Upstart Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer says he won't rest until he bests Al Franken.

[LaStrega]

Upstart Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer says he won't rest until he bests Al Franken.

Tall and lean at 57, with a shock of snowy hair and a manner both passionate and professorial, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer calls himself the insurgent in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race.

While DFL front-runner Al Franken does another turn on CNN or heads out to California for a fundraiser, Nelson-Pallmeyer has quietly slid into the No. 2 spot, trouncing renowned trial attorney Mike Ciresi in several recent endorsing conventions. Trailing in the delegate count, Ciresi pulled out of the race last week.

Now, from an unlikely perch at the University of St. Thomas, where he teaches justice and peace studies, Nelson-Pallmeyer said he intends to push past Franken as well, with an overtly liberal message whose time, he says, has come.

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[electron_blue]

1. thanks for the link

[LaStrega]

4. you're more than welcome

[Minnesota Raindog]

2. It's about time the Strib's astute political reporters discovered Nelson-Pallmeyer

Now, when can we expect to see a detailed side-by-side analysis of Nelson-Pallmeyer and Franken on the issues?

[LaStrega]

5. don't hold your breath ...

So many of our astute reporters have taken a buyout ... it's a wonder there's still a paper at all.

Have you seen a Pioneer Press lately? They're kicking our ass in advertising revenue.

Why oh why did I choose the newspaper industry as a career?

[kenfrequed]

3. I agree

Franken should actually have to earn our votes. His performance in the debates has been completely unimpressive and therefore I am unconvinced that he can beat Coleman.

I loved his books. I own all of them and have read them thoroughly. I also liked his radio show on Air America to some degree, but I want to have the best candidate up against Coleman. I want to have the candidate who has positions on the issues that most resemble my hopes and dreams.

I think Jack is the person I want to send to Washington to turn this whole nation around.

[IronLionZion]

7. Good, I'm certainly pulling for him

It's good to have a liberal voice in there. If nothing else, I hope it helps encourage the eventual Dem nominee to have a progressive platform and then legislate progressively.


I also want Kucinich to get back into the presidential race.

[kenfrequed]

8. yeah

me too....I hate the media approved candidates.

[annm4peace]

6. Finally the press is covering Jack

I hope many of the delegates as well as MN's start informing themselves about Jack. He is the change we need in Congress. He isn't running for his ego, but to make some changes in Congress and do make positive changes for the working class.

[Mnpaul]

9. Pallmeyer has a long way to go before

he "bests" Franken at anything. Al has more for the progressive cause than Pallmeyer could even hope for. Al has exposed the rights lies on his radio show, he has raised a lot of money for progressive candidates, he has entertained our troops in Iraq and given a lot of his own money to progressive candidates. A quick look at at opensecrets shows that al and his family have contributed to many candidates. Funny, no listings for Pallmeyer.

Some people can talk a good show and others get things done.

[Minnesota Raindog]

10. What was Franken doing while Jack was doing this?

Besides supporting the Iraq war, that is...

http://www.jackforsenate.org/aboutjack.htm

In his senior year he also took part in a life-changing five-month study program in India, Ethiopia, Israel-Palestine, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Japan. It caused him to invest his life in changing the world to one in which all people’s essential needs are met. As he grew more politically aware, he realized the best values and priorities of the Democratic Party were consistent with his own.

Jack then attended Union Theological Seminary in New York City, focusing his studies on the politics and faith dimensions of hunger, and received a Master of Divinity degree. He turned his master’s thesis into his first book, Hunger for Justice: the Politics of Food and Faith, and then worked for nearly five years as the National Program Director of the Politics of Food Program with the interfaith organization, Clergy and Laity Concerned.

Jack returned to Minnesota and worked for two years on hunger issues for the American Lutheran Church and Lutheran Church of America. In 1984 he and his wife Sara were hired by the Center for Global Education at Augsburg College to run a house of studies in Managua, Nicaragua. After returning to Minnesota in 1986, Jack focused on writing, public speaking, and teaching at area colleges. Since 1992 he has taught Justice and Peace Studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.

In 2006, Jack sought the DFL endorsement for U.S. Congress in Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District. His campaign focused attention on serious issues, infused politics with hope and joy, brought many people into the political process for the first time, and reenergized others. When Keith Ellison won the endorsement, Jack strongly supported Keith. Jack was subsequently invited to address the Iraq War at the 2006 DFL State Convention, where he received rousing applause from the delegates.

[kikiek]

11. Franken is a great candidate and we are lucky to have him running. Unfortunately

the tone of the primary is getting more rabid. We like to destroy now if we don't like. I don't get it.

[Mister Ed]

13. This Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer supporter agrees.

I think Franken's a great guy. His heart and his principles are in the right place. He's been fighting the good fight for years, and I'll support him with unrestrained enthusiasm if my guy doesn't win the endorsement.

I'm supporting JNP now because he inspires me, and because I think, all told, he would just make a better senator than Al would.

Outside of our cozy little DU hideaway, I haven't yet heard of any real rancor between the camps. I hope it stays that way.

I continue to think Norm is very vulnerable. He's spent six years as the obedient servant of a president twice rejected by Minnesota voters. It's gonna take a hell of a PR campaign to paper over that fact.

[dflprincess]

12. I've donated to any number of candidates and you won't find my name at opensecrets either.

The amount of money donated to a candidate determines if it gets listed or not. As a college professor, I doubt JNP has resources for making the kinds of donations Franken can make nor has he had the national platform Franken has had.

Nelson-Pallmeyer has long been active in social justice issues and he did advise Wellstone on issues. He has consistently been far more progressive than Franken, especially on the war and healthcare. In fact, it was the difference between them on healthcare that pushed me to Nelson-Pallmeyer.

That said, let's be very careful not to become as hostile as the Clinton and Obama supporters have become. I will have no problem getting behind Franken if he gets the endorsement - I hope the Franken people will feel the same about JNP should he get the endorsement. The main thing is to get rid of that weasel Coleman.

[loveable liberal]

14. Well said. n/t

[a kennedy]

15. I just wanted to get this topic back to the top.....

:patriot:

[annm4peace]

16. I was already a Jack supporter

but the more I see Franken in the news, the more I want Jack.
It is too bad the national news is ignoring Jack, and it is only cause Franken is a celebraty.

did you see what Norm was supporting yesterday? that you could tap your 401K to pay for mortgage payments.. so when you lose your house, you will also lose your retirement.

[loveable liberal]

17. you can tap your 401k now anyway....

thats not news. I'm worried that jnc is too "Goddy". I want a politician, not a 'christian politician'. the latter frightens me.

[Minnesota Raindog]

18. Mower County delegates: 50% JN-P, 20% Franken, 30% uncommitted

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