This week is the one-year anniversary of our campaign to bring change to Washington D.C. And what a year it's been! We've visited nearly every county in Minnesota, seen an ever-changing group of candidates in the field, talked about issues in hundreds of living rooms across the state, and had a lot of fun along the way. Though the places and faces have changed, we've always remained true to our original mission: the people of Minnesota deserve a Senator who is going to put the people in front of the big oil companies and the big drug companies -- someone who will go to work in Washington for solutions for people, for a change.
In fact, it was this week a year ago that I made my decision to run. Where did this campaign truly begin? (Now this is a fact revealed only to avid readers of the Klobuchar Chronicle). The campaign actually began on Feb. 12, 2005, in the fish house of Cass County Attorney Earl Maus during the annual Eelpout Days ice fishing celebration on Leech Lake. My husband John and I drove up early in the morning at the invitation of Earl and his wife Jean. On the way up I was on the cell phone, talking to people about whether I should run for the U.S. Senate. One person actually said "Not unless you have millions of dollars of your own money to do it." I looked at John behind the wheel of our silver Saturn, and thought "well at least his student loans are paid off," and continued talking. But inside Earl's fish house, money didn't seem to matter. When I asked Earl for his advice he said, "Well, what the heck, I think you should go for it." And I said, "Yep, I think I will," and Earl put another line in and that was the end of it. There is a picture of the four of us on Leech Lake to commemorate the moment. And our life was never the same.
Our campaign has grown stronger every day, with volunteers working phone banks every night, the support of elected officials and party leaders across the state, mounting endorsements from Minnesota's workers (thanks to Education Minnesota....who this week gave me the best Valentine's card I could ever imagine--the endorsement of Minnesota's teachers), and a spirited corps of people around me who are devoted to the idea that issues and ideas matter.
While we focus on the issues, one thing I've noticed for sure: the more we top the anointed Republican Mark Kennedy in the polls, the attacks from the Right and other opponents get nastier and more frequent. All I can say is this: Get ready and get used to it and get over it. My ten-year old daughter said it best when reading about a negative attack: "Well mom," she said, "the US Senate is a big deal. What did you think it was going to be, a short cut?" We will win this race by organizing house by house, street by street, town by town. We will win this race with a positive agenda of change: affordable health care, energy independence, tax fairness, and economic and international security.
You know the other side will fight with every fiber of their being to keep their special interest goodies, loopholes and tax breaks. That is why I am asking you to consider four important things today to help:
(1) Visit AmyKlobuchar.com and really learn about my experience and my positions so you can represent me in the debates that will occur during the next nine months at every kids' soccer game sideline, VFW Hall, and lunch table across the state. The "All About Amy" section gives you the bio, and the issue pages give you the facts. You may want to particularly look at the detailed "Energy Independence" speech in the Energy portion of our website. I get a lot of questions about my position on Iraq, so look at the National Security and Iraq section for that. In short, I was opposed to the War, oppose permanent military bases, and believe that 2006 should be a year of a significant change of course, where we draw down our troops and transition to Iraqi governance. Finally, the announcement speech also gives you the broad themes of the campaign.
(2) Attend the precinct caucuses on March 7th and strongly voice your support.
(3) Volunteer once a week by contacting Lizzie Nelson, our volunteer coordinator, at 651-714-2006 or email at
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(4) Contribute early and often.
Having you at my side and watching my back is what will make the difference in November. Together, we will win this and bring change to Washington D.C.
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