BANKRUPT!

The blogosphere is abuzz with the news that the liberal talk radio network Air America will be filing for bankruptcy on Friday. I say, "Good riddance!" It seems like unfunny comedian and Air America star Al Franken's move back to Minnesota, supposedly to explore a U.S. Senate run in 2008, had more to do with the inevitable demise of the Bush-hating liberal radio network.

DWD: Driving While Deaf

You've already heard the story. First Congressional District challenger Tim Walz was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in 1996 in Nebraska shortly before he moved to Mankato. The high school teacher and coach failed a field sobriety test after the arresting officer detected the smell of alcohol in Walz's breath and person. Walz failed both a field sobriety test and preliminary breath test.

In some twisted plea deal, Walz's blood alcohol test was suppressed in court, he pleaded guilty to reckless driving and got away with paying a $200 fine.

Walz's camp blames the trooper ("he wouldn't speak up") and the DFL candidate's deafness, due to his artillery soldier's training, at the time

So, are Walz’s people claiming he was arrested for DWD (Driving While Deaf)?

Was Walz too drunk to tell the trooper that he had a hearing impairment?

I hear Walz was driving a 1993 Mazda at the time and that he bought a pricey Mercedes Benz, which he may still own, in 2000. Nevertheless, he drives an E85-fueled American-made vehicle now that he is campaigning for office to go along with his fake "union man" persona. Hypocrisy, anyone?

Why impugn the trooper? All he did was arrest someone who was speeding (i.e. going 96 mph when the posted speed limit was 55) smelled of alcohol and failed a sobriety test.

Why suppress the results of the sobriety test in court if he was not really drunk?

Why move from Nebraska to Minnesota after the arrest? If he was innocent, as he claims, why run away?

So many questions, so many evasive answers from the Walz camp.

Follow the Money

It looks like Ms. Amy "Let's End Give-Aways to Big Oil" Klobuchar has been secretly reaping the profits that she so self-righteously condemns. Klobuchar's mutual fund portfolio is replete with evil oil company stocks. ExxonMobile seems to be a favorite of Klobuchar's. How could she? Does she not remember the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska? Does she not realize that those Machiavellian Big Oil executives are price gouging the American driver? Is she not ashamed to take their "blood money" so greedily?

Check out the Minnesota Democrats Exposed site for details and discussion of Klobuchar's hypocrisy.

Blowing Smoke

Just in case you missed him, Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch was in town again yesterday. He comes to Rochester almost as often as Governor Tim Pawlenty these days. Hatch and Judi Dutcher, his running mate, went to the University Center Rochester to smear Pawlenty and avoid saying that they want to raise taxes to solve any and all "crises."

Hatch's talk could have been summarized in one sentence, if he were not so in love with the sound of his own voice: Governor Tim Pawlenty is single-handedly responsible for the 50% tuition increase in higher education the last 4 years.

Not health care for university employees.
Not maintenance and construction costs.
Not waste and excess.
But Tim Pawlenty.

Matt Stolle's P-B coverage mentioned that Hatch addressed a group of 35 students, but it should be noted that most, if not all of them, were there to take notes for an "assignment" from their English teacher. It was a convenient, though disingenuous, way to add warm bodies and young faces to an audience which would otherwise be reduced to a couple of reporters and the aides who follow Hatch from photo op to photo op.

Honest Amy

The following is the text of an email Chris Miksanek sent to 1st Ward Councilwoman Amy Blenker in response to a "personal" note left at his door. It is published here with his permission.

Dear Amy,

An hour ago, you apparently rang my doorbell. I didn't want to be bothered, so I looked through the blinds until "you" left; and left behind a leaflet stating that you were sorry you missed me. In person, you are apparently a 30-ish man with a receding hairline. Or maybe that was one of your campaign workers leaving behind your personalized material? Naaa .. you wouldn't be dishonest about something like that, would you? Say it ain't so! Tell me that you're more honest than that.

Chris Miksanek

Amy's "personal" note says "Sorry I missed you" (emphasis mine), implying that she herself had left the note. Very misleading indeed and even more egregious than the supposed "re-elect" wordage of Carla Nelson's signs.

Blenker's voice has been anything but independent. She votes the party line: with the bureaucracy and for tax increases. "Balancing our priorities" means absolutely nothing, unless she believes that funding the construction of yet another ice hockey arena is a "priority." Finally, there is nothing honest about pretending that you stopped by someone else's house, didn't find them home, but was thoughtful enough to leave a personal note.

The one "accomplishment" of Amy's that really stands out to me was her vote to raise city taxes the week before Christmas last year. Independent indeed.