REPLAY: Rep. Keith Ellison's Name-Calling Gets Vulgar in Angry Debate
Congressman later apologizes for incivility against Republican Chris Fields in a debate hosted by KFAI-FM and Patch.com.
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MINNEAPOLIS -- Incumbent DFL Congressman U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison twice called his Republican opponent Chris Fields a "lowlife scumbag" in an extremely contentious, personal and at times uncivil debate Thursday morning that at one point led to a local radio station cutting away to dead air until tempers had cooled.
The debate, co-sponsored by KFAI (90.3 or 106.7), Patch.com and Mature Voices MN, was in the Minneapolis studios of KFAI and moderated by former KFAI news director Ahndi Fridell.
Midway into the debate Fields alluded to recent DFL research into Fields' 2006 divorce, the heated words were exchanged, and KFAI News Director Dale Connelly cut the audio feed in the studio while he literally stepped between the arguing men.
Patch sites in the Fifth Congressional District (see below) hosted a CoverItLive liveblog and chat (archived above). Patch users submitted questions via Twitter (#MN5debate) and through local Patch Facebook pages:
- Fridley Patch
- Golden Valley Patch
- Hopkins Patch
- St. Louis Park Patch
- Southwest Minneapolis Patch
- Richfield Patch
- Edina Patch
Other related stories:
Angela Berger
3:49 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
Ellison calls his opponent a scumbag twice and locally Ron Erhardt has to explain that he didn't mean to insult Bill Glahn's mother, he meant to insult Bill Glahn. There are a few key qualifications to be an elected official. Respect and civility are importants one. We may not be able to do much about Ellison winning but we can sure let Ron Erhardt know that his rude and obnoxious behavior is not funny, it is unacceptable. Vote for Bill Glahn
Angela Berger
3:53 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
Oops, here's the video of Erhardt's insults http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owFwsSIgz_g
Eric Olson
7:40 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
You shouldn't have gone to music. It is valuable to listen to how these candidates behave, and they agreed to be there during the time you went to music.
David Arvidson
6:22 pm on Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Agreed, going to Music is censorship.
guy davidson
6:06 am on Friday, October 19, 2012
Keith, I think you get to keep your office chair - so you got that going for you.
James Ellis
6:35 pm on Friday, October 19, 2012
http://youtu.be/6aRyYeiULGM This Veteran spells out the lies of this election quite bluntly. Please watch. http://youtu.be/6aRyYeiULGM
Rob Cantowell
6:35 pm on Friday, October 19, 2012
If you can't win with facts, then go to low life comments. It's the way of life in Lefty world.