It was a pretty simple story, but the Kurt Bills spin is … well … you have to chuckle … but not at the poll results.

The Story : Amy Klobuchar and Christie Vilsack took a pause from their official campaigns to tour Francis Lauer Youth Services in Mason City, Iowa.

It’s a chance for them to see up close and personal– how the facility operates … and how different laws and funding decisions impact it.
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar said, “The more that we can do to work with kids and make sure they are getting an education they get back on their feet and go back to school. That’s important.”
“Child abuse rates have dramatically increased in Iowa, dramatically increased in north Iowa and so to cut service and funding it’s very scary for me to think about kids and what’s going to happen to them,” said Executive Director Jean McAleer
And the major fear is, the facility will lose Medicaid dollars.
“I’ve said I would advocate for making sure we do not cut services in Medicare and Medicaid and some of that money goes to seniors and some of it goes to children. In this case. It’s about the kids,” said Vilsack.
“It’s about federal education policy and being consistent and putting out some changes to the no child left behind laws as well as the way some of the funding goes on at the federal level. We should be rewarding programs that are strong like this one,” said Klobuchar.

The Spin : Senator Klobuchar’s opponent, Kurt Bills issues a press release not commenting on the child welfare issue, but instead on …

Amy Klobuchar Campaigning Hard — in Iowa
BLOOMINGTON, MN—Amy Klobuchar has been busy on the campaign trail this fall.
Iowans are getting a good look at her, as she begins her run for the 2016 nomination for President.
“Klobuchar is using her office as nothing but a stepping stone to the Presidency.”

Yeah, no doubt victims of child abuse will remember that Senator Klobuchar visted them and become her supporters during her Presidential campaign.

The Chuckle : Ignoring the number of trips that Tim Pawlenty made during his tenure as Governor, who could forget that Waterloo hometown girl, Michele Bachmann used her Iowa roots to launch her Presidential campaign. Yes, the Jim Graves campaign must see the irony in Kurt Bills assertion.
Yet, Kurt Bills must surely have forgotten Representative John Kline and his decision to forgo debate opportunities in 2010 so that he could take a bus tour … to Wisconsin to campaign for Dan Kapanke; then to St. Charles Illinois campaigning for Randy Hultgen to represent the Fourteenth District and to Urbandale Iowa to campaign for Brad Zaun to represents the Third District and also on the same day in Waterloo campaigning for his former staffer Ben Lange for Iowa’s First District.

And reading The Patch, once again as in 2010, Representative Kline is refusing debate opportunities … this time with Mike Obermueller … most likely to keep dates open for when the Party Managers schedule the next bus tour.
Representative Kline’s antics are no laughing matter. Mike Obermueller said: “There is a clear choice in this election and we need to have an honest discussion about how we’re going to get families working again and get the country back on track. With Congress taking a two month vacation starting next week, it shouldn’t be difficult for Congressman Kline to find the time.”

The Poll : Why would Christie Vilsack take time off from campaigning to do legislative investigation work … unless she thought her message was getting through …

Two surveys taken in the last few days show incumbent Steve King on the ropes in Iowa’s new Fourth District. Public Policy Polling released a survey today showing Christie Vilsack closing the gap in this Republican-leaning district, holding the incumbent to a 48 percent – 45 percent King margin. Greenberg Quinlan Rosner conducted a survey over the same time period showing the same trend. Not only is the race competitive electorally, but the voters here are starting to turn on King personally and doubt his effectiveness in office.
Since this firm began tracking this race in June, 2011, Vilsack has cut King’s 16-point initial margin to just 2 points.
In his own ads, King describes himself as “straight shooter.” Iowa voters seem to be drawing a different conclusion. His job ratings are underwater as 45 percent criticize his work in office, while just 41 percent respond favorably.

Yep, people are getting tired of out-of-touch politicians Bachmann, Kline and King who tout their own personal agendas over those that are willing to reach-out and see the issues from the people’s perspective. With Christie Vilsak surging based on Steve King’s troubles, it makes you wonder what the polls will show for Jim Graves in his contest against Michele Bachmann in Minnesota’s Sixth and Mike Obermueller’s efforts against John Kline in Minnesota’s Second.