Hatching a Reputation

In my young history of political involvement, I recollect the power with which Mike Hatch, former Attorney General of Minnesota, wielded. Like any well-intentioned Attorney General, he was an ardent consumer-advocate, fighting commercial and personal level scams that attacked the ignorant, the weak, and often, the average Minnesotan.

As he resigned his high-level post a couple of weeks ago, a post established for him to facilitate the transition from his tenure into the new Attorney Generals, Lori Swanson, he leaves behind a sterling reputation polka-dotted with indelible failures.

He attacked insurance companies. He's the reason why I was asked where I wanted my driver's side window fixed when some punk from Edina threw a Hornets' hockey puck through it in February 2006 (Lou Park represent!).

He attacked solicitors. My friend's mother would often fight the telemarketers, or the credit card companies and their constant barrage of mail. She kindly wrote back letters informing each company she was not interested and wanted to be removed from any "lists." under normal circumstances, she would have fallen on deaf ears. But she knew this, and in a calculated move of brilliance, placed at the bottom of each letter "cc: Mike Hatch, Minnesota Attorney General."

She never heard from them again.

I think history will treat Hatch with respect. They will note his failures, and purported favoritism, perhaps cronyism, in handling the Attorney General's office during his tenure. But then again, to beat the bad guys, you have to know them pretty well too. And boy did he beat them.