As a Republican running for Congress in
Minnesota's Fifth District, a longtime DFL stronghold, Alan
Fine often has a bone to pick with the media's lack of
coverage of his campaign. So, on Friday he tried
a new trick.
In a creative bid for campaign publicity, Fine
alerted the press as his 12-year-old son, Louis, picked out
a puppy at the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley.
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"Louis
fell for a three-month-old Shetland sheepdog named Blaze
that had been surrendered by two-owners," Fine said.
"My son is so
excited right now. He says its the best day of his
life," Fine said.
While pet
adoptions aren't normally used to advance campaign themes,
Fine tied the pooch to his crime-fighting strategy. He
said his "moral vision for partly dealing with crime in
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Minneapolis is to strengthen family
and teach children responsibility."
As a child,
Fine said, he had a beagle named Judge and feels that pet
ownership is a way for a child to learn compassion and
social responsibility. "We pay money for programming
but we don't pay attention to hearts," Fine said.
His news
release included a quote from Gandhi: "The greatness of a
nation and its moral
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progress can be judged by the way its
animals are treated."
As for Louis, Fine said he's well-aware
of his responsibilities, and Blaze appears to be content.
"He's a very good-mannered dog." Fine said.
ROCHELLE OLSON 
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