MPR Governor Debate at the Minnesota State Fair

I attended my first debate now that the race is down to the final three, two hockey players, and the pr guy.

Since they have already had 8 debates, with many others scheduled, they know everything the other one has to say and the challenge now becomes having the best response back to what you know will be the answer by the other guy.

Mark Dayton, level the playing field by taxing more fairly.  Tom Horner, adding sales tax to clothing and other items and services as a means of raising revenue.  Tom Emmer,  still no plan, simply retoric of reforming government but not being able to explain how he intends to carry out this “reform.”

There was a yes or no question, would you sign an anti bullying legislation?   Dayton and Horner both said yes, Emmer said “Parents not government should be the front line of defense for their children.”

City pages has  this story on Emmer’s son being charged with underage drinking this summer.  Could Emmer’s stance against tougher drunk driving laws being reflective of a certain acceptance of over indulgence of alcohol, perhaps??  I do think basically it’s unfair to judge a person by another family member’s behavior, however, when they spout the family values rap, and their born again jargon, and use their family in advertisements for the campaign, I think pointing out the hypocrisy is fair.  Oh yes, and that little matter of Tom Emmer’s DUIs……hmmmmmm.

I was working with Jay Weiner at Minnpost who filed this story on the debate.  You can hear the entire debate at MPR.