CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
March 10, 2008 – 10:43 p.m.
Minnesota Dem Dropout Means a Lot to Al Franken
By Marie Horrigan, CQ Staff
Democrat Mike Ciresi announced Monday he was terminating his campaign for Minnesota’s Senate race, clearing the path for former Saturday Night Live comedian Al Franken to win the party’s endorsement and take on Republican Sen. Norm Coleman in November.
Ciresi said he was withdrawing to prevent a divisive contest. “Continuing the endorsement race would only lead to an unnecessary floor fight. It is time to step aside,” he said in a statement on his campaign Web site.
CQ Politics rates the race No Clear Favorite, the most competitive rating.
Franken still faces one Democratic opponent, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, but he has dominated the Democratic-Farmer-Labor endorsement process. The party’s endorsement is not binding but many candidates agree to abide by the outcome of the process, which comes after a series of caucuses that currently are taking place at the state senate district level.
Franken has dominated in fundraising. In 2007 he reported raising $7.2 million and had $3.1 million on hand while Coleman raised $6.6 million and had $6 million on hand. Ciresi lagged with $1.9 million raised and $984,000 on hand while Nelson-Pallmeyer reported raising $284,000 and had $132,000 on hand.
Franken did not comment on Ciresi’s withdrawal, but Coleman said in a statement that Ciresi would have been a “formidable opponent.”
“He and I both share a common path in having raised our families here and making a commitment to serving the people of Minnesota through public and community service,” Coleman said in what could be interpreted as a snipe at Franken, who was raised in Minnesota but spent much of his adult life in New York City.
Republicans in Washington welcomed the news of Ciresi’s departure. “Mike Ciresi’s exit from the race only ensures that the DFL Party will likely endorse one of the most extreme and radical candidates for public office in years. Al Franken’s mean-spirited and nasty partisanship is a clear contrast from Norm Coleman ’s ability to work across party lines, bringing people together and getting things done,” Rebecca Fisher, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in an e-mail.
Comments
How can Mike Ciresi dropping out of the race "clear the way" for Al Franken when Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer leads Ciresi? If Al Franken wants the way cleared, he has to get by Nelson-Pallmeyer too. Ciresi never did better than third place in this race, even with his millions.
Just what congress needs, another liberal wise cracking comedian who couldn't make it on talk radio. His message didn'y fly then but congress is a different story. He doesn't have to listen to nobody.
Coleman has proven to be a non-starter in the Senate. Franken is going to out-debate him, out-campaign him, out-fundraise him and out-work him to win the election. Having the Republican Convention in Minn. won't help Coleman, he is going down to Franken 52%-47% Mark my words, Franken will win and all the rabid, foaming at the mouth Conservatives will have another Liberal joining the Senate at the expense of their radical Conservative movement. Ha!
The back story that too many of the media have failed to recognize is that Mikle Ciresi dropped out because he was fading fast, and had long ago been passed by the surging campaign of Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. Nelson-Pallmeyer, a college professor like his friend the late Senator Paul Wellstone (for whom Nelson-Pallmeyer provided foreign policy advice), energizes party delegates wherever he goes and brings none of the negative political baggage that Franken carries.
Anytime you drop one of the contenders out of the race, it clears the path for the remaining candidate(s). And folks who only see Franken as what he has said or done in his profession rather than what and who he is as a person and candidate makes a grave error. Attempts by either his opponents or the Republican DC establishment to define Franken as a mere liberal comic figure will play right into the hands of a very bright, intelligent and competent candidate. Underestimation is potential power.
Franken has planned on this seat for many years ant 08 seems to be favorable to him.
Al Franken can be that much needed concience and "voice in the wilderness" that is so needed in the US Senate. Sen. Wellstone served in that role and it was healthy for the Senate. Mr. Franken is desperately needed in Washington DC. Go AL!
Al Franken will be a huge improvement over Coleman. Coleman has no convictions- he blows in whatever direction the political wind is blowing. Now that Bush is tanking in the polls, Coleman is probably going to run a campaign that puts as much distance between him and Bush, which may be difficult to do since he voted lockstep with Bush about 90% of the time.
Franken has a big hurdle here: he has to show he can speak effectively on the issues. So far he has not, especially compared to the fast rising Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. Now he is avoiding doing a debate with Jack, presumably because his campaign manager sees how he loses backers to Jack when people compare the two. It seems that Al doesn't think he can get the party endorsement if he speaks on the issues. But he's in a quandry: if he can't get the endorsement on the issues, and only does so by running from them, what's he going to run on in the general? Attacks on Norm Coleman? All that will lead to are attacks on Al Franken, and Coleman is nicer and better looking than Al, and a smooth politician and he will win.
I hope Franken wins - BUT - is anyone concerned about the possible health effects of Belushi-sized excesses? It may have been decades since he took drugs, but isn't it commonly held that loads of narcotics hurts you later? How's his heart? We need more senators with his 'heart'.. 60 Al Frankens would be fine with me... but how is his literal, bloodpumping heart?
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