Garrison Keillor is deeply saddened (not to mention Tom Daschle...)
Posted on 08/01/2004 12:12:00 PM PDT by veronica
St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly broke Democratic Party ranks on Sunday to announce his support for President Bush's re-election.
"George Bush and I do not agree on a lot of issues," Kelly said in a statement. "But in turbulent times, what the American people need more than anything is continuity of government, even with some imperfect policies."
Kelly, who said he's remaining a Democrat, said the economy is going in the right direction. "There's no reason to believe a change of course will produce better or quicker results," he said.
And the mayor said the United States will bring the troops home from Iraq a lot sooner if "we don't try to bring in a whole new leadership team to run the show. We must stay the course."
Governor Tim Pawlenty, who co-chairs the Bush-Cheney campaign in Minnesota, praised Kelly. "His bold decision is courageous and a welcome move toward working across party lines," Pawlenty said in a statement.
U.S. Senator Norm Coleman, the Bush-Cheney campaign's other co-chair in Minnesota, called Kelly's announcement "bipartisanship at its finest."
"Mayor Kelly recognizes that jobs are being created and that tax cuts have stimulated that job growth. He has done the same for St. Paul," said Coleman, Kelly's predecessor as mayor of Minnesota's capital city.
But the St. Paul DFL Party said Kelly "has traded the values of St. Paul for the agenda of the Republican Party's far right."
"Rather than advocating the needs of St. Paul, Mayor Kelly's decision to not support John Kerry's strategy for building our cities does the voters of St. Paul a disservice," the party said.
Kelly, who was elected mayor in 2001, is up for re-election next year.
Hey, maybe we could arrange those pictures for New York during the convention. The RATs would cry foul. Thank God for the internet! Millions more see the pictures every day of the week. Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor.
Wait a minute, did he run again in 2001? I was under the impression that he didn't, and ran for Senate in 2002 instead.
I keep hearing Mort Kondrake and other democrats claim that a lot of Republicans support Kerry.
I've heard of several well-known democrats endorsing Bush, yet NO famous republicans for Kerry.
If anyone hear has heard of well-known republicans for Kerry, please post here. THanks.
You are!!!???
As a lifer from MN, I am in blissful confusion as to what is happening here!
Perhaps that 4 years of "The Body" opened up some eyes to to the importance of politics.
Whatever it is I am a very pleased resident because of it.
Since Pawlenty has taken the reins, everything has gone in a positive direction.
Now, when we boot Dayton in '06, we can call it a hat trick!
You forgot the sarcasm tag!
Of course it will!
Principles have been explained to them now that GWB is in office! (and it will infuriate them to no end!)
Dammit, you're right. I got my dates screwed up.
Coleman switched parties in '96 and ran for re-election in '97.
He chose not to run for re-election in 2001.
Thank you for bringing that to my attention!
Some folks are smart enough to join Democratic (former NYC mayor) Ed Koch on the bandwagon!
Kelly, while ostensibly a Democrat, owes his election to Pawlenty and (especially) Coleman. Don't be surprised if Kelly eventually makes his way into the GOP. This may annoy St. Paul Dems, but few of them supported Kelly in the first place.
No s tag, cuz none was intended.
The Mayor is demonstrating priciples over politics, even though it's going to rub against his hard core base.
I can only imagine the fits my SIL's family is having about this. Thank goodness I do not live anywhere near them. I made the mistake of vacationing with them during a presidential election year. My SIL's sister hit every single talking point, including George HW Bush is a "whimp".
This is pure schadenfreude at it's best for me. LOL
Colman first ran for mayor of St Paul as a democrat, he then switched parties and was relected as a republican. During his second term he ran for governor and lost to the baldheaded geek. in 02 he was going to run again for governor and Tim Pawlenty was going to run againsy Wellstone, but the WH had other plans so now we have Clman in the senate and Pawlenty as governor.
Aside: Pawlenty is someone to keep your eye on for 08, as veep, or maybe even president.
Amazing. I hope I can survive my mood swings.
Don't forget Mayor Koch.
Garrison Keillor is deeply saddened (not to mention Tom Daschle...)
This was very courageous of Kelly. The liberals don't like him because he backed Coleman for senate (because Coleman backed him for mayor) and has a tough re-election ahead against the just-retired (black) chief of police (Corkie Finney), who's a liberal democrat. I figured he'd start leaning a bit to the left to counter his probable mayoral opponent, but here he does just the OPPOSITE! Man, I'm impressed.
WOW!
It takes guts to for a Democrat to openly support G.W. When that same Democrat has a tough election before him in the next year, it garners deep respect.
Mayor Kelly, may God bless you for your strong stance in defense of our nation.
I'm getting really annoyed at my misspellings!
Damocrat = Democrat!
Reminds me of that line from Terminator 2: "If you want to live, follow me."
St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly, let me be among the first Texans to give you a virtual "thank you" handshake!
I think you were right the first time. :-)
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