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Contributors in Minnesota: Jennifer Brooks, Baird Helgeson, Mike Kaszuba, Patricia Lopez, Jim Ragsdale, Brad Schrade and Rachel E. Stassen-Berger. Contributor in D.C.: Kevin Diaz.
Contributors in Minnesota: Jennifer Brooks, Baird Helgeson, Mike Kaszuba, Patricia Lopez, Jim Ragsdale, Brad Schrade and Rachel E. Stassen-Berger. Contributor in D.C.: Kevin Diaz.
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Emmer research director on waiters' tips: "We know this is a problem."
Posted by: Rachel E. Stassen-Berger under Minnesota campaigns, Minnesota governor Updated: July 14, 2010 - 11:47 AM
David Strom, a high-level staffer on Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer's campaign, Wednesday let slip what he's thinking about the candidate's swirling mess over waiters' tips.
"We know this is a problem. Today is the last day. Over. Done. No mas. Just help us stay on message: courage and willingness to listen. DS," he sent out on Twitter.
A few minutes later, he send out another message: "No more tip credit after today. We won't win the issue. DS."
The messages were deleted shortly after they were sent out but were captured by a blogger.
Tweets from an Emmer staffer as captured by mrwtweets
Bill Walsh, an Emmer spokesman, said Strom, who will continue to be employed by the campaign, doesn't "speak for the campaign. That was a private email or tweet, not meant for public consumption. But doesn't reflect what we're saying." Walsh said he didn't know for whom the posts were intended. Strom did not return a call seeking comment.
Regardless, the posts from an Emmer staffer may reflect some of the turmoil inside the Republican's campaign.
For ten days, Emmer has been the focus of ire after he said he would back a tip credit for waiters and waitresses. Such a system would allow tipped employees to make less than the minimum wage, assuming that tips would make up the difference.
Emmer has kept the top button issue alive by: suggesting the media was mis-interpreting his tapped comments, going "under cover" at a local restaurant, proposing that waiters and waitresses get to keep most of their tips tax free and, today, holding a "town hall" forum at a restaurant to talk to servers.
While Walsh wouldn't say whether he thinks Emmer can, "win the issue." He did say "we've had a bad week" but added that was the media's fault.
"We're going to stop doing things on this topic. Many people have said we've done too much...We are going to have the big event today and we've had our press release yesterday and move on. New topics," said Walsh.
Updated to fix credit on screen grab.
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