True North

If it wasn't coming from Al Franken's supporters, I wouldn't believe that someone would be foolish enough to say that Rep. Betty McCollum is dividing the DFL. Here's what the Strib is reporting:

On Thursday, Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., called the sexually explicit article offensive and potentially damaging to Franken and other Democratic candidates in Minnesota.

The Franken campaign and backers of the candidate said the work was merely satire and faulted McCollum for dividing the party.

"As a woman, a mother, a former teacher, and an elected official, I find this material completely unacceptable," McCollum said of Franken's piece, published in 2000 under the headline "Porn-O-Rama!"

Franken's supporters are wrong in thinking that Rep. McCollum is dividing the DFL. Rep. McCollum is wrong in thinking that Franken's problems will rub off on other DFL candidates down-ticket. State House candidates and freshmen will have their own troubles. I haven't seen any evidence that suggest that they're being damaged by Franken's troubles. Until I do, I'll just think of this as Rep. McCollum being a bit histerical.

"I can tell you it's not playing comfortably in St. Paul, and I can't imagine this politically radioactive material is doing very well in suburban and rural districts," McCollum said.

This I believe. And then some. I think it's likely that the DFL will endorse Franken but that vulnerable incumbents and other DFL candidates will distance themselves from Franken. I know that I wouldn't campaign with him if he campaigned in my district.

Here's what should worry Franken, too:

McCollum said Franken's piece came up at a weekly meeting of Minnesota Democrats in Congress on May 21. "The overwhelming majority of us thought it was a serious political problem," she said. "Others thought it was a problem but that it would blow over."

Politicians are nothing if not acutely aware of what it takes to get elected. That they think that Franken faces a "serious political problem" should speak volumes about the level of radioactivity Franken's 'achieved'.

Franken campaign spokesman Andy Barr fired back at McCollum Thursday, saying "it's unfortunate that she's trying to create divisions in our party rather than working with other DFLers to take on [Coleman]."

Some Franken supporters took a similar line. "I know that Representative McCollum was a co-chair of Mike Ciresi's campaign, but at a time when Minnesotans are hurting, it's extremely disappointing that she would rather destroy party unity than focus on beating Norm Coleman," said Javier Morillo, president of Service Employees International Union Local 26.

Mr. Barr's statements notwithstanding, the fact is that Franken is the one creating divisions in the DFL, not Rep. McCollum. As for Mr. Morillo's statement, why should party unity be more important than chastizing Franken's vulgarity? Most Minnesotans' first thought would likely center on Franken's disgusting language, not political party unity.

This tells everyone what the DFL's leadership's priorities are.

Comments welcome at LFR.