Tinklenberg offers no reason why he's the best Democrat for the 6th CD

[Minnesota Raindog]

I got a three-page letter from Elwyn Tinklenberg this week soliciting my support for him in the 6th CD race. Beyond some tiresome platitudes about why he is better than George Bush or a Republican candidate ("return fairness and balance to our economic policies," "return accountability and professionalism to the management of government,", blah blah blah), he didn't offer one position on an issue that shows why I should support him over another Democrat. He drops a few names of high-profile supporters, and a bunch of union endorsements (not very good research on their part to be endorsing someone before all the horses are out of the stalls), but not one specific issue or solution or position on anything! That probably should come as no surprise, since his website is an equally blank slate.

Is this what you call faith-based voting? Just trust the candidate who says "I can win," throw money and votes at them blindly and ask questions later. Or is it because Tinklenberg has some beliefs that run contrary to the DFL's core principles--like anti-choice and anti-gay?

This whole notion in the DFL of "Screw the caucuses and conventions and grassroots, we'll decide your candidates from the DCCC because we know better" is getting pretty old. It's time for progressive DFLers to push back against this hijacking of the party and elect the candidates based on what they believe, not what a bunch of inside-the-Beltway political hacks and consultants believe.

Tinklenberg better start letting people know where he stands on the issues before he starts begging for money and support. I, for one, won't support any candidate whose positions are still "coming soon."

[CrazyForKucinich]

1. A winnable seat that will be lost

because the candidate sucks. Wetterling isn't the brightest apple on the tree for not running for this seat.

[wellstone dem]

4. you need to retract this statement

[katinmn]

2. That's the centrists' "winning" strategy. (Psst)

Still no position statement on his website. Guess he doesn't want to let people know what he stands for.

http://www.tinklenbergforcongress2006.com/polstate.html

[Minnesota Raindog]

3. Janet Robert has donated $4,200 to Tinklenberg

That's the maximum allowed by law--$2,100 for the primary, $2,100 for the general.

That should clear up any doubt as to whether Tinklenberg is a "progressive" Democrat.

http://disclosure.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/dcdev/forms/C00411066/180581/sa/ALL

[Minnesota Raindog]

5. Is Tinklenberg circulating a phony endorsement letter?

This was reported in Checks & Balances after Tinklenberg barged in on Patty Wetterling's announcement to run in the 6th CD:

After the Wetterling event, Elwyn Tinklenberg (D) held his own press conference. While we did not remain on site for his response we learned he released a letter, claiming endorsement from the four Democratic members of the Minnesota Congressional delegation (Congressmen Jim Oberstar, Martin Sabo, Colin Peterson and Betty McCollum). We understand that this letter was originally circulated in mid-November, well before Tinklenberg had a challenger in the race. It is our understanding the original intent was for this to be an introductory letter for Tinklenberg and not an endorsement letter. Conveniently the date of the letter was not included in its release to the news media.

We contacted both Martin Sabo and Betty McCollum's offices and have been told on no uncertain terms that neither Sabo or McCollum considered their support to be an endorsement, but rather strictly the type of letter they would sign for pretty much any unopposed Democratic Congressional candidate...

...We have obtained an earlier draft of the letter that was rejected by the four Congressional members because of the wording and we wonder if John Wodele, Tinklenberg's campaign manager, is circulating the final draft of the letter the Congressional members did not agree to sign or if it is an earlier version. Interestingly enough the letter Wodele released did not have any formal signatures of Oberstar, Sabo, Peterson or McCollum.