Patronize Grandstand Mini-Donuts

[Another Bill C.]

The Minnesota Republicans sent out an e-mail today warning their members that the Grandstand Mini-Donut stand at the Minnesota State Fair is run by the DFL. An attachment to the e-mail is a video of a KSTP (who else?) Eyewitness news piece "exposing" the booth as a DFL PAC. They are urging that their members avoid the booth.

If you go to the Fair, be sure to stop at the Grandstand Mini-Donut stand.

[dflprincess]

1. I will but it begs the question

are there any Republican booths that masquerade as an innocent food stand? --- Please don't say the cheese curd place in the food building.

[geardaddy]

3. I was thinking the same thing.

I bet the corn place is run by the Rs. It would figure. ;)

[Minnesota Raindog]

4. I think the Swine Barn is sponsored by the GOP n/t

Or perhaps the toilets ...

[dflprincess]

6. The toilets are free

so we know the Repubs aren't sponsoring them.

[Minnesota Raindog]

7. Start with Baja Sol Restaurants--even if if it's not at the Fair

GOP Chair Tony Sutton--who looks like he's spent more than his share of time at a donut stand himself--is CEO of that restaurant chain. And yes, we've covered this here before, but it's worth a reminder!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

8. And it's the cover story in this weeks' City Pages

so I must bid adios to what used to be one of my favorite places to stop in for a quick dinner before choir rehearsal.

Oh, well, there are other places to eat on Hennepin Avenue.

[annm4peace]

2. will do !

[dodger501]

5. It's been run by the DFL for years

I have worked several shifts there, it's not a secret.
Assholes.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. I assume they're in the Grandstand?

:-)

[Mister Ed]

10. Mission Accomplished, Mini-Donuts Purchased (and Enjoyed!)

We couldn't resist the deep-fried cheese curds either. I hope that place isn't a front for the GOP. I'd hate to think my weakness for cheese curds was lining Republican pockets.

We also stopped at the little log cabin where they sell S'Mores. I wonder if that could be operated by the Log Cabin Republicans? I'd have mixed feelings on that one.

[geardaddy]

11. Done and done.

Purchased two bags there on Thursday. Told my brother from Green Bay about it and he said we HAD to patronize the stand. :D

[Lydia Leftcoast]

12. By the time I got to the Grandstand Donuts, I was "sugared" out

but I did talk to Jim Klobuchar at his daughter's booth and to Al Franken's daughter at his booth.

Both Senators were attending Ted Kennedy's funeral.

[dflprincess]

13. What did Jim Klobuchar say?

I heard him give a couple speeches in Amy's place when she was running and he sounded way to the left of her. Pity he wasn't younger, we could have endoresed him instead.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

14. We were mostly just chatting, and I was just about to bring up Amy's waffly nature

when some people walked up and said, "Jim Klobuchar! We're from the Range too!" So I figured it was hopeless to continue the conversation.

[mascarax]

15. What did Thomasin Franken say? And did their survey include

public option questions? (Too much to ask for single payer...?)

[Lydia Leftcoast]

16. Well, she was just being pleasant and explaining where Al was,

but their questionnaire did include a space for comments, in which I suggested supporting Bernie Sanders' bill.

[dflprincess]

17. Where is Al's booth?

I'm going to the fair Thursday and I want to be sure I drop by it. (I know where Klobuchar's is).

[Lydia Leftcoast]

18. It's right around the corner from Klobuchar's

Just a counter with a roof, open on four sides.

[bjb]

19. Did my share today

We also stopped by the Republican booth near the WCCO radio booth. It was very busy and we had to go in just to see what everyone was signing. Of course we were invited to sign up against OBAMACARE. They were also giving away large pins to seniors that said " Keep Your hands Off My Medicare." I was so angry with these selfish seniors. We walked right over to the DFL booth and we were the only ones in there. It sure would have been nice to get a pin that said " MEDICARE FOR ALL."

[dflprincess]

23. That's disconcerting

the last few years when I've been there, the Republican booth has been deserted and the FL booth was mobbed.

I'll have to stop by the Re pukes booth Thursday and when I see that button find something to loudly say to my friend. Right now I'm torn between "Huh- and to think the Republicans opposed Medicare when it was passed." Or "You do understand that Medicare is a government health plan."

I don't think the seniors are necessarily selfish, just ill informed and the Republicans are playing on their fears that something terrible is going to happen to a program that works and that they need.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

20. Hey, I'm going on Thursday, too.

Shall we gang up on them?

[dflprincess]

21. What time will you be there.

My friend & I are planning to hop the bus from the Mall of America about 11:30 or so.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

22. I'll be wandering around by mid-morning.

I'll pm you my cell phone # -- maybe we can get together and harass some elected officials.

[dflprincess]

24. State Fair report

sorry to say I missed the Velveteen Ocelot. I got off to a late start and arrived at the fairgrounds just after she left.

So, I stopped at Franken's and Klobuchar's booths. The people manning Franken's booth were very pleasent and I filled out the his form about health care, asking that he support Sanders' single payer bill. The guy told me they were getting a lot of single payer supporters and thanked me for being polite in my disagreement with Al about this. (When I arrived at the booth there had been some wingnut standing there, foaming at the mouth and telling them how dumb Al is. When I heard that I had said to the guy in the booth, that apparently the guy had never talked to Franken because, even if they disagreed, he'd know Al is a long way from stupid). So, having bitched (politely) about healthcare with the staffer, I did tell him I didn't want to be all negative and said that I really liked the service dog bill Franken had gotten passed and did realize I wouldn't agree with him on everything.

On to Klobuchar's booth. She must have any staff member or volunteer take training in how to be rude before she lets them work for her. Before I had a chance to say anything at her booth the staffer just handed me a recipe card and said I should write my question on with my contact information and drop it in the bin they had. Then he turned his back on me to go back to speaking to another staffer (I was the only person at the booth at the time). So, having been provoked, I got the guy's attention and asked if Klobuchar had ever decided what her position on health care is. "Amy supports affordable healthcare." I asked what, exactly that meant, "You should go to her website and read her position." I pointed out that I had and it said nothing, unless it had been updated recently. He told me to fill out the card... I told him to pass it on that she may have a real tough time without the progressive wing of the party behind her.

So, I filled out my card and dropped it in her bin (I was polite). I just wonder what the odds are that all those cards wind up in a dumpster at the fair.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

25. Sorry I missed you, but by the time I got out of there

I was about to collapse -- feet and back were killing me. I did have some good DFL mini-donuts, and I did drop my note card with a slightly scathing rant at Klobuchar's booth. I didn't talk to the staffers; figured they couldn't tell me anything anyhow -- but it's pretty disgusting that that they'd blow you off by telling you to go read the web site. Hell, if it's all on the web site (which is just a bunch of her usual vague blather), why should they even have staffers at the booth when all that's needed is a computer? I hope somebody actually reads those cards, but I'm not holding my breath. Communicating with Klobuchar is sort of like pushing an elevator button over and over. It doesn't actually make the elevator come any faster but you feel better momentarily because you think you're doing something.

I sure hope someone decent turns up to run against her in the primary next time.

[mascarax]

26. I hope your card said, "Replace your worthless staff!"

When I visited her office a few weeks ago with my Organizing for America petition, we received the same vague responses and an attitude of, "Leave, please."

So not a surprise about your State Fair experience.

I was thinking about this as I've been reading more about Ted Kennedy and his staff - and how responsive they were to constituents, calls and mail. That's the way it should be. They are there because of *us*. And not just to dismiss with, "Fill out the card", "Here, I'll take that petition", etc. If you don't want to talk to people, get out of the booth (and that includes volunteers - some of us have been volunteers and know not to do that).

Thanks for the report.

[dflprincess]

27. My last comment was

"You're suppose to be working for the voters, not United Health Group and there is already talk about finding someone to replace you in 2012". - Not that that will mean anything to her and I'm still betting the cards all wound up in a dumpster somewhere between her booth and one of the fair ground exits.

I shouldn't be surprised by her staff. During her campaign, when Ford Bell was still in the endorsement race, they were out right hostile to anyone not supporting her. And that was at a DFL State Central Committee meeting so they knew it was party activists they were treating that way.

I suppose when you've been annointed by the DSCC it's easy to get an inflated opinion of yourself.

[Owl]

28. I was at the fair yesterday...

What's with the "Change? Ask me what I think" buttons at the fair, large rectangular ones? Anti-obama ones I presume.

Fairly lousy selection of merchandise at the DFL booth. Picked up a few small Obama buttons.

[mascarax]

29. I think one of the morons (morans, I know) in the Franken video

had one of those buttons.

If I saw someone with one, I'd put out my hand and say, "spare a quarter? <pause> Oh...not that kind of change."