Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer withdrawing his name from the race for the US Senate
Perhaps it was naïve to think that the Franken machine could be stopped. Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer’s campaign had all the elements of a perfect MN story with a passionate populist theme. Instead we will bear witness to a war of attack ads between Franken and Coleman costing millions, money I think could be much better spent. I guess campaign finance reform will not be top on the list.
Jack moved people. Jack inspires people. Jack has a positive message. As people learned about Jack, the interest in his campaign was growing. Hope and change was the theme and that does seem to be what is selling this year with Obama’s message. The Minnesota DFL has chosen to go with fame and fortune, over hope and passion. We will see if it pays off in defeating Coleman.
I feel fortunate and proud that I had the opportunity to vote for a man who’s vision, values and judgment; I have the utmost respect. It was an honor and privilege to have worked alongside of everyone involved with the Jack’s campaign.
8 Comments
Aaron
June 10, 2008What’s naïve is discounting the idea that Franken moved people. He moved many thousands of people. Franken inspired people, such as myself. Franken has a positive message on how to fix this country. As people learned about Al Franken, they jumped on board and started volunteering and contributing… to over 100,000 individual contributors. To label this as simply star power and fame is short sighted.
I have the utmost respect for everyone involved with Jack’s campaign, including many friends of mine. I think Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer is one of the most pure, passionate and honest people involved in politics.
We all are going to work together to bring a strong, progressive, active voice back to that senate seat.
I’ve enjoyed following this blog in my reader and I can’t wait to see more of your photography.
Cheers,
-Aaron
Terry Gydesen
June 10, 2008I did not mean to imply that the Franken supporters are not passionate about his campaign. For me the most frustrating thing throughout was how discounted Jack was by the mainstream media, and many people within the party. These past weeks with the attacks against Franken by the Republicans, the conversation always went back to questioning if Mike Ciresi would get back in the race. It seemed impossible for them to realize just how much support Jack had. All the ink Jack would get usually went…also running JNP along with Dick and Darrel. From the beginning Jack ALWAYS had much more support than Ciresi ever had, and he did it on a budget. His campaign deserved more respect, and in the end, that is exactly what he got. I am proud of that.
Thanks for your comments about the photos. As I’ve been saying all along, as a freelance photographer, financially, a race with Al Franken in it is better for me. This race will be among the most closely watched races in the country. I also believe there is a good chance that Ventura will decide to throw his hat in as well by the time mid July arrives. That would make this a total media frenzy. Either way, it’s a good picture year.
Dave
June 10, 2008Another great shot, Terry.
I also appreciate the comments you often add. You bring fresh insight into the race.
Robb
June 10, 2008The mainstream media is a easy whipping-boy for all that plagues unsuccessful campaigns. I am not going to stand up and defend the mainstream media as I am pretty disappointed with it but not because it seems to have taken sides for or against Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer.
An unknown candidate has the liability of being an unknown candidate and the known candidate has the liability of a public record and that can be twisted, manipulated and spun. I am disappointed with, in general, very poor coverage of all politics and politicians. This means Jack, Franken, Obama and Clinton. We’ve all fallen prey to the low level tactics and the misdirection of political smear.
Terry, I am very pleased that you are honored to have supported Jack. JNP deserves your respect and support as he is a very good man. I think it is abundantly clear that Franken also believes in him and shares his principles and values as a Democrat and a Progressive.
The mainstream media did a butcher job on Franken the last couple of weeks leading into this DFL convention. And their attacks were not about policies and issues but they were “flag lapel” type emotional hysteria used to slander and denigrate the whole political enterprise. I’m sure we can find people who will say negative attention is better than no attention but I am not sure if that is TRUE. And negative smear and swiftboat politics certainly isn’t true for a better election outcome and a healthier America. George Bush is proof of those negative outcomes.
Robb
June 11, 2008More than anything, the point I want to make is that in the DFL we had a group of incredible candidates this year – Mike Cirese (one incredible guy), Franken (whose credentials and smarts are outstanding), Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer (an inspiration to party and ideals). Sure, we had to make a choice between a field of candidates whom, anyone one of them, would be a million times better than Norm Coleman. One had to win and others lose. They all had to play the game by rules laid out at the start (those rules can change for instance with IRV that was passed in the party platform this year). These rules are not “unfair” nor do they preclude or exclude one candidate over the other. However, the Republicans will try to exploit the differences between Jack and Al, or Mike and Al because they want to drive a wedge in the DFL in order to advantage Coleman. Is Jack a better candidate than Al? In some respects yes in others definitely no. Is Al a better candidate that Cirese? In some respects yes and others no. The fact is Al has been on the ground in Minnesota for the past few years, as I recall going back to and before the Weisman Art Museum during the Wellstone book launch with hundreds of people there, he stumped for DFL candidate after candidate all across the state, he’s been in every county, on main streets all across the state listening to people, over 100,000 individuals (and growing) have shown the strength of their commitment to Al with a financial contribution and because of all that work he won the nomination. Not because of the bias mainstream media (they love to take Al apart) his fame or fortune. And I am not going to appreciate comments that play into GOP hands that Al won because the delegates at the state convention did not have the choice to make a moral vote for JNP. That’s not true. That’s summoning up demons and conspiracies where there are none. Listen, the American voter is opposed to the Republicans on issue — they don’t like this war, they don’t like that Republicans has spent billions of dollars a day in deficit spending fighting a war based on a lie; they don’t like how our country as gone it alone and completely abrogated the Geneva Convention, tortured prisoners, used unlawful detention and secret torture chambers; they don’t like our dependency on oil and the raising cost of gasoline; they don’t like how Wall Street and fly-by-night lenders have threatened the stability of our homes and jobs; they don’t like the Republican answer to high oil prices and dependency of giving big oil companies another tax break and handouts for oil exploration in Anwar or off the coast of California; they don’t like how they’ve sought to destroy public school and send the cost of a college education through the roof; they don’t like that many Americans, in this country of plenty, go without healthcare and preventive care; they don’t like how the Republicans promise the young men and women health and education benefits while they sign up for service and then rip them away when they return from war with an arm or leg missing, psychological demons racing in their heads or they simply want to support their families while getting and education. The Republicans can’t win on the issues so they must find trivial emotional charges and false negatives and methods to splinter off groups and drive wedges in the Democratic constituencies and among a majority of the voters that has nothing to do with the real issues. So they blow up conflicts between Al and Jack or Barack and Hillary in order to divert the attention away from their lies, terrible antics, and failed policies.
Terry Gydesen
June 11, 2008OK, we are doing some political pontificating now!!! Just as I had hoped for this blog, or phlog as I sometimes refer to it.
Thanks Robb and everyone who is participating.
Aaron
June 13, 2008I agree, the dialog is good.
Terry- Were you at the Franken rally at the CWA Hall yesterday? I’m not sure who you were but there were a lot of photographers… I didn’t want to go up to them all asking, “Hey, are you Terry?”
Terry Gydesen
June 13, 2008I was there. Next time say hi. The other photog was Al’s brother.