[Mpls] "Where's RT?" Not in the House!

[gemgram]

Clearly Walter Mondale has become irrelevant to politics in Minneapolis.  It 
is unfortunate that he has attempted to use that past political capital with 
the DFL to influence Minneapolis Politics. It taints the shine of the regard 
he once had from the DFL.  Now all that he gives is a photo opportunity and 
a chance for TV coverage for a candidate he supports. Walter probably should 
stay out of local politics where he knows nothing about them.

Dennis Plante and a couple of RT supporters are completely wrong when they 
say that this is the same as what occured when RT ran against Sharon. 
Rybak's greatest lead over Sharon was only 1.4%!  Rybak was overjoyed to get 
that virtual tie.  Some of us begged him to hold on for several more rounds 
to get an endorsement, but he refused because of fear that the another vote 
would put him back trailing Sharon. But do not be mistaken, RT Rybak never 
received 50% of the vote in that convention.

There was no tie yesterday, Peter McLaughlin won every ballot and had more 
than a majority of the Democrats present voting for him. At the conclusion 
of voting Saturday Peter McLaughlin lead by nearly 10% and was on his way to 
endorsement. The shame was to allow someone who had no respect for the DFL 
and the endorsement process to prevent the one candidate who respected and 
desired that endorsement from getting it.

When RT walked out a chant started of "Where's RT?"  "Where's RT?" "Where's 
RT?"  But RT had turned his back on the DFL and its members. Turning his 
back on campaign commitments and neighborhoods lead many who had been his 
most ardent supporters in the first campaign to turn against him yesterday. 
RT's campaign against Neighborhood "citizen participation" and NRP also had 
many feeling that RT had betrayed them.  Those attempts have been very 
thoroughly discussed on this "List" as they were going on.  Using the Mpls 
List to expose those attempts probably saved NRP and certainly affected the 
Mayor's attempt to kill citizen participation.

Rybak's campaign passed out literature yesterday that claimed that RT Rybak 
had saved NRP.  Neighborhood activist were furious about this bold faced 
lie. Everyone knew that the Mayor's office had lead the fight to kill NRP 
and neighborhood empowerment. It is truly amazing, RT attempts to kill NRP 
and claims he saved it.  RT claims 6000 housing units that were accomplished 
by others. Claims to have provided for public Safety when he has cut the 
force to dangerous levels.  And the list goes on and on.

Many of us may disagree with some of McLaughlin's issues, but at least we 
can argue and talk to him knowing he is going to tell us the truth.  Most of 
us resent being told by a smiling face that it is raining when the Mayor's 
office is doing something else on our backs!  Rybak seems to think that 
someone pointing out his campaigns bold faced lies is negative campaigning. 
It is not negative, it's the truth! The truth is hell and that truth is 
going to sink RT's ship when the general public starts looking at it.  The 
real problem with RT's campaign is that those who were there are willing to 
point out that truth.

Sharon really did not lose last year, it was a virtual dead heat that amazed 
RT Rybak.  But even that tie showed Sharon's feet of clay. Rybak LOST 
yesterday and that clear loss shows that even with the Mayor's office, a ton 
of political favors, and a few has been politicians supporting him he has 
lost the community support he once enjoyed so much of.  Once you have lost 
that public trust you don't come back. Four years ago Martin Sabo said that, 
and said that Sharon's campaign was dead.  He proved prophetic.  Yesterday 
RT showed that he had dug himself a political grave that he will have a hard 
time crawling out of.

One of RT's former supporters drew on the Cosby Show for humor yesterday 
when he said, "We brought him into the political world, and now we are going 
to take him out of it!"  I think he might prove correct.  Those who worked 
so hard to bring RT to a surprise win that even he could not believe, will 
probably take him out of office. The perception of RT's promise got him into 
office, and failed promise will probably get him out.

Jim Graham,
Ventura Village

"The rarest of gems,

with the greatest clarity,

and with the greatest brilliance

is not the diamond.



The rarest of all gems is the truth.



Yet as scarce as truth is, the supply has always far
exceeded any demand for it.  In fact it may well be the

lest desirable commodity in the Universe.

Ask any politician."