Coleman took his Senate race ten notches uglier over the weekend by getting an eight-year-old girl to lie twice and mislead people in a television spot. Prepare your barf bag and check it out yourself:
In case you’re just starting to follow the Senate race now, the cold, hard facts: Al Franken pays and has always paid taxes on every penny he’s earned. Al Franken pays workers compensation insurance. Al Franken is 57. Norm Coleman is 59.
In case you’re still believing the Coleman/MNGOP/MDE framing and lies, even though it has been covered a hundred times before, there was a small tax distribution issue that the IRS didn’t even notice that was swiftly and completely corrected. There was a small workers compensation lapse that had zero impact on any employees and has been completely resolved. This stuff is old news. They’re non-issues. Again, Al Franken pays and has always paid taxes on every penny’s he’s earned. Al Franken pays workers compensation insurance. To say that Franken does not pay tax or workers compensation are two flat-out lies.
Then, to have an eight-year-old girl deliver that garbage is sick. It is disgusting. It’s ten notches worse than equating regular Minnesotans to bowlers with missing teeth.
Meanwhile, the shameless Republican operative Michael Brodkorb said publicly: “The ad is hilarious.”
(captured Aug 25, 2008 10:50 AM)
I guess Coleman is doing everything he can to distract from his record of corruption in Washington, even if it means having an eight-year-old girl do that dirty work. Everyone involved with this ad should be ashamed.
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The ad *is* hilarious. No one is calling Franken older than Coleman. It’s just a play on how young people seeing older people as really old.
The girl wasn’t exploited. And though you’ll continue to mislead and deceive about it, the girl did not lie.
Sean2, I agree 100%,
We Minnesota Republicans needtocontinue to attack AL Franken on the same issue in a variety of different ways. Everyone knows this issue is the only one that matters.
This is the 5th or 6th ad that says exactly the same thing in different ways. It is almost as if there is nothing else to attack Al Franken on, but everyone knows that is not true, is it.
Next we need an ad with an old lady on a park bench attacking Norm Coleman asking “Why do you say those terrible things about Al Frankens taxes?”, then Norm turns to the camera and says “Because they’re true.”
Obviously we Minnesota Republicans are going to win because of these ads. We must continue to paint AL Franken as a tax evader, just not the type of tax evader we Republicans agree with 100%.
Great Job, and dittos, Sean2
Wow! They are more desperate than I thought. But I don’t see this ad playing well with Minnesotans. Politics aside, What ad agency is coming up with this garbage? I wouldn’t pay for that weak ad! Whoever makes these ads should go back to school. Off the subject, is Norm spending any face time at the state fair this week?
Another terrible ad from team Coleman. I predict a 5% Franken lead in two weeks.
Weird ad… when is the last time you took advice from a child… for something important like your vote? How about never.
With luck Coleman will keep this up… bad ads on subjects that mean nothing to the public. I’m certain that the lie about taxes is meaningful to Minnesotans, if they believe it. Unfortunately for Norm this ad goes a long way in trivializing the issue. Had he had a serious person explaining in detail the horror of Al Franken’s tax mess etc… well it might not look like such a minor thing. Note no prosecution, no courts, no seizures… nothing but accusations from Norm.
You have to laugh that no where is it even mentioned that Norm is a Republican. The ad itself makes the tag of bringing people together a lie. I guess when you can’t run on your record or the issues you pretend the other guy is worse than you are…
All in all a swing and a miss… everybody knows that children shouldn’t speak rudely about adults… except New York Norm Coleman, former Senator as of November.
TFRWG, expect your plan for Coleman’s next ad to be on all the networks by the end of the week. I’m excited to see Coleman wearing a Mark Kennedy-style plaid shirt.
Wow, that was really, really lame. Just pathetic.
Aaron: As WCCO noted, there is no way to verify Team Franken’s claims that Franken overpaid his taxes…
“Franken tries to clear up confusion about his income tax problem, but what he calls ‘an honest mistake’ is unverifiable.
‘Al Franken. He gave speeches across the country,’ says the announcer in the Al Franken for Senate ad. ‘Instead of paying taxes in the states where he spoke, he overpaid taxes to the state where he lived. It was an honest mistake.’
IN FACT…
Franken won’t make tax returns public, so there’s no way to verify if he overpaid home state taxes. He blames an accountant’s error for mistakenly paying $917,000 in taxes to New York and Minnesota.” Source: WCCO-TV, August 13, 2008
Can you post the documentation proving that Franken overpaid his taxes? I’m sure McIntosh or “Scooter” Barr will send it over to you…
Minnesota Republican blogger Micheal B. Brodkorb, I agree 100%
Thank you for your accurate comments concerning the most important issue of this election. Obviously, nobody here at Publius has every seen the facts about this.
I expect we are going to see many many more ads from Norm Coleman that say exactly the same thing about Franken in many different ways, and these people who disagree with you on the issues are genuinely afraid of that.
Don’t forget to roll out the old lady on a parkbench.
Great Job, Micheal B. Brodkorb, and Mega Dittos!!
Aaron: I’ve read your post again and you may be the biggest liar in the Minnesota blogosphere. It’s really sad, but you take lying to a new level. You live in another world, filled with lies and half-truths. This may be the most dishonest post in the history of MN Publius. You should be embarrassed.
At least the kid can sound sort of Minnesotan, unlike Norm Coleman’s New York accent…
If there were tax evasion going on wouldn’t the IRS or a state tax unit be filing briefs and getting it into a court? Just asking… I mean if the Republicans can show a real prosecution versus the persecution they are presently doing… well it might even have some legs as a complaint. As is it just looks like childish mud being thrown by New York Norm using a child as his cat’s paw.
Say Mikey, how did that prosecution of the Republican Party go on issues of taxes, fees and what was it now, embezzlement? Something about glass houses… that every Minnesotan knows.
I was worried that the Republicans might have some more dirt on Franken that they were planning on dropping on him this fall. It appears, however, that we’ve seen it all as they are starting to reguritate the same things over and over.
2008 Republican strategy: Have a cute little girl repeat (and distort) old and played out Franken tax problems. Now, That is real leadership. Maybe the next ad will have kittens talking about the Playboy article.
“Again, Al Franken pays and has always paid taxes on every penny’s he’s earned. Al Franken pays workers compensation insurance. To say that Franken does not pay tax or workers compensation are two flat-out lies.”
Are you kidding me? Sounds like Aaron is taking the George Costanza route: “It’s not a lie if you believe it’s true.”
You know the old saying about cash talks and bullshit walks? It applies to this one… either prove that accusation with court records or shut up about it. Was this even ever in a court or was it all done as soon as it was pointed out? Seems to me nothing ever went near prosecution… nothing like an ethics probe came up.
Honestly, unless there is some kind of “fact” I don’t know about, this whole tax thing is pointless. Guy with a complex tax bill fucks up his taxes (with the help of accountant), guy pays with new accountant all the problem taxes, settles issue, end of story. No court, no prosecution, no nothing. There is no there, there.
Do you suppose that Minnesota GOPs would complain if the Obama campaign ran commercials about Senator John McCain’s failure to pay property taxes for years on his San Diego condo? I mean old John payed up after he was caught out as having failed to do it… end of McCain story? End of Franken story? Or do we get to pound McCain with little girls mouthing the exact same words as Coleman’s little girl?
Michael, what’s so hilarious about hiring an 8 year old girl to take inaccurate shots at your opponent? Isn’t Coleman the incumbent? Why doesn’t he, oh I don’t know, run on his record from the past 6 years?
Classic republican move: when challenged or proved wrong, just repeat your lies louder.
The shame is, like spam e-mail and push-polling, it actually seems to work on the feeble minded.
Nice post Aaron. Looks like Micheal is a little upset. You know you’re doin something right! I just watched that commercial again, and it’s laughable. I hope this one gets played again and again. It will make the good, decent people of Minnesota wanna retch! Poor Normie is running it into the ground. Does anyone know an answer to my question up top?
Do you suppose that Minnesota GOPs would complain if the Obama campaign ran commercials about Senator John McCain’s failure to pay property taxes for years on his San Diego condo?
Obviously those who have stated that Franken’s tax errors show that he is not suitable for public office will NOT be voting for McCain for the same reason. Right?
This blog sucks. You deleted two of my comments. Haha. Can’t handle dissent?
It’s my understanding that Al and Franni paid taxes on all their income but underpaid in the states where they earned that income. They overpaid to MN and NY. Why can’t the states of Minnesota and New York verify that Al overpaid his taxes? That seems like quite a chunk of change to mistakenly just vanish, unremarked into state coffers. How could that have been missed? Wouldn’t there be some public record of a tax refund to the Frankens from those states that were overpaid? If it’s as simple as that, we don’t need to see the Frankens returns, nor would they necessarily show what we all want to know. (for differing reasons)
I am a “one” in Al’s supporter list so I’m certainly not ragging on him here, but I really want this matter settled. It’s keeping us from debating important issues, and giving us campaign ads like the one this thread is addressing. Gaah! If Al and Frannie are lying about this even now, I would rethink my support. But I wonder how many Michael Brodkorbs will ever rethink theirs when the facts are finalized and the Frankens are vindicated? Verification… Careful what you wish for Mr. B.
Here’s my point: WCCO’s Reality Check called Team Franken’s excuses about Franken’s tax problems “unverifiable.”
“Franken tries to clear up confusion about his income tax problem, but what he calls ‘an honest mistake’ is unverifiable.
‘Al Franken. He gave speeches across the country,’ says the announcer in the Al Franken for Senate ad. ‘Instead of paying taxes in the states where he spoke, he overpaid taxes to the state where he lived. It was an honest mistake.’
IN FACT…
Franken won’t make tax returns public, so there’s no way to verify if he overpaid home state taxes. He blames an accountant’s error for mistakenly paying $917,000 in taxes to New York and Minnesota.” Source: WCCO-TV, August 13, 2008
But Team Franken’s embedded blogger at MN Publius, Aaron Landry, must have found a way to “verify” a claim WCCO labeled as “unverifiable.”
Micheal B. Brodkorb, I agree 100%,
What is missing from this discussion is how agregious a mistake overpaying your taxes is. This is the worst thing any American could ever, ever do. I am suprised someone who overpaid their taxes would even consider running.
We Republicans believe in not paying taxes, not overpaying them.
Great Job Minnesota Republican blogger Micheal B. Brodkorb
I don’t know what little mikey is so worried about, his paymaster normie has the all the power and prestige of the republican brand to fall back on. Oh wait a minute,,,
Well maybe normie can get little bush to come to Minnesota and campaign for him since normie has voted so consistently for the little bush’s whole program. Oh wait a minute,,,
Meh. Hey Broadcorpse: You’ve heard of FOIA? It was signed by LBJ…a DEMOCRAT. I suggest you get off your lazy blogging ass and use it, if you’re so inclined. Of course, I suspect you’re more inclined to bitch on liberal blogs (and your own deserted piece of swampland.)
When will Mikey Brodkorb release his tax returns so we can see his sources of income that he’s not disclosing? This guy is as phony as his boss.
Franken AND Team Franken have a basic problem: they keep making errors and coming across as sloppy. This gives the impression that they really don’t care about a particular issue or action. Take for example the current Franken website. If you look at the calendar you see several events titled - “Free Women for Franken Reception With Franni!” or “Free Women for Franken Reception With Al and Franni!” gee…”Free Women” - as in a verb - free them? Or “Free Women” as in an adjective - groan…sounds like a title of a fantasy piece. And yes…we all know this means the event is free - but damn how you write something does matter especially when one is a comedian who has a record of objectifying women in skits and books.
Given the failure of Franken to address ERA, pay equity, reproductive rights on his website - ….ya know I really don’t think Al gets it when it comes to women. Who knows maybe all the frat-boy types running Team Franken thought “Free Women….” was funny. Would they ever advertise a “Free Men for Franken Reception with Al”….come to think of it elected DFL men and party leaders aren’t exactly publically backing Al….they are letting the DFL women do this….how ironic.
Demure One, you get the PUMA of the week award with that post. Even more pathetic than Coleman’s ad.
What a ridiculous ad. It gives a whole new meaning to school yard taunt. Let’s see, from that ad we found out more information on what Coleman is running on, right? His main and meaningful accomplishments in the Senate are ________? Hmm, guess not.
After seeing that ad for the first time last night, even my 13 year old asked what an 8 year old knows or cares about taxes, workers comp, and who pays them or doesn’t pay them; and questioned why adults should listen to some 8 year old when making up their minds for whom to vote.
I guess it should be expected, these are the same “adults” who were waving sandals and wearing “purple heart bandaids” at the RNC 4 years ago.
Demure one-
I have already provided the text from Franken’s web site where he unequivically states that a woman should be absolutely free to make her own health care decisions. STOP with the lies. Frankly, you make yourself look stupid…not as a woman, but as a person.
Cmon Demure that post reeks of desperation. Kind of like Coleman’s ad, which was the purpose of this thread I beleive? I think you wanna love AL and you’re just scared!
This is one of the strangest things I have ever seen. Is it really put out by the Coleman campaign, or by someone else designed to make Coleman look unethical?
I wonder if this child knows she is shilling for a guy that is part of the cabal that is bankrupting her generation by subsidies to big pharma in Medicare part D, jeopardizing our environment, economy and national security with subsidies to big oil, and taking us down a few notches in world standing in Iraq? I wonder how she will feel about her message 20 years from now?
Maybe “No one told her.” Talk about child exploitation.
BTW - she is a dead ringer for Michele Bachmann! Is she one of the 27 Bachmann children????
lojasmo - why don’t you provide a link to the page on Franken’s website where he advocates for women’s health issues? I cannot find it on the site.
Here’s the deal - all of the women who have signed on very publicly for Franken are taking a huge political risk because of all of the really mean jokes he has made about so many demographics. I think it is totally fair to expect Team Franken to be a little more careful about what they put on their website - and I think if fair to ask why men in the DFL party are not having to play such a visible booster role for Franken. Are women the only ones who are supposed to put their political careers at risk. Where are the video testimonials from the DFL men? Why aren’t they sticking their necks out for this guy?
This is asenine. The eight year old girl was no more exploited than Obama’s two daughters were last night at the convention.
This girl acts like she’s a little brat, annoying.
All I could think when seeing this was “What a snarky, unappealing little snob.” I have yet to see that kind of sneer on a child’s face and think it’s cute or clever.
Her parents must be sooooo proud. Eeeee.