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STAR TRIBUNE: WHO’S THAT MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN IN SWANSON’S OFFICE?
By Michael B. Brodkorb | January 4, 2007
"Yes we know, Lori Swanson, you're the first woman attorney general in Minnesota history. You got endorsements from organizations with blue-ribbon feminist credentials, such as EMILY'S List. You keep repeating that you'll be your own woman.
So why not let Mike Hatch be his own man? You know, Hatch, the gracious guy who wouldn't let go of the microphone at your inauguration and spoke longer than you did? The guy who's made you his sidekick for almost your entire professional life, and the guy who calls you for roadside assistance when he slips on the ice on Christmas Eve.
C'mon, Lori, you need to tell him in no uncertain terms. The whole tag-team thing is over — you are your own woman. Yes, I know
it might be tough to cut the cord. After all, in the late 1980s you worked for him when he was commerce commissioner. In 1994 you served as his spokeswoman when he ran unsuccessfully for governor in a primary. During the mid-1990s, his years in the political wilderness, you worked at his law firm, Hatch, Eiden and Pihlstrom. In 1999 you followed him to the attorney general's office, where you served as a deputy attorney general. In 2002 he promoted you to solicitor general.
After so many years as Hatch's subordinate, you may find it a challenge to call the shots yourself. Especially because the man just can't seem to live outside the spotlight's glow." Source: Star Tribune, January 4, 2007
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Topics: Uncategorized | 9 Comments »
9 Responses to “STAR TRIBUNE: WHO’S THAT MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN IN SWANSON’S OFFICE?”
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January 4th, 2007 at 10:11 am
The Star Tribune hits the nail right on the head here.
Lori Swanson gives the appearance that she is incompetent and that she needs her man to stick it out with her so she can do the job.
The problem is that Hatch’s personality dictates that this will always be about Hatch, and Swanson will always be in the shadows.
Strong work by the Star Tribune on this one.
January 4th, 2007 at 10:16 am
Steph: As a woman, are you offended by Hatch stealing the spotlight from Swanson?
January 4th, 2007 at 10:35 am
Katherine Kersten doesn’t write ’stories’… she’s not a reporter, she gets her highly biased opinions published.
January 4th, 2007 at 10:36 am
Michael, I try not to think of things in those terms.
But as a successful person, without regard to gender, I think there is the appearance here that the little lady can’t handle the new job.
It seems like the anticipation was that Hatch would run both offices from across the hall. Now that he was summarily dismissed by the people of Minnesota in a year where a dead animal could have won statewide with a ‘D’ after their name, it seems either Lori doesn’t think she’s up to it, or Hatch doesn’t think she’s up to it.
Regardless, the Trib gets it correct here, and Lori looks like a little kept woman.
January 4th, 2007 at 10:52 am
I have yet to meet or hear from ANYONE (liberals included) who thinks the Hatch appointment is a good thing.
The poor woman was trying to be concilliatory in keeping her old mentor on the payroll – but it’s going to backfire royally. In fact it already has!
January 4th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
As I state here, there’s an ethical trainwreck headed in Swanson’s direction & it’s got Hatch’s fingerprints all over it.
January 4th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Mark,
Why is it that the DFL doesn’t think a woman can run the Attorney General’s Office by herself?
Nice cheap shot at Katherine Kersten. More picking on women by DFLers. How kind.
January 4th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
This is misleading sourcing – this is an opinion column in the strib, not a report – and the column is written by Katherine Kersten, their token conservative columnist – who normally writes columns that make conservatives look stupid.
January 5th, 2007 at 8:41 am
” Katherine Kersten, their token conservative columnist – who normally writes columns that make conservatives look stupid. ”
-Pfft..Eva Young, the mental health lobby’s poster child for increased funding.
Don’t worry Eva, the “outside people” can follow the link provided can figure out what they are reading, and where they are reading it, and you can tell everyone on your ward before you read it to them.