Norm Coleman Votes Against Stem Cell Research Bill.

Disappointed, but not surprised. Here are a couple of things to remember about Coleman:

1.) He's orignally from New York and is Jewish. He has only recently (since the Republican ascension in 2000) assumed the mantle of a conservative Christian.

2.) He and his wife live separately--in separate states as a matter of fact--and he is notorious around Minneapolis for his indescretions. Frankly, I could care less about a politician's personal life EXCEPT when they are pandering to the morality Nazi's on the right while living a double-life themselves.

3.) Norm Coleman began his political career in Minnesota as a Democrat--a Humphrey/Mondale style Democrat, no less. When it became clear that the MN Democratic field was full of rising stars and that his prospects were not strong, he switched party affiliation in a stunning display of lack of personal integrity. People change their minds-- happens all the time--but to go from the hard left to the hard right virtually overnight certainly raises the possibility that he has no internal moral compass, only career aspirations.

4.) Most egregious of all, the Coleman's have lost children (I believe two) to a rare genetic disease, precisely the kind of disorder targeted by stem cell research. One would hope that suffering these personal tragedies would moderate even the staunchest of Christian critics (which Coleman is when it suits him). I wonder how his wife feels about his stem cell stance? Maybe he should give her a call. Long distance nights and weekends are free.

All of which goes to show that he is the consumate, finger-in-the-wind politician. It is clear from his double life that he lacks strongly held beliefs and values and supports whatever is politically expedient.

Garrison Keillor did a nice expose on him a couple of years ago, I think for Salon. Keillor was frustrated the the MN press didn't do any digging into Coleman's past and essentially allowed him to preach morality on behalf of the Republican party while ignoring his notorious personal behavior in the Twin Cities.

We can only hope he is a one-termer.

http://mickeymusing.vox.com/