A Final Word: Thanks!

The Four Freshman Senators with Majority Leader Judy Robson

I have had several days to ponder this problem, but after more than a year of giving spontaneous speeches and writing pre-planned internet columns, I still have no adequate way of thanking everyone who made this State Senate campaign such a success. That's right, Pat Kreitlow is speechless!

The most frequent question I've been asked is how I felt when it was apparent that we had won. That's simple: Relief! The sheer exhaustion probably kept me in a state of disbelief until late Thursday morning. That's when I climbed the capitol steps in Madison for the first time, and it finally felt like I had actually won the election. I met my Democratic Senate colleagues, swapped campaign horror stories over lunch, and then held our first open caucus. The reception afterward finally had the feel of a victory party.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to have a similar party with my own staff and volunteers! The drive back from Madison on Friday included four hours stuck on the interstate just south of Osseo in an early snowstorm, so we had to put off the celebration for a few days.

Negotiating Gridlock is Never Easy
About an hour into our snowy gridlock, I put on my jacket and tried to find a flat part of the median to make a U-turn. It took a good 20 minutes to find a spot, and even from the top of that hill I couldn't spot the original wreck that was blocking all of us. A tour bus was partially blocking the U-turn and our ability to double back to the previous exit, but there was just enough room to squeeze past on the left side, I figured, if a nearby truck driver would scoot his rig over to an open space in the right lane.

It took a few minutes --and a lot more snowfall-- to get to the trucker. He agreed the cars could get past him if he moved, but he wasn't going to move unless three other rigs nearby allowed him to go past them to fit in that open spot.

So... I turned around and headed back into the wind, getting permission from the three other drivers. Then, back down the hill to tell the trucker he could open up our path to escape the snowy quagmire. As he scooted over, some of the cars made their move. Each driver had me repeat the instructions to go to the top of the hill, squeeze alongside the tour bus, take the U-turn, head back to the previous exit, head west, then north, and get back on the interstate at Osseo. My coat was soaked through and my throat was getting soar. But I was making progress, or at least a few of the drivers were. My car was still farther down the hill.

When I got there, I was complimented on my ability to negotiate, seek compromises and accomplish a goal. Actually, all my passenger said was, "Nice job, Senator!"

We moved a few feet. Then we stopped.

That, dear readers, is the lesson every legislator must learn: the best negotiated deals toward progress can be stopped up by one jerk who doesn't want to play along! And while I would've gone back to the drawing board for a health care bill or a better tax relief plan, I wasn't going to go back out into that mini-blizzard for a chance at road rage over one guy too chicken to squeeze past a tour bus. Instead, I had to settle for watching a kid build snowmen alongside her mom's car for two more hours!

Deals fall through. Dinners get canceled. Plans have to change. But you have to be true to your nature. In my case, I had to try to get people moving, even if it didn't work that particular time. You never get everything you want, but you have to want something.

Do More
I have always had high contempt for complacency. Don't settle your principles or your condition if there is room for improvement. There's no way I can live with low expectations of myself. As a kid from a poor family, I was going to study my brains out to get into college and do more. Later, as a news anchor, there's no way I was going to just read a teleprompter in a studio. I was going to report and dig and challenge our reporters and improve our product until I felt a tug to do more.

And now it's time for me to "do more." For me, that means improving health care, reforming property taxes, protecting rural schools and seeking other measures that help give people the chance to improve their lives. It's never about handouts, it's about opportunities. Complacency with a broken government is no longer an option. We have an opportunity to improve it and make Wisconsin even better than it is already.

Closing Credits
I'm sorry if you were expecting pointed political analysis from this final entry of the campaign. It's over and I'm not going to claim credit or lay blame or re-fight past battles. If you lose, it's whining; if you win, it's gloating. Let me only say this: you need a good candidate, yes, and a candidate needs to have good values and a good message. But a winning campaign --as much as anything-- needs a good core staff, an enthusiastic corps of volunteers, and a plan.

My staff and my volunteers had no equal in this state for enthusiasm, energy, determination and a willingness to invest so much of their time into my efforts. I won't name them all here; they've been pestered enough and fully deserve to return to their private lives. But they know how much I cherish them and they know the debt I'll always feel for their efforts to help me over the past year.

There are some public people I don't mind thanking: Dave Obey, Ron Kind, Russ Feingold, Herb Kohl, Jim and Jessica Doyle, Barbara Lawton. Each of them provided me with encouragement, advice, support, contacts or resources. They are great role models for progressive ideals, selflessness and service.

Finally, a toast to Jeff Smith. He was the first person to call when I began thinking of running this race. He had learned lessons from his loss a year earlier, and he was adamant about party unity, strategy, message, working a plan and good communications. He also was the first of many who reminded me to trust my gut and not let others take over the candidate's campaign. Jeff was right, and it helped make him a successful candidate the second time around. He will be a real leader in the Wisconsin State Assembly. I'm proud to be serving with him.

I hope I will be the kind of leader in the Wisconsin State Senate who makes you proud, as well. Thank you.

Thank You!

Much more to follow... but I REALLY can't thank my volunteers and supporters enough for such an outstanding campaign.

There is so much to do! Many closing credits to follow!

Now It's Your Turn. Go Vote.

For 13 months I've been talking to voters about the need to elect new legislators. Now, on the eve of the 2006 election it seems that most voters feel this way as well. They're unhappy with what hasn't been accomplished by the same old crop of politicians in the White House, in Congress, and in our Wisconsin Legislature. They want change.

For voters, this election season has been less about political parties and more about new leadership. The Grand Old Party, however, has tried to stay in power by demonizing Democrats, using plenty of old scare tactics and some new ones, too. As you've heard me say over and over again, when you cannot defend your record, your only hope is to attack your opponents. Republicans with poor records only win their races if they divide us enough or scare us enough.

But that effort is less successful this time around because the voters have had enough.

So it's time for you to express your choices, and I'm very hopeful about the results. But before you click away from here one last time before voting, please allow me to express a super-size debt of gratitude to some unbelieveable people who have been part of this humble legislative campaign.

It would be impossible to thank everyone, of course, and I won't even try until after the campaign closes. But beyond the "regular crew," there are so many people who need to know how much I appreciate their efforts.

People who showed up to march with me in countless parades.

People who went online to give those $10 and 15 contributions.

People who came to those early "meet and greets" in their neighbors' kitchens.

People who showed up for an hour to stuff envelopes.

People who invited me to their small group meetings.

People who took around lawn signs, picked up pizzas, or forced themselves to listen to my stump speech more than four times! You all have my deepest gratitude.

I also couldn't ask for a better group of Democrats to join me on the ballot to challenge area incumbents or fight for open seats: Roberta Rasmus, Tim Swiggum, Jeff Smith, Michael Turner, Kathleen Vinehout, Kerry Kittel and Curtis Miller. Each one of these people has worked thousands of hours and knocked on thousands of doors to help voters see the better choices that exist for leadership in our state capitol. They have truly earned your vote.

I have the best campaign staff in the state of Wisconsin: an old TV buddy, a couple of new local friends and a couple of recent college graduates. That's it; that's the team. We've asked for, received, sifted through, and used tons of free advice from countless others: experts and amateurs from Madison to Eau Claire to Colfax to Spencer. But the best advice was the first advice from very trusted people: don't give it up to the so-called experts, trust your gut and run your own campaign.

Based on the response we've been receiving, that was the right advice to follow.

The commercials --and my message-- were simple: just tell the voters why they should elect you. We want affordable and portable health care coverage. We want middle class property tax relief. We want to be a leader in new energy to keep our gas prices down. We want new jobs for our kids. We want our kids to get a good education. We want our government to be clean again. We want leaders who listen to us, not just their biggest donors.

But beyond advertising, the actual "campaign trail" winds from door to door to door... to coffee shops and bars and restaurants... to forums, meetings, backyard barbeques and rallies. The ultimate form of retail politics is still done the old fashioned way: one handshake at a time.

And victory comes one vote at a time. So vote. Don't take anything for granted. Don't expect things to get better if the same bunch stays in power. And don't let anything get in the way of having leaders who work for us.

For a change.

Their Little Last Minute Trick: Kreitlow/Kreibich

For the past few weeks --once it became obvious that the Zien campaign and its allied groups would stoop to all manner of distortions and lies-- we've been learning about the process of filing a complaint with the State Elections Board, knowing a rapid response would be needed for any last-minute dirty tricks.

True to form, the last gasp of their desperate campaign has revealed itself: a flyer designed to look exactly like one of ours, complete with "Breaking News" about a former TV-13 anchor "endorsing" Sen. Dave Zien.

"Surprising Turn of Events in 23rd Senate Race Gives Dave Zien Huge Election Boost"

The top of the flyer includes an NBC News Decision 2006 logo. Not a really good copycat version... the actual logo! It seems certain Republicans can add federal copyright rules to the list of laws and liberties that only apply to them when it suits their needs!

But Pat, those nice people at the Chippewa County Republican Party who produced the flyer are just trying to clear up voter confusion. After all, plenty of people occasionally mix up Pat Kreitlow and Rob Kreibich.

Wouldn't that be nice if that were their intent? However, if you were going to point out the differences between two people you'd mention both people, and you'd design it with your own graphics, not copy the other guy's.

What you have here, instead, is an intentional, premeditated effort to confuse voters into thinking Sen. Zien received some kind of key last-minute support. (You don't really think Rep. Kreibich, a 14-year incumbent Republican, is just now endorsing Zien, do you?) Or, they hope the flyer will leave some voters confused about Kreitlow versus Kreibich, and that the confused voters will either cast a ballot for the wrong guy or just not vote in that race.

So, what, is there some kind of law that says you can't intentionally confuse voters?

Actually, even in this era of mudslinging, the answer is yes.

Wisconsin State Statute 12.05 - False representations affecting elections. No person may knowingly make or publish, or cause to be made or published, a false representation pertaining to a candidate or referendum which is intended or tends to affect voting at an election.

Is it false representation to announce a "surprising" endorsement from a fellow Republican with a name similar to your Democratic opponent using literature that looks just like his two days before the election? The State Elections Board will have to decide if it's worth a penalty, but it's defintely worth throwing out the challenge flag.

But Pat, the horse is already out of the barn, right?

True. That why dirty tricks don't come out until the last minute. Even if the State Elections Board looks at a complaint from us on Monday, that's when most of these flyers will likely be arriving in voters' mailboxes.

That won't stop us, however, from calling attention to this one last desperate distortion from Zien's supporters. Voters don't like it when campaigns insult their intelligence; and that's been the very foundation of ads with messages like, "Pat Kreitlow is against our families!" and so on.

Finally, the flyer calls into question the credibility of that other former TV-13 news anchor, Rep. Rob Kreibich. If he knowingly gave his approval to a premeditated distortion and a potentially illegal campaign ad, it certainly gives voters a reason to question his ethics. That would strike a chord with voters in his district who don't live up here in Dave Zien's district, but could use this sorry episode to "send a message" by voting for Jeff Smith.

And there's another reason Rep. Kreibich should publicly condemn the flyer: The geniuses at the Chippewa County GOP who wrote the flyer spelled his name wrong in the endorsement quote. What kind of former journalist doesn't spell check his own name!

The End (of the Blog) is Near!

Well, readers, it has been an outstanding campaign... with all sorts of new friends in places throughout the 23rd State Senate district. I have enjoyed so many events and conversations at parades, festivals, forums, farm visits, home visits, and on and on and on.

But with just a few days left in the campaign, the final push is on to remind everyone to vote... and that's going to leave little time left for columns here at Kreitlow Corner.

I've really enjoyed the conversations that have been sparked by all these essays and commentaries. I've also enjoyed watching certain people twist these words into completely different positions, just as expected. Their tactics and their ethics didn't surprise me much at all.

Nor did their fundraising which, as predicted, ended strong. The special interests funding Dave Zien's campaign will outspend us 5:1 in certain areas during this closing weekend of TV, radio and mail ads. Personally, I think it's about as fiscally reckless as the budgets they write. If you aren't supporting Sen. Zien after getting 17 pieces of mail from him and his buddies, will the 18th piece really get you to change your vote?!

The final weekend of ads will feature a heavy dose of wedge issues designed to distract voter attention from the legislature's failure to help Wisconsin families with issues like affordable health care, responsible tax relief and keeping our rural schools from having to close their doors.

WMC and All Children Matter and Sporting Heritage and Dave Zien have tossed out scary numbers ranging from "Pat Kreitlow supports $800 million in new taxes" to "Pat Kreitlow supports $22 billion in new taxes."

I expect their final commercials will say I support $99 BAJILLION in new taxes!

"Pat Kreitlow even has a secret plan to create the word BAJILLION so he can raise your taxes higher."

WMC & Dave Zien's Little Secret
But here's what they're not telling you. Dave Zien and WMC and the others don't give a rip about your taxes. It's all about taxes on the Big Businesses who shovel all those profits into the pockets of these career politicians. And when they keep ratcheting up all the corporate exemptions and loopholes, where do you think that shortfall is made up?

That's right. Our property taxes.

That's why this race features only one candidate who's actually talking about lowering your property tax burden: me.

Only one candidate wants to see REAL middle class property tax relief, not more loopholes for millionaires.

Only one candidate in this race wants you to have health care coverage that you can take anywhere --whatever your job-- and see a doctor before an illness gets serious and expensive.

Only one candidate in this race is promising to clean up the mud in Madison.

Only one candidate in this race wants to represent working families.

And no amount of fiction in this weekend's attack ads can change that.

One or two final posts to come. Now, get out there and remind people to vote!

Showing Their True Colors

When you do not have ideas on how to lead, you resort to desperate measures.

Rush Limbaugh mocks Parkinson’s patient Michael J. Fox.

New York Republican Senate candidate John Spencer implies Sen. Hillary Clinton has had millions of dollars worth of plastic surgery because she was ugly as a child.

The Republican National Committee runs an against against black Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. that ends with a bare-shouldered white woman implying they met at a Playboy party, hoping to play off Tennesseeans’ prejudices against inter-racial dating.

3rd District candidate Paul R. Nelson runs lewd ads against Rep. Ron Kind for spending money “on sex,” and spells out graphic details of various federally funded studies.

And these are just the examples from 2006. We don’t even have to go back to how the G.O.P. smeared former Sen. Max Cleland, swift-boated Sen. John Kerry, or introduced us to a guy named Willie Horton.

So, why would anyone think I’m surprised by this year’s tactics by State Senator Dave Zien and his allies:

“Pat Kreitlow is against our families.”

“Pat Kreitlow can’t be trusted.”

“Pat Kreitlow changed his mind after receiving campaign contributions.”

“Pat Kreitlow wants armed intruders to feel safe in your home.”

“Pat Kreitlow is against the precious gift of life.”

“Pat Kreitlow wants to tax our wheelchairs.”

“Pat Kreitlow is against marriage.”

This is the kind of stuff that awaits just one family guy choosing to take on his local State Senator. It demonstrates in the sharpest possible manner why so few regular people choose to run for elected office when this is the kind of garbage that awaits anyone who challenges a Republican incumbent. Their nearly untouchable re-election rate becomes easier to appreciate.

I get asked every day –by people who have to be exposed to these attacks in their mailboxes and on their radios and televisions—why I’m still so optimistic and upbeat about the campaign. It’s simple, really. It’s hard to be bothered by something so blatantly over-the-top as campaign literature featuring a man in a ski mask. It’s hard to take an “anti-family, anti-marriage” accusation seriously when you’ve enjoyed an amazing 20-year marriage with all the joys that two beautiful daughters bring into our home. It’s easy to appreciate “the precious gift of life” when your wife has brought more than 1,000 babies into the world and has helped thousands more women with their health care.

And, above all, it’s easy to see voter anger when they’re told “Pat Kreitlow can’t be trusted.” It insults their intelligence since they’ve trusted me with the day’s news for a decade and at untold numbers of community events and special projects.

We know where the real lack of trust is found. They display it in our capitols and in their advertising. And more is on the way.

So batton down the hatches. A few more waves of slime are about to come crashing on our shores in their effort to keep you away from the polls. We only have to do two final things in this campaign. Ride it out. Then vote ‘em out.

They Ran, But They Could Not Hide

UPDATE: Priceless. That's how one observer put it. The looks on the faces of Sen. Dave Zien, Rep. Jeff Wood and Rep. Rob Kreibich when we entered the Dunn County Towns Association meeting last night. Sure, we didn't get there until the last few minutes of their meeting. But we showed up. We were recognized by the chairman, and we hung around afterward to meet the area's township officials. They understood that good candidates work hard to meet all their commitments. They don't cut and run.


GOP "Boycotts" Forum - No, It's Plain Ol' Paranoia

(October 23) - 23rd District State Senate candidate Pat Kreitlow comments on the mass exodus of Republican legislative candidates from tonight’s scheduled forum at South Middle School, sponsored by the American Association of University Women, League of Women Voters, Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health, and Women in Higher Education.

“I used to think the area’s legislative incumbents were just afraid to debate the issues on a stage. Now the fear seems to have blossomed into full-fledged paranoia. They give the impression that they combed through the political donation history of each forum’s organizers, just hoping to find an excuse to avoid being challenged by their own constituents about their sorry record of legislative accomplishments.

“To this point in the campaign, I have met my opponent in forums that included sponsorships by local electric cooperatives, insurance agents, nursing home operators, and chambers of commerce. As evidenced by the shameful commercials being run against me by the state chamber of commerce (WMC), it is pretty clear I don’t let someone’s political preference prevent the public from the opportunity to ask me questions about the issues in this campaign.

“Sen. Dave Zien, on the other hand, has skipped a health care forum in Chippewa Falls, he has rejected a debate invitation from the Western Wisconsin Press Club, he has cancelled a commitment to a debate organized by high school students at Chi-Hi, he cancelled a commitment to a pre-primary radio debate in order to tape a negative campaign commercial, and now he is backing out of tonight’s forum even though he and the rest of us were given a preview of the topics, including women’s health issues and education funding.

“Sen. Dave Zien thinks a barrage of attack ads and deceptive mailings will be enough to win re-election. The voters here in the 23rd District will not reward that kind of campaigning. They want leadership on the issues that matter. No more lies, no more excuses, no more gimmicks, no more whining,” Kreitlow said.

For the record, the forum was very well organized and very well attended. The crowd of nearly 200 people heard us answer questions on health care, school funding, out-of-state trash, and legislative gridlock. The incumbents missed a great opportunity to talk about these issues with their constituents instead of playing political games and using an area townships meeting as an excuse to skip out.