Veteran Minnesota Republican backing Kerry

[dflprincess]

http://ap.brainerddispatch.com/pstories/state/mn/20040622/2252519.shtml

WASHINGTON — A longtime Minnesota Republican and former Supreme Court justice, Ed Stringer, is backing Democrat John Kerry in this year's presidential election. An Associated Press review of campaign finance reports found that Stringer, who also worked for President George H.W. Bush, has contributed $2,000 to Kerry.

Reached Monday, Stringer said he didn't make the contribution as any kind of public statement. "This is really just a very personal feeling on my part that the current administration simply did not represent the direction of the country that I would like to go," said Stringer, 69, a former chief of staff to Gov. Arne Carlson.

Stringer, a lawyer in the Minneapolis law firm of Briggs & Morgan, cited Bush's policies on issues ranging from Iraq to the environment.
"There's hardly anything that this current administration has done that I would stand up and salute, including tax cuts and right down the line," Stringer said.

Bush's father, President George H.W. Bush, appointed Stringer general counsel of the U.S. Education Department in 1989. Carlson tapped Stringer as his chief of staff in 1992, then appointed him to the state Supreme Court in 1994. Stringer contributed $1,000 to Bush's 1992 re-election campaign, campaign finance reports show.

Stringer, who said he voted for Bush in 2000, described himself as a moderate Republican in the mold of Carlson — fiscally conservative, pro-environment and supportive of abortion rights. Stringer made this year's contribution at a Kerry fund-raiser in Minnesota two months ago. He said he had a brief conversation with the candidate.
"I wish I were more enthusiastic about his politics than I am," Stringer said of Kerry. "But I must say that given a choice between the two, there isn't any question that I think John Kerry would be a better president."

[fudge stripe cookays]

1. HA!

Take that Zell, you gelatinous pile of hypocritical, disgusting muck!

[no name no slogan]

2. I thought it might be Arne Carlson

I've heard he's pretty PO'd at the current MN Republicans. Rumor has it he now identifies himself as an Independent, and may even be supporting a Democrat in a local race.

I know Arne's been really unhappy with Pawlenty, especially regarding the budget and the "no new taxes" pledge. Even though I disagreed with Arne plenty of times while he was governor, he at least had a sense of fiscal responsibility, and knew how government worked.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

3. I've heard that Arne was a true fiscal conservative and a social...

libertarian.

[trotsky]

4. I am not ashamed to admit

that I voted for him in '90. Granted, Perpich at that point had really gone batty, but Carlson did pretty well for the state. And in fact, if not for his vouchers obsession, I'd say he did great.

[GAspnes]

5. voted for him too

I've crossed over a couple of times in my 30 years. Nicest thing about this state was the ability of a *competent* Republican politician to get elected.

[northernsoul]

6. I'm a yellowdogger - voted for Perpich

But I would welcome Arne back with open arms now. Hell, I'd even take Jesse back at this point.

[no name no slogan]

7. Many Democrats did

I didn't agree with Arne on many issues (esp education: how could he be such a booster of the U of M yet be such a hater on the public k-12 system?), but compared to what has come after him, he's downright inspired.

I was actually backing Mike Hatch against Perpich in 1990, but I was working for Wellstone actively that year. Strangely enough, I ended up at the state convention as a Perpich/Wellstone delegate (ah, the joys of subcaucusing!). Perpich was a good man, and did a whole lot for this state, but he had overstayed his welcome by 1990-- three terms were enough.

[Triple H]

8. It's about time the repukes come to their senses.