Seed Newsvine
Franken v. Coleman in the Polls
Posted by draabe on 28 August, 2008
The latest live-call poll conducted for Minnesota Public Radio and the Humphrey Institute shows Al Franken making headway in his challenge to Norm Coleman for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Paul Wellstone. Of the 763 Minnesota voters phoned during the period August 7 – 17, 2008, 41% said they would vote for Franken, compared to 40% who favored Coleman, 8% who said they planned to vote for Independence party candidate Dean Barkley and 11% who were as yet undecided.
Considering that Coleman is the incumbent, this is good news for Franken whose campaign continues to forge ahead steadily. Larry Jacobs, a political scientist at the University of Minnesota who directed the poll, said “the broader political environment is very challenging to Coleman.”
At a recent fundraiser for senate districts 47, 48, 49 and 51, Franni Franken reminded voters that polls provide snapshots, and the Franken v. Coleman race is neck-and-neck…which is where the voters come in. She also said:
“Obama needs 60 senators to bring about change [and] we need Al in the senate to work with Amy Klobuchar and retore Minnesota to the powerhouse it has been…and we will see Minnesota come to the forefront and be a leader of the nation as we were during the time of Hubert Humphrey.”
David Kleppe said
Despite all the tension and high stakes, TV ads by the Franken and Coleman campaigns achieve some sort of high art, or is it camp, or kitsch. Whatever the viewer’s opinion of the ad wars, the commercials are explosively compelling and highlight the imperfections of both men.
Of course, that is not the point. Franken’s tax problems are a typical taxpayer’s mistakes due to complex tax laws. Coleman’s coddling of the oil lobby is a far more serious lapse of judgment. To paraphrase McCain’s campaign lingo, “Country First,” you could say of the U.S. Senate race in Minnesota “Ethics First.”
Attacks on Franken’s tax problems betray GOP concern for citizen’s tax problems and burdens. The IRS long ago started treating taxpayers with more respect not just for better customer service, but because we, the taxpayers, are the government of the people, by the people, and for the people. On the other hand, we are not a government of the oil companies, for the oil companies, and by the oil companies as the Bush-Cheney team have instilled upon Senator Coleman who has done an excellent job of catering to Big Oil to the best of his abilities. Coleman has not represented Minnesota’s interests, but the interests of powerful lobbyists who found willing servants in the GOP to do their bidding. So, among the scathing attack ads: Advantage Franken.