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It is almost as if the DFL wanted to lose their challenge against Senator Norm Coleman from the start. Power drunk on radicalism by the success of a overwhelming win in 2006 by Amy Klobuchar over Republican Mark Kennedy, the DFL allowed Hollywood and MoveOn.org to pick Al Franken as their choice to confront Coleman. Many in the blogger world warned that by picking Franken the election would center around Franken and his past verses picking a moderate Mike Ciresi, where the election would revolve around Coleman's record. That warning fell on deaf ears.
A few months ago the radicals won out and Ciresi stepped down from the race. In doing so, any chance that a DFL candidate like Franken would attract moderates, independents and Republicans unhappy with Coleman, became greatly reduced. Norm Coleman, sensing an opportunity, immediately kicked his ongoing transformation from conservative to moderate into high gear. Coleman just may become Minnesota's luckest politician.
Now the Minnesota GOP has discovered tax problems on Franken's returns dating back to 2003 and Franken has had to acknowledg owing $70,000 in back taxes to 17 states. The MN GOP is really making hay over it as is the local media. I personally feel from what I have seen, that Franken likely did not intentionally act to cheat the government. However political reality is that the tax irregularities, much like Reverend Jeremiah Wright's effect on Barack Obama Presidential bid, is going to have a lasting negative effect on the Franken campaign. The issue is now clearly Franken and his competency, judgement, management capability and his character. All this is not good for the DFL a month before endorsement.
One other thing that is evident to me is that the Minnesota GOP made a serious tactical error in exposing this problem before the June endorsement of Al Franken. According to the Star Tribune (link here), Franken's campaign is so worried that they have contacted the 2,400 DFL delegates to the June DFL State Convention to start damage control. At this point Franken's remaining challenger, St. Thomas professor Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. remains his only competition for the endorsement. Nelson-Pallmeyer has little appeal or traction and will lose to Franken.
Word on the street is that major DFL party leaders are so concerned that they are asking Mike Ciresi to get back into the race. Some DFL leaders have approached others to consider entering the race as well. Congressman Tim Walz has declined the offer feeling his reelection chances are better in the 1st Congressional District. It would be a very smart tactical move on the DFL's part to replace Franken, if they want to return Paul Wellstone's Senate seat to their side of the isle. Still smart and DFL leadership decisions have not always gone hand and hand. You only need to look at Roger Moe and Mike Hatch to realize that.
With a month until the DFL Convention, it is possible that Al Franken can fight off the tax issue for the endorsement. However it will be a major detractor, much like his previous business dealings and outrageous statements on Air America and alleged drug, use whe it comes to the general election. The Minnesota GOP will have a field day with attack ads against Franken. Because of his gender he wont be able to cry foul and have it stick as in the 2006 Senate election. Franken is wounded and the sharks are starting to circle.
The question remains, is the MN DFL leadership willing to take the steps necessary to overrule the far left wing of their party to accomplish that goal of unseating Norm Coleman?
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