On July 30, Al Franken came out with a radio ad illustrating Norm Coleman’s strong ties with Ted Stevens and VECO executives. How does the Coleman campaign respond? Trying to label Al Franken for “attacking Norm Coleman for fishing”:
Disgusting. Coleman’s been a “special guest” at Ted Stevens’ exclusive “Kenai River Classic” in 2003, 2004 and 2005. These are trips for oil executives, defense contractors and lobbyists to buy a nice chunk of time with “friends” in Congress. To call any one of these just a “fishing trip” is grossly misleading. I don’t think Minnesotans will let him off the hook. Who the one throwing the “Hail Mary” here?
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Aaron: This is from Franken’s radio ad:
“Coleman took three fishing trips to Alaska…” Source: Team Franken radio ad, “Awful Fishy”, July 30, 2008.
Team Franken has attacked Senator Coleman for going fishing. These attacks on Minnesota traditions like hockey and fishing happen when you have east-coast transplants and Washington D.C. staffers parachuting into Minnesota to try and save Franken’s “foundering” campaign.
Umm Michael, fishing trips with oil lobbyists in the wilds of Alaska to luxury accommodations are not exactly what most Minnesotans think of as a fishing trip. Get your lies straight… Coleman’s ad campaign comes out of Texas and his campaign is run out of Washington DC… does that make him a bad candidate? The foundering campaign is Coleman’s as he REFUSES to defend his record as Bush’s buttboy.
You sound like a broken record… still aghast about Franken’s writing about adult matters as Bacheman takes money from Strip Club owners and lobbyists at sex parties in Vegas? I mean sheesh you Republicans are just slime. What ever happened to the party of Eisenhower or Arne Carlson?
Good one amuseinc.
Ole Mikey deserves the hard truth now and then. But then according to Mikey, anything from Al Franken that counters Norm’s clean cut image with actual facts is an “attack” on Norm.
There are fishing trips, say to the Boundary Waters, roughing it with friends or family.
Then there are the FISHING TRIPS like the ones Norm Coleman took to Alaska. I wonder how many fish Coleman actually caught on those trips???
And isn’t Coleman an “East Coast Transplant” from New York?! And doesn’t Laurie live in LA?!
Sounds like Minnesota Values to me.
southwestdem,
Why can’t you people leave Norm’s family alone? It’s pretty outrageous how the commentors on this blog constantly attack Norm’s family. If that’s the new standard, then let’s look at Franken’s parents, in-laws and children and see what they’ve done. And by the way, Norm is not an “East Coast Transplant.” He’s lived and worked in Minnesota for more than 30 years. It’s pretty funny you would accuse anyone of being a transplant to Minnesota considering the guy you’re running against Coleman only moved here from, gasp, the East Coast to run against Norm.
Kathy,
You’re almost as guilty as southwestdem. You don’t know anything about Norm or his family yet you take a shot at Norm for not being a fisherman. Ask Bob Lessard about Norm’s fishing. Or you could ask E.D. Hill who took her family to the Boundary Waters to fish with Norm and his family. How many times do you go fishing Kathy?
XChris, I agree 100%,
These comments are digusting attacks.
Thank god the Republican party has a track record by winning on issues, rather than personal attacks that use information that is exagerrated and spun as much as possible for purely political reasons. We never win on hatred, we Republicans are the party iof ideas.
Great Job Smartest Man In MN Publius and Adult-like Minnesota Republican Chris
So now your skills as fisherperson is of paramount importance to being a Senator? Are you Republicans totally nuts? Norm came to Minnesota because he got offered a paycheck… period. If Iowa had paid better or Alabama had offered the job, he would be their problem not ours.
Al Franken grew up here, moved for education and work… came back. He spent much time in the state while he lived away because his parents lived in St. Louis Park. The guy still has grade school friends and is Minnesotan as they come… don’t actually know about his fishing skills though.
What is it with Republicans attacking Franken for being successful? I would think becoming a millionaire through hard work in a tough business would get him some respect from the supposed Business Party. Norm Coleman has spent his life working in government… whats’ wrong with this picture?
Chris,
The kind of “FISH” Norm Coleman is being credited in catching is of the MONEY kind!!! Get your head out of your anal orifice!! Your panties are all in a bundle because Norm Coleman took a lot of money from Special Interests. Especially from Sen. Ted Stevens and friends who are now under indictments for Fraud and otehr charges.
Norm was invited on these “fishing trips” all paid for by Senator Ted ” $200 Million Bridge To Nowhere” Stevens to meet with Oil Execs, Coorporate Lobbyists, Insurance Company Execs, etc. Norm pocketed a great deal of money from these groups over the years, thus is reflected in his votes reagarding their interests over that of Minnesotans trying to get by.
I can care less if Norm actually fishes for fish. I fished a lot with my dad when I was a kid growing up in Ohio and then California. We actually caught fish that we brought home to be cooked for supper.
Chris, Chris, Chris… you don’t actually believe Brodkorb’s swill?
All I ever see of him here - are potshots. And they have a Swiftboat feel about them. It ignores Normy’s failings.
Fishing trip? This is the first I’ve heard of it. Fishing at the behest of lobbyists is no simple fishing trip, if that was it.
To be honest then, the real objection should have been defended, or an attempt provided.
That he was getting lobbyist favors out of this.
I’ve never been given big buck hockey or fishing trips to Alaska. Why would Norm, I wonder.
Chris — I wasn’t attacking Norm’s family. It is fact that Norm Coleman came from New York because of a job. He was not raised here, and is indeed a transplant. Doesn’t matter if he has been her for 30 years, to some he wil always be a transplant and it will take 2-3 generations living here to change that.
As for Laurie, it is also a fact that she lives in LA while pursuing an acting career. I made no judgements.
Laurie is fair game because she is going to cohost the GOP reception at the convention. So, she is publicly stepping into the political arena with her husband.
Al Franken was raised here. His family lives here. He went to school here. He came home.
Deal with facts and stop trying to bully people.
And remember who called Chelsea Clinton the White House Dog?! That would be republicans.
southwestdem,
You’re the one who is constantly bullying people, so don’t give me any lectures about being a bully. I just can’t believe you’re so ignorant and parochial to suggest that a person who decides to move to a state after graduating from college or law school and make a life for himself is a “transplant” versus a person who was born in New York, went to high school in Minnesota and couldn’t wait to move back east to go to Harvard and become a comedian only to move back to run for office. As for Laurie, she lives part time in L.A. and part time in St. Paul. What’s wrong with that? Moreover, just because she is a co-host of a reception during the Republican National Convention does not make her “fair game” for political assaults.
Chris, I agree 100%,
ANyone who does not agree with we Republicans 100% is obviously a bully.
The stalking and name calling of we Republicans is, however, not bullying, because we are 100% correct on all the issues.
Our proven track record of success gives us the right to treat people who disagree with us like they are idiots, which they are, because we Republicans are smarter than they are.
Great Job Smartest Man In The Room Chris
P.S. Southwestdem,
Under your definition neither Paul Wellstone or Keith Ellison were/are “true” Minnesotans.
Telling truth is not bullying.
Changing the subject with a lot of hot air instead of dealing with the fact that Coleman is attached to Ted Stevens, a republican career politician who is now indicted in 7 federal counts is.
Typical republican response. Yell and scream loudly and change the subject as fast as you can instead of responding to the issue at hand. Call everyone who disagrees with you names. Yea, that helps the republicans win elections.
Chris I’ll say it… be born, bred and have at least 3 generations in this state to be a considered a true Minnesotan. Carpetbagging lawyers who can not even decide which political party they belong to are not true Minnesotans… that would be Norm Coleman.
amuseinc,
Wow, it’s shocking how ignorant and parochial your comments are. What’s more interesting is that you’ve now called half of the DFL including Wellstone and Ellison (and certainly Franken) carpetbaggers.
southwestdem,
Would you like some company for your pity party? You surely can’t be a shrinking violet the way you dish it out on here. You go after Norm’s wife and family and expect sympathy for being called out??? Hilarious!
Chris, I agree 100%,
Thank you for representing the Typical Minnesota Republican to a tee.
You nailed it.
Great Job Smartest Man In The Room Chris
I sense that Chris’s feathers have been ruffled a bit because the Franken ad tells the truth factually that Norm is on the take to Special Interests. That includes the $244,900 he has recieved from Oil and Gas companies since 2002. I wonder how many votes that bought them???
Norm never ceases to amaze me.
Personal note to Michael Brodkorb:
You want seem to want so badly to be Lee Atwater.
Just remember: at the end of his life, all Lee Atwater wanted to be was forgiven.
Michael Brodkorb gets more pathetic by the day. He seems so desperate to hang onto his GOP/Coleman/Paulsen paycheck he’ll throw anything against the wall to see if it sticks. How much is Brodkorb being paid as a subcontractor or through other means that aren’t traceable through the usual reports? Only Brodkorb and his benefactors know for sure.
Chris you stupid Republican troll… of course as someone who’s Minnesota roots go back before it was a State, hell before the USA was country, I have a thing about what a true Minnesotan is. We Minnesotans were having a party till those German and Scandinavian Farmers showed up with their Lutheran Churches and social welfare schemes. On April 12, 1680, Father Louis Hennepin, notorious French illegal alien, was captured by Sioux immigration authorities… unfortunately they let him go several months later. Recent immigrants like the Somoli and Hmong are just a new face on an old trend.
The difference is opportunism. Minnesota for its’ complete history has been filled with people concerned about the common good. You can see it in the type of people who emigrated here… the Finns up North, the Germans in New Ulm, hell the Irish community of St. Paul was so tight at one time that German Catholics couldn’t attend Irish Catholic churches without getting a hard time. Now we have a bunch of tax whining Republicans looking to line their pockets on government money without any concern for the community that expects a return on their tax investment.
What happened to the Education State that used to be proud of its’ university, colleges and trade schools? What happened to a State that used to work with public and private sectors working together to create a better life for all. It was crucified on a cross of gold by small minded idiots who think public transit doesn’t help the whole economy. It was destroyed by nickel and diming Republican tax whiners who could not conceive of the benefits for everyone in the state having an opportunity.
amuseinc, you ignorant slut (see two can play the name calling game)…I don’t give a hoot in hell how long you’ve lived in this state or how many generations you go back. Just because you were born and raised here doesn’t make you superior to anyone else. It’s that kind of attitude which caused a lot of wars in Europe over hundreds of years. In fact, there’s a danger of having too many generations in one place at one time, they tend to marry each other (see, e.g. the British monarchy). Norm Coleman is no more an opportunist than Paul Wellstone (who was born in Washington, D.C. and moved to MN in the 1970s), Keith Ellison (who was born in Detroit and moved to MN in the late 1980s/early 1990s) or Mee Mous (who was born in Laos and moved to MN).
As for the rest of your rant, you’re just a whiny democrat wanting to take everyone else’s money and line the government’s pockets on the people’s money. You say you want a return on the tax investment, fine. Why is it that we have an education system that funds Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth schools at the tune of $4,000-$5,000 per pupil MORE than schools like Mankato or Moorehead? These are some of the weakest performing schools in the state that are getting the most money. Why is it that you want to spend billions of dollars on light rail which only moves people a short distance on a fixed line instead of building more lanes and adding more short and express bus routes to move people from their homes to their employers? If you cared about economic growth, you would be in favor of those things. All you care about is sucking more money out of the hands of the people and feeding government.
Kathy,
Al Franken has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from PACs and Special interests including labor, lawyers and corporations like General Electric, Time Warner and Morgan Stanley. So what’s your point?
Chris, I agree 100%,
All anyone who disagrees with us wants to do is suck more money out of the hands of the people and feed government, that is just common sense.
Everyone knows the free market does a much better job deciding things for us, as we Republicans have proved by the success of our legislation that supports the privatization of Government. America is a better place because of it.
There is no government program that cannot make a profit if it was privatized. It is common knowledge that the economic growth our policies encouraged has helped average working families live the American dream.
We cannot trust government with our money. Everyone knows we can trust the government to spy on us, however.
Great Job Smartest Man In The Room Chris
Chris try to respond to the post I made, not the voices screaming in your head. In case you didn’t get the joke, I was humorously pointing out that very few Minnesotans could ever be considered true Minnesotans by the fake criteria that the GOP is trying to establish. The Larry Craig’s party wants to anoint New York accented Norm Coleman with a mantle of hero of Minnesota. That dog won’t hunt… as anyone who has ever heard the man make a speech will attest. They also want to accuse a guy who does have a Minnesota accent of being a carpetbagger… and that dog won’t hunt either.
So to put it in simple terms even a Republican troll will understand… the carpetbagger point is mute. Except for Norm Coleman being a complete and utter opportunist, something Al Franken is not. Your candidate was a Democrat until it became a better deal for him to be a Republican. He was going to run for Governor, until it became a better deal with orders from Bush to run for Senate. He has yet to vote for Minnesotans over big business and corrupt Alaskan Senators who hold his money leash. You Republican hero is in actuality an opportunist zero.
The rest of your BS fails completely to understand the concept of the Common Good and how this state once lead the nation because we paid fair taxes and demanded a return in citizen services… unlike now when no-bid contracts, corrupt politicians and bridges falling down represent the Republican ideal.
amuseinc,
So a guy who spent more than half of his life away from the state and then announces that the only reason he’s moving back is to run for office is not an opportunist??? Ridiculous.
Chris, I thought you were a Republican. Opportunists are like Norm… money grubbing climbers. In case you don’t know it Franken has become a multimillionaire from his work and really doesn’t need the graft and bribes like Norm does. Compare the guy who scrambles for low rent bribes like free rent with the successful entertainer, writer and comedian for who needs the work. The only opportunity he is looking for is to work for the people of Minnesota. You would think that you would understand the motives involved if you are a member of the Greed Party.
amuseinc,
Thanks for pointing out what a greedy limousine liberal carpetbagger Al Franken is.
“Al Franken has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from PACs and Special interests including labor, lawyers and corporations like General Electric, Time Warner and Morgan Stanley. So what’s your point?”
Al is not in the US Senate yet!!! He has not casted votes in favor of those who donated to his campaign.
Norm Coleman has voted in the interest of the Special Interests who have given him hundreds of thousands during his term. That speaks very loudly!!! Chris!! Norm Coleman has sold his soul to these people for his votes. ”
If Norm Coleman has ‘lived’ in Minnesota for 30 years, why does his dialect still sound more ‘Eastern’ than ’ Minnesotan?’ Can’t he afford to hire a voice coach? Isn’t there one out there that will barter for a used sofa?
Kathy,
OK so you say Norm Coleman has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars in oil contributions, including money from Alaskan oil interests. If Norm Coleman has sold his soul to special interests, especially Alaskan oil interests, why does he continually vote against expanded oil drilling in ANWAR and elsewhere favored by those big rotten oil companies that provide you enough gas so you can go down highway 52 and bitch about how bad our roads are?
It’s pretty amazing how you’ve elevated disagreements in policies to someone selling out the people to special interests and blah, blah, blah, blah. Of course, Al Franken will never vote in favor of an issue that Morgan Stanley, General Electric, the trial lawyers or the myriad of other special interests whose money he’s taken. Fortunately with Norm way up in the polls, Franken will never have the opportunity.
— — Norm Coleman has sold his soul to special interests, especially Alaskan oil interests, why does he continually vote against expanded oil drilling in ANWAR… — — Apparently he did vote for drilling at least once:
“In 2005, there was a series of votes in the Senate over drilling in the Arctic. Opponents of drilling say it became harder and harder to pin Coleman down before each vote. In Minnesota, Scott Elkins at the Sierra Club says he eventually came to believe Coleman was a swing vote.
SCOTT ELKINS: We had to fight tooth and nail to keep Sen. Coleman to his word.
In December 2005, the debate over Arctic drilling came to what appeared to be the decisive vote.
ELKINS: And Senator Coleman, when his vote most mattered, turned his back on that promise and decided to vote to open the Arctic to oil drilling.” http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/10/15/bill_allen_fishing
Chris, I agree 100%,
With Norm way up in the polls, Franken will never have the opportunity to do all of the things that we Republican say will take the country in the WRONG direction.
The results of Republican ideology and policy are obviously so awesome, and so successful, that we have earned the right to predict the outcomes of any policy we disagree with. Everybody knows we Republicans are THE PREDICTORS!!
As a predictor, I say every single piece of legislation or idea any Democrat tries to sell is wrong. Every piece of legislation we Minnesota say will work, obviously will work because we say it will. Our track record speaks for itself.
Thank you for continuing to stalk liberal websites and taking moonbats down. Obviously we are going to win, that’s why we have to continue to take moonbats down by any means necessary, even if it seems childish and immature.
Great Job Smartest Man In The Room Chris
Tom,
Your comment only proves that Coleman voted against the oil companies. Actually, I’m pissed at Norm for voting against drilling in ANWR because had ANWR passed six years ago, we’d just about be getting oil online today. It’s pretty amazing that Democrats think releasing 70 million barrels out of the strategic petroleum reserve will drive down prices but adding a million barrels a day or 365 million barrels a year will do nothing to lower the price. It’s amazing.
Chris, I agree 100%,
How much will drilling in ANWR reduce the price of gas per gallon?
Since you are the PREDICTOR, perhaps you could take down moonbats by telling them how much per gallon we would save.
Great Job Smartest Man In The Room Chris