U.S. Senator Norm Coleman, R-Bush

There is tragic truth to the description of Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman as "the accidental senator."

With aggressive backing from the Bush White House -- particularly Vice President Dick Cheney and political czar Karl Rove -- Coleman challenged Democratic Senator Paul Wellstone in 2002.

Coleman's attacks on Wellstone were brutal and well-funded, and they created a close race -- for a while. Then Wellstone cast what was supposed to be the most politically-risky vote of his career. He refused to support Bush's request for authorization to attack Iraq.

That courageous vote, cast just weeks before the election, turned out to be incredibly popular with Minnesotans. Wellstone began to open a significant lead over Coleman and he was headed toward victory when a plane crash just days before the election claimed the life of the senator, his wife and daughter and several close aides.

Disarray and dismay on the part of Minnesota's Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which scrambled to run former Vice President Walter Mondale, gave Coleman a senate seat.

But it looks as if Minnesotans have come to recognize that the accidental senator need not be a permanent fixture in Washington.

Indeed, new polling suggests that Coleman is the most vulnerable of several GOP senators who face tough reelection fights next year.

Coleman's close association with the Bush administration in general, and its war in particular, seems to be hurting the senator in a state where enthusiasm for the GOP has been on the wane. Minnesota, a swing state in the 2000 presidential race, voted solidly for Democrat John Kerry's challenge to Bush in 2004. Democrats made major advances in statewide and legislative races in 2006, and polls suggest that Bush's approval ratings have collapsed even more significantly in the state than in other parts of the country.

With next year's Minnesota Senate race still in its initial stages, Coleman's lead over his prospective Democratic challengers has dropped into margin-of-error territory.

Coleman's at 46 percent in a new Rasmussen Reports survey of likely voters in Minnesota. Former Air American talk-show host Al Franken, a newcomer to electoral politics who is considered the frontrunner in the race for the Democratic nomination, is at 41 percent.

In a match-up with wealthy trial lawyer Mike Ciresi, who like fellow Democrat Franken is an ardent critic of Coleman from the left, trails the incumbent by a similar 46-42 margin.

What this means is that Minnesotans appear to be developing an Anyone-But-Coleman sentiment that, when the fact that undecided voters tend to break for challengers, bodes ill for the incumbent.

Coleman's career has been characterized by crude ambition and unfortunate circumstance -- not to mention wrong stands on a host of issues. He is now trying to move left to protect his seat -- even making some anti-war murmurs after attacking Wellstone's vote of five years ago and consistently voting the Bush line on Iraq.

When General David Petraeus appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Tuesday, Coleman was among the more aggressive Republican challengers of the commander's vague promises that the administration's surge strategy would lead to eventual withdrawals of U.S. troops from the quagmire -- even joining Massachusetts Democrat Ted Kennedy is pressing for specific dates on a timeline for drawing down troops.

But Coleman has a frustrating record of questioning the White House's approach to the war at press conferences and hearing tables but voting down the line with the president.

So it is that the man who came to the Senate as the favorite-son candidate of Dick Cheney and Karl Rove is having a hard time selling himself as anything but what he is: Norm Coleman, R-Bush.

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John Nichols is the author of a critically-acclaimed new book, THE GENIUS OF IMPEACHMENT: The Founders' Cure for Royalism. Rolling Stone's Tim Dickinson hails it as a "nervy, acerbic, passionately argued history-cum-polemic [that] combines a rich examination of the parliamentary roots and past use of the 'heroic medicine' that is impeachment with a call for Democratic leaders to 'reclaim and reuse the most vital tool handed to us by the founders for the defense of our most basic liberties.'"

Comments (31)

1. "wealthy trial lawyer Mike Ciresi"

   Mr Nichols you got a problem with "wealthy trial laywers", now??!?!?

   Or is it that you just want to hype your old Air America buddy Al, who had you on his show every week?

   Posted by Mask at 09/12/2007 @ 1:37pm

2. and so it falls apart, piece by piece. action/reaction. beautiful, is it not?

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/12/2007 @ 1:37pm

3. wish i were a minneosotan so i could vote for franken.

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/12/2007 @ 1:39pm

4. Al Franken's great! I hope he wins the seat.

   Posted by MATTMAN at 09/12/2007 @ 1:43pm

5. next, colbert should run for prez

   him and franken could form the long-awaited 3rd party:

   the "WE'RE AS FUNNY AS HELL CUZ WE CUT THROUGH THE CRAP PARTY" or WAFAHCWTTCP.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 09/12/2007 @ 2:06pm

6. Well, Minnesota's the place for it...

   after all, they had a wrestler for a Governor, why not a comic for a Senator?

   Posted by Mask at 09/12/2007 @ 2:25pm

7. NICHOLS: But Coleman has a frustrating record of questioning the White House's approach to the war at press conferences and hearing tables but voting down the line with the president.

   Heck, NICHOLS......if "questioning" but vote with the president is distasteful, you must just LOVE all them Dem pols who very publicly challenge "the White House's approach to the war at press conferences and hearing tables but voting down the line with the president."

   Posted by Happy at 09/12/2007 @ 2:39pm

8. I'll tell ya one thing that will be interesting if Franken gets the nomination, come Fall 2008....

   Watching what he does with Hillary (if, okay, IF she gets the nomination).

   Al's been a die-hard Clinton fan for years...makes FRANKGRITS look like a Kucinicher. But does he campaign with her in Minnesota, if the liberal base in MN is pissed at the "DINO/Repub Lite/corporatist" Mrs. C....does Al risk a "Green" or "indy" running against him and Coleman?

   Posted by Mask at 09/12/2007 @ 2:49pm

9. Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 09/12/2007 @ 2:06pm

   Not a chance. Al's the only exclusive member of the "I tackle hecklers" party. He needs the security of Congress and the benefits after finding out that he was working for free.

   Posted by Sliver at 09/12/2007 @ 5:17pm

10. Al has a neo-John Wong problem. Ask Hillary.

    Posted by woodyee at 09/12/2007 @ 8:16pm

11. Posted by HAPPY 09/12/2007 @ 2:39pm

    score one for the HAMPSTER!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/12/2007 @ 10:14pm

12. BTW, I hope Al's got his "baggage" in order.....

    sure as hell, the RNC and Coleman's people are pouring through the old records in New York, looking for ANY time that Al went out "partying with Belushi"!

    Posted by Mask at 09/12/2007 @ 10:21pm

13. Al is a funny guy but unfortunately, is an idiot. Actually said he was going around Minnesota in order to find out what he should be for and against..

    I have friends who are friends with him..says he is an ass , arrogant and flies around in a G5..he has kind of an sense of entitlement,...like HILLARY does..Minnesota is the place..for if Norm was an accidental candidate, then Al is a shoe in..and sadly so..

    Posted by john maasch at 09/12/2007 @ 10:35pm

14. Senator Franken? Senator Franken?....somehow I can't get past the metal posts still on his neck...

    Posted by ACook at 09/12/2007 @ 10:49pm

15. Al is a funny guy but unfortunately, is an idiot. Actually said he was going around Minnesota in order to find out what he should be for and against..

    Posted by JOHN MAASCH 09/12/2007 @ 10:35pm

    john, it is very difficult to be funny if you're an idiot. the funniest people are generally very, very smart. that is why they are funny*

    going around asking--isn't that what REPRESENTATIONAL GOVERNMENT is all about.

    rather an idiot who asks questions, than an a#$hole who dictates.

    *perfect time for the bard of avon:

    This fellow is wise enough to play the foole,

    And to do that well, craves a kinde of wit:

    He must observe their mood on whom he jests,

    The quality of persons, and the time:

    And like the Haggard, checke at every Feather

    That comes before his eye. This is a practice,

    As full of labour as a Wise-mans Art:

    For folly that he wisely shewes, is fit;

    But wisemens folly falne, quite taint their wit.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/12/2007 @ 11:00pm

16. Anyway, Al's biggest hurdle won't be Coleman....who's trying to become Hagel or Warner so fast he'll get a nosebleed.

    It's Ciresi. In addition to "Do I want 'Stuart Smalley' as my Senator?", there's the carpetbagger thing. Franken, originally from Minnesota, hasn't lived there (until the last 18 months) for 35 years. He's a New Yorker.

    Now it might have worked for Hillary (who hadn't even been RAISED in New York) to move in and take a Senate seat....but Al Franken?

    Maybe I got too much faith in the Minnesotans. But Ciresi has good solid "I've DONE things for ordinary folks" credentials (tobacco lawsuit, Bhopal survivors, Dalkon shield victims)....while Al has written some smarmy books and hosted a radio show.

    Posted by Mask at 09/12/2007 @ 11:23pm

17. LVL,

    It was a true blue believer state but has been turning shades of purple with a burst of red every now and then..

    I lived there(Minnesota)and have met Franklin...these people elected Jesse as governor...and gave us Welstone,... while loved in Minnesota acedamia,he wasn't taken seriously anywhere else in the country...and has inspired...no one ...not one person has run on Wellstones lefty loon candidacy and won....if Franlklin wins it will be due to his Holloywood connections($) and his celebrity personna...once he is examined closely, he may taste like a shit sandwich and be retched out.

    I hope...

    Posted by john maasch at 09/13/2007 @ 12:28am

18. Posted by LVLIBERTY1 09/13/2007 @ 12:14am

    As I said, Franken gets the nom, he's got a good shot at Coleman, who's proven he's a lame-ass senator of the Lauch Faircloth mold.

    Plus, LL, Virginia is pretty hard Red, and they elected Jim Webb last time. As MAASCH said, Minnesota gave us not only Wellstone, but Mondale and Humphrey, so it's more unusual when they elect a Republican than when they elect a Democrat.

    Posted by Mask at 09/13/2007 @ 12:34am

19. Ah, Pavlov's new bell.

    I knew as soon as I saw the word "Coleman" in the title that there would be much frothing over Franken.

    Ciresi may have the resume, but he just doesn't seem to soak the nutters' Depends the way Al does.

    Posted by drhammer at 09/13/2007 @ 07:45am

20. Posted by DRHAMMER 09/13/2007 @ 07:45am

    Thats due to Al personality and abrasive style,New York for sure, but not so Minnesota...kinda goes with being paid $ 2 million a year as Airamerica host as the station sinks from day one,..arrogance and entitlement attitude....while Ciresi is just another liberal rich attorney in Minnesota becoming wealthy suing someone out of business...and boring as white bread.

    Posted by john maasch at 09/13/2007 @ 09:32am

21. Posted by DRHAMMER 09/13/2007 @ 07:45am

    Well, Doc, which is more important...

    A. "soaking the nutters' Depends"?

    B. having the best qualified candidate win for the Democrats?

    Posted by Mask at 09/13/2007 @ 09:34am

22. Posted by MASK 09/13/2007 @ 09:34am

    Mine was obviously an observation about the way the mere mention of Franken's name gets the wingnuts all worked up.

    And even though you had the answer to your rhetorical question before you hit the submit button, I'm gonna buck the logic.

    I think we should elect a few funny guys to office.

    The nation could use a few laughs.

    Posted by drhammer at 09/13/2007 @ 11:11am

23. (And I mean hah-hah funny, not Larry Craig funny.)

    Posted by drhammer at 09/13/2007 @ 11:11am

24. Posted by JOHN MAASCH 09/13/2007 @ 09:32am

    You forgot to mention the personal jet.

    You're slipping, John.

    Posted by drhammer at 09/13/2007 @ 11:13am

25. The nation could use a few laughs.

    Posted by DRHAMMER 09/13/2007 @ 11:11am |

    You mean like Harry Reid? He is funny ....

    Posted by john maasch at 09/13/2007 @ 11:45am

26. Posted by DRHAMMER 09/13/2007 @ 11:11am

    Sorry, Doc. Disagree. I think we need SERIOUS people.

    Posted by Mask at 09/13/2007 @ 12:22pm

27. Posted by MASK 09/13/2007 @ 12:22pm | ignore this person

    but if they are serious AND funny.......................

    remember, shakespeare's 'fooles" were usually the most clued in.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/13/2007 @ 5:47pm

28. Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 09/13/2007 @ 5:47pm

    If Franken wins the Senate seat next year...bet $1000 he doesn't run for re-election in 2016. It seems more like a lark to him. And he'll probably groom some "new Paul Wellstone" to take his slot.

    Posted by Mask at 09/13/2007 @ 8:47pm

29. Posted by MASK 09/13/2007 @ 8:47pm

    Correction...of course...his next election would be 2014.

    Posted by Mask at 09/13/2007 @ 8:49pm

30. Minnesota's arrogant liberal elites are despised by the rest of the state the way NY and Hollywood's arrogant elites are despised by the rest of the country. It just makes for interesting politics.

    Posted by MARYBRETBRAD 09/14/2007 @ 12:46pm

    Pretty damned arrogant statement there, mary old girl.

    Do you despise them because they are smarter, more affluent, or just because they get better looking women who ENJOY sex instead of the self-hating hags you people end up with who force you to go to hookers to satisfy your un-natural urges?

    Posted by Dr Decibels at 09/14/2007 @ 1:28pm

31. Posted by MARYBRETBRAD 09/14/2007 @ 1:08pm

    MBB, we ARE talking about the Minnesota that elected people like Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale...right?

    Posted by Mask at 09/14/2007 @ 10:57pm