Wetterling To Run
It's impossible not to feel sympathy for Patty Wetterling.
Wetterling is, of course, the mother of Jacob Wetterling, whose kidnapping (along with that of Fargo girl Jeana North a few years later) forever scuppered the feeling that small towns are safe places to raise children, has become the poster adult for grassroots anti-crime activists.
But now she wants to run for Congress.
The Strib tells the story:
Patty Wetterling, who transformed anguish over her son's 1989 abduction into a pioneering crusade for child safety, has decided to challenge Rep. Mark Kennedy, R-Minn., for his U.S. House seat.
Wetterling, 54, of St. Joseph, Minn., plans to formally announce her candidacy on Wednesday or Thursday, two Democrats familiar with her plans said Monday.
"Yes, I believe I'm going to run," Wetterling said in a phone interview. "... I thought about it a lot, and I believe it is the logical step for me to continue doing the work I've been doing."
This is wrong on so many levels.
While Wetterling's work has been admirable, picking the DFL for a party is just...wrong.
They're the party of catch and release. The party of uncertain civil committment for sex offenders. The party of victim disarmament.
Not to blame the DFL for the crime, or any specific crime - but they created an environment in Minnesota where crime was easier to commit, and to get away with, than in nearly any other state.
Wetterling has widespread name recognition and could capitalize on the fundraising connections that she and her husband developed.
The Wetterlings created a foundation to focus national attention on missing children after a masked man stole away their 11-year-old son, Jacob. But Patty Wetterling is untested politically and is jumping into a pricey campaign a mere six months before Election Day.
Two experts in congressional politics rated her a long shot in an era when 99 percent of incumbents win reelection.
"Here's the harsh reality," said University of Minnesota political science Prof. Lawrence Jacobs. "She's a sympathy candidate running against an incumbent."
Not just an incumbent, but a very good one. Mark Kennedy is a serious candidate to run against Mark Dayton. He's a fine representative - worlds better than Bill Luther was - and the Sixth CD is lucky to have him.
Wetterling, well-meaning as she was, was a key piece of propaganda used to bash the loathsome 1994 Crime Bill through Congress. The bill - which enacted many of the facets of the Patriot Act that liberals and fundamentalists Libertarians are most exercised about - has done virtually nothing to fight crime. Not Wetterling's fault, of course - but her willingness to attach her name (virtually a sainted one in these parts) to such trite, opportunistic legislation doesn't bode well for the Sixth's future in Congress if she's elected.
"I didn't really seriously consider it until last Wednesday," Wetterling said. "I do not have money to run a campaign. I do not have a committee in place. I don't have a platform."
But, she said, she "would be fighting for a safer world for kids and for the future of our children."
Wetterling declined to say where she stands on issues such as tax cuts, the war in Iraq and abortion -- issues that could be at the center of many congressional races this fall.
"I have voted predominantly Democratic," she said, adding that as a congresswoman she would "make accountable, reasonable, responsible decisions."
Then when it comes to Iraq, taxes, abortion, victim disarmament and foreign policy, she's in the wrong party.
I'd urge Wetterling to reconsider this decision. She has done so much good in the grass-roots and private sectors; it'd be a shame to see it squandered by attaching herself to the DFL.
Posted by Mitch at
April 27, 2004 07:41 AM
Two questions:
Assuming that she is the candidate, what is the best way to beat someone who might be considered "untouchable" because 80% of her "appeal" is that she is a figure of sympathy?
Also, any chance that this blatant and disgusting attempt at exploiting tragedy in an election year might backfire by becoming “Wellstone Memorial Rally II” and fire up the GOP base enough to put Minnesota in the Bush column?
Posted by: PJZ at April 27, 2004 08:11 AMIn answer to your questions:
1. I don't know, and neither does Mark Kennedy. He hasn't exactly set the gold standards for positive campaigning. (Granted, in '02 he was running against the hacktacular--and remember, I am a Democrat--Janet Roberts, who ran possibly the worst ad in a Minnesota Congressional race since "Coya Come Home.")
2. No. Jacob Wetterling was kidnapped over a decade and a half ago, and Patti Wetterling has been an activist for almost as long. She's the "go-to" person for the media every time anyone (e.g. Dru Sjodin) disappears. Wetterling's statements thus far sound like a person who thinks this may well be the natural next step in advocacy. Pack a lunch, Rep. Kennedy.
As for Mitch's statement:
While Wetterling's work has been admirable, picking the DFL for a party is just...wrong.
I think he answers the why:
Wetterling, well-meaning as she was, was a key piece of propaganda used to bash the loathsome 1994 Crime Bill through Congress.
The crime bill wasn't my favorite piece of legislation either--but it was a Democratic President and a Democratic Congress that enacted the legislation, and Wetterling pushed hard for it. Why wouldn't she ally herself with the DFL?
And as for Wetterling's kidnapper, he or she has never been found. We don't know what their motivation was, we don't know what they were thinking. Blaming his kidnapping on the DFL is like blaming rain on Paul Douglas--maybe they have something to do with each other, but a causal link can't be shown.
As for me, I've gotta say for once, the DFL has done something right. It's always nice when your candidate has approximately 100% name recognition combined with an approximate 100% favorable rating.
I'd say Rep. Kennedy may be in big trouble.
Posted by: Jeff Fecke at April 27, 2004 02:43 PMActually she's the perfect DFL representative. The only reason she's even being considered qualified to run for the office is because she was a victim.
Vote for Patty Wettering. She lost her son and now we owe her?
Posted by: the elder at April 27, 2004 03:19 PMJeff,
Blaming his kidnapping on the DFL is like blaming rain on Paul Douglas--maybe they have something to do with each other, but a causal link can't be shown.
But I specifically *abjured* blaming the DFL for any specific crimes. I blame them for 30 years of making Minnesota a very safe place to be a criminal in general.
Is this "something right?" Well, Patty Wetterling may be less utterly noxious than the last woman who ran against Kennedy, but any rational voter (and the new Sixth is composed of good religious Republicans, so they mostly are) would have to be nuts to vote against an *excellent* congressman like Kennedy in favor of, essentially, a one-trick pony like Wetterling.
What Elder said!
Posted by: mitch at April 27, 2004 04:21 PMGaah. My first graf above should be italicized.
Stupid MT :-)
Posted by: mitch at April 27, 2004 04:22 PMJeff Fecke wrote:
"The crime bill wasn't my favorite piece of legislation either--but it was a Democratic President and a Democratic Congress that enacted the legislation, and Wetterling pushed hard for it. Why wouldn't she ally herself with the DFL?"
Because it was a Republican Congressman by the name of Jim Ramstad who actually sponsored the "Jacob Wetterling Act" which was the part of the Crime Bill that she lobbied for.
Posted by: PJZ at April 28, 2004 08:39 AMI do believe that Mark Kennedy needs to get back to the people in a grass roots effort to be reelected. We have faced many trials caused by government in our attempt to develop new and very good programs for the elderly in our district 6. We attempted to contact Congressman Kenedy for help. Trying to get him to hear our concerns was virtualy impossible. We have been asking ourselves this question: Where Is Mark Kennedy?
Patty Wetterling understands how to start a grass roots movement. It is very difficult to start a foundation that relies upon donations for it's funding unless you understand grass roots efforts.
We had called the Jacob Wetterling Foundation for help on a very important issue and they returned our call. They also helped apply pressure to resolve the issue.
We had supported Mark Kennedy in his last election. We helped him in parades, did night drops of literature, and voteds for him. I don,t know how much support we will be giving him this election year, especialy if she turns out to be a pro-life Democrat
Posted by: Robert P. Johnson at April 30, 2004 01:25 PMYou're so completely full of bullshit. Republicans not only let crooks go, but most Republicans ARE crooks themselves.
Posted by: Bob Fine at June 17, 2004 11:11 PMbush brown noser kennedy and his the man who's ass he's had his nose buried in for the last 4 years ... are both going down this fall.
take a look at the last two congressional special elections in republican strongholds (kentucky and south dakota) for a preview of whats in store for kennedy.
the pendulum is swinging back and all you clownies are going to have is 8 years of listening to rush (the hypocrite pill popper) and o'lielly cry ...
bye bye mark and george.
Posted by: spk at July 12, 2004 12:00 PM14 years of beating down doors to get sex offender legislation on the books in all 50 states and at the federal level. Yup, she's a real sympathy case. Catch a parade or a rally somewhere and go meet her. She's not flambouyant like so many pols, but she's a force to be reckoned with.
Posted by: Joe at July 22, 2004 10:38 PM