Blanked Out

That’s it.

There have been dozens of ripe opportunities for an early return. But no single event perfectly captured the reasons for starting this blog in the first place - until now.

The masterful rebranding of Rep. Ellison?s remarks on the Reichstag fire has reached its apex - overseas! The UK Daily Telegraph’s most viewed link today had the following headline: “Bush like Hitler, says first Muslin in Congress”. This is quite possibly the most egregious blank out of the year.

Congratulations are in order. Tice, Kersten, Brodkorb and the Powerline Crew: you have all done a spectacular job.

Your rampant double-speak and subtle editing promoted the story to national status last week - over the weekend it jumped the pond and obtained international status. Your “story” now has a guaranteed patina of legitimacy. I’ve been stunned, not into silence, but into action.

This is the same roster that already attempted to prevent Rep. Ellison’s election with frivolous tabloid news. Rep. Ellison is now constrained by his resounding success. His office demands he render respect and decency to his feckless, undeserving attackers.

I, on the other hand, possessing no office or position or party restriction, am not so bound.

Stay tuned.

The Star Tribune has published an article detailing a 1995 charge for domestic violence against 5th CD candidate Alan Fine. My primary concern regarding the recent Strib article on Fine’s record is that partisans are rendering judgment on Fine based not on the strength of the available factual evidence (which is scant to nonexistent) but based on their own political affiliations.

In general, some Democrats seem to have already tried Fine in the court of public opinion and found him to be guilty. Further, this vehemence against Fine is magnified by the Republican attempts to unfairly tar Rep. Keith Ellison by using the tea leaves of 911 and court records to “prove” him to be an unsuitable candidate.

Meanwhile Republicans have not only refused to denounce Fine but leading conservative blog Powerline has gone so far as to attack the Strib for even reporting the story.

Blanked-Out takes no position either way regarding any of the claims in the Star Tribune article. Still, partisan passion has distorted the perspective of others. Below are recommendations to all sides.

Democrats

Democrats need to recognize that if they objected to the smear campaign of “insinuation” against Ellison on principle, as this blog does, they must also object to the current accusations leveled against Fine. As noted above the truth of the matter is unclear - Fine tells one story while Wexler and her father Thomas Wexler tell an entirely story. There is currently no available evidence to support either side. Criticism of either the Wexlers or Fine should be withheld.

Ellison has wisely stayed out of the story and has shown an incredible ability to keep his side of the campaign focused on the issues that are important to voters in the 5th district.

Republicans

Republicans have to recognize that while Fine was running a unique if quixotic campaign before the primary, it was his injection of “character” into the campaign and his attacks on Ellison that opened him up to the Star Tribune’s line of inquiry, if not their method of inquiry. Fine is a political newcomer, but should have understood the heavy burden of inquiry that would fall upon his family.

Republican blogs who added their voices to the anti-Ellison echo chamber should now look to the responsible and thorough reporting of Abdi Aynte at the Minnesota Monitor for an example of A-class reporting. Blanked-Out took note of Aynte’s skills back in August - Aynte has not disappointed.

Star Tribune

No one knows the facts regarding Fine’s family except Fine and Wexler, his ex-wife. By releasing the 911 and court records, especially the expunged records, the Star Tribune brings a private family quarrel into the public light and unfairly tarnishes the character of both Fine and Wexler.

The Star Tribune does not need to account for the timing of the article. Research and editorial concerns alone could account for the publication date. By casting aspirations on a journalist or blogger for “sitting on a story” you make a criticism that can never be answered to the satisfaction of the accuser.

However, the writers of the article do need to explain why the timeline and circumstances outlined in the article are contradicted by Fine’s campaign. According to the article, the journalists claim they obtained the expunged record sometime around August 25th of this year. Fine’s campaign disputed these facts in a campaign press release and via an interview with the Minnesota Monitor:

Mr. Fine presented these documents voluntarily to the Star Tribune upon their request on July 10, 2006 in an extensive interview with Erik Black (sic) at the request of the editorial staff of the Star Tribune regarding this issue,” he said.

Fine contradicts the method, date and reporter of the story. Eric Black is not credited as a contributor to the story. The Star Tribune should address this apparent contradiction.

UPDATE: The Star Tribune stands by their timeline and defends the timing of the article.

DISCLAIMER: Pre-primary I volunteered with Keith Ellison’s campaign.

I’m currently compiling the precinct breakdowns. I’ll post a combined Excel file as soon as I’m done, with my own analysis later today. I’m still not at 100% physically - I’ll ramp up to my previous posting quantity and quality slowly.

Quick quote from the Strib wrap-up article:

His campaign gambled on volunteers, direct mail and a massive get-out-the vote effort instead of a higher profile media campaign. Ellison preached peace and inclusion, labor and the environment.

That was no gamble - that’s a campaign with its priorities straight.

Here is the source file I’ll be using for my analysis. I used the data from Hennepin, Anoka and Ramsey counties since the Secretary of State doesn’t break down the data by recognizable place names, but instead assigns an ID code to each precint.

After voting today, Britt and I went to the University of Minnesota campus to meet a friend for lunch. While I was unable to participate in any midnight madness lit drops, it looks like campus was plastered with Keith Ellison literature.

There were also some signs and chalkings for Becky Lourey.

The U campus is a tantalizing prize for any campaign. While turnout is usually low, even a small percentage could tip the scales in a close race. Campus served as a tie-breaker in the Minneapolis Ward 2 City Council race in 2005. Considering the neck-and-neck race in the 5th, campus votes could be a deciding factor.

Turnout was 34 votes in MPLS 2-8 around noon today. Not much, but higher than past primaries at this time according to the election judges. Haven’t seen any returns from the on-campus precincts.

Liveblogs:

Minnesota Monitor
MN Publius
MN Campaign Report

UPDATE: This lit was handed out on campus by Stand Up Now MN, a DFL youth-run campaign.

Great issue framing and the earlier that substantive issues for the November election are placed before young voters, the better.

An email has been sent out on behalf of Junge that prominently features federal charter school support as a main reason for supporting Junge. MNCR has posted a section of the email. The highlight as I see it: (emphasis added)

NEED FOR DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT FOR CHARTERS IN THE CONGRESS: A number of important decisions on the future of the federal charter school grant program and other legislation of importance to charters will be made in the next several years - along with the overall reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind law. Ember wants to be a leading voice for charters in the Congress - a voice that’s sorely needed, especially among House Democrats.

The argument of this email is that there are not enough charter school supporting Democrats and that more are needed in Congress if important legislation is to pass.

The unspoken argument is that there is much greater support for charter schools among Republican members. Charter schools are often dependent on federal grant money for their start up costs.

If you support charter schools, this strategy of reaching across the aisle to create policy is perfectly acceptable. The above email originated from John Schroeder. Schroeder, along with Junge, is one of the nation’s most effective proponents of charter schools. Schroeder testified on the charter school federal grant program in 2000:

The ink was hardly dry on Minnesota’s pioneering charter school law when, in mid-1992, former U.S. Senator Dave Durenberger (R-MN) introduced what we then called the “Public School Redefinition Act,” creating a federal start-up grant program for charter schools. Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CN) was the chief Democratic co-sponsor.

Junge often cited Lieberman’s “morality” as the reason she supported him. It is now clear that Junge’s support was fundamentally attached to Lieberman’s support of her policy legacy: charter schools.

Phoenix Woman, at Mercury Rising, points out the discrepancy between a new study showing charter schools underperforming public schools and a press release by Education Secretary Margaret Spellings.

The bottom line on the study:

It says, in short, that charter schools, as a whole, are not better than the public schools they compete against and often drain resources from. In fact, their students are often in worse shape academically than their public school counterparts.

Innovation should always be promoted, but with strict quality controls and accountability. Without responsibility, charter schools will simply begin to turn into the traditional public schools they hope to improve upon. Remember the rationale behind charter schools:

Exempt from many statutory and regulatory requirements, charter schools receive increased flexibility in exchange for high accountability for improving student academic achievement.

Are charter schools making good on their promise?

Some might say running in the 5th District in Minnesota as a Republican is quixotic at best. Alan Fine is serious about his candidacy in the 5th, but is using unorthodox subjects for this press releases. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing - in fact, I don’t really know how it will play out. Judge for yourself:Fine adopts puppy for son - via Eric Black’s ‘The Big Question’ blog

Fine to play piano and talk policy at Varsity Theater - direct from Fine’s campaign web site