Posted on 09/16/2006 10:16:44 AM PDT by Clintonfatigued
Keith Ellison's GOP foe attacked sharply Wednesday, calling him unfit for Congress and saying he was "offended as a Jew that we have a candidate like this running for U.S. Congress." On a day Ellison was fielding national media requests and getting attention for possibly becoming the first Muslim in Congress, the remarks of opponent Alan Fine showed how Republicans hope to make Ellison's past a liability for Democrats.
Fine didn't raise specific issues that hadn't come up earlier in the campaign, but his criticism was sharper. It showed that despite a surprisingly strong showing in Tuesday's DFL primary in the heavily DFL Fifth District, Ellison still faces a grueling contest.
Besides Fine, he faces Independence Party endorsee Tammy Lee and Green Party candidate Jay Pond in November.
Fine, in an emotion-choked statement at a news conference, harshly condemned Ellison, focusing particularly on his past links to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
"I'm extremely concerned about Keith Ellison, Keith Hakim, Keith X Ellison, Keith Ellison Muhammad," Fine said, referring to names Ellison used when he wrote several editorials for the University of Minnesota Daily when he was a law student in the early 1990s. "I'm personally offended that this person is a candidate for U.S. Congress. ... He is the follower of a known racist, Louis Farrakhan, who promoted division between the people of our nation, a person who believes that the white man is the anti-Christ, a person who called for the destruction of our nation, a person who believes that Jews are the scourge of the Earth. I'm personally offended as a Jew that we have a candidate like this running for U.S. Congress."
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Isn't there any chance that Ellison's background will upset many normally liberal DemocRAT voters?
The future is Fine, I tell you!
I hope so, I can't imagine a Muslim becoming the President one day. I know, Ellison is just running for Congress, but having a seat in Congress is often a springboard for higher leadership.
That's certainly very true! Keep an eye on this race! :-)
Hard to say at this point.
There's a "Democrats for Fine" web site that's up now.
I think a lot of people up here are still trying to sort out the repercussions from last Tuesday's election.
I suspect the state GOP will try to find a way to link Ellison with Amy Klobuchar and Mike Hatch. The GOP will ask Klobuchar and Hatch whether they endorse or disavow Ellison.
"However, I don't want any Muslim running for Congress, Fine or otherwise."
I just went to Amy's websiete. How boring and unattractive.
"There's a "Democrats for Fine" web site that's up now.
I was unable to find it. Can you give me the link?
Good!
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Any chance that, in the privacy of the voting booths, enough of the leftists will vote for Pond (the Green candidate) and let fine slip through with the victory?
Only if the Green nominee is able to establish some name I.D.
I don't rule out the possibility that as more of Ellison's odd background and friends & associates becomes public, some upscale, pro-business liberals (particularly Jewish voters and married professionals) will cross party lines and support Alan Fine, who is a liberal Republican
:-)
I realize my attempt at humor didn't work out fine.
There was a reference to this site (right after the primary) that was posted on either Minnesota Democrats Exposed or Kennedy v Machine - but when I looked back, I don't seem it now.
Fine probably can't win, but he can make it a competitive race, presuming he can raise serious money -- which I would bet he can, due to his ethnicity and his anti-
Semitic opponent.
It is important to damage Ellison as badly as possible in this campaign. Beat him like a drum. His future campaigns will be much easier, simply because he'll be an incumbent. We don't him to become a viable possibility for higher office. We can't have a future senator and a future VP candidate. A VP can become a president.
Don't let Ellison be "the invisible man." Heh-heh.
This race is getting national attention. Ellison is getting contributions probably some from the Saudis if anyone can verify this Ellison may very well be done.
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