MN Sen: Will corruption cost Coleman?

[MarkWarner08]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-wbAGbnue8

Will this ad be enough to tip the balance to Franken? The RCP polling average here shows Coleman up by 2.3%.

[Ronnie]

You should at least include Norm's hard hitting response ad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o2Ylqk6UK0

[MarkWarner08]

You should at least include Norm's hard hitting response ad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o2Ylqk6UK0

Thanks for adding the link.

Here's Franken's response to Norm's response ad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTa-eOCZRwQ

[Ronnie]

You should at least include Norm's hard hitting response ad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o2Ylqk6UK0

Thanks for adding the link.

Here's Franken's response to Norm's response ad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTa-eOCZRwQ

Whoa, Franken is really getting desperate.

[Sam Spade]

Look, it was pretty clear to me that by the middle of last week, Coleman was up about 4-5%.

The question is whether this late *surprise* can take him down.  Otherwise, I thought he was likely headed towards victory.

Unfortunately, we are unlikely to get any other polls, so we'll just have to guess.

[MarkWarner08]

Barkley has a new ad that features him toppling  Coleman and Franken, who are standing on two pillars.  Best line of the ad: "I don't need two guys from New York to tell me why the middle class is angry."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh6l3_ElRHI

Who will Barkley hurt more? Will he  mostly peel off voters who dislike Coleman, but can't stand Franken? Will he win more Weak Republicans/ Independent Republicans or Weak Democrats/ Independent Democrats?

After trailing in most polls before the financial crisis, Franken surged ahead in early October and held a consistent lead till last week. Now Franken has fallen behind in most polls.  Will the  Coleman corruption scandal (which is similar to the one that led to the conviction of Ted Stevens) push the Al Franken to victory?

Will there be any new polls before the 4th?

[MarkWarner08]

Now Norm Coleman is replying to a DSCC ad that distorts the truth about a lawsuit against himby erroneously claiming Al Franken is behind that very lawsuit. Senator.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9LWAuITyPA

Now Norm Coleman is falsely attacking Franken (which violates his campaign promise to run only positive ads), while Franken is tying his electoral hopes to an 11th hour story that is being largely ignored by the liberal Star-Tribune. This MN Senate race has officially entered the Twilight Zone.

Who could've imagined a wackier Senate race?
 
Edit: MN DFL chair Brian Melendez is now claiming that Coleman could be indicted on bribery charges...

[MarkWarner08]

MPR's final Senate debate (live):
Q: "Are you accusing Sen. Coleman of being corrupt?"

"The charges are very serious," Franken says, refusing to answer a yes/no question with a "yes" or a "no."

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/news_cut/archive/2008/11/live-blogging_the_us_senate_de.shtml

Coleman is now lying about Franken's involvement (or lack thereof) in the lawsuit.

[Sam Spade]

Makes this race kinda hard to call, doesn't it?

[MarkWarner08]

Makes this race kinda hard to call, doesn't it?

Yep. In 2006, I felt confident enough to call MO, the last race I had ranked as a tossup, by the middle of the week before election day.

I was about ready to call this one for Coleman. Then this scandal broke and now the first 15 minutes of the MPR debate has been devoted to a subject that revolves around one question: Is Norm Coleman corrupt? I have no clue now.

As I've said before, this is the craziest Senate race in recent memory.

[Ronnie]

Makes this race kinda hard to call, doesn't it?

Yep. In 2006, I felt confident enough to call MO, the last race I had ranked as a tossup, by the middle of the week before election day.

I was about ready to call this one for Coleman. Then this scandal broke and now the first 15 minutes of the MPR debate has been devoted to a subject that revolves around one question: Is Norm Coleman corrupt? I have no clue now.

As I've said before, this is the craziest Senate race in recent memory.

We have to see.  I'm pulling for Coleman, and will be crushed if he is defeated. 

[MarkWarner08]

Makes this race kinda hard to call, doesn't it?

Yep. In 2006, I felt confident enough to call MO, the last race I had ranked as a tossup, by the middle of the week before election day.

I was about ready to call this one for Coleman. Then this scandal broke and now the first 15 minutes of the MPR debate has been devoted to a subject that revolves around one question: Is Norm Coleman corrupt? I have no clue now.

As I've said before, this is the craziest Senate race in recent memory.

We have to see.  I'm pulling for Coleman, and will be crushed if he is defeated. 

While Smith is likely doomed and Coleman is teetering on the edge, Susan Collins will be resoundingly reelected.

[Ronnie]

Makes this race kinda hard to call, doesn't it?

Yep. In 2006, I felt confident enough to call MO, the last race I had ranked as a tossup, by the middle of the week before election day.

I was about ready to call this one for Coleman. Then this scandal broke and now the first 15 minutes of the MPR debate has been devoted to a subject that revolves around one question: Is Norm Coleman corrupt? I have no clue now.

As I've said before, this is the craziest Senate race in recent memory.

We have to see.  I'm pulling for Coleman, and will be crushed if he is defeated. 

While Smith is likely doomed and Coleman is teetering on the edge, Susan Collins will be resoundingly reelected.

I'm thankful and grateful that Collins is safe, but Coleman's seat is very important to keep.  I don't want to have a joke like Franken in the senate.

[MarkWarner08]

So far in the debate, Coleman and Franken are trying to out-promise each other in terms of expanding government spending. Barkley is calling for cutting the deficit.  Republican men may be tempted by Barkley's Perot-like rhetoric.

Another observation: The moderator seems to be cutting off Coleman whenever the Senator tries to direct some barb at Franken.

To those with short memories - it was during an MPR debate a Sunday before the 2002 election that Coleman solidified his edge over Mondale. Right now, both Coleman and Franken sound like they're losing...

[MarkWarner08]

Here comes a big question:

Coleman to Franken: Tell me three things you've done for Minnesotans?

"Would you like 7?" Franken says. Says he worked on Operation Helmet. Coleman interrupts him.   "I'm not talking about your radio show?" Coleman says. "tell me what you've done for Minnesotans."

Hot diggity -- someone pass the popcorn!

[Mr.Phips]

I had switched my prediction back to Coleman last week after picking Franken in late September, but now I am switching back to Franken.  The combination of an Obama landslide in the state and this scandal I think will be too much for Coleman to overcome. 

[JSojourner]

Dunno.  I'm just glad I don't live in Minnesota, because I can't think to two worse choices.  I might be voting Barkley.