Minnesota Public Radio Mid Morning host Kerri Miller is often reserved and soft spoken on-air, holding a waft of pretentiousness to her reporting. So it was uncharacteristically bold of Miller to suddenly go on the offensive in last Thursday’s interview with Tom Emmer, the endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate. Her calm demeanor gave way pressing Emmer on specifics in his plans to “restructure” government. MPR’s Tom Scheck did a followup on Monday outlining Emmer’s specific plan for the budget.

After a brief discussion on the nurse’s strike to which Emmer had no problem over, Miller launched into heavy and at times frustrated questioning on the candidate’s vision for closing the budget gap. In a New York Times article on May 24, Emmer was quoted as saying “You cannot Band-Aid the Good Ship Lollipop. It’s time to completely restructure the hull.” Emmer clarified that government is the “good ship lollipop” and has been operating “way it did in the ’60s and ’70s.” The candidate opposed cutting services and instead suggested the delivery system and government’s purpose were areas to be addressed.

Miller asked him on his statement that state spending “has doubled in this decade,” noting that Governor Tim Pawlenty was a Republican governor for 8 years. Emmer said Pawlenty “did a job great” and was caught in a “different environment,” characterizing the former South Saint Paulite as a goalie. He claimed Palenty’s reforms were “rolled back” when the legislature became DFL controlled. Miller questioned if the governor should bear the reason for doubling of spending. Emmer reiterated his position, then stated (the legislature) had no appetite for structural changes. The candidate further described Main Street Minnesota “concerned about the future of their jobs” and “realize the direction we’re heading is unsustainable.”

MPR again pressed on the candidate’s vague statements. Emmer offered that “we’re not doing politics as usual” and took contention to Miller’s use of the word “cutting” in reference to spending. He often spoke of his listening tour around Minnesota, asking residents about what services they want from government. It seemed for a house representative for six years, Emmer was claiming not to have the solutions, deferring to the constituency. Emmer characterized Minnesota as a “state of ample resources” comparing it to the Colorado legislature which spends a third of “$60 billion every two years.” At Miller’s suggestion, Emmer used the Department of Education as an example, questioning if the 440 employees deserved their jobs.

The first caller asked Emmer for specifics and “the plan” given that the election was six months away. Emmer oddly answered the question, following a somewhat Sarah Palin-esque pattern. He said his campaign has not ostracized any other gubernatorial candidates and that “Minnesota is sick and tired of politics as usual and the way you sell yourself… by smearing the other guy.” He asked the caller to sit down and talk about line-items. Emmer then reiterated his position of eliminating “duplication, excess and redundancies” from government. He also criticized the Department of Natural Resources for spending money on “sending metro women on outdoor trips and studying migration patterns of owls” in reference to potential line-item vetoes.

Running mate Annette Meeks was also brought up for her “Blueprint for the redesign of government” book (actually called “Minnesota Policy Blueprint“). Meeks is an interesting choice given that she lives at The Towers in Bridge Square which is directly across from the Federal Reserve (a lovably anti-Tea Party site). Meeks also represents District 7 on the Metropolitan Council, a state agency Emmer wants to abolish.

Miller actually riled Emmer when they argued over the projected budget deficit (he says its $5-7 billion). She wondered if just eliminating redundancies and line-items can close such a gap. Emmer responded by pounding forth a timeless conservative ideologue about fostering business and investment into the state. He cited a former Reagan administration analyst on the folly of relying on budget cuts to which Miller recalled Reagan raised taxes as well.

The most bizarre statement came when Emmer made an allegory about a wagon pulled by clydesdales, a Scottish work horse. “The wagon is humming down the road and more clydesdales come onto the wagon… The wagon in the State of Minnesota is too full. We still got the horses but they aren’t running as good as they once did.” Understandably this was only meant for real Minnesotans in the 21st Century, as Emmer was able to quip in-between his responses, “I’m a guy from Delano raising a family and running a business.”