“I think he definitely has the best chance of beating Coleman. It will be a more positive campaign with Ciresi as the candidate. I, too, think the Bush Administration has taken this country in the wrong direction on Iraq and other issues. But I think Franken is obsessed with the war issue. He is more anti than Mike. He is too negative.

“People want to hear your ideas and want to vote for someone not just against someone. Mike definitely has that stronger message,” Bakk said.

The senator from Cook believes Ciresi is generally more in tune with all Minnesotans than Franken, including some strong ties with the business community. “I just don’t think Al Franken is well connected with Minnesota. He (Ciresi) didn’t just come back to his state to run for senator.”

Jake, you and Dibble should just skip the middleman (Franken) and endorse Norm Coleman.

“‘I don’t know if star quality plays all that well on the Range. Politics isn’t a funny thing, people take it seriously.

‘I’m just guessing but I think if you put the two (Ciresi and Franken) in the Miners Memorial Building, Range people would come away saying Ciresi had the better communication skills and was a better debater … they would have a more positive perception of him,’ Bakk said.

And that, Bakk added, will be important in going up against Coleman.

‘A lot of people on the Iron Range like Norm Coleman. And Coleman will be very well educated on the issues … he knows them, he lives them every day,’ he said.” Source: Mesabi Daily News, November 28, 2007

The crown and title “King of the Range” is not bounded by geographical representation as its a legislative inside thing. Who cares?

However, being a Ranger is geographical. If your town was not around the Vermilion, Mesabi, Gunflint or Cuyuna Range areas, you’re not a Ranger and not part of the legislative Range delegation if your district doesn’t cover a part of those areas. Duluth doesn’t count either.

I’m sure you know this and it just read the opposite.