Senate candidate Bell takes on DSCC for "Soul of the Party"

[katinmn]

Exciting race going on in MN for Mark Dayton's seat.

Although this is a release from Bell's office, it made Yahoo News, which is the most frequently visited news site on the Internets. (Much obliged if you would give this a high star rating.)

The party's state central committee met yesterday to hear from the DFL candidates. (For reports from two DU members who are on the state central committee, see the MN forum, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=160x16645 )

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20060121/pl_usnw/bell_proposes_series_of_debates_with_klobuchar__says_race_now_is__clear_choice_about__soul__of_dfl104_xml

To: National Desk

Contact: David Lilly, 612-280-2755 or Olin Moore, 612-384-4757

Bell Proposes Series of Debates with Klobuchar; Says Race Now is 'Clear Choice About 'Soul' of DFL'

LAKEVILLE, Minn., Jan. 21 /U.S. Newswire/ -- In a speech at the DFL Central Committee meeting here, U.S. Senate candidate Ford Bell challenged Amy Klobuchar to a series of debates around the state to discuss "the serious issues facing the nation, and the kind of party the DFL will be."

Bell praised Patty Wetterling, who withdrew from the race Friday, saying she has brought "hope and promise" to the DFL. With her withdrawal, he said the DFL Senate race is now a "referendum on the Party's soul."

Bell also blistered Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the chair of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, saying that Schumer's message to the DFL grassroots was "sit down, shut up, we're from Washington and we know best."

In his speech, he spoke both to the Party's leaders and the broader DFL membership, asking "Are we still a home-grown, grassroots, activist party, or should we be a top-down, wholly- owned subsidiary of Chuck Schumer and the political leadership in Washington? Will we be the party with our finger in the wind, or are we still the party with our fists in the air, speaking truth?"

During the speech, Bell also spoke about a specific timetable to end the war in Iraq and his call for universal, single-payer health care, and he renewed his challenge to Ms. Klobuchar and presumptive Republican nominee Rep. Mark Kennedy (news, bio, voting record) to join his pledge to make such a health-care bill the first act of Minnesota's next Senator.

Visit http://www.fordbell.com to learn more about his campaign and to see the progress of the pledge for real healthcare reform.
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Ford Bell is, and always has been, committed to doing what he can to make people's lives better-as a community leader, teacher, veterinarian, philanthropist, church elder, DFL activist and family man. He announced in June that he would be a candidate for the open U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Mark Dayton.

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