Senate Campaign: Now and Then

More than a year ago, on a nice September afternoon, the candidates for the DFL U.S. Senate endorsement came out to talk to the party faithful, whom they hoped would vote for them.

This was back when the candidates were Amy Klobuchar, who won the endorsement and is currently running against Mark Kennedy and Robert Fitzgerald; Ford Bell, who threatened to run in the primary after he didn’t get the endorsement but backed off and endorsed Klobuchar on filing day; Patty Wetterling, who you may recall being asked by Mike Hatch (DFL Gubernatorial candidate) to be his running mate when she announced she was going to endorse Klobuchar before finally running for CD6; and Kelly Doran, who didn’t actually show up to the debate and announced shortly thereafter that he’d be running for governor instead.

Because Klobuchar is the only one who’s still in the senate race, here’s a quick comparison of her views as voiced at that debate and what she says these days.

more insideEnergy Policy
Last year: She spoke of how energy independence is a national security issue. She also mentioned supporting the 20/20 policy.
This year:

This growing dependence on foreign oil threatens both our prosperity and our national security.

We also need renewable standards for electricity so that 20 percent of our electricity comes from sources like wind and solar energy by 2020. 

Health Care
Last year: She said that the government needed to negotiate to get medical costs down. In the debate she didn’t endorse single payer universal care
This year:

I will work to make sure that the government negotiates lower prices with pharmaceutical companies.

Iraq
Last year: She wasn’t for a full and immediate troop withdrawal. She said she wanted no permanent bases in Iraq.
This year:

I have been asking the President to give the nation a clear plan to bring our troops home safely. As with any effective plan, there should be a realistic time-frame based on specific milestones and benchmarks, with honest and current information from the administration about the status of our efforts, the training of the Iraqi forces, and the restoration of basic services to Iraq.

Hunting
Last year: She spoke extensively about the importance of hunting in the Minnesota economy and for the environment.
This year: Under “Conservation