The Dayton scions are the stars of the latest -- not yet aired -- ad for Mark Dayton.
Eric and Andrew Dayton, the DFL gubernatorial candidate's adult sons, speak of their father as a dad, a hockey coach and just a hard worker.
"Dad's never claimed to be perfect but his heart's in the right place," his younger son Andrew says in the ad, which includes a photo of Dayton with the late Sen. Paul Wellstone.
The kids sent a link to the ad to supporters with a request for donations that would help run it. The spot is a typical for a candidate's soft sell, closing argument to voters -- former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman featured an 2002 ad, reprised in 2008, with his daughter, Sarah, procliming his "good heart". But Dayton, a department store heir who has funded other campaigns, may not have the cash to run his ad yet.
Here's the ad. I'll post the transcript when I receive it.
The transcript:
Andrew: My grandfather never went to business school, but he just worked harder than everyone else. I think that's sort-of been the family secret.
Eric: I just think of my dad as a classic workhorse. He represents the values and priorities that people associate with Minnesota.
Andrew: To me, he was just dad - the coach of my little league baseball team.
Eric: Growing up he was a goalie and he was all-state and so it was great to have my dad as a goalie coach. He was always out there on the ice with me, taking shots on me and it meant a lot to have his support and encouragement.
Andrew: He was a great role-model as a father. He was just playing the game right, working hard and he brought that same mentality and approach to his career in politics.
Eric: He's been driven by injustice and unfairness and to stand up for the little guy and try to give them a better chance in life since we were given so much.
Andrew: My dad's never claimed to be perfect, but his heart's in the right place.
Eric: There's been no steadier, supportive, loving presence in our lives than our dad.
Andrew: He's the kind of man that I want to be and that I hope to be some day.
