Sadly I agree with you.

We need to toughen up and get ready for it because it's coming, in a thousand ways subtle and overt. This is the obvious line of attack and I can't imagine the Repubs will not take advantage of it. The only question is, will they overplay their hand?

Posted at June 17, 2008 4:51 PM in response to Texas GOP Disavows Knowledge Of Racist Anti-Obama Button

"I don't care how you describe "Minnesotans" or what they "prefer"---if that state reelects the snake oil salesman Norm Coleman instead of Al Franken who would follow in Paul Wellstone's tradition then they deserve the lemon they have bought. I don't understand how people can look at the smears the right/the corporate media is throwing at Franken and think that THOSE things define what he stands for and who he is."

Hey, don't shoot the messenger - I agree with you, will vote for Franken and will deplore Coleman's re-election along with everybody else.

The fact remains that the gamut of "pornography" accusations that Franken had to run to be endorsed by the state DFL convention started with our top Democrats. Top of the ticket Dem US Senator Amy Klobuchar herself led the charge for Franken to explain and apologize for an article he wrote for Playboy 8 years ago.

And the Repubs haven't started in on him yet. I hope I'm wrong, but I can't see him winning against empty suit (the phrase was made for him) Coleman.

Posted at June 17, 2008 2:12 PM in response to Poll: Al Franken Way Behind In Minnesota Senate Race

Yes that's true. Hopefully the Wellstone Precedent will apply. Wellstone however didn't leave a trail of SNL appearances, Playboy articles and books of in-your-face left-wing invective.

Posted at June 17, 2008 12:26 PM in response to Poll: Al Franken Way Behind In Minnesota Senate Race

I moved to Minnesota 26 years ago and have found the Minnesota character to be endlessly fascinating in a clinical way.

There is an expression we use/cringe at here: "Minnesota Nice", every bit as smug as it sounds, yet accurate. Your true Minnesotan hates confrontation and expressing an opinion of any sort. We're the home of passive/aggressive. Al Franken is entirely too abrasive and snotty to go over here - we much prefer slick and vapid, like Norm Coleman.

Truth be told, Al Franken is too much the New York Jew for Minnestoan sensibilities, which is ironic because he was born and raised here, whereas Norm Coleman really IS a New York Jew. But as the consummate opportunist he is, he's assimilated the Minnesota bland camoflage and it's served him well.

Posted at June 17, 2008 12:04 PM in response to Poll: Al Franken Way Behind In Minnesota Senate Race

Has anybody ele notice that the "she won the popular vote" meme is still being parroted (Diane Feinstein used it this morning on Stephanopoulos' show) and isn't being challanged?

I wonder if she negotiated unrestricted use of it as part of her concession package? Strikes me as the kind of symbolism she'd go for - the chance to make the same claim that Gore did...

Posted at June 8, 2008 10:42 PM in response to Hillary To Supporters: Because Of You, The Hardest Glass Ceiling Has "18 Million Cracks In It"

Sort of related: has anyone noticed that the "Hillary won the popular vote" meme is still very much in evidence (Diane Feinstein said it on one of the shows this morning) and isn't being challanged?

I wonder if her unrestriced use of that mantra was negotiated with Obama as part of her concession package?

Posted at June 8, 2008 10:30 PM in response to Mark Penn: We Should Have Contested Caucuses

Let me answer that with a brief statement:

No.

The only ones who pretend to take Jesse, his runaway ego and his periodic threats to run for office (he says he thinks he can be elected president) seriously are the media, for whom he's an irrestible cliche.

Posted at June 8, 2008 10:25 PM in response to Minnesota Dems Unite Around Franken In Top-Tier Senate Race

LOL. Feels good don't it? And we get to have him as PRESIDENT. It'll take a while but we'll get used to the idea that our politicians don't HAVE to be morons.

Posted at June 6, 2008 11:45 AM in response to Obama And Clinton Met Tonight In Washington

Yep, it's talent. And self-awareness and intelligence and rationality and grace. Read his books. It's all there.

Posted at June 6, 2008 11:41 AM in response to Obama And Clinton Met Tonight In Washington

Yeah it does, but there's a solution. I know dashing off these insights in the heat of the moment is the essence of TPM, but you could read them over before hitting "send".

Posted at June 6, 2008 11:37 AM in response to Obama And Clinton Met Tonight In Washington