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Enter Karl Rove:

His plan is three-pronged: to reenergize any conservatives who may be flagging; to make sure the GOP’s carefully constructed campaign apparatus is functioning at peak efficiency; and to put the resources of the federal government to use for political gain.

(…)
But the success of the get-out-the-vote effort depends on putting a reliable army of volunteers into the field, and some worry about the sour mood among Republicans this year. Rove and Mehlman have tried to ensure quality control by recruiting experienced operatives to supervise key state operations.

(…)

In a twist that resembled an Amway sales meeting more than a political strategy session, they offered those who signed up on the spot a chance to win an iPod and other prizes. 

MN Publius reported the MN GOP is also offering an Apple iPod and other gifts for GOTV volunteers.

This is why no matter what the polls say, you should help get out the vote with the candidate you support.

The RNC is back in in the metro area today.  They will be reviewing Minneapolis/St. Paul as a possible site for the 2008 Republican National Convention.  The Strib outlines their schedule: (emphasis added)

Today’s itinerary includes breakfast at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, a ride on the light-rail line, and tours of Target Center and the Metrodome in Minneapolis and the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. The group will be in town through Tuesday.

I’ll be swinging by the Guthrie this morning to see if I can spot any RNC members of note.  If anyone is on the light-rail today and finds themselves sitting next to this gentleman, ask him just what “adapting to win” in Iraq really means.

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Reading the Chairman’s address made me realize something: Republican’s do have good ideas.

Winning the war on terrorism? Who wouldn’t want that? Check.
Promote job growth in the US? Check
Alternative energy? (Yes, that’s in there too). Check.

Barring Mehlman’s position on abortion, I agree with the ideas in there. Those are all goals we should shoot for - the problem is that Republicans have no plan to get us there.

Mehlman advocates for the same solutions that have not been working: more war, less taxes and more drilling for oil. Mehlman goes beyond his issue framing ’shell game” to play hard and loose with facts and figures.

More under the fold.

(more…)

Sources tell me it’s “locked up like Fort Knox” and that you need tickets to get inside.

If you are a ninja, please contact me ASAP. Kennedy is speaking and I can get you a audio recorder.

While I’d like to think my call for more coverage of the RNC meeting resulted in these articles from MPR and the PiPress today, it was probably just the relative slowness of the editorial process as compared to new media.

Our collective appetitive for “as it happens” news is certainly increasing. Read up on the reports, and I’ll weigh in with my thoughts after the conclusion of the RNC activities today.

The RNC is wrapping up its three-day meeting in Bloomington today. The overall theme of the meeting is “Defining the Difference”. Sara Taylor, political director of the White House spoke yesterday and RNC Chair Ken Mehlman speaks today.

I’ve been waiting to jump on the news reports from the meeting but - as can be expected - the event is being woefully covered. It’s an open-press event but these are the only articles that have been written on Thursday’s meeting insofar.

According to the only quote in the articles, their strategy is to “keep Americans focused on the war on terror and keeping taxes down”? Good lord - what could I write that hasn’t already been said?

I’m hoping for more substance from today’s reports, but I’m not going to trust the MSM with the story. Blanked-out.com’s secret agent, PUMA (those of you who know Russian might be able to decode her name), might make an attempt to get a first hand report. I’ll keep you updated. If anyone is interested in joining her, let me know.