Facts or Fear-Based Attacks? Kennedy on Klobuchar

U.S. Senate candidates Mark Kennedy (R)  and Amy Klobuchar (D) debated Sunday, October 29, 2006 at the University of St. Thomas. During the televised debate, Kennedy railed on Klobuchar for responding too slowly when a Klobuchar campaign worker was accused of stealing a Kennedy ad before it aired.

The problem is, Kennedy's "facts" regarding the incident are nothing more than a reworking of the real facts. He claimed that Klobuchar personally "sat on" the information that one of her workers had "stolen" the ad for several days before addressing the issue. What actually happened is that, immediately upon discovering that someone had received access to the unaired Kennedy ad, Ms. Klobuchar reported the incident to the FBI.

In comparing her response to the incident to the response of a slew of Republicans involved in the recent scandal regarding Republican Congressman Mark Foley, there is no denying that Klobuchar's actions prove her to be the more honest and trustworthy.

Other "Kennedy Facts" include things like "Klobuchar will raise taxes by $1.5 million." The reality check reveals that Klobuchar actually plans tax cuts for most middle-income Americans. She also plans to close a loophole which allows for the evasion of taxes through offshoring, crack down on the under-reporting of capital gains and end big giveaways to oil companies. Klobuchar plans to provide even further tax relief for middle Americans in the areas of home buying, college tuition and the cost of caring for elders.

Another "Kennedy Fact" is that Klobuchar will raise Social Security taxes. The actual fact is that Amy Klobuchar has never advocated raising taxes on Social Security. The Klobuchar plan calls for paying down the national debt in order to strengthen Social Security - not to raise taxes on it. In her August 29, 2006 speech, Klobuchar said,

"We should start paying down the debt instead of running it up.  Then we should resume using part of the surplus to protect Social Security.  In fact, paying down the debt actually has a benefit nobody talks about much these days: it allows us to protect social security without the need for tax increases, raising wage caps or cutting benefits.  If that's not a good reason to change course, I don't know what is."

And yet another "Kennedy Fact": "Klobuchar plans to give Social Security to illegal immigrants." The truth is Klobuchar opposes providing Social Security to illegal immigrants and would vote to change current law that does.

Real Clear Politics average polling data cites Klobuchar ahead of Kennedy by 12.7 points. Rasmussen gives Klobuchar a hefty 15-point lead, Zogby shows Klobuchar ahead by 7 points and SurveyUSA's latest poll gives Klobuchar a 16-point lead. With just one week to go, the polls look dismal for the congressman.

In a recent televised debate, Representative Marty Seifert (R, House District 21A) said he was disgusted by a recent Kennedy television ad and that negative ads turn voters off.

As of yesterday, October 30, 2006, more than 40 Minnesota newspapers have endorsed Amy Klobuchar including the Pioneer Press, Duluth Tribune, ECM and the West Central Tribune.

In addition, a mathematics project by MIT students has revealed their prediction that Mark Kennedy has a 0% chance of winning on November 7 (see MNPublius).

So, what's really behind the "Kennedy Facts"? Could it be that the Congressman simply doesn't understand Ms. Klobuchar's positions? Could he be misinformed by someone on his staff? Is Kennedy, perhaps, afraid that his own positions and record on issues are not close enough to those of his constituents? Is he afraid of what he has to offer?  Or is he distorting the truth because he is afraid he is losing?