Oberstar ‘lives’ in Chisholm
U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, left, talks transportation issues with me, right, and some members of Knife River Materials which is reconstructing U.S. Highway 71 south out of Bemidji.
Chip Cravaack, the Republican hoping to topple long-time U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, has lots of issues, such as the size of the federal deficit, uncontrolled spending in Washington, D.C., and health care reform. But it’s the issue of where Oberstar lives that rankles the 8th District Democrat the most.
“He’s like any other candidate I’ve had over the years,†Oberstar told me over breakfast Friday morning. “They have the same arguments — ‘he doesn’t live in Chisholm.’â€
Former U.S. Sen. Rod Grams used the issue several years ago in his run against Oberstar, even to the point of sending direct mail to voters showing the modest Chisholm Iron Range home on one side, and the palatial suburb home he maintains in Arlington, Va.
“I’ve lived in the house that my family built,†Oberstar said. “My grandfather, my mother’s father, Alexander Giuseppe Grillo was a carpenter in Italy, migrated to the U.S. and settled first in Rhode Island.â€
Oberstar says he has pictures of himself and “Grandpa Grillo†pounding nails on the house. “We’ve lived in it since 1939. I own the house.â€
But he admits he doesn’t often spend the night in Chisholm.
“This district is so big,†he says. “Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum or John Kline can be at home in Minneapolis and St. Paul and go to events and be in their own house every night. But I’m not going to go to Taylors Falls up to Chisholm and go back down to Cambridge.â€
You must not spend many nights in Chisholm, I asked. “No, I don’t,†he said.
“I’m serving this district,†Oberstar said. “If you drive from Washington to Philadelphia, you’ve driven Taylors Falls to Duluth. That’s only halfway in the 8th District.â€
Cravaack has become a popular and credible Republican candidate, and has made the effort to hit every town parade on the Iron Range and elsewhere in the 8th District. A retired Navy captain, he also flew as a commercial pilot for Northwest Airlines.
“So this fellow’s doing what every candidate has done in the past,†Oberstar said. “This will be my 19th campaign, but there was one year I didn’t have any opposition.â€
Oberstar has held the seat since 1975, having served as longtime chief aide to his predecessor, Rep. John Blatnik. A Republican hasn’t represented the 8th District since Rep. William Pittenger in 1947.
As a lifetime Oberstar supporter I can tell you that I have been going to some of the Cravaack events and listening to what he has to say on his website. I have voted for Oberstar every year since I can remember. I have heard Oberstar bring this house issue up in a mocking way almost as if to say. “look I am doing the best I can for the eigth district.” My job is so hard to represent the 8th district because it is so big. Don’t I do a great job…
I have not once heard Cravaack say that the Oberstar house issue is an issue. So why does Oberstar talk about the house? Because he wants to try and talk about an issue that doesn’t really matter!
Here is why I won’t vote for Oberstar the 8th district traitor and for the first time will be voting for a Republican for the 8th District.
Oberstar has twisted this house issue just like he has twisted his stance on Pro-Life and this Health bill, which Oberstar wouldn’t even stand up and say it was wrong to pass this without the American people getting a chance to review it. Our country will through the taxpayers fund abortion. Jim Oberstar voted for that. He tries to argue it is important for healthcare to do this. I have talked to many people in the 8th district and the only thing that was important about healthcare was to try and keep the costs down. Not create a new entity so everyone has to have healthcare. Oberstar unlike other representatives didn’t get anything for our district because he loves Obama and wasn’t smart enough to play the angle like many of the other reps from different areas did so Obama would have to work for their vote. Oberstar is no longer a wise representative. As much as the country hated Ben Nelson from Nebraska, those people in Nebraska didn’t have to have their medicare impacted. In Minnesota we do!
Now let’s talk about the other two major issues that Oberstar has failed us on.
Oberstar argues that his high level and poweful position as the chair of transportation is so important. This is why Minnesota has not gotten anymore then any other state in infrastructure funding. Here was a chance (it has passed) to get all kinds of dollars to fix our roads, bridges, highways etc. This is fact folks, the Obama administration has pushed back the federal highway bill until after the election. (I thought Oberstar had all kinds of power) So Oberstar walks away empty handed! Minnesota and the 8th district loses again.
Mining in Minnesota. I have watched the contiued decrease in Minnesota’s strongest economy…mining. Less jobs, harder to get permits etc. I always supported this in the past. Oberstar will help us is what I thought. What does Oberstar do..? The natural thought would be he would work tirelesly to assist with making mining easier. Instead he is pushing for a clean water bill that clearly has a negative impact on the building of mines. the question I ask is why? All one has to do is go and look who funds Oberstars campaign and pays him the thousands of dollars in speaking fees and all of sudden the picture becomes really clear… The environmentalist are big fans of Oberstar..The ones that would rather have the 8th district all one big woods area.
I am supporting Chip Cravaack for three reasons.
1. I am pro life
2. I believe it is time for fresh blood representing the 8th district in Washington
3. I believe Oberstar has lost his edge
I am one vote, but I have heard many of my friends joined me in changing their vote and I ask you to join me…
Oberstar has been in the US Congress too long. Our forefathers set up the two year term for a purpose. The PEOPLE were supposed to chose a new representative. This is not a lifetime position but an office that was to be shared.
People talk about term limits – we have it every two years. Vote your conscience.
Our vote is for Chip Cravaack. We need new faces.
And where does Cravaack live now?
http://www.politico.com/blogs/davidcatanese/0711/Cravaack_family_moves_to_New_Hampshire_.html
Feel better represented?