Anniversary!
By Mitch Berg
Today is the sixth anniversary of Mark Dayton’s closing of his US Senate office.
Dayton, advised that there was a threat of a terror attack against DC, opted to send his staff home, and fled to Minnesota, leaving the business of government to the 543 other Congresspeople.
The episode sealed his place as America’s Worst Senator.
And it made him a hero to America’s 9/11 truthers:
It seems like yesterday.
Never moreso than today.
October 12th, 2010 at 7:17 am
Hey, what would you do if there were U-Boats surfacing in your office anteroom?
October 12th, 2010 at 8:45 am
When danger reared it’s fearsome head, Mark bravely turned his tail and fled.
October 12th, 2010 at 9:07 am
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by mitchpberg, Luke Hellier and Deanna Boss, NARN2. NARN2 said: Today is the sixth anniversary of @Mark_Dayton closing his Senate office: http://bit.ly/blteEA #stribpol #mn2010 #narn2 – Worst Senator! […]
October 12th, 2010 at 10:11 am
I’m still confused as to what the other 543 congresspeople were doing in DC during recess. Isn’t that when they should be in their home districts meeting with their constituents?
Makes a great “chanting point” though.
October 12th, 2010 at 10:51 am
‘Ats notta you-boat… datsa my boat!
October 12th, 2010 at 11:22 am
“Isn’t that when they should be in their home districts meeting with their constituents?”
While keeping their DC offices open to business.
October 12th, 2010 at 11:40 am
And not making a public declaration that they are closing their office for “safety reasons”.
October 12th, 2010 at 12:15 pm
yesbutno, you keep your offices open in both DC and your district so that your constituents can keep in contact with you, silly.
Of course, America’s Worst Senator, who hopes to become America’s Worst Governor, probably didn’t want to hear that, did he?
By the way, 534 other members of Congress, plus nonvoting from DC and I think Puerto Rico.
October 12th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
“While keeping their DC offices open to business.”
He moved his staff to other Senate office space away from Capitol Hill or to Fort Snelling Federal Building in Minnesota and routed phone calls to his Minnesota office. What business wasn’t being done?
October 12th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
What business wasn’t being done?
A little thing we like to call “upholding the dignity of the office and the honor of the country”.
But I bet that sounds like Klingon to you, doesn’t it?
October 12th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
“A little thing we like to call “upholding the dignity of the office and the honor of the country”.
But I bet that sounds like Klingon to you, doesn’t it?”
Well, it certainly is subjective. The same could be said about getting a suspect sweetheart deal on your DC apartment. Really neither here nor there altogether.
However, if that’s the answer you choose,swiftee, I’ll take it as a “that’s that.”
October 12th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
As an exercise in good judgement and risk assessment, Mark Dayton’s flight from the Capitol stands out by virtue of the complete absence of either, no matter how Yesbut spins it.
October 12th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
Bizarre actions by a confessed alcoholic with depression issues = “possibly getting a sweetheart deal on a rented room”.
An absolute classic, Yesbutno, you are to the left everyone accept Dayton apologists!
October 12th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
Yesbutno said:
“I’m still confused …”
That much is certain.
“… as to what the other 543 congresspeople were doing …”
Well, it seems pretty clear they were not doing their “chicken little” impression. Perhaps they were looking to the future, attempting to avoid grading their own legislative performance an “F”?
October 12th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
e same could be said about getting a suspect sweetheart deal on your DC apartment.
Which was actually market rate for what was essentially an efficiency – but was mischaracterized by a media that was in the bag for Franken.
Yep. Exactly the same as running away like a scared kitten and launching a 9/11 conspiracy theory for purely political motives.
October 12th, 2010 at 3:33 pm
With all due respect, Yesbutno, when the DC office is closed, the business that requires interacting with agencies and people in the District of Columbia is impaired.
Now as a libertarian/conservative who despises Dayton’s politics, I applaud him not doing his job, but the fact remains that this is more problematic in an executive branch job.
October 12th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
“And your campaign’s main mouthpiece, Alliance for a Better Minnesota, has run an absolute slime-fest – lying and/or mangling the context of Emmer’s criminal record, proposed education budget, and voting record.”
Question to Mad Mark: I believe one of the things you said during the Hamline U Gov debate was that you are determined to run a campaign that is free of personal attack ads; are you unaware that ABM (which is largely funded by your family members) has been, and is doing that on your be-half?
Would you also be willing to state that the claims in the ads are factually untrue, and publicly reprimand ABM for funding and producing them?
October 12th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
I’ll answer for Mark: “No!”
October 12th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Really neither here nor there altogether.
Ya got that one right between the eyes.
October 12th, 2010 at 4:19 pm
“Yep. Exactly the same as running away like a scared kitten and launching a 9/11 conspiracy theory for purely political motives.”
Both are rife with subjectivity.
Now back to the earlier question (restated): Ideology aside, where was the dereliction of duty?
It is implied in the above article.
Here’s the breakdown [with my coments added]:
“Dayton, advised that there was a threat of a terror attack against DC, opted to send his staff home [relocated offices and operations], and fled to Minnesota [was in his home state during the recess], leaving the business of government to the 543 other Congresspeople [how so?].”
October 12th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
So, Yesbutno, is it okay for a public official in high office –one with known alcohol and mental issues — to exhibit bizarre behavior?
This isn’t a Left/Right thing. Even liberals have expressed concern about the episode — until it became time to close ranks when Dayton decided to run for governor.
I don’t even live in Minnesota, but it seems odd that the people there are seriously considering electing Dayton governor. Dayton cracked under the pressure of Junior senator. Governor is a much more serious office, every day he will make decisions that affect the health and well being of everyone in the state.
Perhaps you are hoping that he hits the bottle hard and lets the state be run by political appointees and DFL legislators?
October 12th, 2010 at 4:43 pm
Both are rife with subjectivity.
Only to a fool desperate to defend an alcoholic, mentally ill, cowardly, trust fund baby in his run for chief executive of Minnesota.
October 12th, 2010 at 5:14 pm
Yesbutno paraphrased:
“He relocated his offices,
he bravely relocated his offices,
when danger reared it’s ugly head,
he bravely relocated his offices and fled …
… and his behavior was absolutely normal, not even a little bit nutty, and in no way deranged.”
Does that capture what you’re trying to say, Yesbutno?
October 12th, 2010 at 5:29 pm
What business wasn’t being done?
Among other things, constituent service for Minnesotans who are visiting Washington, DC. But fortunately the staff of the senator with the sweetheart apartment you decry was there to pick up the slack in Brave Sir Mark’s absence.
October 12th, 2010 at 5:50 pm
Smokey:
I didn’t support Dayton in the primaries, but as of now feel he is the candidate that best represents me. He says he is up to the task (now more so than ever) and I’ll take him at his word.
I know you all consider me a “moonbat,” which is fine—I’ve been coming to SitD to question my perceptions and have refrained from posting until now. I wouldn’t expect to change anyone’s ideology as much I wouldn’t expect anyone to change my own. But I do like to have a complete picture if possible. I hope Mitch would like people to challenge his posts as well rather than completely surrounding himself with sycophants.
October 12th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
“Among other things, constituent service for Minnesotans who are visiting Washington, DC. But fortunately the staff of the senator with the sweetheart apartment you decry was there to pick up the slack in Brave Sir Mark’s absence.”
Such as? Seriously, this is getting closer to answering the question, but I’d like you to be more specific. He had staff available in DC in another location, though he was not there himself (he would not have been even if he hadn’t closed his Capital Hill office). Were there any incidents of people not being able to contact him when they needed to?
October 12th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
Yesbutno, you’ve tried to make the case that Dayton’s bizarre behaviour wasn’t bizarre. That’s not accepting his faults, that is denying them.
Emmer had two DUI’s (argued down to lesser charges) a few decades ago. I wouldn’t argue that these shouldn’t be considered marks against him. I imagine that there might be people who hold it against him for legitimate reasons. That is their right.
You seem to be arguing that it is not legitimate to consider Dayton’s alcohol and mental health issues when choosing for whom to vote for governor.
As I mentioned, I don’t even live in Minnesota and I find it astounding that Minnesotans would consider putting a person with Dayton’s demonstrated personal and political failings in office. It’s obviously a vanity run he’s making because he thinks that it will exercise whatever demons he’s been fighting for forty+ years. God help you if he wins.
October 12th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
Smokey:
I never really said it wasn’t bizarre, my main point was that there was no dereliction of duty. Paying your rent in furniture is bizarre, but it’s all subjective. I have my own reasons for being wholly unimpressed with the other candidates, but again, not really germane to this forum.
October 12th, 2010 at 10:31 pm
You argue against something you say is implied, but never stated?
That argument implies that there are Germans in Georgetown, so I must ask “Where are the Germans in Georgetown?”, because I don’t think there are any Germans in Georgetown. And that is my main point. As pointless as your own.
October 12th, 2010 at 10:32 pm
Or maybe you have to look past the lack of duty to see the crazy?
October 12th, 2010 at 11:24 pm
Well, we know that Yesbutno does not think that well-publicized bizarre behaviour by a high-level public official in performance of his public duties is meaningless when that Democrat is running for office again!
October 13th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Regarding Yesbutno’s defense of Mr. Dayton; if indeed his DC office was not necessary to the exercise of his Senatorial duties, we still need to condemn him for keeping it open and wasting taxpayer money.
Duh.
Never mind the fact that if his office was actually necessary, taking his staff 1000 miles from their files will indeed impact their effectiveness. I am starting to suspect that Mr. Yesbutno, like Mr. Dayton, has never held a real job.