[Rhodes22-list] Slim - Hold The Phone - Politics

[Brad Haslett]

Slim,

Let's keep following the story.  I have a story about a Kersten but it was a
long time ago and it didn't involve politics.  It did involve back-seat, um,
I mean back-room smoke filled dealings and negotiations that turned out all
right.  Ellison deserves his day in the sunlight.  We have a columnist here
at the Commercial Appeal who is given a free ride on whatever she
writes. I've been called twice in the last three years to call her out and
am two for two.

This is a highly charged race, no pun intended.  I firmly believe that
Ellison's opponents need to play their trump cards face-up early in the next
few days or get the hell out of the way!

Time will tell.

Brad


On 9/17/06, Slim <salm at mn.rr.com> wrote:
>
> Brad,
>
> Not!  Consider the source.  Poor Katherine Kersten!  She's the token
> conservative columnist for the Strib (read: sacrificial lamb) and of
> course
> they (the Strib) chose someone for that job that's a pretty easy target.
> Wait 'til you see the letters in the next few days against her.  Virtually
> every one of her columns is met with a fury.  She brings up Ellison's
> financial history, which I, too have complained about since day
> 1.  Agreed.
> But then she goes for the Muslim thing (and again, has no real evidence or
> tangible complaint) and thus loses any credibility of her
> complaint.  She's
> going to be pounced on like she always is.  I don't know how she can keep
> it
> up--working where nobody likes her!  For Her to write against Ellison will
> only help him!  Thank you, Katherine Kersten, for advancing the D!
>
> Slim
>
> On 9/17/06 8:56 PM, "Brad Haslett" <flybrad at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Slim,
> >
> > Here's an article that will appear in tomorrow's Strib -
> >
> > Another that one that appeared today follows.
> >
> > This guy smells worse than my car.  If Fine is a dumbass, what is the
> > alternative?
> >
> > Brad,
> >
> >
> >
> > [image: StarTribune.com] <http://www.startribune.com/> KERSTEN091806
> >>
> >> Last update: September 17, 2006 ­ 6:10 PM
> >> The excuses keep on coming for Ellison's behavior
> >>
> >> *Katherine Kersten,* Star Tribune
> >> Keith Ellison's Excuse Brigade -- the "don't touch Keith" crowd in the
> >> DFL, the media and the blogosphere -- has gone into overdrive for the
> man
> >> who is the DFL's choice to represent Minnesota's Fifth Congressional
> >> District in our nation's capital.
> >>
> >> The Brigade cut its teeth on Ellison's 40 or so unpaid parking tickets,
> >> and his nine moving violations since 2000. Its candidate hit the
> campaign
> >> trail in June with a suspended driver's license, thanks to his failure
> to
> >> pay his fines. This was nothing new for Ellison, who seemed unfazed. "I
> >> don't know how many prior suspensions I've had," he told the Star
> Tribune.
> >> "I don't keep count."
> >>
> >> In dismissing Ellison's irresponsibility, the Excuse Brigade didn't
> even
> >> break a sweat. What's a suspended driver's license when you're an
> attorney
> >> fighting for social justice? Sometimes your great work can't wait
> (speeding
> >> ticket), and sometimes you've got to fight for the oppressed no matter
> how
> >> long it takes (expired meter).
> >>
> >> Ellison's defenders brushed off their candidate's $25,000 in unpaid
> back
> >> taxes -- incurred some years ago and later paid -- in a similar spirit.
> >> Let's face it: When you're on a crusade to right big wrongs, you've got
> >> little time for the petty details of personal life -- license
> suspensions or
> >> tax liens. Anyway, this stuff has nothing to do with running the
> people's
> >> business, right?
> >>
> >> Ellison's lengthy history of campaign-finance disclosure violations
> posed
> >> a greater challenge. The state attorney general sued him twice over
> filings,
> >> and his record includes numerous warnings, a default judgment and a
> >> collection agency. When Ellison accepted the DFL nomination in May, he
> faced
> >> fines of over $2,500, including $1,500 for a "willful" violation that
> could
> >> have been charged as a criminal gross misdemeanor.
> >>
> >> But it's Ellison's history of support for Louis Farrakhan -- and the
> >> notoriously anti-white, anti-Semitic Nation of Islam -- that has set
> the
> >> Excuse Brigade scrambling. Ellison says that his association with the
> Nation
> >> of Islam was limited to 18 months in the mid-1990s -- a claim that the
> >> Brigade has repeated.
> >>
> >> He also says that he failed to scrutinize Farrakhan's positions
> >> sufficiently. Today, Ellison proclaims brotherly love, and all is
> forgiven.
> >>
> >> But facts are stubborn things.
> >>
> >> Ellison's support for Farrakhan dates from at least 1989, when he wrote
> an
> >> article defending "Minister Farrakhan" for the Minnesota Daily. In
> 1995, he
> >> was a Minnesota organizer for the Million Man March, which the Nation
> of
> >> Islam convened. In 1997, Ellison publicly supported the executive
> director
> >> of the Minneapolis Initiative Against Racism when she allegedly called
> Jews
> >> "among the most racist white people." The Star Tribune described
> Ellison as
> >> a "representative" of the Nation of Islam in an article about the
> incident.
> >> In 1998, when Ellison made his first run for the Minnesota House of
> >> Representatives, the paper described him as "well-known in the black
> >> community as ... a supporter of Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of
> Islam."
> >>
> >> The Excuse Brigade has sought to counter these inconvenient facts by
> >> falling back on the nuclear option -- the B word. Folks who draw
> attention
> >> to Ellison's support for Farrakhan are bigots, they say. Case closed.
> >>
> >> So far, the Excuse Brigade has said little about the latest Ellison
> >> revelation. A few weeks ago, Nihad Awad, executive director of the
> Council
> >> on American-Islamic Relations in Washington, appeared at an Ellison
> >> fundraiser, and he and at least one other CAIR employee have donated to
> >> Ellison's campaign. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) described CAIR as an
> >> organization "which we know has ties to terrorism."
> >>
> >> Mike Erlandson, an Ellison opponent in the primary election, criticized
> >> Ellison for appearing with Awad, whom Erlandson described as a
> supporter of
> >> the Palestinian group Hamas.
> >>
> >> Why is the Excuse Brigade pouring so much energy into Ellison's
> defense?
> >> Any other candidate with half this record would likely be persona non
> grata
> >> in any political party.
> >>
> >> The truth is plain, if unpalatable. Many are willing to overlook
> Ellison's
> >> record because they are breathless with excitement at the chance to
> send the
> >> first Muslim -- and the first black Minnesotan -- to Congress.
> >>
> >> Ellison's candidacy may be a defining moment for the DFL. Is this the
> new
> >> face of the party of Hubert Humphrey? Heavy hitters such as Walter
> Mondale
> >> and Mayor R.T. Rybak have endorsed Ellison, and DFL fundraisers
> >> extraordinaire Sam and Sylvia Kaplan have raised big bucks for him.
> >>
> >> The question of the hour is this: Is Ellison's DFL also the party of
> Amy
> >> Klobuchar and Mike Hatch? We have six weeks to find out.
> >>
> >> Katherine Kersten € kkersten at startribune.com
> >>
> >> (c)2006 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.
> >>
> >
> >
> > -----------------------------
> >
> > [image: StarTribune.com] <http://www.startribune.com/> CAIR091706
> >
> > Last update: September 16, 2006 ­ 11:23 PM
> > GOP's attack on Ellison focuses on U.S. Muslim Nihad Awad is head of the
> > Council of American-Islamic Relations. Conservatives say it is rooted in
> > Hamas and secretly supports Hezbollah in Lebanon.
> >
> > *Sharon Schmickle <sschmickle at startribune.com>,* Star Tribune
> > When Nihad Awad flew to Minneapolis to attend a fundraiser for state
> Rep.
> > Keith Ellison in August, following him was a simmering debate in
> American
> > politics: What constitutes support for terrorism?
> >
> > Last week, Minnesota Republicans thrust that issue to the forefront
> after
> > Ellison won the DFL primary in the Fifth Congressional District. In a
> letter
> > to Republicans statewide afterward, state GOP chairman Ron Carey accused
> > Ellison of trying to hide his backing from "a self-identified supporter"
> of
> > the Palestinian group Hamas.
> >
> > Carey was referring to Awad, a former Minnesotan and executive director
> of
> > the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Washington, one of
> the
> > nation's most prominent Muslim groups. Awad has been a frequent
> commentator
> > on national television and appeared with President Bush after the Sept.
> 11,
> > 2001, attacks.
> >
> > But many conservatives and Jewish groups say that CAIR is rooted in the
> > Hamas movement and that its leaders also secretly support Hezbollah in
> > Lebanon. The United States counts Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist
> > organizations.
> >
> > Awad donated $2,000 to Ellison's campaign in July, and at least one
> other
> > CAIR employee gave $1,000. The donations are listed on Ellison's
> campaign
> > finance reports, and he said he has nothing to hide.
> >
> > "The Republicans are in a tough situation," Ellison said. "Iraq is a
> failed
> > policy."
> >
> > Ellison added, "They haven't done much for homeland security. We still
> have
> > a health care crisis. The Earth is warming up, and they're not doing
> > anything about it. What are they going to do? They have to try to engage
> in
> > smear politics."
> >
> > If he wins, Ellison will be the first Muslim elected to Congress. He
> called
> > Awad an "acquaintance," saying he has known the CAIR leader for many
> years
> > but not well enough to be able to "account for everything he has ever
> done,
> > everybody he knows or everything he has ever said."
> >
> > But after Awad attended the Ellison fundraiser on Aug. 25, conservative
> > blogs, some Jewish groups and some Democrats objected.
> >
> > Awad dismissed the attacks as an effort to crush Ellison with unfounded
> > guilt-by-association innuendo. He predicted that it will backfire. "The
> Twin
> > Cities has broken the historical ice of stereotypes and fear that
> American
> > Muslims cannot make it," Awad said.
> >
> > But some observers neutral-to-supportive on Ellison said it's valid for
> > voters to examine a candidate's associations.
> >
> > Jewish voters, for example, are concerned about Israel's security, and
> they
> > scrutinize all candidate positions as they relate to Hamas and
> Hezbollah,
> > said Julie Swiler, a spokeswoman for the Jewish Community Relations
> Council
> > of Minnesota and the Dakotas.
> >
> > Many Jewish voters apparently were satisfied with Ellison even after
> Awad
> > stepped forth to support him. Prominent Jewish politicians continued to
> > campaign for him, and an influential newspaper, the American Jewish
> World,
> > endorsed him.
> >
> > The debate goes back to the late 1980s, when Awad, a Palestinian
> refugee,
> > left Jordan to study at the University of Minnesota, where he was active
> in
> > Muslim student groups. That's where he met Ellison, a law student at the
> > time.
> >
> > Awad frequently accepted invitations to explain Islam at Twin Cities
> area
> > schools and churches, sometimes collaborating with another Minnesotan,
> > Ibrahim Hooper. In 1994 they took their outreach nationwide, with money
> > raised by Omar Ahmad, president of the Islamic Association for
> Palestine,
> > where Awad worked as public relations director.
> >
> > The organization that Awad and Hooper opened in a two-room office in
> > Washington that year now has 32 chapters and affiliates in the United
> States
> > and Canada. Its stated mission is to enhance understanding of Islam and
> > defend civil liberties. But its leaders also have criticized U.S. policy
> in
> > the Middle East.
> >
> > Controversy began even before the doors opened to CAIR's first office.
> >
> > In March 1994, Awad said at Barry University in Florida, "I am in
> support of
> > the Hamas movement more than the PLO," a reference to the Palestine
> > Liberation Organization, which was widely seen as corrupt. Awad went on
> to
> > say that Hamas and other Islamic movements were gaining popularity in
> the
> > Middle East in part because they "respond to the daily needs of the
> people."
> > He added, "There are radicals in every movement and every sect, but we
> have
> > to look at the moderate side."
> >
> > The statement came before Hamas had set off its first car bomb in Israel
> and
> > more than a year before the United States designated it as a terrorist
> > organization. Since then, CAIR has issued dozens of statements
> condemning
> > terrorism.
> >
> > But critics continue to cite the phrase "I am in support of the Hamas
> > movement" as evidence that Awad supports a terrorist organization. He
> > reiterated last week, "I don't support any organization that is
> designated
> > by the State Department on the list of terrorism, and we respect the
> law."
> >
> > Awad's original statement reflected a nuanced view common in the Middle
> > East, said Prof. J. Andrew Overman of Macalester College, who leads
> study
> > groups to the region.
> >
> > A typical response from a Palestinian voter, Overman said, is "this
> suicide
> > bomber stuff is insane, and I am scared to death that my 14-year-old son
> is
> > going to be talked into being one. But the only way I can get penicillin
> for
> > my son is from Hamas. So do I support Hamas? I do, but I do not support
> > suicide bombing."
> >
> > CAIR's critics cite other worries, though. One is that groups associated
> > with it have been linked to terrorism-related activity. For example,
> after
> > the Sept. 11 attacks, CAIR invited visitors to its website to help
> victims
> > by contributing to a charity called the Holy Land Foundation. In
> December
> > 2001 the United States blocked Holy Land's assets, saying it supported
> > Hamas.
> >
> > And the Islamic Association for Palestine, instrumental in launching
> CAIR,
> > was found liable in a 2004 lawsuit in Chicago for contributing to the
> > terrorist killing of a U.S. citizen by providing support to Hamas.
> Further,
> > former CAIR employees and volunteers have been convicted on
> > terrorism-related charges in Virginia and Texas.
> >
> > Debate over CAIR has raged through Congress and courts. Voters in the
> Fifth
> > District, which includes Minneapolis and nearby suburbs, are unlikely to
> > resolve it.
> >
> > Instead, their challenge will be to distinguish between issues and
> hardball
> > politics, said John Green, a senior fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion
> &
> > Public Life in Washington.
> >
> > "It would be legitimate for someone to say, 'I don't want to vote for
> Mr.
> > Ellison because he gets support from CAIR, and I don't agree with CAIR,'
> "
> > Green said. "But it would be quite another thing to say, "Because CAIR
> > supports Ellison, then there's somehow a tie to terrorists.' That
> involves
> > taking several steps for which there is probably no evidence."
> >
> > Sharon Schmickle € 612-673-4432 € sschmickle at startribune.com
> >
> > (c)2006 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.
> >
> >
> >> Last night I listened to the debate among the candidates for the 5CD,
> >> Fine,
> >> Ellison and Tammy Lee, the independent.  I thought Ellison was fine and
> >> Fine
> >> was hopelessly parroting what the party wants him to say and nothing
> more.
> >> Ellison and Lee kept trying to redirect the discussion to the
> >> issues--taxes,
> >> health care, education, etc. and all Fine could say is that "..Um,
> >> character
> >> is an issue and um, I think um, joining a hate group that wants to
> destroy
> >> our country shows the wrong character..."  The guy's desperate and all
> he
> >> can do is sling the mud.
> >>
> >> Ellison, on the other hand kept saying he would rather talk about the
> >> issues
> >> but if he has to be dragged through this, fine.  He coolly said he
> never
> >> was
> >> a member of the Nation of Islam and he never even met Louis
> Farrakhan.  He
> >> helped organize the Million Man March, which he said was simply about
> >> empowering the African-American male and he was proud to be a part of
> it.
> >> Fine had no response.  Fine brought up Ellison's writings back in law
> >> school
> >> and Ellison said it was just something he wrote about Affirmative
> Action
> >> while he was a student at the U of M.  The moderator pressed Fine on
> what
> >> exactly in the writings he objected to and Fine had no response.  And
> >> this:
> >> "Mr. Fine, do you think Mr. Ellison is a racist?"  Fine hemmed and
> hawed
> >> and
> >> said, "Um, it's um, more complicated than that.  Um, I don't think he's
> >> fit
> >> for the office."  Then, "Exactly what is it that makes Mr. Ellison
> unfit?"
> >> More hemming and hawing and non-answering.
> >>
> >> This whole attack won't do much damage--it's too obvious this is a
> smear
> >> campaign.  Especially since Ellison's been in the MN House for the last
> >> four
> >> years and none of that (racist or anti-semite) has ever actually showed
> up
> >> on the radar.
> >>
> >> As of today I'm so ready to make our deal.
> >>
> >> Slim
> >>
> >> On 9/15/06 11:07 AM, "Brad Haslett" <flybrad at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Slim,
> >>>
> >>> Would be Senator Jr. passed the test yesterday.  He voted in favor of
> >> the
> >>> earmark bill.  Why he rattled his sabre before the vote is beyond me -
> >> musta
> >>> got some money from somewhere headed toward Memphis.  Let's table the
> >>> discussion until the day before the vote.  Both of us will have a
> better
> >>> idea who we trust by then.
> >>>
> >>> Brad
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> On 9/14/06, Slim <salm at mn.rr.com> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> Brad,
> >>>>
> >>>> I think the racist, anti-semite thing might be a little
> >> over-blown.  Alan
> >>>> Fine came down hard at Ellison's win but when pressed if those were
> HIS
> >>>> words he balked and didn't answer the question.  He might be a good
> >>>> pianist
> >>>> but I think he's also good at towing the party line--perhaps a
> puppet.
> >>>>
> >>>> I've always liked the when-in-doubt-vote-against-the-incumbent
> strategy
> >>>> but
> >>>> this is different.  If you want to break our deal, that's
> OK.  Frankly,
> >> my
> >>>> vote is still up for grabs.
> >>>>
> >>>> Slim
> >>>>
> >>>> On 9/14/06 6:20 PM, "Brad Haslett" <flybrad at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>> Slim,
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I like Jr. but I'll donate to his opponent over this!  Ford, Jr.
> >>>> indicated
> >>>>> his opposition today to 'earmark transparancy rules'.  What does
> that
> >>>> mean?
> >>>>> Business as usual - I use my power to get Federal money (someone
> elses
> >>>> but
> >>>>> ours) for my district in exchange for you getting some for your
> >>>>> re-election.  That's a deal breaker for me.  You (Slim) vote for a
> >>>> racist,
> >>>>> anti-semite for the house and I'll vote for a real-estate developer
> >> who
> >>>> I
> >>>>> don't know squat about for the Senate. Where the hell is a new
> party?
> >>>>> *All*these bums need to be thrown out!
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Brad
> >>>>> __________________________________________________
> >>>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> >>>>
> >>>> __________________________________________________
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> >>>>
> >>> __________________________________________________
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> >>
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