Meeker County DFL chili cook-off

What a fun night!

Hats off to the Meeker County crew, it was a lot of fun chatting with everyone again. My mom's chili got a few first place votes and a few seconds as well, but Merle Larson won again!

I'm not sure Bluewoman enjoyed the fact that I ate too much chili though...

Anyway, it was a great night for fellowship amongst Democrats. Donna Cassutt, Associate Chair of the DFL was there, as was Senator Tarryl Clark.

Jack Nelson Pallmeyer was there. As was Frannie Franken and one of Mike Ciresi's sons. Jim Cohen gave a passionate speech as well, although in talking about Senator Wellstone, botched the number of people that perished in the accident. For the record, Paul died with 7 others, not 4 as identified by Cohen.

Senator Clark's words rang true for Central Minnesota DFLers. St Cloud was in our shoes several years ago. Tarryl had lost a few hard fought elections. The St Cloud area was dominated by right wing leaders.

They organized and took their districts back by going door to door.

That's what we need to do in SD 18.

I heard some rather disturbing Dean Urdahl stories last night, one from a long time DFLer from Grove City. She told me a of a conversation she had with Dean a month or so ago, where Urdahl became rather hostile.

When she questioned him about education and transportation, Urdahl told her that he had done everything everyone had asked of him, and still could not gain their vote.

She talked about the partisan nature of some of Dean's editorials and votes to which Urdahl responded, "You have no idea what I do in St Paul".

Hauntingly similar to what Dean told me in Hutchinson.

Is that what we want in an elected official? Arrogance?

Arrogance is not so bad, but when it's multiplied by a sense of entitlement, we have a problem.

Urdahl is a different man serving in the minority party.

I find the title of his new book "Uprising" to be rather fitting.

While Dean will tell you its about the 1862 Dakota Conflict, Democrats in HD 18B are creating an uprising that will sent Dean Urdahl packing in 2008.