Readers Write: Arrest in pipe-bomb case, Minnesota attorney general race

Kudos to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies who have made a lightning-fast arrest in the package-bomb case that has gripped us for the past four days. Remember, this is the same FBI that President Donald Trump has torn down ever since the Russian election-collusion investigation began. He has relentlessly shredded former FBI Director James Comey's reputation and has also gone after former FBI Director Robert Mueller nonstop. He has accused Mueller of conducting a witch hunt in the Russian collusion investigation.

The agency has been battered by Trump's constant insults, tweets and put-downs. Agency morale has suffered. Despite this, it helped get the job done — again! Don't expect the president to issue an apology. I am sure the president is incapable of understanding the linkage between the "good FBI" and the "bad FBI."

As U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and others said in a news conference, this was an incredible, swift, competent and thorough investigation by many agencies.

Thank you all.

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The recent package-bomb incidents represent a chance to elevate civility, but the cynic in me believes that any short-term gains would overlook our pervasive, insatiable appetite for heated rhetoric. The public consumes media outlets that affirm their existing beliefs, and turns to politicians who tell them what they want to hear. It is politically expedient for President Trump to rile up his party base, and a ratings boondoggle for media on both sides to parrot the views of their demographic audience. My only hope is that politicians and media outlets reassess what sells best for them in this new climate. Invective failed us this time.

I read with shock and disbelief that Tom Foley has registered as a write-in candidate for state attorney general (Minnesota section, Oct. 26) — not to win, he says, but so that a few friends who wanted to vote for him could do so to "register" their support. Someone with as much political experience as Foley should know that in a close race ("Wardlow now leads Ellison in AG race," Oct. 23), in a deeply divided Minnesota, Democrats cannot afford the luxury of siphoning off votes from Keith Ellison, the major candidate. Nor is it likely that Foley would draw votes away from Republican candidate Doug Wardlow, due to great differences in ideology. Though I did not vote for Ellison in the primary, Wardlow's extreme far-right views would be disastrous for Minnesota. It is time Democrats realized that once a primary is over, winning often means letting go of a "perfect" candidate in order to win the election.

Readers are writing to the Star Tribune and other local papers, telling everyone who they will be voting for and why, thus showing support for the candidates they favor. The Star Tribune Editorial Board has supported various candidates, and the newspaper reports on which candidates are ahead in the polls. This is all well and good; however, I hope that voters will take it all in stride. Voters need to be smart about voting. They should not vote for: 1) the "popular" candidate, 2) anyone just because they are ahead in the polls, 3) anyone just because they have more signs posted around, or 4) anyone just because someone else told them to. Voters need to research all candidates and chose the ones whose values and platforms best meet theirs.

I hope that voters also realize that just because they are registered in one party or the other does not mean they have to vote straight party lines. They are allowed to vote for any candidate they choose. In an extreme case, a registered Democrat could vote straight Republican, and vice versa. Personally, I'm an independent and would love to see the abolishment of the two-party system, but that is a discussion for another day.

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I am planning to write in my vote for Minnesota attorney general for the current AG, Lori Swanson. Our two choices in the November election are both too extreme in their political parties to look after all Minnesotans. I think Swanson has done a good job, and with her we would continue to know what to expect. I invite the rest of Minnesota to also write in Lori Swanson for Minnesota attorney general. I hope she is willing to accept re-election!

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