Guest post by Scan
The election of 2002 was a painful one on many fronts, but this was the worst: Waking up the next morning to find that Norm Coleman had beaten Walter Mondale and won the late Paul Wellstone’s Senate seat in Minnesota. I didn’t feel like I could face the day after that. Losing Wellstone, our progressive hero, just days before it appeared he would win reelection was bad enough, but having an empty suit neocon like Coleman take his place was almost too much to think about.
And sure enough, Norm delivered, proving himself to be a dependable Bush lackey and the antithesis of what Wellstone stood for. So with Bush’s approval ratings in the gutter, and with Republicans running for cover all across the map…why is Al Franken not beating this guy handily in his reelection bid?
Well, the truth is, Al’s had a rough patch lately, with some unfortunate attempts at edgy humor being dug up (as I knew they would be) and the discovery of some back taxes going unpaid (blamed on accountant error), among other things. These bumps have stung, but they have not been fatal. In fact, a poll conducted this week by Rasmussen has Franken actually leading Coleman 49-46 with leaners included. Hopefully this is evidence that he has weathered the storm, but Coleman is certainly not going down without a mudfight, as this revolting ad demonstrates. The clip above is the serious, effective response to it. I think it’s a winner.
So, let me put this as simply as I can: I want Norm Coleman to be defeated and the mistake of 2002 finally rectified. I want Al Franken to embarrass him with a landslide rejection of his failed and outdated Bushian policies, even if a narrow win is much more likely. If there is one non-presidential race that I am following the most, where a Democratic win would send me into an upward spiral of giddy celebration, it is this one. Much like the netroots helped make Senator James Webb a reality in 2006, I want to see a national grassroots effort that wins back Paul Wellstone’s seat for a progressive in 2008.
Al Franken is the man who can do it. This is a race that can be won, and I intend to do what I can to make it happen. Some coattails from Obama in Minnesota will help, but it might not be enough.
My question is…are you in?
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