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Gail O'Hare

St. Paul
Commenter for
5 years 23 weeks

Recent Comments

Posted on 07/29/08 at 07:51 pm in response to Is the McCain-Obama race really close in Minnesota?

I, too, appreciate your analysis. The multiple poll business is really adding to the chaos of this election. It's already nuts, making the 2004 election look as ancient as Truman v. Dewey.

I think Patty is dead right about the significance of cell-only households. Whether those voters are primarily younger may be less certain (I think so, but know many 60s+ folks who've opted for the savings), but I think it's safe to say they're much more comfortable with changing technology,...

Posted on 07/24/08 at 03:24 pm in response to Dirty early: Senate campaign goes negative

I saw it several times on - get this - the Hallmark channel. So the female and family crowd are the target, and their not understanding makes them even more susceptible. Frankly, Mr. Black and Prof Faber, I think you're being naive. The less people understand of the background issues, the more they will focus on the key words. That's what they'll take away and repeat.

I think the ad is border line libelous because Franken has never written "juicy porn." We may not agree his...

Posted on 07/24/08 at 05:57 pm in response to A mysterious connection: autism and Minneapolis' Somali children

I'm sincerely troubled by this information and feel empathy for all the parents and children dealing with autism. But I can't help asking some questions - since Somali women wear traditional garb at home as well as in Sweden, why should there be a difference in absorption of Vitamin D? Just how large were the shared ancestry studies, how were the participants identified and were the 5 cases a significant percentage? What controls were used to ensure against ethnic/cultural bias? It seems...

Posted on 07/15/08 at 01:59 pm in response to Ventura out, but ally Barkley set to run for Senate

I don't like Barkley any better than Ventura. They share a general contempt for anyone in government or the media, braying their grievances and offering only a throw-the-bums out platform. Remember Jesse's Big Plan? Maybe you don't because he didn't have one. Remember the tax cuts and rebates? You should remember those, because they put the state in the fiscal disaster we've been in since the Ventura team left office.

We don't need chest-thumping and braggadocio.

Posted on 07/14/08 at 11:18 pm in response to Lawyer Priscilla Lord Faris to challenge Franken in Senate primary

Ms. Faris is obviously intelligent and capable, but she'll need to define her positions almost instantly and explain why she's the better Democratic candidate.

The fact that Franken is down in the current polls is not really significant. Of course, the deadline forced her decision at this time, but a lot can change in the next 4 months; she can't justify a claim that Franken is losing. Maybe Ventura's opting out will serve Faris, because his tapdancing has opened people's minds to...

Posted on 07/11/08 at 07:34 pm in response to Is something wrong with the economy, or is it just our imagination at work?

Even David Stockman, the boy wonder who sold supply-side economics to Reagan, ultimately admitted it was smoke and mirrors. I can't understand how anyone was duped by this myth when GWB revived it, nor why McCain continues to push it. The "strong economy" of the past few years has benefited a very small percentage of Americans. We're worried because we have reason to be.

Posted on 07/01/08 at 07:51 pm in response to What a mess: Can Congress bring order to presidential primary chaos?

The parties choose the candidates, but isn't the orderly process of selection fair game for Congress? I have an old copy of the Constitution but I don't think it even mentions anything about parties or primaries.

Before we worry about the primaries, I think we have to control media coverage. This year's circus must never happen again. There should be a limited number of debates, completely untainted by corporate media. Maybe 3 debates from March to May, then the primaries, then...

Posted on 06/30/08 at 07:00 pm in response to Coleman's latest ad offers same tone, same theme, same shirt

Unfortunately, this ad isn't addressed to people who know much about anybody's record. Its target is middle-class white voters and it offers only a sympathetic voice. I hope we see some equally effective ads from Franken. He doesn't have to scorch Bush or Coleman, he just has to point to evidence of how much worse off we are - and the burdens being foisted on the next generation.

Posted on 06/20/08 at 01:28 pm in response to Coleman's new TV ad features -- Mrs. Coleman

For years the Coleman marriage has been rumored to be "in name only." This spot appears to be an effort to shore up his image as a dutiful hubby who even obeys the little woman. Instead, the falseness and phony coziness screams distance. Gag.

Posted on 06/19/08 at 06:48 pm in response to Getting to know Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama should not have had to "soften" her image. She was always warm and direct. Unfortunately, that hyperbolic "for the first time I'm proud of my country" comment will play repeatedly in efforts to undermine Mr. Obama and paint her as an angry black.

Stop and think about the kinds of things she might have been thinking of that were not sources of pride. Maybe Iran-Contra, the pinnacle of American meddling in South America. Ketchup as a vegetable. The S&L debacle....