Sen. Al Franken? No Longer A Long Shot

[Hissyspit]

http://www.alternet.org/environment/58886

Senator Al Franken? No Longer a Longshot

By Jon Wiener, TheNation.com. Posted August 6, 2007.

Al Franken's bid to unseat Minnesota Republican Senator Norm Coleman is gaining strength.

The latest poll of Minnesota voters shows Republican Senator Norm Coleman, up for re-election in 2008, with 49 per cent, and Democratic challenger Al Franken at 42 -- a seven-point spread. Four months ago, Coleman was ahead by 22. The reason for Coleman's shocking collapse in the polls? He's been supporting Bush on the war. Any incumbent with less than 50 per cent in the polls a year before the election is considered to be in trouble. Coleman is in trouble, according to the SurveyUSA poll released July 30, especially with women, independents and Twin Cities voters.

Defeating Norm Coleman would be a particularly sweet victory for the anti-war movement. In his college days at Hofstra, Coleman was a prominent opponent of the Vietnam war. The school suspended him in 1970 for participating in a sit-in protesting the Kent State killings. He first won office in St. Paul as a Democrat, chaired the 1996 Senate campaign of Paul Wellstone, and then switched parties and ran for the Senate in 2002 against Wellstone. Wellstone died in a plane crash a week before that election, and Norm Coleman went to the Senate.

Coleman's support for the war has made him the target of both the national Democratic party and independent antiwar groups. The Democrats are already running a TV ad campaign criticizing him for opposing the troop pullout vote in the Senate on July 12. Al Franken ran a full-page newspaper ad highlighting the same vote. (He also has a terrific YouTube video, showing his mastery of the new medium -- he knows he's talking to one person at a time, rather than to 200 million at once.)

Coleman has also been targeted by organizers from the antiwar group Iraq Summer, which, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, has persuaded two dozen of Coleman's neighbors in St. Paul to put up lawn signs condemning his support for the war. Americans United for Change is also running a strong TV ad attacking his support for the war.

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[Mythsaje]

1. GO AL! n/t

[spindoctor]

2. I never considered him a long shot.

Al is famous, intelligent, driven, informed AND funny. If he was corrupt too he would be the perfect politician.

Gee, with Al in the Senate C-span might actually get entertaining. I can't wait.

[onehandle]

3. Plus, Minnesota seems to prefer an entertaining politician.

Coleman better get his tap shoes out, because he's got a problem.

[liberalmike27]

7. My Sentiments

Exactly. A well-spoken guy, who is educated, and actually knows a few facts past all the rhetoric. Come on, long-shot? In MN? The only reason Norm won was that he was a Democrat before.

[wryter2000]

16. I never did, either

I always thought he had a really good shot. It was clear to me that Coleman was afraid of him.

BTW, if you make a donation on his website, you click over to a video thanks from Al. Lots of fun.

[annabanana]

4. Al is the better communicator, by light years.. The question is

will viewers EVER see him? Or will they see regurgitated clips of his silliest "bits", with a snarky talkover by a RW media presstitute?

[terrya]

5. Norm has his lips permanently attached to Bush's ass.

And as Bush sinks further and further down in the polls, so goes Normie.

So, Al has a superb chance of winning that Senate seat.

[LuckyLib]

19. And it's important for folks outside MN to know that Coleman initially wanted to run for governor,

and Pawlenty wanted the Senate seat. The BushBoys, in the form of a personal visit by Cheney, made them switch. They both chorus "How high?" when the WH tells them to jump.

[CTyankee]

6. Thank you for posting this, for us out of the area!

It's so nice to see that Al is progressing. I miss his show like crazy here in New Haven. I hadn't heard anything about how his campaign was going and was afraid it was bad news. Now I am relieved. Go Al! If I got a call or direct mail from him I would be happy to contribute to his campaign. I'm still a bit wary of online giving however...

[ThomWV]

8. Why not send him $5 or $10.

Skip lunch today, send Al the price of a cheeseburger, a regular order of fries, and a large soda. You'll feel better if you do.

https://secure.alfranken.com/page/contribute/newcourseiniraq

[annabanana]

9. oops. . DU only has the pres race.. (hint hint, Skinner?)

edited when error noted

[ThomWV]

10. Please excuse my lapse. Yes, by all means, contribute through DU!

[wryter2000]

17. Already have...a couple of times

One of his workers called me at home one night (in CA). He was so cute, I had to give more.

[Hissyspit]

11. .

[K8-EEE]

12. Look forward to seeing him kick Coleman's ass to the moon!

To the moon, Alice! Pow, zing!!

[BlooInBloo]

13. Yup - it was reported a month ago that he hugely outraised Coleman...

... I'm soooo ready for Franken to be Senator.

[mmonk]

14. Good. I've been intending to help Al.

[tridim]

15. Just wait until Al really starts campaigning

It's going to be a blowout, Ol' Normie won't know what hit him.

[Elspeth]

18. No small private planes, Al, from now til the election.

Really.

Maybe a little :tinfoilhat: but I worry about him.