[Mpls] Dueling mayoral op-eds in the Strib? - More like cheap shots, and a grand old Gentleman.

[gemgram]

>From someone who borders on being an anarchist in the DFL being called "Old 
Guard" is more than amusing. Though it does show how out of touch the Rybak 
campaign has become.

As a start perhaps Chris and the Rybak campaign should learn to count a 
little better.  I believe either Peter, McLaughlin, or heir apparent 
(alluding to McLaughlin) were mentioned in at least 10 paragraphs.  Only 
perhaps 2 or 3 paragraphs of the entire Lynnell Mickelsen article were not 
about McLaughlin; in fairly disparaging context.

Don Fraser did not mention Rybak or even allude to the failed promise of 
Rybak being the reason the City of Minneapolis now needs a real leader 
rather than just fluff and photogenic style.  Did not mention that this very 
need was why the heart of RT Rybak's support from the last campaign now 
supports McLaughlin.

But then this has been the nature of this years campaign.  Rather than 
seizing the opportunity to overcome the failed leadership of the last four 
years the Rybak campaigns only recourse is to attack McLaughlin as if he 
were the incumbent.  Well perhaps in a way he is!  For the last several 
years McLaughlin has supplied the quite work and leadership on behalf of 
Minneapolis that should have been the role of the Mayor but for which he was 
simply too busy doing Photo-Ops and news conferences to be able to 
accomplish.  So I guess Peter McLaughlin is the incumbent leadership, but 
only because there was such a vacuum created by the absence of leadership 
from the Mayor's office.

The Mayor CLAIMS leadership in public safety - perhaps that is why the vast 
majority of Police and Firefighters support McLaughlin so strongly?

The Mayor CLAIMS leadership because he "streamlined the city's maze of 
development agencies", - perhaps that is why the entire professional staff 
of CPED begs for a new Mayor to remove the layer upon layer of meaningless 
red tape Rybak's people have added to that already bogged down system? 
Professionals who must deal with CPED say it takes six months longer and 
costs ten to twenty thousand dollars more per unit of affordable housing 
because of the Rybak.

The Mayor CLAIMS his "administration added more affordable housing", -  yet 
the units he claims are clearly the responsibility of others, and a good 
deal of that credit should go to McLaughlin, not Rybak.  It takes three to 
five years to bring large projects on line, and even longer under the Rybak 
"administration".

The Mayor CLAIMS to have "Saved NRP" - yet every neighborhood knows he and 
his Mayor's office appointments have raided NRP like a slush fund and fought 
"Neighborhood" empowerment at every turn. I believe that is why the 
neighborhood activist who so strongly supported RT Rybak last time now 
support his opponent.

and -

The Mayor claims he "became a visible, engaging spokesman for the city." - 
and in this I must agree he has.  RT is if anything visible and engaging. 
Heck, he has done nothing but run for office since being elected. It is the 
reason I believe he should be the anchor of the Channel Five or some other 
channel's evening news.  RT is a wonderful, entertaining, engaging person to 
go partying with, but Minneapolis needs actual work and leadership from that 
office; not cute PR. Unfortunately that has been the 95% of present 
administrations activity, and the actual work is left with only the 5% 
remaining.  Unfortunately the politicians at the State and other levels of 
government after only a couple of weeks of welcome saw that there was only 
flash and promise and no substance.  So that "spokesman" for the City was 
quickly discounted as not being a serious player.  You can only promise so 
much before someone realizes that all they are going to get is "promise".

Don Fraser's article only talked about the positives of Peter McLaughlin and 
the need for Mayoral leadership for a change. Mayor Fraser is too much of a 
gentleman to point out the shortcomings of the present Mayor's 
administration.  Though I am sure he could quote chapter and verse about 
them. Don stuck solely to the positive.  Coming from a more "earthy" 
background I have no problem calling the hand.  You can paste feathers on it 
and call it a duck, but even if you teach it to quack this old country boy 
is not going to believe that pigs can fly. Especially if he was one of the 
"suckers" who bought the poke last time.

My hero, ole Will, once advised something the Mayor should attempt to 
remember, "If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now 
and then to make sure it's still there."

Jim Graham
from the porch steps in Ventura Village

Where I learned,
"If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in 
the other direction."