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MDE EXCLUSIVE: EXPOSING AL FRANKEN’S CAMPAIGN FOR THE U.S. SENATE; PROFESSOR CALLS USE OF UNIVERSITY RESOURCES “REGRETFUL” #2
By Michael B. Brodkorb | January 22, 2007
The Associated Press has found out more information about Franken's "outreach" to the Humphrey Institute.
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AP: Franken looking to academics for help with issues
WASHINGTON – Al Franken is asking academics to help him with policy issues as he gears up for a possible Senate campaign against Republican Norm Coleman, R-Minn.
Last week, Professor Sally Kenney, who directs the Center on Women and Public Policy at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, e-mailed faculty and staff to say Franken "has asked me to put together a Minnesota team Franken."
"We would offer some substantive policy expertise, some knowledge of who does what where at the U and in local non-profits, and most importantly, the ability to find out quickly through research things we do not know," she wrote.
"I think it will be loads of fun and a great learning experience for those interested in honing their public policy skills and learning more about political campaigns."
Kenney did not return telephone messages Monday.
Andy Barr, the political director of Franken's Midwest Values PAC, speaking on Franken's behalf, said the outreach was informal.
Barr said that Kenney met Franken, a Democrat, and offered to help out.
"He said one way she could help would be if she knew some folks who'd be interested in helping him out when he had questions about public policy," he said.
"I don't think there was any effort to create a formal organization that would help a campaign or anything like that."
While on a public policy fellowship at Harvard University, Franken formed a study group of students to help him research issues for his book, "Lies, and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right."
Kenney's e-mail was posted Monday by a Republican blogger, Michael Brodkorb, who called it an abuse of taxpayer resources. Larry Jacobs, director of the Institute's Center for the Study of Politics and Governance, said he told Brodkorb it was "regretful" that Kenney used a university resource for political work.
Jacobs said he'd been reassured by Kenney that she would keep her political and university work separate. Source: Associated Press, January 22, 2007
Topics: Uncategorized | 16 Comments »
16 Responses to “MDE EXCLUSIVE: EXPOSING AL FRANKEN’S CAMPAIGN FOR THE U.S. SENATE; PROFESSOR CALLS USE OF UNIVERSITY RESOURCES “REGRETFUL” #2”
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January 22nd, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Until someone shows me proof that the same offer would not be extended to Norm Coleman were he to ask, I will reject your idea that there is an issue here.
Call me crazy, but I think that public policy students working with candidates is a rather good idea. The last thing we need is more people in politics who learned everything they know from a textbook about politics.
If the Humphrey Institute will ONLY help democrats, I will be the first to say that heads need to roll. But you have yet to prove anything close to that. What you have here (as usual) is a poorly crafted conspiracy theory.
January 22nd, 2007 at 6:51 pm
The thing that scares me most, is that all of this exposure just makes Franken all that more likely to get in to this race quickly and aggressively.
He isn’t going to be besmirched by a right-wing blogger.
And he isn’t going to back down because of this kind of bad press.
I bet Franken gets into this race in the next several weeks, and this makes it more likely.
January 22nd, 2007 at 7:07 pm
AP: FRANKEN LOOKING TO ACADEMICS FOR HELP WITH ISSUES
January 22nd, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Fred, you are comparing apples to oranges to blur the issue.
I have no doubt that they would post an opportunity on the Coleman campaign if approached.
I think it is inappropriate either way (and unlikely at best on the right) that a professor, in her capacity as someone organizing for a specific campaign, would use a taxpayer funded resource to organize students for that campaign.
And if they did, there would be outrage on the left.
Political discourse on campus defines what campus life should be (in part). That is different than the one-sided abuse of public resources.
January 22nd, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Do you have any idea what the Humphrey Institute is?
How is it that conservatives want politics out of political science classes, but have no problem putting religion into primary schools.
January 22nd, 2007 at 9:23 pm
Hey all,
I’m a Humphrey student and this issue is way overblown. The Humphrey personal listserv is notorious for spam. In the last week alone I have received e-mails for textbooks, people not turning the lights off when they leave a room, a grandmother’s car for sale, and a student sledding event over the weekend. Every weekday I get about 15 listserv e-mails, of which I find about one or two personally useful.
Professor Kenney merely sent out a personal e-mail looking for like-minded individuals. Any student or faculty member can do the same. In fact, I’m sure I’ll be receiving e-mails asking for support or interns from all major candidates and political parties. Anyone who wishes to not receive such e-mails, can unsubscribe from the listserv at any time.
Seriously, I’m sure we all have more important things than to hype up this non-issue. Personally, I’m going to read my public finance homework.
Night all.
January 23rd, 2007 at 6:49 am
Call me crazy
You’re crazy, male prostitute Fred.
January 23rd, 2007 at 7:08 am
You can always tell liberals like Fred, you just can’t tell them much.
January 23rd, 2007 at 8:53 am
You can always tell conservatives like Michael and Kyle, as they are the ones sprinting at full speed away from pesky things like “facts” and “the truth” in an effort to make their points.
January 23rd, 2007 at 9:05 am
theskippy.
I’m thinking the same thing. As much as I’d love to jump all over something, this just doesn’t seem like a huge scandel. To me, the University putting on the Catholic bashing play is more of an issue (just not an issue for this list).
January 23rd, 2007 at 9:47 am
What I’d like to see discussed is some solutions to the Republicans movement away from the core values. I always injoy taking shots at liberals that can’t decide whether to come out of the closet as socialist or stay in stealth mode. But lets start setting the foundation for the candidates that are going to have to run against the moon bats in 08.
Smaller less intrusive government, and holding the line on government spending.
What in the heck is Pawlenty thinking by increasing the budget by $2.9 Billion. There goes the surplus and then some.
I’m afraid the Rep’s have lost their way. Are we going to become the mirror image of the leftist finger pointers, or actually lead.
January 23rd, 2007 at 9:47 am
Fred, which “fact” or “truth” have you told? The one about religion in primary schools? Please give an example. There are zero religion classes taught in public schools. And no conservative I’ve heard of advocates that there should be.
Beyond that, your argument boils down to: “The other kids do it”… without ever substantiating which kids, and when.
Your’s is a piss poor argument.
Most of the commenters here are expressing some legitimate concern over what appears to be misuse of taxpayer resources to advance the cause of a particular political campaign. We also have stated, many times, that it matters not whether it is a liberal or conservative campaign.
My guess is, you’d be comfortable defending and justifying cold-blooded murder so long as it was a Democrat who pulled the trigger.
January 23rd, 2007 at 11:21 am
Raving Rover has reincarnated himself as Fred Garvin. The deeply flawed logic is identical, the nonsensical calls for ‘proof’ are identical, the tinfoil hat is undoubtedly identical. Goofball.
January 23rd, 2007 at 11:40 am
My point is, y’all seem to think that public policy students should learn in an environment free of the actual politics they are being taught to influence.
For a grad student, working for a senatorial candidate is a great opportunity. I don’t care if it is Franken, Norm or Ole Savior. So, when a professor uses a junk mail listserv to offer that chance, I see it as a great opportunity, not a great threat to the American way. And I am calling you all out on jumping to the conclusion that Norm Coleman would not receive similar treatment. You want to believe there are boogeymen in the bushes so badly, you won’t even test your hypothesis before anointing it true.
January 23rd, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Fred — you are the only one who has said that. Debating your self isn’t a substitute for recognizing the informed opinions of others.
January 24th, 2007 at 5:12 am
“How is it that conservatives want politics out of political science classes, but have no problem putting religion into primary schools.”
And why is it that liberals want the government out of the bedroom, yet want to bring the bedroom into the classroom?
What does any of this have to do with the issue at hand, which is the use of an email account operated by a public entity by a professor whose salary is paid by the public for the purpose of soliciting research assistance for a Senate candidate from one political party?
The point is, in fact, that Coleman’s campaign did not receive the same treatment because Kenney did not solicit research assistance for Coleman’s campaign. Rather, she solicited research assistance for Franken’s campaign. If Kenney truly wanted the email to be a private, personal email, then she would have: a) used a personal account to send the solicitation and b) not implied that the research is to be conducted under the auspices of the Humphrey Institute. The effect of both of those actions by Kenney is to impliedly associate the Humphrey Institute with her solicitation for research. As such, she now has a professional obligation to solicit research assistance for Coleman’s campaign as well.