politics, flowers and gifts

El Tinklenberg is not in our district, but we're happy to see Michele Bachmann (Republican, MN 6th congressional district's Rep.) digging her own political grave with her outrageous comments about Barack Obama being 'anti-American'. Apparently the backlash is giving Tinklenberg an edge he needs in his run for her seat. I heard a fellow interviewed while I was listening to MPR yesterday, who said he was a Republican who had been planning to vote for her (again), but said he'd vote for ANYONE other than Bachmann now, so he'd been researching Tinklenberg and thought he looked better than he expected.

This article about Minnesota's former governer also made me quite happy when I saw it yesterday:

Carlson endorses Obama, spurred by Bachmann remarks

The former governor said Obama represented the best hope for an America facing an economic crisis.

Star Tribune
Last update: October 23, 2008 - 8:57 PM

Former Republican Gov. Arne Carlson endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama on Thursday, saying Obama represented the best hope for an America facing an economic crisis and criticizing Republicans for waging a mean-spirited campaign that has "been going down all these side roads."

Speaking at the State Capitol, where he was introduced by U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Carlson said his party had strayed from the moderate philosophies of past Republican leaders such as Ohio Sen. Robert Taft and President Dwight Eisenhower. "I consider myself a Republican maverick," Carlson said in explaining his endorsement of Obama.

[snip]

Carlson also took aim at U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, saying that her controversial remarks of the past week suggesting that Obama may have anti-American views, had led him to endorse the Democratic nominee. After hearing Bachmann's comments, he said he telephoned former Vice President Walter Mondale, the Minnesota Democrat, to tell him of his plan.

(read the rest of the article on their website)

And our local news reports that outraged people keep calling the local Bachman's gardening stores, asking if they're related to Michele Bachmann.

Any connection between flowers, 'anti-American?'

"Larry Pfarr with Bachman’s says Congresswoman Bachmann’s statements have caused a flood of phone calls and e-mails, from those wanting to know if Bachman is tied to Bachmann. "I can reassure everybody that she is no relation to Bachman’s Home Gift and Garden," Pfarr said."

[snip]

Bachman’s is staying out of Bachmann’s political controversy. They want both Republicans and Democrats to buy flowers here.

(Here's the rest of the article and accompanying video)

I haven't been following Tinklenberg's campaign as closely as those in our own district, but I got a chuckle out of this video, care of Tinklenberg For Congress.