Pawlenty, Hatch Back Out of SEVERAL Debates

That's right... see the message below from Peter Hutchinson and Team Minnesota (I bolded a few words):

"Tim Pawlenty and Mike Hatch have backed out of 7 scheduled debates in the past 2 weeks. These included forums at the annual meetings of the League of Greater Minnesota Cities and the Minnesota School Boards Association – two organizations comprised of hundreds of elected officials from around the state. They have also ditched the planned debate at the Twin West Chamber of Commerce – a respected gathering of business leaders in the western suburbs. And, perhaps most upsetting of all, they have bailed on a great Minnesota tradition – live, on-air, at-the-Fair debates (one for Minnesota Public Radio and one for KTLK-FM).

What are they afraid of? I think it is two things – our ideas and your support!

Our Ideas
This week, my Team Minnesota colleagues and I released our Education policy – an aggressive plan to make the state’s education system (pre-K to college) the engine of long-term economic security and prosperity it needs to be. It will double the percentage of ninth graders who graduate from college (it is currently an unacceptably low 23 percent). You can read it all on our website at www.TeamMN.com. You can also find our plans for moving Minnesota forward in health care and transportation. We will be releasing our proposals for repairing our threatened environment and improving our energy independence before Labor Day. Ours are the most complete and most courageous proposals out there. That would be scary to those who think that inching along and tinkering are the same as leadership.

I also shared my ideas on Midmorning with Kerri Miller on Minnesota Public Radio on Thursday. You can listen to me responding to Kerri’s always challenging questions here. I will also be on Monday’s Midday show with Gary Eichten at 11AM. Tune in and encourage your friends, family, and colleagues to do the same. [Update: you can listen to Peter on Midday here.]

Your Support
My opponents are dodging public debates because they know that when people hear us, they like us. I have been all over this state – shaking hands with hundreds of thousands of folks in parades, coffee shops, meeting halls, you name it. The reaction has been fantastic. We have plans to do much more between now and November 7. Your support is our secret weapon.

- Your time: The next important volunteer opportunity is the State Fair. Contact Trevor at volunteer@teammn.com or 612-767-4465 and sign up for a 3-hour shift at one of our Team Minnesota booths. We promise it will be a lot of fun.

- Your word-of-mouth: Most Minnesotans are just now starting to “tune in” to all the campaign stuff. I need you to remind them that there is a great Independent choice for them this year (they don’t have to choose between the extreme left and the extreme right!). Encourage them to visit our website – www.TeamMN.com - and sign-up for our newsletter.

- Your money: Many of you have graciously given to this campaign; some of you have told me it has been more than you have given to all political campaigns in your life combined. Your money keeps us independent of the lobbyists, PACs, and special interests that are financing our opponents.

Please make another contribution now. Then convince 5 other people – neighbors, cousins, college roommates, co-workers – to give to our campaign and take advantage of the state’s refund program (you get back the first $50 of your contribution within 6 weeks of filing the simple form). Go to www.TeamMN.com and make a secure online contribution using a credit card or find the mailing address to send a check.

Thanks for your continued support of our ideas to take back Minnesota politics and move this state forward – Not Left. Not Right. Forward!"