The Rowley Watch

Rowley on Immigration

2006-05-09T17:43:00.000-07:00

One of the nicest new features of Coleen's new web-site is the "Issues" section. Rowley had been previously criticized by local Democrats for not having complete issue statements available, and this is a definite step forward. However, notably absent from her list of top issues are her thoughts on immigration.

To completely ignore immigration policy - probably the #1 issue of the 2006 election - says to me that she probably has something to hide. I seem to remember Rowley supporting amnesty on one of her earlier appearances on "Access to Democracy," but am not 100% sure. I'll look it up and post the video, if I can find it.

In the meantime, it's fairly safe to assume that Coleen's left-of-left position on immigration has been kept off of her web-site by Hillsman and some of her other strategists that realize that this position will not sit well with the Conservative 2nd District. I'm going to do some more research on this issue and it will all appear on the Rowley Watch ASAP.

A Rowley Makeover?

2006-05-09T17:37:00.000-07:00

Hat tip to MDE for the news that Bill Hillsman has been hired by the Rowley campaign.

Hillsman is undoubtedly talented and this may be the first respectable political hire that Rowley has made. However, Hillsman's two notable victories came on the backs of the much easier sells of Wellstone and Venture. Whether or not he can put lipstick on this pig remains to be seen.

The Kline Record...Goodbye Credibility

2006-05-09T17:20:00.000-07:00

So, Guy David Bailey (the writer of the Kline Record - an anti-John Kline blog) has now officially joined the Rowley for Congress team.

There are a lot of implications to this move, foremost amongst them is that the Kline Record now has lost whatever shreds of credibility they once had.

Bailey attempts to distance his blog from the campaign by saying, "None of my official acts pertain to publication of this blog. It is still the case that the ideas and opinions expressed on this site are exclusively my own. I do not take direction from the campaign about the content of this site, nor is publication of this site overseen by or coordinated with the campaign. In particular, I do not receive any monetary compensation from the campaign for maintaining this site."

To this I say, "nonsense." Mr. Bailey, if you are taking monetary compensation from the Rowley campaign for anything, then your actions in the blogosphere should be, and will be, treated as official commentary from the Rowley campaign. So, the way I see it, the only "ethical" thing to do - and we all know how much Coleen loves ethics - is to quit either the blog or the campaign.

You can't have it both ways...

This new revelation that Bailey has now joined the Rowley campaign has me wondering about something else. Was David Bailey responsible for the Nazi photo incident? Rowley said that the post was made by a campaign volunteer - who has yet to be publicly named - who was some sort of a blogging expert. Now, Rowley has hired Bailey (who admits to being a former Rowley volunteer and is somewhat of a blogging expert) for some yet-to-be-named campaign position.

I think the public deserves an answer to this question along with an ethical decision from Mr. Bailey on whether or not he will continue disparaging Congressman Kline in the blogosphere as an official Rowley Staffer.

The Rowley Watch will return tomorrow...

2006-05-08T21:03:00.000-07:00

We've been on hiatus for the last few weeks, but now The Rowley Watch is back in the game with some new analyses of the "Agent for Change."

Challenging The Kline Record

2006-04-24T17:28:00.000-07:00

So, I've been having a little discussion with Guy David Bailey who runs The Kline Record, a blog dedicated to throwing mud at Congressman John Kline (the guy who is going to beat Rowley by 20 points in November). Basically, he called out The Rowley Watch - and I'll have none of that.

So, I layed down the gauntlet and have already been looking over his blog for fallacious or misleading statements. Needless to say, they are in great supply and I'll start posting them soon. Stay tuned.

Here's the original conversation for background:

No Rowley said...
David,At what point do you realize that Rowley is a lost cause and sign up for a candidate who can win, like Tim Walz or Patty Wetterling. You're really wasting your time on this one.
4/17/2006 06:44:24 PM

David Bailey said...
Mr. No,The reason I'm supporting Coleen Rowley is simple: I live in Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District. If I lived in the 1st, I would be volunteering on Tim Walz' campaign and writing "The Gutknecht Record". But I would still be rooting for Coleen, as I'm currently rooting for Walz (I haven't bothered to pick a favorite among Wetterling and Tinklenberg).I've seen your site, Mr. No, and it's incredibly dishonest. In your very first post, you insist that you aren't going to "throw political mud", but you've already distorted Coleen's position on torture and used the tired old gambit of putting Coleen in the same radical category as Cindy Sheehan.I guess Kline supporters like you (and let's not try to fool anyone that you're anything but) have to resort to such dishonest tactics, because if you restricted yourself only to criticisms of Coleen which are based in fact, you wouldn't have much.Well, there's that whole thing about how she wore a "Coleen Rowley" sticker for her appearance on Almanac. Whoa. Devastating.
4/18/2006 09:50:19 PM

No Rowley said...
David,I did not distort her position on terror. I posted and judged Mrs. Rowley on exactly what she said in the interview. Go listen to the tape if you don't believe me. "[These people say]" was not added until afterwards, and it is absolutely not what she said in the interview. She was off on one of her tangential rants, and said something incredibly stupid. Is it now unacceptable to actually take a politician at their word?Despite your rhetoric, I challenge you to find one thing on The Rowley Watch that is untrue or intentionally misleading. That's not my game.In the meantime, I have already found several things on your blog that are flat untrue or intentionally misleading. I'll post them asap and look forward to your response.
4/24/2006 05:10:01 PM

Choose: Re-Elect Kline or Criticize Rowley

2006-04-24T17:12:00.000-07:00

I would like to point out a little typo in the latest MNPact article on Coleen Rowley. Apparently, they mistakenly used the word "Defeat" where they meant to write "Re-Elect." Well, that's what they would have wrote if they lived in the real world of people who realize that the only way to beat Kline this year would be with a different candidate.

I don't recommend reading their article, because it is absolute nonsense, but I will post the comment left by Kim Millman who seems to be the only remaining democrat with any common sense.

I was all ready to retire and not comment any further on Rowley, but now that you bring it up...

Your post seems to indicate that you have been listening to Ms. Black Helicopter way too much. It’s starting to effect your judgment and perception. Who exactly is the “establishment” in the DFL? Who are “they”? Who have “they” anointed? I have never heard of any candidate or supporters in the 2nd who was not going to abide by the endorsement? So what’s your beef?

If all the members of the DFL ever cared about was raising money, there would be quite a bit more money to fight about. So you’re losing credibility here.

Exactly who are the “money people”? Are these those people that show up to all the DFL meetings with their silver briefcases full of money and veto your suggestions? I must have missed all those “money people” meetings. The only people I’ve seen at the meetings are the same old people that rarely give money to anything or anyone. If there are any “money people” meetings that are coming up in the future, you’ll have to let me know - - give me a call on my cell phone so I can quickly get there.

Who is the “regular DFL?” Is that those who have been around for 30 years? Last I looked those were the people who were supporting Rowley. So what’s your beef?

You seem to be digging yourself deeper here. No she doesn’t fit any “typical candidate.” The problem is that she doesn’t act like any candidate, whether she intends to or not, she’s been acting like a queen who thinks this campaign is all about her. Rowley does not defy labels, I could come up with a few, but I won’t.

I am not aware of any one giving Rowley “marching orders” from anywhere on “high.” I do know that everybody and their brother created a chorus of the same advice from down low, politics 101 low.

But she knew better, because she’s got instincts? That has gotten her pretty far I’d say. She may want to rethink those instincts.

Rowley is definitely not a maverick. There is a fine line between a maverick and someone who appears like a crackpot. An online blog had a real good description of a “maverick” and a crackpot. The difference between a maverick and a crackpot is that a maverick is always in search of worthwhile, bold, new ideas, workable solutions along with good leadership, while a crackpot holds onto their first idea like grim death, despite the flaws pointed out by others. In other words a crackpot refuses to perform any type of critical analysis.

And sorry you just opened yourself up for this one. Sir, I knew Paul Wellstone, and Rowley aint no Paul Wellstone (or John McCain). Comparing Coleen Rowley to Paul Wellstone does an injustice to who Paul Wellstone was and it’s also in poor taste. I would say that about any candidate or supporter that wants to try and elevate a candidate by climbing on the back of a great, but dead man.

Paul Wellstone had a political soul, he knew who he was, he knew the issues, he knew how to energize people, he walked his talk, he had charisma, he knew how to talk to the media, and he knew that he had to run a campaign to gain the support of the voters. Rowley doesn’t have any of that going for her. In addition to having charisma, knowing the issues, energizing thousands of supporters, and phoning for money all day everyday, compromising and admitting when he was wrong then changing course in Wellstone’s first campaign, he also had a bit of luck that doesn’t come along too often. What people like to forget is that without the “bad jew” letter and without a naked Jon Grunseth jumping into a pool full of 13 year old girls, Wellstone never would have won.

To be honest, I don’t think a naked John Kline jumping into a pool full of 13 year olds and a bad Christian letter could even help Rowley at this point.

I haven’t heard anyone criticize Rowley’s fundraising this quarter - - it is mostly her spending on needless consultants and the like. If she doesn’t listen to anyone anyway, why pay consultants? But now that you mention it, she should have been able to easily raise over a million by now with her publicity, but she has refused to do what is necessary to raise the money.

If she is so “uncomfortable” with the way campaigns are financed then why is she running? Why doesn’t she step aside for someone else?

Tim Walz has earned a higher stature in the party because he has been doing what it takes to run a campaign and raise money to win. Unlike Ms. Time Magazine woman of the year, Walz is an unknown, and unknowns will always have trouble raising money. However, he has worked his tail off building coalitions, learning the issues, and yes on the phone all day raising money. He gets recognition because he has earned it by working damn hard and running a campaign to win.

Rowley on the other hand has not. She went into this race with everybody behind her and with much praise, but it appears that the only thing she worked hard at was alienating most people with the ability to help her and by assigning ill motives to them simply for being former candidates, large donors, campaign volunteers, or elected officials.

Tim Walz ........$245,414 UNKNOWN TO ANYONE
Coleen Rowley $269,186 KNOWN TO EVERYONE IN THE U.S.

Money raised for the 1st Quarter:
Tim Walz .........$127,259 HE WORKED HIS BUTT OFF
Coleen Rowley $ 98,877 SHE WAS UNCOMFORTABLE PAC

Money during the Quarter:
Tim Walz ......$ 25,000 HE GAINED THE SUPPORT OF COALITIONS
Coleen Rowley $ 2,373 SHE DID NOT

All Rowley’s supporters are the DFL 2nd Congressional District Officers and Central Committee members, if she can’t get money out of the district, that is her own fault.

Marko was in the race for 5 weeks. I was one of the many people who donated to the Marko campaign. So, as I see it, the difference between Marko and Rowley – is that Marko knew the issues- Rowley does not and refuses to educate herself; Marko knew where she stood on the issues- Rowley does not; Marko had a plan – Rowley does not; Marko ran a campaign with a strategy – Rowley thinks a strategy is beneath her; Marko called and asked for money, Rowley thinks that is beneath her; Marko would have won – If she continues down the same path Rowley does not have a chance.

I don’t know who the “big money Democrats” are, but it stands to reason that no matter a person’s net worth, there is only a finite amount of money and time that a person is willing to give to any cause or candidate. If there is a perception that the way the campaign is being run, the way the candidate is acting, what she is saying and not saying, what she is doing and not doing prohibits a win in the end, people will not donate or volunteer. It is the candidate who inspires or does not inspire support, not “big money Democrats.”

Unfortunately the percentage of delegates does not translate into voters. If Rowley doesn’t start to run a campaign to win, Kline will win. It’s as simple as that. I repeat my last few comments about Rowley supporters. Her supporters are doing her no favors by blindly worshipping her. They ought to be kicking her in the butt in order to get her to run a campaign to win, that means learning all the issues, knowing where she stands on all the issues, learning how to talk to the media, raising more money and not spending on useless consultants before she needs to.

Kim gets it...

The FEC Report is Here!

2006-04-17T05:59:00.000-07:00

Coleen Rowley's FEC report for the 1st Quarter of 2006 is finally in and the results are about as pathetic as predicted.

Here are the bare numbers:

Money raised by Rowley (1/1/2006 - 3/31/2006): $98,867.89

Money raised by Kline (1/1/2006 - 3/31/2006): $189,833.73

Money spent by Rowley (1/1/2006 - 3/31/2006): $81,192.35

Money spent by Kline (1/1/2006 - 3/31/2006): $98,894.99

Rowley's cash on hand at the close of the reporting period: $101,778.67

Kline's cash on hand at the close of the reporting period: $552,318.68

There is a lot of stuff to dig into on her FEC report, but the initial reaction from this blogger is - How the heck can someone already be spending over 80% of the money they raise?

Don't believe me? Well, check this out, Rowley was outraised by 1st District DFL challenger Tim Walz by almost $30,000, but still outspent him by almost $40,000. Coleen is quickly becoming the #3 DFL challenger in Minnesota.

More later...

Rowley Responds...

2006-04-17T05:50:00.000-07:00

Coleen Rowley has posted a response to our analysis of her torture statement on Democracy Now!

This post entirely distorts what I was saying, as you will note from the Democracy Now excerpt below, available at http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/04/04/1420212.

Everything I have ever said and written confirms I am categorically opposed to reliance upon rendition, torture, or any other extra-constitutional measures.

I was paraphrasing the fallacious yet prevalent argument being made, NOT making an affirmative statement in support of such practices.

The excerpt is as follows:

"...again, I'm just really arguing the urgency of looking at these issues from the legal perspective right now, because so many people say we can't use our Constitution to investigate terrorists nor to deal with them after they're caught.

"[These people say] we need to do things like rendition and enemy combatant status and even torture, for instance, which is certainly outside the Constitution. We need to use those tools, because this is a new war."

Coleen Rowley - DFL Congressional Candidate MN- 02

Now Coleen, to be fair, that "[These people say]" part was not added until after I posted the original statement. The reason that part of the sentence is put in brackets is because...YOU DIDN'T SAY THAT! I know you're a new candidate, but you have to learn that the public takes politicians for what the say, not what they mean. Be more careful next time, and we won't have this type of misunderstanding again.

In the meantime, I've added a question mark to the title of the original post...just to be fair :)

Sensible Democrats Supported Marko

2006-04-13T21:22:00.000-07:00

While Coleen Rowley's campaign has been run mostly by friends of Hugo Chavez and Deaniacs (including her husband, homemaker Ross Rowley) the majority of sensible Democrats - who remember how to win elections - were lining up behind Sharon Marko's campaign. The proof is in Marko's recent FEC report, where the following prominent DFL'ers had financially supported Marko:

Teresa Daly
Matt Entenza
Sam Kaplan
Ted Mondale
Jim Pohlad
Bill Sieben
Harry Sieben
Susan Vento
Betty McCollum
Bill Luther

Unfortunately, the radical liberals who run the 2nd District DFL organization ignored the people who remember how to win elections and decided to support a candidate who agreed with their plan for winning the War on Terror (impeaching a wartime President & withdrawing from the war's central conflict).

Still waiting for Rowley's FEC report ;)

Al Jazeera on Rowley

2006-04-13T06:04:00.000-07:00

Take this for what you will, but the latest news update on Coleen Rowley is an article from Al Jazeera that uses Rowley's dealings with the Moussaoui case as an example of why the 9-11 attacks must have been organized and carried out by...Israel!

I'm not trying to fault or associate Rowley with this kind of madness. I just thought it was an interesting perspective. The scary thing is, short of the ultimate conclusion that Israel did it, I have read every other aspect of that article several times on DailyKos.

Coalition for Change?

2006-04-13T05:46:00.000-07:00

During her recent fundraising jaunt to New York City, Coleen Rowley formed a joint campaign committee with New York candidate John Hall (another less-than-sane, ultra-liberal newcomer.) They called this new organization the Committee for Change. I'm sure Mrs. Rowley and Mr. Hall were hoping to cause a tidal wave of support with their New York City campaign swing, but it appears that they were only able to muster a mere hiccup.

For all the hype that Rowley tried to build about her trip to New York City, the East Coast centerpiece of liberalism, the Committee for Change raised less than $5000. After expenses, the Committee was only able to disburse $1350 to each candidate.

Don't believe me? See the FEC report for yourself.

Now, I've heard of some bad fundraising events, but flying to New York to raise $1350 is one of the most ludicrous adventures of all time. Maybe this is why Rowley's fundraiser quit a few days before the end of the FEC reporting period. I'm looking forward to Rowley's next report. It looks to be as embarrassing as everything else her campaign has done, thus far.

Another Great Letter

2006-04-13T05:43:00.000-07:00

Another letter, another signal of the growing anti-Rowley sentiment in the 2nd District.

Letter to the Editor, Posted: 4/10/06

Marko doesn’t endorse Rowley

To the editor:

In the news articles about State Sen. Sharon Marko’s withdrawal from the 2nd District Congressional race, I found it interesting that she chose to not support the only remaining Democrat in competition, Coleen Rowley. Why would this be?

It seems rather clear to me that Marko’s non-endorsement is due to the fact that Coleen Rowley’s appearance on the ballot will hurt the entire DFL ticket. Rowley’s forays into radical-liberal activism (i.e. the Crawford ranch trip and Nazi photo incidents) have made her utterly unelectable in the 2nd District, and the distaste she is already leaving with voters can only hurt every other candidate sharing her party affiliation.

Apparently, Marko is not alone in this dissatisfaction with the Rowley campaign. One local Democratic blog (www.backboneminnesota.com) pointed out several reasons why many DFLers continue to search for another candidate, including, “Rowley refuses to educate herself — refuses to work strategically to run a campaign — [and] doesn’t appear to have a political soul or core principles that drive her.”

At this point it is difficult to decide whether to describe Rowley’s campaign as a slow sinking ship or a sudden train wreck. Either way, I don’t think we’ll be seeing Coleen Rowley in Congress any time soon.

Rob Dove
Apple Valley

Coleen Rowley - Pro Torture?

2006-04-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

Coleen's at it again...She's on Democracy Now (the e-news show from journalists who felt the MSM was too conservative) talking about Zacarias Moussaoui. Watch here.

To be fair, this is actually the first time I've heard Rowley speak where she is actually somewhat listenable. She even comes out in favor of torture: "We need to do things like rendition and enemy combatant status and even torture, for instance, which is certainly outside the Constitution. We need to use those tools, because this is a new war."

If you have 10 minutes, it's an interesting watch.

Rowley - Morally Superior to Midshipmen

2006-03-30T20:51:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't heard, Coleen Rowley "is ethics." That's right, she has spent the last 3+ years traveling the countryside to call us unethical heathens and herself a righteous do-gooder.

Want proof? Well, Doug Petch has an interesting writeup on Rowley's latest rant, where she told Naval Academy midshipmen that "physical courage was more commonly displayed because it was easier to rehearse and practice for than moral courage."

Seriously, who does Rowley think she is? News flash: Coleen, you wrote 1 memo to the Director of the FBI that was basically a recitation of the actions of other people. After that, you've paraded the country telling us how smart and ethical you are...Give it up, you are quickly becoming a joke and losing credibility faster than James Frey.

Backbone Minnesota: No Rowley!

2006-03-30T20:34:00.000-08:00

The comments on a recent post from Backbone Minnesota, a local DFL blog, have an interesting give-and-take on Rowley's "chances" in the 2nd District.

Highlights of the comments from local Democratic Activists include:

"I refuse to cast my ballot for Coleen Rowley at the CD 2 convention and i am qestioning voting for her at all in the general election."

"I would contend that Rowley is one of the most liberal candidates i have ever seen in a congressional race. The fact that her campaign lacks professionalism and she marched with Cindy Sheehan in an anti-war protest last year = 3rd term for Kline"

"I am done debating the soon-to-be failed candidacy of Coleen Rowley. It is a campaign that lacks message, focus and organization."

"Rowley doesn’t appear to have a political soul or core principles that drive her other than the war. In other words, Rowley being a newcomer to politics apparently has never thought of all the basic public policy issues that affect the lives of Americans, thus she doesn’t know where she stands on most of the important issues."

"The biggest reason that many are not supporting Rowley is because of her potential for negatively affecting other Democratic candidates and campaigns that Democrats cannot afford to lose this year."

"To all Rowley supporters here is a message from a Marko supporter and a CD 2 delegate, i Will not support Rowley for her lack of important issues, professionalism, and support behind her candidacy. I will not help her in anyway for essentially writing off the moderate part of the party. I will help lead a non-endorsement movement at the convention, though i am sure to no avail. All hope is lost on Rowley because she refuses to look at the larger picture, and that is a vast majority of CD 2 still support the war. "

Sounds like trouble in paradise :)

Why did Sharon Marko Quit?

2006-03-29T19:24:00.000-08:00

State Senator Sharon Marko's withdrawal from the 2nd Congressional District race for the Democratic endorsement was, according to my DFL sources, only a surprise to people outside of Democrat circles. Apparently, the Marko campaign was having trouble raising money, collecting delegate support, and Sharon's heart was never really into the race.

However, the revealing parts of the AP story on Marko's withdrawal relate to the Rowley campaign.

First, it's interesting that Marko chose to not throw her support behind Coleen. Sharon was a product of the DFL elite who realized that Rowley was going nowhere fast, and this non-endorsement signals that the party elders still aren't happy with Coleen and will continue looking for a more viable candidate. Don't be surprised to see a primary challenger jump in this summer.

Next, this quote from Rowley's campaign manager, "Sharon getting into the race was also a help because it forced us to organize more and get a better handle on the issues," is disturbing. By the time Marko announced her campaign, Coleen had been officially running for almost eight months, but she still didn't have a "handle on the issues" or an effective organization?

Combine this news with the recent resignation of Rowley's fundraiser and the impending financial disaster in her 1st Quarter FEC report, and a pattern begins to emerge. Rowley's campaign is in shambles. It is little wonder that sensible Democrats are desperately searching for a replacement.

When the Going Gets Tough...Marko Quits

2006-03-29T19:20:00.000-08:00

Marko drops bid for Congress, clearing path for Rowley
BRIAN BAKST
Associated Press

ST. PAUL - Democratic state Sen. Sharon Marko withdrew Wednesday from Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District race, making a fall matchup between FBI whistleblower Coleen Rowley and Republican Rep. John Kline a near certainty.

Marko, who was in the race for less than two months, said she entered the race too late and it became clear "the obstacles seem insurmountable, and it's time to step aside."

She said the legislative session hasn't left her enough time to campaign.

When she opened her campaign in February, Marko questioned whether Rowley was the right candidate to take on Kline, who is going after his third term. As she left the race, Marko declined to endorse Rowley. "I'm not supporting anybody," she said.

Marko said she still believes Kline can be beat.

Rowley's campaign manager Joe Elcock said Marko's decision allows Rowley to conserve her resources and focus entirely on Kline. Still, Elcock said having a challenger within the Democratic Party wasn't all bad.
"Sharon getting into the race was also a help because it forced us to organize more and get a better handle on the issues," he said.

Kline spokesman Troy Young said the congressman is busy in Washington and hasn't turned his focus to the campaign. "It is still not clear who the DFL nominee will be," he said.

The 2nd District extends south from the Twin Cities suburbs into small towns and farm-rich areas. Kline won a second term with 56 percent of the vote in 2004.

Minnesota's congressional races are expected to be more lively than usual this year.
Aside from the Rowley-Kline contest, there are several high-profile candidates running in the 6th Congressional District. That seat is open because U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy is going after the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Mark Dayton.

And more than a dozen candidates - mostly DFLers - have announced intentions to run in the 5th Congressional District, where longtime incumbent Rep. Martin Sabo is retiring.

Rowley Fundraiser Resigns...

2006-03-29T19:11:00.000-08:00

According to Politics in Minnesota, Coleen Rowley's fundraiser Ellen Stankowicz has quit the floundering Rowley campaign. This announcement comes slightly more than a week before the 1st FEC reporting period of 2006, which cannot be a good sign for Rowley's financial situation.

Coleen has been oddly silent since photoshop-gate. One wonders what calamity will befall her campaign next...Stay tuned!

Rowley on Almanac

2006-03-12T17:43:00.000-08:00

For those of you who missed it, Coleen Rowley's appearance on TPT's Almanac this Friday evening is best summed up with one word: embarrassing.

I give Mrs. Rowley credit for at least showing up, unlike Sharon Marko, who backed out of the debate. But, to be perfectly honest, Rowley would have done herself more good by following Marko's lead and skipping the appearance all-together. She was terrible on many levels, but here are some of the lowlights:

Coleen wore a "Rowley for Congress" campaign-sticker on her lapel;
She can only focus on an answer for about 10 seconds, and then wanders off into side-issues that had nothing to do with the original question;
Said that the Dubai Ports issue is evidence of John Kline's weakness on national security, as well as his "arrogance" and "incompetence;"
When Eric Eskola asked her how she would pay for her "universal health care" plan that she "modeled after the Wellstone" plan, she skirted the question and then answered that the savings from less paperwork would pay for it all. HA!!!;
Said, "Ethics is me." Incredible arrogance;
Skirted question about how she would run a campaign without PAC money;
Said she's going to beat John Kline, a career Marine and noted defense expert, by "exposing him on National Security;"
Eskola cut her off in the middle of a classic Rowley rant, and looked noticeably befuddled by the goofiness that is Coleen Rowley;

Coleen loves to say that she is "rough around the edges," but that is a huge understatement. Don't believe me...watch it for yourself, here (her segment starts at about 47:10).

More Rowley Hypocrisy

2006-03-06T19:35:00.000-08:00

As I find out more about Coleen Rowley, several clear themes in her tone and behavior have really begun to emerge, first of which is her unabashed hypocrisy. Coleen has spent the last four years of her life lecturing anyone who would listen about ethics, but as photoshop-gate exhibited, these ethical rules only apply to people outside her political circle of friends.

Case-in-point, Coleen's acceptance and subsequent fundraising off of Congressman Jim Oberstar's endorsement. In a January 17th press release, Rowley called House ethic reforms like a ban on travel "welcome and necessary." Yet, when Congressman Oberstar, the greatest abuser of private travel privileges in the Minnesota Congressional delegation and one of the leading travel abusers in the House, offered to help her raise money, ethics flew right out the window.

In the past 5 years, Oberstar has taken nearly $60,000 in private travel and expenses, logging some 30 junkets to "business" destinations like Las Vegas, San Diego and Marco Island (FL). Hopefully, in the name of ethics, Rowley will take this new information and return all of the tainted money raised in Oberstar's name...Don't hold your breath.

Oberstar Endorses Rowley

2006-03-06T19:27:00.000-08:00

Today, Congressman Jim Oberstar gave (MN-8) Coleen Rowley's struggling campaign a boost with the following fundraising letter announces his endorsement of her bid for the democratic endorsement in the Second District:

Dear Fellow Democrats:

The DFL endorsement process is upon us. As you head to your caucus, I would like you to keep in mind that we only need 15 seats to win the majority in the House of Representatives; Minnesota's Second Congressional District is a high priority prospect for the Democrats.

Government spending, political fallout from the Iraq war, and Republican corruption in Congress are causing anxiety even among GOP voters.

The national debt has increased to $8 trillion - a cost that will be passed on to our children and grandchildren.

There are 458,000 people without health care in Minnesota, costs are soaring, and estimates suggest that in ten years this country will spend $1 in every $5 for health care.

Home heating costs for Minnesotans have risen 21% this heating season, and will continue escalating with our dependence on foreign oil.

Last year, Republicans shut 7,655 veterans in Minnesota out of the VA health care system at a time when we are spending ever more on a misguided war.

Our representatives should reflect Minnesota values at the national level, but the incumbent congressman in the Second District does not listen to Minnesota voices at home and hasn't been their voice in the Congress. Instead, he has voted the straight Tom DeLay, Bush/Cheney ticket while standing idly by as Republican corruption flourished on his watch. He has not shown a flicker of the independent evaluation of national issues that Minnesotans expect of their national office holders. Please help Coleen today with an important contribution.

I am proud to endorse Coleen Rowley for Congress in the Second Congressional District of Minnesota for 2006. During her prior 24-year career as an FBI agent and Minneapolis division legal counsel, she was not only respected for her dedication to ethics and law, but also to the FBI's mission of effective crime fighting and intelligence gathering.

Coleen has what it takes to win this race. Your contribution to Coleen's campaign today helps us move forward in regaining the Democratic majority.

I have always believed that this generation should pass on to the next a foundation for a better life and greater opportunities. In that spirit, Coleen Rowley is a bright, refreshing ray of hope for the future of this country and for the people of Minnesota's Second Congressional District.

Sincerely,

Jim Oberstar

More on this later...

Rowley Should Resign

2006-03-06T19:20:00.000-08:00

The following letter appeared last weekend in the Burnsville and Apple Valley Thisweek Newspapers, two of the largest papers in the Second District...Apparently, Coleen's prospective constituents don't think photoshop-gate was a "little mistake."

Rowley should resign

To the editor:

A photo posted in early February on Coleen Rowley's Web site of Congressman John Kline depicting him as a Nazi officer was unprofessional and very offensive to all veterans who have honorably served their country.

She should consider withdrawing from the election campaign based on her ignorance and insensitivity to veterans. What kind of person is she? What kind of staff has she surrounded herself with?

My father fought in World War II participating in four invasions (North Africa, Sicily, Anzio, and southern France) as an infantryman fighting the Nazis. He unfortunately witnessed the atrocities of a POW camp where many of our servicemen were tortured and starved by their Nazi guards. He always spoke how horrible it was for Hollywood to make light of their treatment in the sitcom Hogan's Heroes. He saw no humor in the faces of the liberated POWs in 1945 in Nazi Germany. No one who saw what he saw could see the Web site photo as anything but insulting to anyone who fought in World War II.

Congressman Kline served his country honorably for more than 25 years. During his military career he served in hostile environments on several occasions at a great sacrifice to his family. At this time, his only son is serving as a helicopter pilot for the Army serving in the Iraq theatre of operations. I'm sure soldiers in his unit see no humor in the Web photo.

Did Rowley think he and his family would find the photo humorous?

As a life member of both the VFW and American Legion, I will actively campaign against Rowley in every forum available. I served this country as an active duty Marine officer for four years, and as an Army reserve officer for 27 years. Never in my honorable and loyal service to our republic, have I experienced such a disgraceful depiction of a veteran.

Allegedly, Rowley took an oath while part of the FBI. Does she remember? We in the military took the same oath. Her conduct demonstrates her true allegiance is to a political party and not to the Constitution of our great country.

She should do the honorable thing and resign from the campaign.

George T. Miserendino
Apple Valley

Marko Supporters Unleashed

2006-03-01T20:42:00.000-08:00

If you missed it this past Sunday, there was a fun little letter in the Star Tribune from Sharon Marko supporter and Coleen Rowley detractor, Kim Millman:

I didn't say that - Saint Paul Pioneer Press 2/26/2006

When I responded to a question about my criticism of Coleen Rowley's campaign for Congress, I was erroneously cited ("Marko says she'll oppose Rowley," Feb. 21) as criticizing Rowley for "neglecting traditional Democratic issues."

In fact, I responded by giving the reporter a list of "citizens' concerns" that have been ignored by the Rowley campaign, including health care, Social Security, pension security, education, immigration, etc. These issues are not Democratic or Republican; they're serious issues that affect the lives of all Minnesotans and thus need to be addressed by anyone wishing to represent us in Congress.

Therefore, the groundswell of support for Sharon Marko is based on the fact that she is the best candidate to propose needed solutions to those and other economic security issues, including one of the biggest issues that has been ignored by both Rowley and John Kline — making our trade agreements fair for Americans

Kim Millman, Burnsville

I don't really agree with Mrs. Millman's criticisms. Rowley has, in fact, recorded a series of issue statements on her website, that are recommended listening for any concerned citizens. I especially like when she calls for "universal health coverage" and "cutting and running" in Iraq. However, please don't be disuaded, Mrs. Millman, I like your thinking ;)

The Rowley Watch Begins

2006-03-01T19:26:00.000-08:00

Welcome to The Rowley Watch! This blog is dedicated to watching and analyzing the growingly absurd exploits of Coleen Rowley, the pseudo-celebrity "whistleblower," who is now running for Congress in Minnesota's 2nd District.

This blog began as a reaction to photoshop-gate, a disgusting episode where Coleen Rowley personally endorsed and approved the posting of a doctored photo on her website that depicted Congressman John Kline, a highly decorated Marine, in a WWII Nazi uniform. I have never blogged before, nor have I ever been really politically active, but Mrs. Rowley's lack of common sense (remember her trip to Crawford with Cindy Sheehan?) and political decency has inspired me to spend a few hours a week to help insure that her political career ends before it really begins.

So, before we start the fun & games, how about setting a few ground rules?

First and foremost, the intent of this site is not to slander Coleen Rowley or throw political mud. Rowley Watch will gladly facilitate in exposing residents of the 2nd District to Coleen Rowley's radical left-wing political agenda, but will not be following her campaign's example of throwing stuff at a wall until it sticks or doctoring photos. To put it another way, Rowley Watch hereby pledges to never doctor a Coleen Rowley photo to...oh, I don't know...show her alongside other accomplished "Time People of the Year" like Adolph Hitler (1938) or Joseph Stalin(1939)...That was the last cheap shot, I promise.

Second, Rowley Watch is not here to help re-elect John Kline or help Sharon Marko win the endorsement. If either one of these scenarios does play out, however, this blog will go into hibernation until Coleen Rowley decides it's time to run for office again. My one and only goal is to see Coleen Rowley exit the political arena...the sooner the better!

Finally, if you have any questions or some interesting (and credible) information about Mrs. Rowley that you'd like to share, drop me a line at rowleywatch@hotmail.com

Add this blog to your must-read list now! I plan on making Rowley Watch a resounding success by updating frequently and doing a lot of fun investigative work on Rowley and her growingly shrill gang of followers. Stay tuned...