Yoo hoo! Mike Osskopp! We’re right over here!
Thursday, the Kurt Bills for Senate campaign decided to go ad hominem on the Star Tribune (a privilege, really, I reserve for myself).
In a news release titled, “Daddy’s poll,” Osskopp, the Republican U.S. Senate nominee’s campaign manager, attacked the Strib’s recent Minnesota Poll that showed Bills 29 points behind.
“If ever there was evidence of bias, this is it. A 13 point Democrat advantage in party ID isn’t credible to even the most partisan analyst,” said Osskopp.
I know, it’s almost like that other poll that showed a 10-point Democrat advantage! Oh wait — that was Bills’ own poll?
And what about that poll showing a +14 Dem advantage … that Bills touts on his own website!
I know, I know — Osskopp is just acting out, trying to get a guy who might become the next Jerry Brekke some notice. It’s certainly possible Bills is down by mere mid-double-digits (the latest independent poll gaps are -15, -19, -21 and the Strib’s -29). but party ID is not the problem.
Then there was this Osskopp winner: “Don’t forget, Amy’s Dad was a columnist for the Star Tribune for 3 decades. It’s no coincidence that they are pulling for Daddy’s little girl.”
I’m sure there are some of us grey-hairs who remember when Jim opined for the Strib, but the guy retired in 1995. Not only was that 17 years ago, but the Strib has seen four ownership groups (Cowles, McClatchy, Avista and Wayzata), three pollsters (internal, PSRA, Mason-Dixon) and three editors (Tim McGuire, Anders Gyllenhaal, Nancy Barnes) since then. I’m pretty sure managing editor Rene Sanchez and political editor Pat Lopez were in high school.
(Those of us who know how diligently recent Strib management has tried to scrub the Cowles-era liberalism off the place know how laughable Osskopp’s contention really is.)
The elder Klobuchar, of course, now toils for the fine website you have on your screen. So if we ever conduct a Senate poll, Mike, feel free to dump all over us.
What better way
to get free publicity that does not involve killing or assaulting someone.
Not a good sign when even Broadkorb is calling Bills’ team out on this.
http://politics.mn/2012/09/27/dont-campaign-angry-and-sexist-remarks-wont-help-either/
Bills
It is people like Bills and his whining and name calling that has driven me away from the republican party after 50 years.
I thought a sacrificial lamb
was supposed to know his place. Did Mr. Bills actually think he stood a chance of defeating Klobuchar or did he simply not realize how badly he would be beaten?
While I’m not a particular fan of Klobuchar, I have lived in Minnesota long enough to recognize politicians who are going to be around for a long time absent some stellar faux pas. (Durenberger was one, too.)
Relax, Mr. Bills. It will all be over in 6 weeks.
No confidence in the facts?
What, a GOP candidate, confronted with reality, decides that reality is irrelevant and prefers to go with his own imaginary world? What a shock! But I suppose that polls are like climate change, loss of American jobs to outsourcing, and Saddam Hussein’s lack of Weapons of Mass Destruction — inconvenient realities that can be overturned by shrill screams of unfounded indignation. We’ve seen it before and we’ll see it again before this is over.
Amen
…to James Hamilton (especially the last two sentences) and Steve Hoffman.
Mr. Osskopp
would probably also agree with Mr. Akin of MO that these female candidates just aren’t as “ladylike” as they used to be…
To label as a “little girl” and “Daddy’s little girl” a woman who, before successfully running for and serving as a U. S. Senator from MN for six years was elected to be and served as a successful Hennepin County Attorney, is one of the most egregious misogynist comments I’ve seen in years.
Poor man. He just cannot imagine losing anything to a woman, even a proven winner like Amy Klobuchar. I’m so glad she’s so far ahead!
My Uncle Hiram (farmer SW Minnesota) LOVES Amy
sacrificial lamb indeed.
Got a fundraising email from Klobuchar
this week asking her supporters to send money to Claire McCaskill in Missouri. So I’m thinking she’s not too worried about this guy.
Campaign contributions
He’s got to do something to stay visible enough to keep campaign contributions coming in.
Maybe the Bills are overdue?
In arrears?
At least he’s good for puns!
Uh oh!
I think that the Kurt Bills news release just messed with Tony Sutton’s prediction as stated in his Star Tribune commentary on June 22, “I can predict today that the story in the first week in October will be just how close the Senate race has become.”
I’m Glad, …
…after listening to his comments, that Bills is not teaching my kids economics….or anything else