I could tell him 6 minutes now past 11. Good morning. This is midday on Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Gary eichten glad you could join us with Minnesota Republicans have a big decision to make this weekend one that will ultimately affect Republicans Democrats Independents. Pretty much everyone in the state of Minnesota on Friday delegates at the Republican State Convention will try to decide who they will officially endorse for governor. And apparently whoever wins the endorsement will end up on a November general election ballot head-to-head with the Democrats and Reform Party candidates Republican Governor Arne Carlson, of course, it's not seeking re-election this year and all of the candidates this year say, they will abide by the delegates decision and not challenge the endorsed candidate in the September primary will be providing extensive live coverage from the convention and today to get ready for the convention. We've been joined by former state representative Alan Quest who won the party's endorsement back in 1994 and is one of the three leading can Nurse to win the endorsement again this year. We invite you to join our conversation this morning. If you've got a question or comment for Allen Quest give us a call or Twin City area number is 227-6002 276 thousand if you're calling from outside the Twin Cities 1 800 to +422-828-227-6102 for 22828. By the way, we should note that we're also we were also hoping to talk with the other two leading contenders for the endorsement Norm Coleman and Joanne Benson leading up to the convention but neither could make it. However over the noon hour today. You will be able to hear from all three candidates on why they got involved in politics and why it's important that other people especially young people get involved at all three spoke last week in a meeting of the Minnesota gun Republicans and will be broadcasting those speeches over the noon hour today will also be talking with the fourth candidate in the race Waverly business man. Dick Burrell that's coming up over the noon hour right now again a chance for you to talk with Ken. Alan Quest give us a call 227-6000 or one 800-242-2828. Thanks for coming in today. So well Gary the pleasure is mine that I would love surprise to find out that the other candidates aren't coming but you know, the political world does belong to people who show up I'm delighted to be here. I guess they have another busy this week understandably getting ready for the convention the experts say that you're not going to get the endorsement when all is said and done and you know, either a Joanne Benson or Norm Coleman will be endorsed or perhaps nobody is going to get into worst. Would you agree with that assessment of I really do that, but I am accustomed to being underestimated and and I don't mind being underestimated but that we have proven the quote on quote experts wrong before and I think we're going to do that again. But in fact the convention is going to be quite a show and I have compared it to the wheel of Can you spin the wheel and that where it stops nobody knows because it's going to be very unpredictable and that it will be a convention where the delegates on the spot will make the decision. So I think I can be very exciting. I think very healthy to have a Republican state convention where the elected delegates an alternate will in fact that you independently on their own on the spot on the moment that In the Heat of whatever battle passion debate make the decision I think is politics at its best now that the party has three strong candidates here if I after several ballots. Nobody has been endorsed. Is it important for the party to settle on one person to Slug It Out To The Bitter End or it would it be all right for those delegates ultimately decide that we can't decide you folks go on to the primary all of you. I think it's Realty feet for the party. To to not have an endorsement but that is possible because we do have three a fairly evenly divided camps and you have to have 60% of the vote to be indoors, but people go there to endorse a candidate that that's why a lot of people are active. The Republican party is set up to choose candidates to get those candidates to through the primary and to get them elected in the general election. So, I believe that the chances of having an endorsed candidate are very very good I of course would like to be that candidate myself, but we will see it will be very unpredictable. Do you have a preference if it if you're not the indoors care if you have a preference between Benson and Coleman, I really don't but a preference could develop it at the convention been traveling around with Joanne Benson. There's been speculation that the two of you who have essentially teamed up to stop cold while we really haven't but I'm a very friendly basis with with Joanne Benson and and with Norm Coleman, I do feel that Norm Coleman. Parent pic of a running mate then. I think that that press conference may be going on right now. I think that that is a major problem for a for the Coleman ticket. If the early reports are accurate that he's going to pick Senator John Olson from Minnetrista, and I have a very high regard for Senator gentle send in all kinds of ways the difficulty is that over 2 million minnesotans live in Greater Minnesota, and I just don't think you can have a ticket where you do not have a greater Minnesota directly represent it people in the rural areas are very mindful of the fact that the metro area has the majority of the votes and that's just Geographic or demographic reality. So if people in rural Minnesota are going to say boy looks like I'm 0 4 3 that is I'm out voted in the legislature. I don't have a governor and I don't have a lieutenant governor. I think it would be very very difficult to convince those people that They should support this ticket if I think it's a mega problem and and I'm surprised at at the choice that mr. Coleman is made. You think all of the candidates are going to actually follow through on their pledge to abide by this endorsement if they don't win the endorsement somebody else gets indoor stereo let you know all three of you say, well that's it will step aside. Do you think that will actually play out that way and all the party leaders are are going to write this in concrete and the plan is as I understand it that, Thursday afternoon, and I'm not sure of the exact timing 3 or 3:30 or something like that. I believe the plan is to have a press conference or some kind of press event. We're all the candidates are asked to sign on the dotted line and a politically is kind of signing in blood I suppose but the sign on the dotted line to make a commitment to support the indoors ticket, so I signatures, you know, I go a long ways. So I think the party is doing what it probably should do and I think would be tough then for any candidate to say that my That meant that in writing doesn't mean anything because the voters are going to say, you know, if that doesn't mean anything that then anything else that you say and right doesn't mean anything either. So I'm so I think it's going to happen. I think that the everybody's going to support the endorsed ticket and I think that's healthy. I think that's the way it should be going to get to some callers hear but to tell me if you if you would briefly why is it that you're the better candidate of the of the three? I believe I'm the better candidate for a couple of reasons one is that they have demonstrated a lot of leadership and a wide variety of areas and one area it certainly is the education area part of that is because I was a teacher for 17 years. So I was a college professor, you know, my dad was a principal. My mother was a teacher. So I'm an education. I'm part of Education family. I was on the house education committee for 6 years and I believe that I understand education upside down and down and I Know It Works education is very practical matters not very logical very practical as a question of what's effective. What war What day gets the job done. I can demonstrate that the kind of leadership and education that we need. Everybody knows I'm the states number one critic of the profile of learning which I think is going to damage our education program. So I think my experience my leadership my vision in all areas education being one, but I said, I would say tax policy also being another area family policy being a little being a concern and then having a balanced ticket. I understand state government very, well. I know the ins-and-outs of it, but I do not have hands extensive hands-on experience working with people who live in the center city people who are confronted with the high rates of poverty for instance. And for that reason I'm delighted to have Dan Williams as my running mate an individual who is very confident. He his field as Information Technology. He's very very bright very successful. You spent 20 years of his life, but as a volunteer simply helping people who are in the center city Hands-On eyeball-to-eyeball day after day after day after day. Dan Williams is a true public servant no money. No power. No Eagle just a service to people and I think that that he is a hands-on experience in helping people look into center city is the perfect complement to some somebody would like myself who is from Greater. Minnesota has been a teacher who is a farmer but but doesn't have that Hands-On with the with Center City people. So I think the balanced Coalition ticket is going to appeal to people and I think it's a real strength in terms of setting policy that's going to help everyone in the state regardless of who they are regardless of where they at. 1 questions are guess this our quest, of course, one of the candidates for Governor seeking the Republican party's endorsement for governor, and we'll find out sometime Friday. Maybe Saturday morning Saturday morning who that endorse candidate is going to be. Of course, you can expect live extensive live coverage here in Minnesota Public Radio, but leading up to the convention a great opportunity today to find out a little bit more about where Ellen quiz stands on the issues. If you'd like to join our conversation, give us a call Twin City area number is 227-6002 to 76000 alt side. The twin city is one eight hundred to +422-828-227-6000 or one 802-422-8284 scholar is from Mankato the general area of Eliquis from the STP Terraria. Go ahead and Marie and I'm concerned over on this request personal views on gay and lesbian people obstructing my quality of life. And I like to know if if he can lead and do what's best for lesbian and gay Paris. What Maria thank you for the question. And as you know Mankato has been there really a second home for me for quite a few years. Haven't been a teacher in Bethany College Mankato for all of that time the policies that that I will promote than that and Dan Williams and I talked about these things were very much in sync with one another are policies that will be beneficial for every child and for every parent and I am fully confident Marie that what you want for your child is the best possible a skill level in reading the best possible skill level in mathematics, very good understanding of computer science of American history of the values upon which our country was built values like truth and equality and Freedom by the right to life the right to own private property. And those are the kinds of values that that I believe in that should be part of our education system but education exist to prepare people to be successful in to be good citizens. And I'm confident that what you want for the education and future of your child is exactly the same thing that I want the Dan Williams wants and at the other citizens the Minnesota I would want by the way don't look at people in terms of being members of a particular race or being members of a sexual orientation or even being members of any particular lifestyle. I look at people as people and I believe the people should be treated equally I should have the same opportunities that that everyone else has and and frankly, I think that's what the good government all about. What are countries all about do you think some changes are needed in Minnesota state law relative to the gay rights issue? I don't I don't look at it. That way the way I look at it is that everyone should be treated equally and everyone should have the same opportunity at the same time. I don't believe that government should be involved in in sanctioning any one particular lifestyle other than the foundation of the family as we have historically seen it in in in our country. And so I think their ways that that if that is promoted, but again, I think it's a matter of looking at people as people treated equally. Everybody has the same opportunity. What about the what about the abortion issue? Is that going to be a hot-button issue this year? He's still very much with us interesting ly enough that seems to focus to a large degree on the partial birth abortion issue for lots of reasons one is that that it's so Sensational I suppose it. Also lets people know that What we're talking about here is not really Choice. What we're talking about is abortion. So the issue is still with us. I am pro-life is everybody knows and and I'm convinced that one of the basic principles of our country along with freedom and equality is the right to life and I think we need to do a lot better job of promoting that one of the interesting things to me is that when you look at opinion polls, you see a pretty pronounced swing in the pro-life Direction sadly, I think the partial birth abortion is a reason for that because it focuses people's attention on what is really happening. I think equality extends to everyone and that means people who are who are developing the inside their mother's body. So that's why I come down on it and and I of course make no apologies for that position lies that how would that translate into again public policy laws and I cannot think in terms of what it actually means for policy. I'm a strong a backer of informed consent for women who are seeking Abortion. I'm going to pull into the partial birth abortion. Minnesota can a legally prohibit partial birth abortion? And I would I'm a backer of that kind of prohibition. It also takes us into a matter of excessive activism by the courts. For example here about three years ago the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Gomez decision made the ruling that the constitution supposedly requires taxpayer funding for abortion. I'm convinced that that's not in the Constitution and that the courts have no business by rewriting the Constitution. So we get into the matter to of what many of us call a strict interpretation of the Constitution that is taking it at face value Marissa's what I would call taking Liberty with the Constitution and in-depth and I think the Constitution needs to be followed by the courts and that not interpreted in such a way that it can mean anything to anybody. Lee lieutenant. Governor. Benson has been getting be Yeah, pretty bad for a vote in 1994 having to do with the abortion issue a an attempt to reach a compromise. She says we know she was concerned about getting something past and and now it's been charged that she's soft on this issue and so on is she being treated unfairly. You think that particular issue with the right to know the right of women to get all kinds of egg information prior to abortion her position is that she was seeking a compromise that generally pro-lifers believe that it was not a compromise that it was that was pretty much a sell-out of the pro-life position. So that's where the debate is waged. I think lieutenant governor Joanne Benson is a person of a lot of character in a lot of Integrity. I think you made the wrong decision at that point in time. And if that's true we make wrong choices. We pay a political price and that I suppose I should be valid questions are the shower or one of the candidates seeking the Republican party's endorsement for governor, and if you'd like to join our conversation, if you have a question about the foremast request rather get a better idea where he stands on the issues, give us a call Twin City area number is 227-6002 276 thousand if you're calling from outside the Twin Cities, the number would be 1-800 to +422-828-227-6000 or one 800-242-2828 deck your question, please I'm really a question of common term or if you will ever be Republican ex-republican a I should say going back to the even the go order. These is a I have become very disenchanted with the Republican party and I'm not the specifically picking on you. But one of the things that I have observed is that the Republican party is so tied themselves to the religious rate that I look at the hardcore conservative, right the right-wing wackos. If you will and I quite them the same way as I do with the left side of the left side Waggles, I guess what's forgotten in this whole thing is the middle of the road to moderate such as myself so much time and energy is spent on social issues that it's a sin for a freak. He's not obviously. I'm not a father or grandfather. A lot of children, but the Republicans consistently shoot themselves in the foot. He said it's a sin while eating meat on Friday as I recall. Is it the same as well? They continually shoot themselves in the foot on so many issues that I have become totally doesn't share with them and I will no longer continue to support them. And in the in the in front of another thing, for example, the religious right in Wisconsin, if he'd doctor would have the audacity to protect a woman if she's sick or going to die with a partial work birth abortion. He is looking at lifetime in prison mind you lifetime in prison in also a huge fine and never Less in the state of Wisconsin. If you are there prisons are overcrowded, but here's what's going to come in from the well, I think you and I are going to disagree here on I'm quite a number of things and and the first thing that I want to call Attention to is that I do not think that we should engage in what. I'll simply call is name calling in our dialogue. I think he paid his good I think dialogue is good. But I don't think we should be calling people right-wing wackos. And I don't think we should be calling people left-wing wackos. And I also object to your terminology religious. Right? And the reason that I have Jack to that is why I asked the question. What's the other side of that that is there any religious left or I do you want to make an issue of being somebody being a Protestant or Catholic or the like, I don't think that religion should ever be an issue in politics. I think the palace politics is non-religious. I also am of the mind and I feel very strongly about this that a political party should have a balance between the issues that deals with and I think the balance should be in three areas. I think it should be economics that involves tax policy. I think it should be a second layer education and I think it's a thoroughly should be social issues. I don't think a political party does well to take only one of those sort or two of them and a neglect the third I would also remind you that the Republican Party came into being about 130 years ago a little more than that primarily because of a moral issue the Republican Party began as the abolitionists party primarily. It was the party that said that slavery is wrong. It wasn't an economic issue wasn't an education issue was a moral issue yet. It's a very important one. So I think we need a balance between the different issues and I would ask you to consider the importance of having a proper balance. That's where I'm coming from and I think that that's the really the message that most citizens are looking for aren't most both parties though really having difficulty appealing to the to the person in the middle of the moderate if you will. VI the interesting thing about that is that if you put people on a political Spectrum, you're going to find that obviously summer very liberal summer, very conservative and everybody's in between the people who are in between 10 to not be active. They tend to not feel strongly about things they tend to not go to caucuses they attend to not vote. So the political world belongs to people that show up and that's so I would say mentioned a dick and two others that if you want whatever your views are to Prevail you need to be active and they do I do that whatever way you want to but that's what you need to do. I have I have little sympathy with people who are not active and then complain about what the result is. So my encouragement to everyone he is get involved in the party of your choice to promote the positions of your choice and I think that's what good government is all about and everybody. In our system has an equal chance to participate and I think that's the strength of our system Nails your question, please thank you for taking my call the last two colors though. Some of my steam Carlson supporter and should say was and I'm most interested in into getting a common in two things. The first is that I'd like to know Allen Quist that you've basically been out in the right-wing. I won't say radical but you certainly are extremely conservative and I'm wondering how you can possibly work with such a liberal legislature and such a potentially very liberal influx of new members into the House of Representatives and into the Senate. I mean you're on one extreme and they'll be on the other video your of your past the things you said in the past have to have led everyone to believe and see you as a right-wing radical and that's fine. You have a very strong position in the second and I just want to know what you're going to do with it to help. Make people become I don't know work better with with the state and a does legislative the sun in the legislator. And the second thing is do you think that because of your your previous statements and some of the things you may regret saying that the other two candidates didn't come on to speak with you today? Because they see you sort of a cougar. I want to clarify that now they say that they weren't asked to come on today with mr. Quest. We were going to have each of the candidates on by themselves or so. Well your nails again. I'm going to disagree with what you say, but I got here. I think the point needs to be made that politics is about discussion and debate and dialogue and Aristotle wrote 25 years ago about how using inflammatory language will put an end to good debate and good discussion. And when you use terms, like radical and cook an extremely religious what you're saying is I'm not willing to discuss anything or debate anything. I'm just going to use inflammatory language. So I guess I thought you know, I would suggest that you that you reconsider the approach that you're taking to politics and let me also be very very explicit. Am I voting record is there for anybody to examine look at the bills that I've Champion look at the bill to create Minnesota depart the Minnesota Department of Jobs and training. I look at my bill to set up a non-smoking program in the school your statements that I'm extremely conservative are simply false statements. I am a conservative but you look at my voting record. I'm right in the middle of people who would say that they are philosophically conservative. So so we can't have a good dialogue when we're focusing on name-calling. And so and I want to make this point not. Just yourself but to everyone in who has an interest in Minnesota politics. We need to be talking about policy. We need to be involved in above the belt to a discussion on debate and issues and that's the strength of our system. So I always encourage people to involve themselves in genuine discussion of ideas ideas. Like do you think taxes in Minnesota are too high? I believe they are I believe they're way too high. I don't think we should be third highest in the nation in the level of taxes questions like a legend. Haitian policy all kind of many a very very significant issue questions that we need to be dealing with. So I'm so I think that's how we engaged in productive conversation and I would encourage you all all our listeners to to follow those lines. Do you think you could work well with the legislature assuming it's controlled by a deer Fellers and perhaps even a little more liberal now than it has been well that the fact that matter is and then I always say to people look at my record because I have a record of working well with the with anybody and everybody I was one of the biggest critics by the way of the state going into gambling into the into the lottery and into opening up casinos and on that effort. I work very very closely with Alan spier who I'm going to be in the other side with a lot of issues at work closely with Karen Clark. I work too closely with Jim Rice. I work very closely with the most liberal elements in in the legislature van representative. John brandle who is the moderate liberal and I once held a press conference opposing the the lottery. So my record is that I work very very well with anyone and everyone we align ourselves differently depending on the issue, but everybody knows I can that I can work with people easily on a friendly basis. I don't call anybody names and that we actually work together very well. Let me just mention there to when we were going to Republicans were in the majority in 1990 and 1985 and 1986. I was the chief author the bill that created Minnesota Department of Jobs and training now renamed Economic Security. No one gave me a chance of passing that bill to to have a republican involved in welfare policy + jobs policy was was just extraordinary and I can remember well the Speaker of the House saying to me well Alan now tell me again why we should pass this so I ran up against a lot of inertia and but I worked with every Buddy and pulled off what some would say was essentially a miracle and getting that passing is a very good deal. But that's the kind of person I am I work in a friendly basis with every person and you know people do not dislike me. They trust me. They know I have character they don't they know I will not mislead them. They know I will be straight with them. I don't double-cross anybody and so people in fact like working with Alan Quest and I think that's one of the strengths that I bring to the table Republican gubernatorial candidate. Allen Quist is our guests this hour one of the three leading contenders for the Republican party's endorsement, of course, the convention begins tomorrow and the balloting for governor. The delegates will start voting for governor on Friday Friday afternoon. Lord knows how fun they could go. I will be providing extensive live coverage here in Minnesota Public Radio in the get ready for the convention. We thought we would have missed request over today to talk a little bit about his stand on the issues if you'd like to join our Give us a call. 227-6002 276 thousand. I'll try the Twin Cities one 800-242-2828 reminder over the noon hour. Today. We're going to hear from Allen West Joanne Benson Norm Coleman. They all spoke last week at a meeting of the young Republicans talking about why they got involved in politics and political life and why they believe other people should as well. So you'll be able to hear them at length over. The noon hour will also be talking with the fourth candidate in the race Waverly businessman dick Burrell all of that over the noon hour will continue with this hours can conversation in just a moment. It has to continue almost like cheating not to become a member when you got it on like almost every waking hour members are the key to the success of Minnesota Public Radio members who over the years recognize the value of great radio to keep this Radio Service strong. We need to have 85,000 members on board by June 30th. If you received a notice from us, please send it in today or call us right now at 1 800-227-2811 and be counted. Thanks remind you that programming on the MPR is supported by the Science Museum of Minnesota presenting a journey to the world's the world's top in the Omni film Everest that opens June 20th to 21944 for generally are we can look for cloudy to partly cloudy Sky across Minnesota today. The weather is a good chance for some more showers and thunder showers in Southwestern and West Central Minnesota high is today mid seventy. Used to the middle 80s the Twin City forecast calls for a cloudy to partly cloudy sky this afternoon with a high temperature in the low-80s right now. It is cloudy and it's 73 degrees in the Twin Cities were talking to shower with gubernatorial candidate Allen question again, if you have a question or comment give us a quick call here to 276 thousand or one 800-242-2828 Jason your next call. I have to come in one with the recent evil within the last week. We are certainly affected by a religious interest group. One of the things that mr. Chris said a few minutes ago was that you know religious religion should not politics. However, this is a comment and I think we have to be realistic. Realizing that somehow days. It it does that was just a response was the first caller spoke. She was a lesbian parents and at one of the things I said that he believed that all people should be treated equally have the realizes in as real world adults is that discrimination does exist. It does exist for minority groups. It does exist for gay and lesbian people and even though mr. Christie you say you believe people should be treated equally in the eyes of the laws of our country in reality that doesn't happen. And right now there are a lot of bills around the United States recently, Minnesota to deal with gay and lesbian issues. So your question here and my question here is is I don't know or I would like to hear from this request and how how would you deal with affirmative action that you believe in that? How do you deal with gay rights issues like anti discrimination in the workplace. I know Minnesota have that has a state law currently on that but saying that he feels everybody should be treated equally but yet not supporting legislation that equalizes those things and make them a reality seems to me to be a huge contradictions Jason. I appreciate the question because I think it allows us to get down to the nitty-gritty here in terms of good policy as it relates to the issues that you raised and let me do the Emmys start with your second question, which is the question dealing with discrimination. I buy the way believe that discrimination is very very real that it does exist, and I am always opposed to discrimination. Todd look at some of the Discrimination is taking place on the show here today and I would just ask that you consider friends since the inflammatory language that has been used to describe somebody like myself simply because I'm a Republican and simply because I'm a conservative and so I'll try to call attention to that and I've tried to suggest that that inflammatory language is out of place in public discourse at the same time. I am not going to say that we should have some kind of law which prohibits people from using that kind of language. I just don't think that works nor would I say that day you should have some kind of law that prohibits people from calling people names. I think it's despicable but I don't think that you deal with that and legislation. It's my point of view that if you are going to set aside some class of people and it may be a racial class for instance where I think this is very easily Justified and to set up a system where there is an added level of The protection which I think is justify princess in the case of race and has to say that that added level of protection applies to other groups of people. Then I think you have a burden of proof to say that this other group of people whatever that group is has a lower standard of living or has routinely been so subjected to mass of discrimination that the job opportunities aren't there and the like and I think that's the burden of proof that has to be taken on and it is very very difficult. I believe to meet that that standard of proof short of that. We simply need to be cordial to one another and we need to treat everybody equally the that's what it's all about. Everybody is equal before the law equal before The Constitution has equal a Merritt has equal worth as human beings. Let me go back to your first question that dealt with the matter of interest groups and that has you put at the ideological interest groups are religious entry. I suppose in a sense. There's some truth to the way you frame that question, but I think it's very very superficial. And again if I could go back to the to the way that the Republican party was formed as the abolitionists party. It was formed by people who had very strong religious convictions for the most part not totally but for the most part people with religious convictions felt very very strongly that the that slavery was wrong did that make it a religious movement? I don't believe so and I don't believe it did because the basic concept of fairness of Liberty and equality are our Concepts that all people have regardless of their religious positions and regardless of whether religious their religious at all. The same thing goes through to the war for independence how many of the leaders of that wart were there people in the in the clergy they were people who who preached from the pulpit about the need for Independence other people who who took their their gowns off in the Pulpit to reveal the uniform. United States of America under their gown does that make it a religious movement? I don't believe so and the reason I don't believe that it does is because again these these Universal principles of freedom and equality are principles that all people share regardless of their religious position. So when people for instance want to have the right to life promoted that they do not do that because that is a religious point of view. It has to do with policy and equality and life and freedom. So that's why I think there's a better way to view this sand and the better way is to talk about the principles that are common to all people Susan your next. Hello mister quiz, I just wanted to address the same issue a really from a different point of view. I'm not questioning the legitimacy of Moral Moral issues involved in politics. However, I'm of the opinion that the Republican Party both Statewide nationally. Making promises to ascertain socially conservative groups really just to gain their money gain their attention and gain their vote when in fact and I don't I don't like that platform, but I don't think that they can deliver and they've been like like telling people that they can and I think that's wrong and I found out that I was once a Republican and I left the party because I was at a convention at which the delegates were not allowed to discuss the party platform at the City Convention and it was all taken up by a small committee at the State Convention. So I think that there are things that you know that the party even nationally the Christian Coalition has gone to various people in Congress and said, well GE you haven't really been paying attention to our agenda while you've been passing. And that's because Republicans can't in effect really deliver and they're just kind of like, you know, pulling people along giving them the false impression that they're on their side just to get their vote just to get their money. Well every every interest group tries to try to exert its influence in politics. I mean that this is one of The Facts of Life that I you have Labor groups that go to different elected officials and different candidates and and ask Will you promote the things we believe in I don't believe there's anything wrong with that. I think any person I think any group has a right to go to any party to any candidate and ask the question. Will you promote the things that there that we hold dear? What do you think? Do you think the party has been aggressive enough and following through elected official Republican elected officials have been are not aggressive enough and trying to follow through on on some of these social issues that that we care so much about that general question be very very difficult to answer here in Minnesota the people who for instance believe in the lower taxes and so on. I think I have been holding their voice. Having your voice be a Hertz. I may need it rather than generalizing about other Republicans or other candidates. I should take the question personally because I think they the people listening I'm more interested in who Allen Quist is and what his record is and I think one of my strengths is that I do not say things that I do not believe in and when I say I'm going to promote something people find out that that's exactly what I do. The reason that I am not typically criticized for what saying one thing and then boarding another way or promoting bills that are in another category is because I'm consistent. I'm very Frank and I think people have a right to know where I stand I always listen to people very very carefully, but I am an individual who walks the walk as well as I talk to talk and I think that that that attract people and I think that's one of the reasons why I get the kind of support the kind of enthusiastic support that I do receive by the way many of the p Call that I work with our former Democrats who have joined the Republican party because they believe the Republican party is the party of freedom and the party already quality and the party that that stresses individual responsibility as well as stressing. What's that? What's right as opposed to what's wrong. So I once made a comment to people that I'm working with and that what I came up with is that about half of the people I work with are former Democrat. So it is there's always switching going on back and forth and I happen to think that's healthy partly because every year the party every two years the party redefines itself and it redefines itself by the platform that it adopt and it redefines itself by the candidates that you choose is to promote as its its candidate. So everything is fluid. Everybody has the opportunity to participate and I encourage everyone to exercise their their freedoms and opportunities in our system of government that a political world does belong to those who show up and let's all show up and make a difference in Republicans. Is Norm Coleman of actually being a Democrat who just changed over for political opportunist stick reasons? You think that's legitimate or is this a you think that's a genuine conversion to Republican Prince. The question of motive is a question that I really like to steer clear of it is difficult for us to know our own motives without passing judgment on somebody else's so I just I like to deal with what people say with their actions with their boats, but I really don't like to talk about motives Edwin your question place an order for lottery publicly discuss it but they were going to cut spending and then we're going to cut taxes. Well, then when I look and see where they cut the spending and then I see where they cut taxes. It doesn't look like the average guy comes out too good but just recently enough and I think for the Sunday pay for the Wednesday paper to this last text. Only was beneficial buy a large for the top 5% of the wage orders the United States the average guy making $35,000 packs cutter that cuts spending nationally comes back home to roost in Minnesota. For example, my taxes have been going up because I've been cutting some on the Federal Highway funding Animal Welfare funding and the housing and low cost housing area and our taxes Minnesota Barn to go up and then they are governor Republican Gomery, We're going to have to have a gas tax increase or not because they cut back on spending for Rose would put Governor Chris do for the little guy. Well add when I tend to think that you may be exaggerated the problem a little bit. However, what you say has a lot of truth to it yet. The tax burden in our state and our country to a large degree does fall on the lower to middle-income people especially falls on families. As you know, I'm a I'm a Critic of the marriage tax at where we have a higher income tax rate for people who are married. I think that's fundamentally wrong the property taxes, which really a to fall on a middle-income and lower-income people. Especially I think I'm way too high. So the tax reductions that we should focus on I believe need to I need to focus on low-income and middle-income people. So I think you're fundamentally correct in what you're saying and I think you have a very legitimate point. We don't have a lot of time left and lots of ground to cover here. Maybe we can just zipped through a few a few issues. Aren't you talk a lot about education during your campaign so far specifically a pretty critical of this profiles of learning program. Would you abolish that all together or or since we spend some? Money in and put so much energy into it give it a chance to operate for a little while and see how it works. And then maybe just wrap it if it isn't working that well, I would have always the profile learning and it's true. We have spent a lot of money on it but investors say don't throw good money after bad and I think that's the situation we're in with with with the profile of learning but let me clarify to that the graduation standards consists of two parts that the first part involves what we commonly referred to as the as the basic standards testing or the competency testing. This is the bench Benchmark testing and grades 3-5 and 8. I think that's a good program. I would expand that. I think there's a lot of value to that. I would extend that over to the high school years. I think we should have extensive basic skills testing and high school to the second part. However, the profile of learning is the experimental part that that is not tested and does not involve academic testing and involves rating scales. It's highly bureaucratic if it looks like Central plan. To me and I would abolish that and I would replace it with the attempt to to model programs that work and Daddy's are the programs that really emphasized the basic skills of reading and writing in a mathematics and computer science, but I would look for a proven programs in in various schools and try to model what we're doing after that. So so I'm I'm convinced that we're on the wrong track on the profile. And if I'm elected governor is going to be it's going to be gone in a sense of it being required if some teachers are schools think they can use it. That's up to them. I think it should be free to miss you if they feel as value their hey, they can use whatever they want to 30 seconds. Is there anything as a practical matter Governor can do about the poverty in the state boom times for a lot of people but there are some people being left behind what would Governor Chris do about that? Well, I know I'm talking about education a lot. But the key is a good educational program. You have to equip people with the basic skills, and we are Falling down on that especially in a sent in the Central City, but we do not need to do a better job too. And they're protecting our families that we do have today a feminization of poverty. And today is focused among single women and their children. I think we need to hold man responsible for the children that they father. I don't think we can let them Father children walk out of the picture. So the key is an opportunity which we need to create a better education and that treat everybody equally equal opportunity is over all the key and that cuts across a very very wide path of government policy about the crime situation or have we as the media simply overblowing that problem. We have not over blowing up. The crime situation is very very real in many areas of the state is out of control. I am a staunch advocate of aggressive Zero Tolerance. We have to stop this mall crime that includes artifact, which I don't think is a very small crime week. I have to stop this mall crime and if we do that the big crime is going to take care of itself. So so I would put a lot more effort into our crime protection. By the way, I believe the first function of government of Public Safety. So it's not an area where we have done very well. I think we could do a lot lot better but thanks so much for coming in. I wish we had more time. Good luck this weekend Friday. I guess it's the real day. So it's going to be a very good show. It's going to be exciting and I wouldn't miss it for anything. But I guess this hour one of the Republican seeking the party's gubernatorial endorsement course, they convention begins tomorrow in the balloting for governor at the convention begins on Friday. We will have extended and extensive live coverage here on Minnesota Public Radio also over the noon hour today. We're going to hear more from Mystic Quest. We're also going to hear from Joanne Benson Norm Coleman and a dick Burrell all of the candidates for Governor talking about why They got involved in public life and whether why they believe other people shouldn't to look at that over the noon hour. I'm Ray Suarez little things like a recent us wrestling match in Terran or signs us around me and relations are changing. The relation between the United States and we'll look at the slow warming Trend between the u.s. And Iran and potential for renewing official Ties on the next Talk of the Nation from NPR news. Documentation begins at 1 right now. It's time for Garrison.