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

[finnman69]

Pissed off Republican BUMP

[MadIvan]

If the BBC clips were any indication, someone slipped some PCP into the Boy Wellstone's mineral water.

I am disgusted with the Democrats. If they were any more in league with Satan, they'd have 666 tatooed on their foreheads and nominating Damien Thorn for public office.

Regards, Ivan

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Very few people read Capital Hill Blue. It will be interesting if this pathetic story makes its way into the mainstream media.

[keithtoo]

Not on DRUDGE yet. I emailed him to let him know. Matt will make sure this gets out.

[theophilusscribe]

Republicans just won the MN Supreme Court case. Voters wanting to vote for Mondale by absentee must initiate process. Colemen's absentee votes will be counted.

[Bush2000]

MELLMAN: Nobody's leveraging his death for political gain.

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Democratic Pollster = Whore

[bradactor]

I heard on Rush's show they did the same thing in Hawaii with Clinton there for what's her name Patsy Mink that died. Another funeral political pep rally

[Gritty]

I am beginning to wonder if the United States Army is about to take on the wrong enemy by attacking Saddam first?

[danneskjold]

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Democratic Pollster = Whore

I know it's a very cliched saying, but I really, truly do not know how these people sleep at night (hell, maybe they don't sleep).

[sam_paine]

I would really like to see it confirmed by something more than an unnamed source.

BSOD, you don't need to have proof with liars to substantiate their devious nature. All you need for them is what I call, "Plausible Accountability."

It's like a kid that "didn't spill that milk." You can convict a kid and sentence him to his room on mere circumstancial evidence. You don't need a reliable witness.

[Ronin]

We won't see them coming, eh. I wonder...

[Tijeras_Slim]

I really, truly do not know how these people sleep at night

Usually in a coffin filled with dirt from their native land.

[Eva]

I believe that they are referring to the letter that Gephardt sent out, accusing the Republicans of voter fraud and the head of the Florida Democrats calling the media and claiming that he had reported a case of attempted vote influence and wanted the attn'y gen'l to look into it.

I think that we can expect the Democrats to accuse the Republicans of voter fraud in every state where the Democrats have planned to cheat, so that they can say that it was the Republicans who cheated, not them.

[Dark Wing]

ping

[Dog]

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

Can you say Bill Clinton...

[CougarGA7]

I've got the wooden stakes TS lets go hunt'n.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

As Gomer would say: Suprise, surprise, surprise.

I bet that Haitian boat landing in Florida this week was also concocted in the Clinton-Maculiff-Carville snake pit.

[Chuckster]

Yes that's right. It's too bad she died when she did. I think her opponent, Bob McDermott, had a chance, especially after Mink's "Right to rule" speech at the state Dem convention. The speech was getting a lot of air play on talk radio locally until she passed away. Now it's all about "Honoring her name and legacy". Still, NOBODY was left of Patsy Mink so it's not all bad.

[Bush2000]

I know it's a very cliched saying, but I really, truly do not know how these people sleep at night (hell, maybe they don't sleep).

How do hookers sleep at night? They simply don't care about the immorality of what they do. Moral relativity is a very helpful doctrine.

[AmericaUnited]

I love when a good demonrat plan EXPLODES in their faces!