Last night I attended a
Tim Walz fundraising event in Winona, MN, with Al Franken as a guest.
I got inside 10 minutes before the event was scheduled to begin, and the lower level was PACKED, as you can see below (sorry it's blurry, I didn't use a flash).
I wanted to get a good seat, so I didn't get a photo of how many people were in the balcony, but at the reception afterwards, I heard it was standing room only. I think the auditorium seats 500, so that would be about $7,500 raised at that one event for Fighting Dem Tim Walz. Thank you to any lurkers or members here who showed up!
While we were waiting, they were showing an Al Franken bio reel, including his infamous battle with O'Reilly on C-SPAN 2.
Several times I saw Tim poking his head out from the side trying to gauge the audience. I don't think he needed to worry..unless he had hired Ann Coulter.
The event was kicked off with a welcome by Sharon Ropes, the state senate candidate for Winona. She introduced Gwen Walz, Tim's wife, and then introduced Al Franken.
Al Franken came out to a massive standing ovation. Once that calmed down, the very first thing he said was "Let's talk about values. I HATE Republicans (huuuge cheer) I hate that Republicans think they own the flag."
Al went on to talk about his 6 USO tours, that he's been to Afghanistan and Iraq 3 times each. He told us how his wife Franny worries when he goes to Iraq for 4 days "Al, you don't see Bill O'Reilly going to Iraq [huge laugh and applause]" "Fran, you know that's not fair, Bill has no talent [even larger laugh and applause]"
He talked about how the GOP incumbant Gil Gutknecht recently went to Iraq (in fact he came back yesterday) and did a complete 180 on how things are going in Iraq, even suggesting troop withdrawl! Here's part the statement he gave the AP:
Rep. Gil Gutknecht, returning from a trip to Iraq, said Tuesday that Baghdad is worse off now than it was three years ago.
"I have to be very candid - Baghdad is a serious problem," Gutknecht, R-Minn., told reporters on a conference call. "And since it's the capital city of the country, we cannot brag that we have much progress from a security standpoint until Baghdad is secure."
Al made the astute comment that Gil didn't
actually have to go to Iraq go figure that out. He could have read a newspaper, magazine, wire report, watched tv, etc. He also said the AP reporter asked Tim if he expected Gil's position to change any further. Al pointed out, you can't
get any further from your original position than 180. If you go any farther you just get closer to your original.
He talked about how he has Paul Krugman on his show frequently, and how President Bush became the first President to cut taxes in the time of war. He said Paul Krugman says that Bush is the only ruler in the entire history of civilization that he could find who cut taxes in a time of war.
Al moved on to religous values. "I'm Jewish [dead silence] Thank you! [huge applause]" He talked about how apparently Bill O'Reilly's unwanted phone sex with another woman while married is a traditional value. Al didn't think the phone had been around long enough for that. "Maybe telegraph sex. dotdot-dash-dotdotdot-dash--I'm in the shower..."
Al talked about his dad, and how his view of religion basically made him a deist, like Jefferson and Adams revealed in the correspondence they maintained at the end of their lives. He was dead certain that his dad's religious views did not include God sitting in his throne, with his white robes and long white beard, bending over and whispering into George W. Bush's ear which countries we should invade, and that respecting others' religion and/or religous beliefs is a traditional American value.
He talked about he's been married 33 years ("many of them happy"), and that he named his sone Joe after Al's dad. He was talking about a play-date in New York where he was "the other mom" and the other "other mom" asked Joe how come he was such a good kid. Joe replied "I think it has something to do with my grandpa."
Al said, "Now, was my dad in heaven to hear that and smile and laugh like he did at my jokes? I don't think so [a woman behind me whispered "Yes he was"] I don't think so because I know for a FACT that my dad is in a jar on my brother's mantle![like a 3 minute roar of laughter]"
He said the Republican credo is that "Goverment is the problem" and then they go and set out to prove it.
He launched into his support for Tim Walz
-We need someone who believes in health care
-We need someone who believes in our public schools
-We need someone who believes in science [huge applause and cheers]
-We need someone who will tell the truth
-We need someone who will hold the Executive Branch accountable
-We need someone who wants an Apollo program for renewable energy
-We need someone who'll work
-We need someone who knows what's happening in the world without physically visiting that exact spot.
Out comes Tim to a standing ovation, clapping, and cheers for about a minute.
He comes out and talks about his history as an educator, that he taught on a reservation in South Dakota, in China, in Nebraska (where he met his wife), and finally in Mankato, MN.
He lets us know how much he's been campaigning (over 86,000 miles in southern MN)
When the AP reporter called Tim to comment on Gil's 180 on Iraq, Tim said that Iraq was too important an issue to use for political hay.
He said of the money spent in Iraq:
-A day and a half would refund student loans
-3 days would put anti-missile technology on all commercial planes
-A week would pay for radiation detectors that would scan each container that comes through our ports each day.
He talked about his family's history, how he enlisted and used the GI bill to make himself a teacher. And when his dad died, his younger brother used Social Security survivors benefits that his mom put in the bank to put himself through college and become a teacher in St. Charles, MN. This was in connection to the oft-repeated Republican claim that people "need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps." Well his family did when they didn't have the boots to do it. Those boots were loaned by social programs maintained by the United States government.
He said we should hold the Republicans to their Contract for America [Al would say Contract on America]. That if any of the promises and pledges contained in the contract were violated, we should throw the bums out.
He said that he's often asked when Democrats will stop simply pointing out problems and offer solutions instead. Tim doesn't believe that Democrats should have solutions for everything, but should raise issues up onto a platform for public debate and work out solutions that way. To quote him directly "Congressional issues should come from the grass roots, not special interest."
He mentioned how favorable the media coverage has been, that after speaking to Walz and Gutknecht, nearly every story talks about how winnable this district is for Democrats this November.
He said that with our help, and our work, when we wake up on November 8th (or when most of us go to bed) George W. Bush will truely be a lame duck President.
This ended the speaking portion of the event, and we filed out and went over to the area where the reception would be. Through a coincidence I happened to get to the door shortly after Tim did (he was kind enough to hold it open for me and I returned the favor). On the way up, he saw the back of my jean jacket and the patches with the flags of every country I've visited, and told me that I really had to visit China before it changes too much (not sure what he meant by that). He was really glad to hear that the rail line had opened to Tibet, because when was there, the bus took a few weeks.
I stopped for cookies and punch (I was one of the first 20 or so in the room and there were a couple hundred behind) and then got in line for Al's book signing. While we were waiting I was given a post-it to put down what I wanted Al to sign. I couldn't think of anything, but a gentleman behind me said he had two "I'm running for Senate in 2008" and "What would Wellstone do?" I chose the second one for myself.
Both Al and Tim took lots of photos. They really seemed to enjoy it. Neither of them left until everyone who wanted to talk to them had left (about 9:30).
Tim constantly had peopel comming up to him and wishing him luck on his campaign, asking questions on specific issues, or telling him that they signed up to volunteer [this earned a hug from Tim].
A couple tables away from me, as I was putting together my notes for this write-up was Tim's wife Gwen. She was talking to people about Tim's experiences, telling them how they met (while Tim was teaching geography in Nebraska, specifically one day when he was yelling about Cambodia), she was talking about the specifics of the Contract with America, everything. She could have been running herself. Not that this matters, but she's cute, too.
I wasn't very social as I wanted to get as many memories, quotes, etc, while I could still remember them, so I didn't ask Al or Tim to say anything to you readers. Next time, though. I promise.
Oh, and Tim told us that there's an October surprise that he's very happy about. Tim and Gwen will be celebrating the birth of their second child.
Now that you've plodded your way through this literary mess be a pal and send Tim, Gwen, and the kids a little money.
Update [2006-7-19 14:47:51 by guyermo]:
Check out this diary by pdq for a more in-depth report on Gil Gutknecht's flip-flop on Iraq (after saying he wouldn't make it an issue).