www.mndflvets.org

[Still] Supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

The temperature clocked in below zero as Franni and TeamFranken bundled up for an early morning drive out west.

First stop, Montevideo. At the local paper we were told to hurry ourselves over to the coffee shop down the street, where a group of local men get together every morning to discuss the issues of the day. So hurry we did, and sure enough, there they were - and they weren't shy about letting us know that they weren't all DFLers. But in good Minnesota fashion, they were still ready to talk politics and the economy with Franni - and it was the highlight of Franni's day.

After hustling over to Benson (where we were told it was 35 below with wind chill), we dashed back to Montevideo's Java River coffee shop. 20 local DFLers braved the cold to gather around a few pots of coffee to talk to Franni about the campaign, as well as their concerns and questions about health care costs and sustainability. A regional expert on renewable energy was there, so Franni asked him about a wind turbine project she'd read about in the paper. It was a family event attended by people of all ages, so good thing we had cookies! When we left, our youngest attendee's blue and yellow truck was getting decked out with an Al Franken bumper sticker.

We had planned on doorknocking that afternoon, but then we remembered what Al had told us on our way out the door that morning - "Take care of Franni."

We didn't think he'd take kindly to us returning her with frostbite.

Instead we headed to Glencoe where Franni talked politics with the McLeod County Chronicle.

Not before a stop at Dairy Queen, though. As far as TeamFranken is concerned, it's never too cold for ice cream.

Hi everybody! I'm Thomasin, Al's daughter, and now that I'm volunteering full time on the campaign, I'd like to introduce myself to everyone checking out our web site.

I spent my first three years after college teaching third grade. Cooking has always been a passion of my family's, and that's why I started my own private chef business, and ran an early childhood cooking program.

With my experience in education, I'm going to be helping my dad learn more about the issues teachers, administrators, students, and parents are facing by visiting schools and reaching out to the education community. So if you're an educator, a parent, or a policy maker, please don't hesitate to send me an email if you should have a concern about education that you'd like to communicate to the campaign.

I am very proud that my father has received the support of Education Minnesota, our teacher's union that works so hard to improve the quality of education in this state. I am also thrilled to see the incredible amount of enthusiasm we receive at all our campaign events. It is so exciting to see the amazing turn out we get, and feel the energy that comes with the hope people are bringing when they come to our events.

I know this is going to be a great election season! I hope to see you on the campaign trail, and don't forget to caucus for my dad on February 5th!

Thomasin Franken

thomasin@alfranken.com

SAINT PAUL [1/14/08] - Al Franken for Senate announced today that two television ads will begin running on all four major broadcast networks, as well as on cable. The first ads can be seen Tuesday morning, January 15, in the Minneapolis-St. Paul and Duluth markets.

"Mrs. Molin," a 60-second spot, features Val Molin, Al's fourth-grade teacher at Cedar Manor Elementary School in St. Louis Park. This lively, fun spot introduces Al's biography: his roots in Minnesota, his education at Harvard, his 32-year marriage to Franni, his career as an author and radio host, his seven USO tours overseas, and his agenda for Minnesota families, including universal health care, affordable college tuition, and an end to the war in Iraq.

"I'm Running," a 30-second spot, is about some of the people who have shaped Al's decision to run and who will shape what he does in the U.S. Senate. It features Casey Carmody, a student at MSU-Mankato, who, in addition to working 40-hour weeks around his full-time class schedule, sells his plasma twice a week in order to afford tuition. It also features the Miller family of St. Louis Park, one of countless families of nearly every economic status telling Al that our broken health care system is impacting their lives.

The ads were produced by Shorr Johnson Magnus. They will run at least through February 5 and may be joined by other ads discussing the issues central to this campaign.

Communications Director Andy Barr:

"We're excited to begin this conversation with Minnesota voters. This campaign is about Minnesotans who need a voice in Washington - a voice that will stand up to the special interests and stand up for them on the issues that matter. Throughout this year, Al will be spending a lot of time listening to and highlighting those concerns. To change this country, we need to change a political culture in which people feel like they don't matter. In the Senate, Al will use his voice to make sure that they do. And that starts with this campaign.

"That said, as we begin this year, we think it's important that people know who Al is and why he's running, and we're thrilled that Mrs. Molin was able to help us do so in memorable fashion."

To view "Mrs Molin," click here.

To view "I'm Running," click here

A couple hours after we sent out the email below, Norm Coleman announced his own fundraising numbers. Turns out, we outraised him yet again! And we did it without taking a dime from the Big Oil, Big Insurance, and Big Pharmaceutical PACs he relies on - we did it with you, and 81,414 other Americans who want to see change in Washington.

You came through so loud and clear in 2007 that we're ready to send our own signal in 2008. Al's hitting the airwaves soon - thanks to your support!

Dear Friend,

As you might have noticed, we lean on you pretty hard for financial support around the end of every reporting period – but that's because, now that the quarter's over, every political reporter in town is calling me wanting to know whether our amazing fundraising momentum has continued for another quarter.

When the phone starts ringing this morning, we'll be able to answer that question with a resounding "Yes!" But since you made it possible, we're sharing our success with you first.

We're proud to announce that, in the fourth fundraising quarter, we raised nearly $1.9 million. And we're even prouder to announce that, since Al began his campaign, we've received contributions from over 81,000 people. Read that again. Over 81,000 people have invested in our campaign for change.

With that kind of support, we're ready to make another exciting announcement.

But I think I should let Al do the honors. So click on the link to watch a YouTube video we recorded over the weekend.

As you can tell, January's going to be a fantastic month for our campaign. In fact, later this week, we'll be announcing our newest endorsements, with more to come throughout the month.

And don't forget about the DFL Precinct Caucuses taking place on Tuesday, February 5. If you haven't already signed up to join our Caucus Team, please take a moment to click here and do so.

Click here to join our caucus team!

As great as 2007 was, 2008 will be even better. This is the year we're going to retire Norm Coleman and send Al to Washington with a mandate to create real change. And we're going to do it the same way we built this campaign in 2007: together.

Thanks for all you've done and all you'll do!

Andy Barr
TeamFranken

It’s hard to tell what going on at the Republican National Committee (RNC) on December 5, 2007.  While Robert M. “Mike” Duncan (RNC Chairman) was hoping to create a profitable fundraising campaign, it appears that he missed the mark and has provided dedicated Democrats and Progressives with a good laugh.

Holiday parties around the country are likely producing the same experience as a recent gathering of mostly Democrats in Larimer County.  We went around the room comparing who did, and did not, get Mike Duncan’s plea for donations.

Be it amazing, perplexing or even pathetic, a large of number of us had that letter at home, or had even brought it to the party as a conversation piece.  There was an abundance of humor and criticism available after many eyes picked through this correspondence.

Once again the international press provides the stories that the American corporate media ignores. From Friday's Financial Times, US congress hears war costs could hit $2,400bn over the next decade.

The US House (committee not identified) got this report from Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Peter Orszag.  This horrendous number was based on leading comments by the generals in Iraq that troops on the ground will reduce to 75,000 by 2013, and STAY the same for the following four years.

Two key points are that this is being financed by deficit spending, and he had to project the costs of US troops staying in Iraq through 2017.  Maybe that's not as permanent as Mount Rushmore, but it's too much of an occupation for me to accept.

The signs are all there folks...this is turning into a long-term, on-the-ground presence in Iraq that will rival South Korea and Cold-War Europe.  The Congressional Democrats must use these new spending figures to bring this diabolical occupation plan to halt.  There can be no more detrimental US policy than to force our troops to endure the hate and mis-trust any additional day than absolutely necessary on Iraqi soil.

The National Debt Interest on the Iraq/Afghanistan Supplementals ALONE will reach $700 Billion by 2017 (this looks like he was doing a standard 10-year forecast report).  So the Children's and Grandchildren's tax continues to grow.  While the robber-baron sponsors of the current occupant of the White House are getting rich, our heirs are facing the burdens of growing debt.

The unilateral, go it alone policies of the current occupant of the White house are visibly crumbling.  First, there was an out-of-the box opinion by Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel to get the US away from negotiating with the Iraqi factions, and now we learn that the “decider” is passing the buck back to the UN.

Senator Hagel’s piece was published in the Financial Times – “A less American face for mediation in Iraq” FT.com site, Jul 02, 2007 (My home subscription doesn’t include online access to the archive.  I saved it the old-fashioned way, scissors.) 

Here’s the Washington post coverage of the upcoming plea for rescue from the UN - Link

This nation is in dire straights on the world stage.  The US military colleges teach young officers that one fo the measures/means of national power is Diplomacy.  The early arrogance of the current occupant has arguably been replaced by silent despiration. 

Ban Ki-Moon has paid a high price for US acceptance of his taking the office of UN Secretaty-General.  He now faces the task of rescuing the current occupant from his debacle in Iraq.  Too bad that means the current mis-administration is likley to borrow the $130-million to extend the “Green-Zone” to the UN Mission in Baghdad.

The Federal Deficit “Children’s Tax” debt to the People’s Republic of China continues to grow. The next Democratic President of the United States of America has a huge and daunting task ahead of him/her.  It starts in 511 days.

Surprise, surpise…After taking a call-in opportunity to a Faux Noise (Fox News) radio show to reassure the Right WingNuts that all is well in Iraq, General David Petraeus is taking a beating in the Washington Post. The text of his radio comments were reported in detail and those knowledgeable of military realities have “taken-off the gloves.”

Read the article -

Link

Then read how thousands are b****-slapping a 4-star -

Link

The weapons fiasco is a serious blow to the credibility of the entire military mission. It comes on the heals of the “…take yer guns home boys…” disbanding of the Iraqi Army, the failure to secure Saddam’s conventional weapons stockpiles, and the dumb-founded do-nothing policies during the rise of the insurgency.

It was just 1,560 days ago that the current occupant of the White House joyfully declared the end of combat in Iraq under the glowing “Mission Accomplished” banner. The war was won, but it is becoming more and more evident that the peace is descending rapidly into catastrophe.

There is no truthful “clerical error” that could have allowed 190,000 weapons to flow unchecked into Iraq. It was definitely a loss of accountability, a compromise of integrity, and an abandoning of professionalism on the part of General Patraeus.

The offenses and failures of the mis-administration just continue to grow. Today’s Washington Post story, “Weapons Given to Iraq Are Missing: GAO Estimates 30% of Arms Are Unaccounted For” is yet more damning evidence of how badly the current occupant of the White House has bungled his adventure in Iraq.

Here’s the story - Link

GAO Report - Link

Campaign to report over $3.2 million raised to date, nearly $2 million on hand

SAINT PAUL [7/8/07] - The Al Franken for Senate campaign announced today that it expects to report having raised over $1.9 million in the second quarter of 2007 when it files its quarterly report with the FEC on July 15.

The money was raised from nearly 28,000 donors. So far in 2007, over 36,000 donors have contributed a grand total of over $3.2 million. The campaign is particularly pleased to note that over 95% of contributions in the second quarter were $100 or less.

The $1.9 million figure would mean that Al has likely out-raised incumbent Senator Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) in the second quarter, an unusual feat for a challenger. Sen. Coleman's campaign reported raising "over $1.5 million" in the quarter. The Franken campaign will report nearly $2 million cash on hand.

Originally posted on the Huffington Post 6/4/07: Here!
Also visit www.alfranken.com!

______________________ 

As a candidate for the U.S. Senate here in Minnesota, I've become painfully aware of the role money plays in politics.

For instance, according to my staff, I'm not supposed to write anything without mentioning that our grassroots campaign needs the support of great progressives like YOU and asking you to click here and chip in a few bucks so I can take on the Republican attack machine.

See? That kind of thing totally distracts the reader from my point, which is this: If you ever wonder whether we really need public financing of elections in this country, try running for office. You might think I spend most of my time kissing babies or shaking hands or having serious policy debates in which my sparkling wit and superior knowledge of the issues combine to sweep audiences off their feet.

But no. I spend most of my time doing this.

That's me during "call time," which is basically what candidates for public office do all day. The guy on the right is Kris, my call time manager. It's his job to sit with me for hours at a time and make sure I'm "making the ask" on every call. For instance, he's currently pacing behind me reminding me to make another "ask" in here. Here it is, Kris: please click here and give me money. Okay?

While I'm sitting there with Kris, I often think about how badly we need public financing of elections in this country. We need it because I should be out talking to Minnesotans about the issues that matter to their families. We need it so that I can spend my days meeting with policy experts and reading up on legislation and working with progressives all over the state to build a movement that can take on Norm Coleman next fall.

And we need it because members of Congress are too beholden to special interests, and that costs taxpayers, big time. The Medicare Part D prescription drug bill, which might be the most corrupt piece of legislation in history, was a huge giveaway of taxpayer funds to the big pharmaceutical companies. The 2005 energy bill handed billions of dollars of our money to big oil companies, essentially just for the hell of it.

Did the Republican majority pass those bills out of the goodness of their hearts? Of course not. They passed them because they rely on huge PAC checks from these big corporate interests to fund television commercials calling Democrats "big spenders."

Let me select a totally random example: Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman (R-PHARMA). In the first fundraising quarter this year, he raised around $1.5 million. About a third of that came from PACs -- tobacco, coal, insurance, etc. Over the course of his career, he's taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from Big Oil and Big Pharma. And, of course, he voted in favor of that horrible drug bill and that horrible energy bill.

I'm doing things a little differently. In my first fundraising quarter (which was really only 45 days since I announced on February 14), I raised around $1.35 million. But instead of relying on PACs, I relied mostly on small contributions from over 10,000 donors (over 90 percent of whom gave less than $100), more than twice as many as Coleman. (I should point out that you can help, too, by clicking here. See, I'm learning!)

But even though thousands of people have already helped without my having to call them, I still spend a lot of time on the phone. Don't get me wrong -- I don't mind talking to people about my campaign and what I'd do in the Senate to push for universal health care, stem cell research, and an end to the war in Iraq. (Although sometimes I get kind of annoyed when I get too many voicemails in a row.)

What I don't like is that I never get to spend enough time really getting into the issues. Whenever I start actually talking about how I'd vote to revitalize our manufacturing sector by investing in renewable energy technology or how I'd help ensure that every American has access to affordable health care, Kris is there to remind me to "make the ask." Sometimes he's kind of insistent.

But the sad truth is, if you can't raise the money, you can't make your case. That's why I keep Kris around. But forcing candidates to spend their time and energy dialing for dollars instead of engaging with citizens cheats candidates and voters alike.

It cheats elected officials, too. With public financing, members of Congress could spend their time meeting with constituents, discussing policy problems with experts, and, you know, READING the legislation they're voting on. And we wouldn't have any more earmarks snuck in in the middle of the night, $231 million "Bridges to Nowhere," or stupid giveaways to big corporate interests. Also, I wouldn't have to keep asking you for money all the time. (Which reminds me: click here!)