Grant County lies in the heartland of Minnesota prairie progressivism, a broad swath of west central Minnesota that was crutial to the Farmer-Labor party's victories during the depression. Activists there cut there teeth taking on railroad and banking monopolies, took over Minnesota politics during the dustbowl and depression, and joined a young Paul Wellstone in fighting to regain control of their rural power cooperatives and stop an unneeded mega powerline. That tradition lives on, literally- I had the pleasure of meeting one of the leaders of the 1980s farmer's movement at yesterday's convention. The convention was held alongside the Floyd B. Olson Memorial Highway, named after the popular Farmer-Labor Governor who we lost too soon to cancer in 1936.
Al Franken was MIA on the campaign trail yesterday, perhaps he was in Hollywood or the Big Apple for another fundraiser? Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer was at least in the state he intends to represent, campaigning in Duluth. Only Mike Ciresi realized the significance of the Grant County convention, travelling with his wife and son from his home over 150 miles away. They were greeted by traditional Minnesota winter weather, meriting warnings from the Weather Service (what happened to global warming?).
You can't put one over on the Grant County Democratic Farmer-Labor Party delegates- they've seen railroad wars as the Soo and Hill lines raced to the Dakotas, accompanied their farmer neighbors to farm foreclosure auctions during the depression with rifles and shotguns, and stared down State Troopers during the power line protests. Tiny Barrett, a town of 300, was represented by a Gold Star Mother and several Volunteer Firefighters- two of their firefighters who were called up and sent to Iraq came back in coffins. As the snow blew sideways outside, they did not flinch from their deliberations.
These folks weren't about to support a candidate like Al Franken who took his sweet time opposing the war and proposes a health care plan that would leave us with a patchwork of over 50 plans. Mike Ciresi spoke emotionally to the delegates, and they answered- Giving Ciresi 3 of 6 of the delegate and alternate spots, while Franken managed but 2, one of whom is last alternate and may not even be seated at the state convention.
Is Franken "inevitable"... Not any more!