Democratic operatives planned, engineered Wellstone political rally

Capital Hill Blue ^ | October 31, 2002 | DOUG THOMPSON

[mondonico]

Political operatives at the Democratic National Committee in Washington developed the plan to turn the memorial service for Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone into a political rally, top party sources tell Capitol Hill Blue.

The party also urged the Wellstone family to ask Vice President Dick Cheney to not attend the service and concocted the excuse that security for the VP would disrupt the event even though Secret Service security was required for former president Bill Clinton, who was invited and who did attend.

Rick Kahn, the Wellstone campaign worker and friend, worked the highly partisan crowd into a frenzy with strong rhetoric urging them to get out and elect replacement candidate Walter Mondale.

"That was the plan all along and it was one of the reasons we didn't want Cheney at the event," says one Democratic political operative who spoke only under promise that his name not be used. "It was a high stakes gamble but this is a campaign that demands high risks."

The secret plan was developled at the DNC headquarters in Washington and approved by party chairman Terry McAuliffe, the source said.

Kahn was then briefed and urged to turn the memorial event into a political rally. Wellstone campaign manager Jeff Blodgett's apology Wednesday afternoon was also part of the plan, designed to provide party deniability, the sources said.

"There were two agendas at work," one source said. "We needed to draw attention to the election. Between the sniper and Iraq, the election has been lost in the news. And then we needed to energize the Democratic base and Wellstone supporters in Minnesota."

While Kahn's firey rhetoric, and walkouts by Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura and GOP Senate Leader Trent Lott, fueled controversy, Democratic political operatives in Washington congratulated each other Wednesday.

"Mission accomplished" was the message of the day at the DNC and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee offices.

Sources within both committees also said the Wellstone event is only the beginning of plans for media-generating activities through the election next week.

"This is war," one operative said. "The Republicans are too busy planning war on Iraq. They won't even see us coming."

The DNC and DSCC did not return phone calls seeking comment on this report.

© Copyright 2002 Capitol Hill Blue

[Beeline40@aol.com]

well, well, knock me over with a feather.....

[GailA]

This fits with what our local talk radio host in Memphis told us..cueball carville was closeted with the Wellstone kids the day after the crash to plan this.

[hoosiermama]

The people of Minnesota did not choose Mondale, the DFL machine did--

The people of Minnesota did not choose Mondale, the DFL machine did--

The people of Minnesota did not choose Mondale, the DFL machine did--

The people of Minnesota did not choose Mondale, the DFL machine did--

and again and again until it's heard!

[CyberAnt]

Hmmmm? I wonder if this is a wakeup call for the media. If the dems are going to start really using them (for free TV time), I wonder how long this will sit very well with the bottom line people at the stations??

This is weird.

A MN TV station said they got over 100 calls in 15 minutes. Demographically, that's actually about 2500 people who called - because demographics tell you that for every call, it represents 25 people who will not call, but have the very same opinion as the caller.

With 2500 people upset (within 15 mins) over what the dems did - I wouldn't be celebrating if I were the dems. But ... let them celebrate - and let it be known they were celebrating, and let it be known they planned this whole thing. What I don't understand is why they think it's okay to go on TV and LIE that they planned it, and try to blame it on the sons.

Whatever time you're spending in prayer - start doubling up. Whatever it takes - in prayer - will get the job done - because as we pray, God will expose them over and over again. It works every time it's tried.

[CyberAnt]

I hope you're right.

[CyberAnt]

Well ... I know one person who reads it - Rush Limbaugh!

You can't more mainstream than that. I wonder if he'll read it on the air tomorrow. I only get to listen to the last hour live, so I'll have to wait until I get home to hear the rest of the show.

If Rush does read it - it could be very valuable to the repubs.

[CyberAnt]

And ... as Rush said, when you see the party x42 attended in Hawaii - you know whose fingerprints are all over the Wellstone affair.

[CyberAnt]

There is just one important thing these people don't understand - the person they're really fighting is GOD!

It's a losing battle. If God is against you - you might as well pack it in. Didn't the ruler of Egypt find that out when he chose to attack Moses.

[CyberAnt]

I don't think the press will have to - once Rush puts the word out - the info will be known enough to have some kind of effect. I don't think we'll know for sure until election day.

[GOPJ]

I'll bet you're right:

There still is some common decency left here in Minnesota even in the DFL camp. People saw this for what it was and the lack of subtlety is not being well received here. They may be congratulating themselves for turning voters away from them.

[45semi]

This sums it up pretty much...


45semi

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

There still is some common decency left here in Minnesota even in the DFL camp.

I sincerely doubt that. And please don't use the words "decent" and "Democrat" in the same sentence any more.

[Valin]

For what it's worth Hugh Hewitt talked about it tonight.

Like many others here I'm just shocked that the rats do something like this.....not

[Timesink]

THIS makes ME sick.......but, maybe the paeons will NOW see what's really important to the Democrats.

Not as long as the only place this is published is in Capitol Hill Blue.

[537 Votes]

This is twice in two years that a Democratic Senate candidate who was behind in the polls dies in a plane crash just before the election. If you count the NJ race switch from Toricelli to Lautenberg, you realize the Dems are making a habit of running candidates appointed by the political honchos without the bother of those messy little-d democratic primaries. No conspiracy theory yet . . . but I am serving notice to the Democratic Party High Command that we're keeping count of this.

[Doctor Raoul]

CHB's Doug Thompson is VERY reliable.

[hoosiermama]

Mondale was not selected by the people of Minn. He was appointed by the Rats. (Probably at the national level) This needs to be repeated again and again until it's significance sinks in to the people of MINN)

[Doctor Raoul]

CHB is reliable and highly placed DNC operatives ARE that stupid.

When the dems got blind sided after getting caught driving SUVs to a rally where they bashed Bush's energy bill for lack of conservation, some high democrat operative called McCaslin of the Washington Times.

This moron must have thought he'd wow the world with how smart they were in countering the SUV flap. This clown goes on to tell how they planned to hide the SUVs and use cars till it blew over.

Yes Virginia, they are THAT dumb.

[cricket]

"THIS makes ME sick.......but, maybe the paeons will NOW see what's really important to the Democrats - "

. . .first tactic of Demrat War. . .'polk their eyes out'. . .so that those who 'could see'; will no longer. . .and those that 'might have seen'; will never. . .

[WOSG]

Pray and more than that ... call and contact everyone you know to vote for the Republicans.