Deal Breaker

When Randy Kelly backed President George Bush, he stated that he was fed up with the negativity and pointed out an 'I Hate Bush' bumper triggered the endorsement:

"The common good will be better served on the path we're on than with an abrupt change of direction, especially one paved in part with political hatred," he told the state in an announcement from his backyard. The mayor cited an "I Hate Bush" bumper sticker he'd recently seen as evidence of this political hatred.

Now we have this in this AM's STRIB:

That is only one sign that Republicans are aligning themselves with Kelly, a lifelong DFLer who broke from his party to endorse Bush in 2004. A political action committee called Campaign for St. Paul's Future was launched last month by Joe Weber, a well-known Republican activist in Minnesota and brother of former Republican U.S. Rep. Vin Weber.

The group has hired Michael Brodkorb, a former state Republican spokesman, and paid him $4,000 so far to do issues research, according to campaign documents filed this month. The group's first $5,000 donation came from a Kelly backer Bruce A. Larson, who contributed $500 to the mayor in January.

Coleman said Wednesday that Brodkorb and Weber are Kelly's Republican "surrogates and they're clearly gearing up to run a negative campaign" even though the mayor has pledged to stay positive.

Kelly disavowed any connection with the group Wednesday

Kelly went on to talk about how he has signed a 'clean campaign pledge' to contain himself from his surrogates.

Randy is conforming to a GOP Rovian campaign. It looks like he will try to stay high road, and let the surrogates do the dirty work. I am wise enough to know how this process works. If Kelly chooses to go negative, alla Rove, SmearBoaters, and wolves in the woods, my vote in November becomes a no brainer. Kelly has enough he can tout to prove his worthiness to continue as mayor, but if he chooses to go negative, or allow those around him to do the same, it tells me he isn't very sure of himself.

I so desperately want to vote FOR someone in November, and Kelly is making it more and more difficult each day, as he aligns himself with the far Right failures, and a machine whose only goal is winning, not necessarily what is best for the city.

Flash