On the Streets: The Value Size Edition

Before the final debates for the governors and senators race the intersection of Exchange and Wabasha filled up with candidate supporters, chanting, shouting, singing and drumming up enthusiasm for the last two days of campaigning.

By five Hatch and Klobuchar supporters had started to turn out and were trying to cover all 4 corners. Soon after a Hutchinson contingent showed up in bright orange shirts and ponchos with Indy the Buffalo. The Hutchinson team managed to take over one of the corners while the Hatch team rallied with Hatch’s daughter speaking as well as DFL Associate Chair Donna Cassault.

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The Hutchinson team with the guitarist and Buffalo sang “We’re not going to take it, anymore”. A group of teens on the Hatch corner retaliated with “You’re not going to make it, but we are.” They had about 50 people singing as loud as they could.

Nearly an hour later a bus with some Pawlenty supporters showed up and tried to get some traction on one of the corners but with only about 15 people, 25 with the Kennedy folks they had a hard time making a dent in the show of Hatch and Klobuchar signs.

The nearly block and a half line to get into the Fitzgerald for the free and final debate had plenty of people without buttons or stickers on proclaiming their allegiance, a few undecided people turned out to hear the final candidate pitches.

There were plenty of people who did have their minds made up.

“I think they [the Pawlenty supporters] are at the Chili Peppers concert.” Tim from Shorewood was out supporting Governor Pawlenty, “He got us out of a budge mess without raising taxes.” He was very pleased with Pawlenty’s environmental record as well as the JOBZ program saying Pawlenty is “progressive on creating jobs out in rural Minnesota”.

Boris, a Hutchinson supporter from Downtown St. Paul, said, “I’ve been supporting Peter since July when I saw his campaign video online.” He said the reason he supported Hutchinson was “he is the only one who is going to address the issues.”

“I’m tired of property taxes going up,” said Carol a Hatch supporter from Near North Minneapolis, “I’d be happy to pay more taxes if we got important things out of it, I’d like to see medical care for the poor.”  Carol who said she agreed with Hatch on all the issues said, “I think he represents Minnesotan’s better than Pawlenty.”

You can listen to the debate here.

Color code for signs:
Blue with red- Hatch
Blue with green- Klobuchar
Red with White- Pawlenty
Blue with white- Kennedy
Orange with Blue- Hutchinson
Yellow shirts- Hatch