Forum Communications operates a chain of newspapers across outstate Minnesota. Their editorial board leans conservative, but occasionly supports DFLers (they endorsed Pawlenty and Klobuchar last cycle). The Fargo Forum,which is the flagship paper of the Forum chain, ran an editorial today discussing Al Franken’s candidacy for the United States Senate. Some excerpts:
One rap on Franken is that he returned to Minnesota after a successful career in show biz just to run for the Senate. He’s a carpetbagger, his critics say. It’s a silly charge. Franken was born and raised in Minnesota. His folks live there. He went off to school and a successful career, and returned to, yes, run for the Senate but also to answer his deeply rooted call to public service. Good for him and any other Minnesotan who wants to come home and work for his state.
Coleman, after all, is a New Yorker who found Minnesota to be fertile ground for his political ambitions. Good for him, as well. If Minnesota politics has room for a transplanted Easterner, it surely has room for a returning native son.
When a conservative paper from outstate Minnesota says you are Minnesotan enough to run for statewide office, that should pretty much settle the issue.
But what about this angry partisan theme that MDE and others have been pushing?
Spend some time with Franken and you’ll discover an educated, well-traveled, well-informed, quick-witted politician. His grasp of issues, domestic and foreign, is far more than thoughtless Democratic anti-Bush rant. Franken certainly is no fan of the president or Coleman, but the candidate’s opposition to the administration’s stances on war and health care, for example, is based on his advocacy and analysis, not on braying against the opposition.
Bingo
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I couldn’t agree more. While it isn’t likely I’ll be voting for Franken, he has proven to be a legitimate Senatorial candidate, in my opinion.
Actually Al was born in New Jersey and moved to Albert Lea, Minnesota when he was a little boy. He is more of a Minnesotan than I am, let alone Norm Coleman is.
While my mind has not been made up as yet, I also have to concur with Blogger that Al does make a formidable candidate to nail Coleman on the issues and his overall performance in the US Senate. It will be hard for Norm to escape the quickwittedness that is Al.
Having the pleasure inn getting to know Franni, Al is very grounded and passionate in his views. Like with Tim Walz, the GOP is once again underestimating a Democratic candidate like Al Franken, while paintinmg a narrow picture of who he really is.
Paul Wellstone, Norm Coleman, Rudy Boschwitz — we have a history of electing outsiders as our Senators. Add Al Franken to the mix.
The key to defeating Coleman/Bush in ‘08 will be the work that the runners up in the primary deliver to the eventual nominee. If Ciresi and Pallmeyer don’t work for Franken or whatever combination ends up being with the the three, then Coleman/Bush is likely going to run a competitive race.
“Spend some time with Franken…”
Stop right there, because most people won’t get to spend some time with Franken. Their knowledge of Franken will be based on what they already know (and don’t like) and the thousands of TV commercials they will see painting Franken as an angry jerk.
What’s the use. Everyone is drinking the kool-aid. Enjoy six more years of Norm Coleman.
I am a little surprised by this editorial. Norm Coleman has lived in Minnesota a hell of a lot longer than Franken. I would hardly call Franken a native son and it’s prety clear that Franken, like Hillary, only moved to Minnesota for political reasons.
The idea that Franken knows a lot about issues is also pretty troubling. I guess Don Davis and the gaggle at Forum didn’t watch Franken on Almanac a few weeks ago. Franken didn’t answer a single question asked by Eric Escola or Cathy Wurzer. Moreover, he was irritated at having to answer their questions.
it’s prety clear that Franken, like Hillary, only moved to Minnesota for political reasons.
um Chris, Hillary doesn’t live in Minnesota.
Franken didn’t answer a single question asked by Eric Escola or Cathy Wurzer. Moreover, he was irritated at having to answer their questions.
um Chris, if Al didn’t answer a single question, then he couldn’t have gotten irritated at answering question he didn’t answer to get irritated at having to answer.
Chris you really are a 14 year old aren’t you. C’mon you can tell us. What’s the problem, eighth grade not going well again this year?
Richard, I have to say that the 14-year old response was yours.
I’m rubber and you’re glue. Whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you.
Richard, I think it’s a bit obvious he was referring to Hillary moving to NYC and his phrasing was a bit awkward/wrong.
Al has NEVER felt compelled to answer the call of public service. He left MN when he was 18 to go to school and as far as I can tell, has never wanted to move back until he decided being a politician would be fun.
I dont care how many bean feeds (I still dont know what the hell that is) he goes to or spaghetti picnics, Franken is not a Minnesotan. You dont leave the state for 30+ years and then come back and get to call yourself a Minnesotan. Especially since he has lived more years outside of the state than in it.
He is a carpetbagger pure and simple. Moving here to simply run for MINNESOTA’s Senate seat is beyond unethical to me. If he truely cared about MN and the people we elect, he would’ve moved back here a lot sooner and had been fighting against Coleman in 2002, against Grams in 2000, Boschwitz in 1998 and so forth. He doesn’t give a damn about this state, only our Senate seat.
MDE has a great little post where the Franken camp he admits he doesnt know too much about rural/agricultur policies. He is willing to learn but these are things you should know prior to running for Senate, not while doing it.
There should be an edit button. I didnt really explain my statement, Franken has never felt compelled to answer the call of public service.
I dont understand how one SUDDENLY feels the need to fulfill some call to public service when he could’ve been doing it all along. I don’t understand how he has been so removed from the actual political action (writing books about it doesnt count with me) and then all of a sudden, I’m going to run for essentially the second highest elected position possible in this country. It makes no sense.
How long has he wanted to run for office? Why hasnt he tried before?
this is all well and good, Frankenstien still has a 27 % favorability… who do jewish politicians come here to run? Phyliss Kahn being another one
I’ve lived in Minnesota my whole life (26 years) and I know little to nothing about agriculture policy because I live in the city, I doubt Amy knew much before she ran, or Norm did either. Minnesota is more than knowledge or length of time you’ve lived in a state, its a feeling and an attitude, and I think Franken does have it, much more than New York Norm.
Zach:
I emailed the editor and he will be issuing a correction about Franken being born in Minnesota. Franken was born in New York City.
“MDE has a great little post where the Franken camp he admits he doesnt know too much about rural/agricultur policies. He is willing to learn but these are things you should know prior to running for Senate, not while doing it.”
I agree - kind of like you should know something about foreign affairs and international relations BEFORE running for President, not while doing it.
Andrew,
Thanks for filling in the blanks regarding my post. I appreciate it. That’s what happens when you try to write emails and post comments on a web site at the same time.
You’re absolutely right. Al Franken had no intention of living in Minnesota until he decided to run for office just as Hillary Clinton never planned on living in New York until she ran for Senate.
As for the comments about Almanac, Franken resented being asked questions by real reporters like Escola and Wurzer. He was used to being able to say whatever he wanted, unchallenged, on his talk radio show and really didn’t like answering pointed questions. On several occasions, Escola and Wurzer interrupted Franken to say he was not answering the questions they asked him.
Forum’s editorial failed the reality test.
Oh, and Richard, it’s pretty funny how you never are able to refute the substance of what someone says. You have to smear them to refute what they say. It’s pretty sad you’re unable to come up with a logical argument.
Al was a friend to Paul Wellstone.
How many years here - or how many years away to the secret residency requirement?
New residency requirements?
How long before one is not a “carpetbagger?”
Normy doesn’t live in the state full time!?
His wife spends a lot of time in California.
I think Al best has Minnesota roots & FEELS like a Garrison Keillor personality.
(With the exception of Brodkorb trolling here when he’s got his own forum. IS IT LONELY OVER THERE?)
Chief Shakopee
unfortunately can no longer run as a true incumbent.
Well, now we get to see if Franken’s campaign can build these feelings into a winning brand.
New York Norm?
The man spent 17 years working for the Minnesota Dept. of Justice, researching and prosecuting cases all over the state. The he served 2 consecutive terms as the Mayor of St. Paul (where he established a good record).
I’m not saying that we should all vote for Norm because just because of his service to the state. However, I think you can argue that someone who made his professional career here by being a civil/public servant for 25 years (he could have made a pile more money in a private NYC practice) has paid whatever “dues” you need to in order to be considered one of us.
And what has Norm Coleman become?? A voice for GWB here in Minnesota!!! Can the man think independently for himself?
The Iraq War, as in 2006, will plague the GOP in 2008. Norm’s constant refusal to hear and consider the opposition of Minnesotans on this issue, reflects in his voting. Plus, this puts him in the Hot Seat.
Let’s see:
Arne Carlson was born and raised on Brooklyn.
Jim Ramsted was from South Dakota.
John Kline is from Pennsylvania.
Michelle Bachmann was born in Iowa.
Norm Coleman is from Brooklyn.
Looks to me that the Republicans don’t want to get into a who’s a ‘real Minnesota’ argument. Just drop this discussion. A lot of our collective political giants in Minnesota, going back to the first governor, were from some other state.
Its a stupid argument and its no wonder the Republicans think it will resonate.
You people are clearly delusional, including the Forum!
“Coleman, after all, is a New Yorker who found Minnesota to be fertile ground for his political ambitions.”
Give me a break, yeah, it was totally planned that he would come here to run as a Democrat, then decide that the party was not for him and leave it to run as a Republican, leaving him to challenge a US Senator he once supported. Yeah that was all part of plan for his political ambitions. Norm is tremendous leader who does not seek things out, situations find the leader in him and bring it out.
That line is completely off base and liberal drivel. I don’t care how much you say the Forum board leans conservative!
Hey DJZ,
Before you go looking all high and mighty with your great research, maybe you should fact check and see that the Rammer is from Jamestown, NORTH DAKOTA! Which might as well make someone feel like a Minnesotan, who wants to live in Jamestown, ND…
Kathy,
So you want an independent voice, huh??? I can guarantee you this, Coleman votes with the President a hell of a lot less than Walz votes with Nancy Pelosi (over 93% of the time). How is Walz an independent voice when he votes with Pelosi 93% of the time?
No one has any control over where they were born and raised. The fact that someone was not born in Minnesota, or that their parents didn’t raise them in Minnesota is completely irrelevant. What is relevant is what people have done as adults, and as far as Minnesota ties go, Franken fares miserably in comparison to Coleman.
Coleman worked for many years as a prosector and assistant attorney general in Minnesota. I suffered through 8 years of Norm Coleman as my mayor in St. Paul, and he has been a senator for the last five. He’s got his Minnesota bonafides down.
Franken, on the other hand, moved away from Minnesota at the first chance he got, and returned 30 years later just to run for Senate.
Voters may or may not see that as a problem, you aren’t going to overcome the carpetbagger argument by pointing to Coleman.
Norm Coleman has been living in and contributing to Minnesota longer than some of the posters on this board have been alive.
I’m estimating that Norm has lived in Minnesota for more years than Franken. It is 30 years for Coleman (moved here in 1977 to begin his career) vs. 19 years for Franken (1951 - 1969, and then I’ll give him 1 year here in 2006 - 2007.)
When you figure that Coleman has spent 30 years here contributing to the betterment of our state, while Franken spent 19 years here, mainly growing up, there is no question who has been a bigger part of the Minnesota community.
coleman is not going to get rid of the bush stooge argument by calling “carpetbagger.” norm is not only a carpetbagger, but a party-switcher who will say or do anything to be reelected. though baseless or irrelevant attacks are the only way he can hope to win, i still recommend he find something he believes in before the election.
The list of Democratic out-of-staters is as impressive as the GOP side: Paul Wellstone, Kieth Ellison, Martin Sabo, Tim Walz, Collin Peterson
I agree, actually, that it is a silly argument to make. We should elect best public servant that we can. I don’t care if they learn about Minnesota issues by a year of total immersion or are lifelong Minnesotans. The important thing is that they thoroughly understand what is important to Minnesotans and can articulate that in Washington.
The point to the editorial is that to call Franken a carpetbagger is silly. He’s had long-standing ties to this state and can call it his home without blushing. This isn’t someone who went poking around looking for a state to run for office in; he came back to the state he was a raised and is running for office. Whether you feel his “service” to the state is sufficient for him to being running for that office is a completely separate issue. The editorial board makes a good point that calling him a carpetbagger, insulting him by acting like he’s someone “not one of us” is based on pretty think reeds.
If Franken had gone to say, New Hampshire to challenge Sununu, then he’d be a carpetbagger. But not here.
Also, Andrew, I noticed you left 2006 off your little list: Franken was already here helping Amy Klobuchar. But let us not let stubborn facts get in the way of hammering someone you don’t like…
The reason Al Franken will lose in the Senate race is not because he came back to Minnesota to run for office. It also is not because he is a person with an anger management problem (Yes, I know Al. He’s not as pleasant as the idiots here at MN Publius want to portray him. He’s actually downright crude.)
The reason why Al Franken will lose is two-fold: 1) He will be hit hard because of his connection to Hollywood, to which Minnesota is known for being the antithesis of; and 2) Norm has a larger financial network to rely on, whereas Al doesn’t.
56-43-1 is what I’m seeing.