklenberg.

Abortion and Stem Cells. UPDATED

Issues: Restrictions on Abortion and Stem Cell Research

States with ballot initiatives: California, Missouri, South Dakota

Why it matters: The outcome of these battles will embolden proponents to push initiatives in other states — and use them to claim support for federal legislation. Objectively, stem cell research and abortion rights are very different issues. But seen from the right, they are closely linked.

California

Proposition 85 – Abortion Waiting Period and Parental Notification

Missouri

Amendment 2 – Stem Cell Research

Yes: 469.5k    No: 522.6k This is a double negative, so a no vote would mean stem cell restrictions.

Sponsors would prohibit state or local governments from preventing or discouraging lawful stem cell research, therapies and cures. Opponents — who use jocks and actors in their ads instead of scientists and advocates for cures — include religious conservatives from across the nation opposed to cloning, abortion and same-sex marriage.

The measure would make Missouri the only state besides California to include the right to stem cell research in its state constitution.

South Dakota

Referred Law 6 – Toughens already restrictive state laws against abortion.

Tild's postcard has it about right. The same forces fighting the Missouri stem cell amendment are pushing this initiative. Alan Keyes, a former Republican candidate for president and proponent of the law, has been visiting churches in the state.

“Abortion does at the physical level what homosexual marriage does at the institutional level,” he said, calling them one and the same issue and explaining that both go against what God intended.

According to coverage of one such rally:

Rapid City pediatrician Don Oliver also commented during the rally. He said one of his patients gave him hope that voters would uphold the ban. The 16-year-old patient was raped by her brother and had decided to keep the baby.

“I have faith that if a 16-year-old can get it right, so can South Dakotans,” he said.

Beddie-Bye

It looks like we're going to get kicked out of here in a bit. Hard to say what I did I couldn't have done at home with a martini. I've had four drink tickets dropped on me that I can't use.

Tomorrow, I'll look at the trends on the initiatives I've been tracking. But it looks good for the Dems, despite all the last-minute bravado from the Republicans.

MPR says Minn. guv race is still tight. 48-44 Hatch, with only about 26% in. Okay, that's one thing I took directly from Tom Crann.

But Sean Kershaw of the Citizen's League is here — one of the sponsors of this event. So I'll hang for a bit.

He says "Attorney Gen. Hatch should be really worried in January if he takes office as governor" because Minnesotans have shown that they really care about the leaders solving issues. If he can't get it done, there will be consequences.

He also Minnesotans don't like the outcomes they're getting. The election here is not about Bush, it's about high expectations of performance on local issues.

Were Republicans just waiting for Dems to screw up? If so, it was the wrong strategy, resulting in Minnesotans throwing out a sitting governor.

Maybe my

Walz ahead 54% to 46% with about 36% of precincts reporting....

Bachmann vs. Musgrave Cage Match.

Election night live blogging....

God told me run; he just didn't tell me I'd win. This is a special Minnesota-Colorado Super Tuesday cage match pitting two of the chosen to determine which of my "home states" has the craziest candidate. We will track Colorado Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave's percentage of the vote compared to Michele Bachmann's in Minnesota, with winner take all.

If Musgrave wins, Rev. Mac Hammond will have to hire the recently disgraced evangelist Ted Haggard. If Bachmann comes out on top, Dump Bachmann's Eva Young and Ken Avidor will have to join the renamed Bachmann vs. the Machine and take direction from Jeff Kouba and Andy Aplikowski.

So far:

Bachmann: 48%

Musgrave: 45% (with 16% of precincts reporting)

Musgrave, who was a standout conservative in a state legislature with a number of them, is the main sponsor of the Federal Marriage Amendment, carrying on work she pushed forward in Colorado at the state level. Her proposed Amendment to the United States Constitution would ban any state from recognizing same-sex marriage. She is Bachmann-like in her focus on "social" issues and her pronouncment that "As we face the issues that we are facing today, I don’t think there’s anything more important out there than the marriage issue."

 

Musgrave and Bachmann followed similar trajectories to their Congressional races. Both started trying to reform local education and moved on to trying to limit civil unions, and marriage for same-sex couples.

Musgrave is facing Angela Paccione, former Stanford and professional basketball player and a Democratic member of the Colorado House of Representatives, where she serves as Majority Caucus Chair.

Education Initiatives.

Election Night Live Blogging.....

Colorado. Two ballot proposals shown below establish requirements for school district spending. Voters may choose to vote for one, both, or neither of the proposals. Neither proposal is dependent upon passage of the other. If both proposals pass and any provision of Referendum J is found to conflict with a provision of Amendment 39, then that provision of Referendum J will not be enforced.

Amendment 39 - An amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning a requirement that in each state fiscal year a school district spend at least 65% of its operational expenditures on classroom instruction, with limited exceptions.

Ref. J Allows voters to exempt a school district from the 65-percent requirement.
- Requires each school district to submit an annual budget in a standardized format to the state.

The Colorado amendment is a version of what Public Eye  calls the 65% Deception:

Another simplistic policy gimmick being pushed nationally is the "65% Solution," which would remove funding decisions from communities and mandate that 65% of all state education funding be spent "in the classroom." Funded by Overstock.com entrepreneur Patrick Byrne, the front group behind the measure is called First Class Education. According to their website, "in the classroom" includes not just teacher salaries and classroom expenses, but football teams, field trips, and extra tuition for special needs students. Not included are building repairs, nurses, meals, security personnel, transportation, guidance counselors, or even library services.

Marriage Amendments. UPDATED

Live blogging updates in red.

Virginia has approved its amendment to the state constitution that has been called the most restrictive of any on the state ballots this year.

The proposed amendment would permanently deny the families of same-sex couples the legal protections and financial stability offered by civil marriage and the lesser benefits that could be achieved through civil unions, domestic partnerships or other forms of legal recognition.

Tennessee has Amendment 1 defining marriage  — up to 400,000 votes counted and the 85-86% approval is holding. Call it.

South Dakota is voting on Constitutional Amendment C - Definition of Marriage.

The vote so far 56k against; 59.8k in favor roughly 1/4th of precincts reporting

Colorado is considering dueling initiatives: A defining marriage Amendment 43 and a permitting domestic partners Ref. I.

Wisconsin's amendment to define marriage has passed. The amendment would ban civil unions for gay and straight couples -- something most people are comfortable with. And by prohibiting "a legal status identical or substantially similar" to marriage for unmarried couples, the proposed constitutional amendment would deny committed couples legal protections. In addition, health insurance benefits of domestic partners, gay and straight, could be at risk.

South Carolina's Article XVII of the Constitution would be amended by adding:
A marriage between one man and one woman is the only lawful domestic union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.

Government will tell state institutions and private corporations that they may not offer benefits to same-sex couples and their families. Domestic violence laws, protections and support systems will fail to include same-sex couples.

 

Idaho's proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage would mean that in Idaho, "a marriage between a man and a woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized."

 

Updates

Election Night Live Blogging...

I'll begin posting some of the contests I'm following. As results come in, I'll post the updated information at the bottom of the post.

Or this may just get ridiculous and I'll stop pretending to be a reporter and start making fun of things....

Already races on the east coast are being called, which indicates to me I may not be filing any progress reports on these state amendments and referenda.

*******

Tild just stopped by after a day of GOTV door-knocking. Not in Mankato or North Minneapolis or St. Cloud, but in Eden Prairie. Fun she says, and apparently more fun than here, because I don't see her any more. And she missed meeting Bob Collins....

*******

Election called for Klobuchar and Ellison. Alan Fine apparently outpolling Tammy Lee 22% to 20. And this is the last weinie percentages you'll get from me tonight.

Hacks Vs Whores

Election Night Live Blog....

Vamping until ready....

To show how far we have fallen, tonight's race for Minnesota governor will not hinge on tax vs. fee or health care for kids vs. money shifted to the general fund.

No, as with too many races this year, everything comes down to a meaningless distinction: Did Mike Hatch call a reporter a media hack — or a media whore?

Unfortunately, none of the mainstream reports have clarified the issue, perhaps because it cuts so close to the bone. So while we wait for the real action to start, let me straighten it out for you.

Although too late, alas, to swing the election.

Was Mike Hatch misheard, or was he stumbling, Kerry-like, as he tried to select the proper term of opprobrium from a rich lode of invective against the media? Let's review some of the possibilities, along with the distinctions among them.

A whore performs a repulsive and demeaning act for pay — and pretends to be excited about it.

A hack performs the same act for pay and acts bored — while trying to figure out who else will pay him for the same job.

A jackal works in packs and rarely does any original work — but is capable of surviving entirely on regurgitated material.

A flack performs the same insipid act over and over, hoping to do it well enough to advance to hack.

A hound only masquerades as a member of the media in order to attract coverage by the hack or the whore.

There are a few more, I'm sure, but the festivities are about to begin.