New Coleman ad: “Rules”
posted at 7:55 am on August 5, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Norm Coleman returns to attack mode in his latest television ad, “Rules”. In it, he reminds voters that Al Franken liked to talk tough about cracking down on CEOs that didn’t play by the rules. However, as a CEO himself, Franken didn’t live up to his own rhetoric:
Al Franken: “I love corporations that play by the rules. And we have to make them play by the rules.”
On Screen: FRANKEN FACES A $25,000 WORKERS COMP PENALTY. STAR TRIBUNE 3/12/08
Announcer: “But Al Franken was fined a $25,000 fine for not providing workers’ comp in New York.”
On Screen: OWES $5800 AFTER FAILING TO FILE TO STATE INCOME TAX RETURNS. STAR TRIBUNE 4/17/08
Announcer: “Then $5800 for not filing California income taxes.”
On Screen: OWES $70,000 IN BACK TAXES IN 17 STATES. AP 4/30/08
Announcer: “Turns out Franken didn’t pay taxes in 17 other states. For Five years.”
On Screen: NOT REVEALING IF THERE ARE ANY UNPAID STATE TAXES BEFORE 2003. WCCO TELEVISON 4/30/08
Announcer: “And Franken still won’t say whether he owes unpaid taxes from before 2003.”
On Screen: WATCH WHAT HE DOES NOT WHAT HE SAYS.
Al Franken: “And we have to make them play by the rules.”
Few things work better in political advertising than outright hypocrisy, and this is no exception. Attacking politicians as hypocrites, especially personal hypocrites as in this case, undermines the credibility of the opponent and makes everything they say suspect. In this case, it puts Franken in a box where he has to explain himself as either dishonest or incompetent, neither of which recommends him for higher office.
This, of course, is why Franken’s dropped almost all the way off the radar screen in the Minnesota Senate race. Coleman wants to make sure he remains there. However, one has to wonder whether Coleman may risk overselling this point, especially when Republicans have unearthed a gold mine in energy policy. Drilling may not play quite as well in Minnesota as it does in other states, but drilling in the OCS gets a solid majority in support. Why not just keep tying Franken to Harry Reid and Democratic obstructionism?
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Don’t worry about “over stating this case” here in Minnesota!!! We have way too many left-wing angry pre-maturely gray haired females driving around in the left lane of 494 at 50mph in their honda civics with “Bush Lied People Died” and “NPR” bumper stickers on the back while wearing earth shoes and a serious frown and a death grip on the steering wheel. They all plan to get out the vote for Franken!
sabbott on August 5, 2008 at 8:03 AM
How can he overstate his case…It is probably understated.
tomas on August 5, 2008 at 8:04 AM
Did somebody break the blog?
cntrlfrk on August 5, 2008 at 8:04 AM
Rule 1:
Ed needs to wait until after his morning wake up drink to post.
Breaking rule one ends up in broken code.
Voidseeker on August 5, 2008 at 8:05 AM
Because we haven’t had the election yet. Franken is down—he’s not yet out
smagar on August 5, 2008 at 8:06 AM
Ed broke HotAir again, eh? ;-)
Honestly…how could anyone even consider voting for Al friggin’ Franken? Especially against a hardworking guy like Coleman?
JetBoy on August 5, 2008 at 8:07 AM
Thanks Ed! I just won $20 in the office pool. We have a bet on when you’ll break HA.
Tell me where I can send your cut! :)
BacaDog on August 5, 2008 at 8:09 AM
Maybe not on this video, because it was just released, but the typical youtube commenters HATE this guy. It would be mindboggling in any other instance, but this is youtube we’re talking about.
jimmy the notable on August 5, 2008 at 8:13 AM
I will actually be kind of sad when this no longer happens, to be honest. =/
Sorry to skip the content of your post, it was excellent as always Ed. But to answer your question: it is very likely that the Dems will cave on the drilling issue as long as the GOP plays it right – they have nothing to lose if they do. Their base has no choice but to vote Dem.
So better to make sure that no matter what happens outside of this race AL F. has zero chance of winning.
Voidseeker on August 5, 2008 at 8:15 AM
Frankenstein is finding that comedy is easy.
drjohn on August 5, 2008 at 8:26 AM
So he’s basically become a big, fat idiot?
Two words for him, “Jenny Craig”.
Hening on August 5, 2008 at 8:34 AM
Franken is looking more and more like a schumck each time he opens his mouth. I can’t see how anyone would be taking him seriously on virtually anything.
pilamaye on August 5, 2008 at 8:35 AM
But, but…people, you have to remember:
“I’m Good Enough, I’m Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!”
There. Franken’s campaign is back on track, again.
[What a maroon...]
coldwarrior on August 5, 2008 at 8:43 AM
Is Franken the D candidate?
davod on August 5, 2008 at 8:55 AM
Democrats scour the land for the worst possible candidates for elected office and then run them.
Like Franken.
Is there any serious problem facing us, where any sane individual would say, “we need a man like Franken on this”?
Of course not. He’s not even a good comedian.
The global question is, how do people like Franken even get into a position where they can be elected to the Senate.
It just boggles the mind. If Franken has a chance of being elected to the Senate, what this country needs is not more people voting, but less.
NoDonkey on August 5, 2008 at 9:00 AM
No, no, no. Michael Moore is a “big, fat idiot.” Franken is a “Lying liar.” Please, keep it straight.
morganfrost on August 5, 2008 at 9:10 AM
Why not do both? Good ad.
Buy Danish on August 5, 2008 at 9:21 AM
With Congressional leaders like Pelosi and Reid, tying Franken to their total incompetence is proof that a democratic Congress could be dangerous for the country.
volsense on August 5, 2008 at 9:27 AM
This, of course, is why Franken’s dropped almost all the way off the radar screen in the Minnesota Senate race. Coleman wants to make sure he remains there.
When you have your boot heel on the neck of a snake, the proper move is to press down, not to shift to another position. As long as this works, Coleman should keep it up.
gridlock2 on August 5, 2008 at 9:48 AM
Franken is looking more and more like a schumck each time he opens his mouth. I can’t see how anyone would be taking him seriously on virtually anything.
pilamaye on August 5, 2008 at 8:35 AM
Never underestimate the stubbornness of the average Minnesota moonbat!
Ohetika
lizzee on August 5, 2008 at 11:04 AM
“However, one has to wonder whether Coleman may risk overselling this point…”
He may risk it if he overplays it, but what he’s doing with this ad isn’t overplaying it.
There is only a tiny fraction of a percent of people paying attention to politics right now, at least in the sort of detailed way you need to pay attention to know Franken is a crook. Coleman must make sure this is embedded in the mind of the average voter.
Piles of them will vote for Franken anyway, but those that care about personal integrity have to know what we know about Franken’s crooked behavior. Coleman must do this now so he can run positive later.
Dwilkers on August 5, 2008 at 11:46 AM
I would put out a few commercials showing the poor kids that AAR, and Franken by extension, screwed. The things the inner city kids could have had but Al Franken wanted more money.
jukin on August 5, 2008 at 12:18 PM
The Left has learned a lesson that apparently the Right has not. You cannot oversell in politics.
“Big Oil is making obscene profits”
“Republicans are the party of the Rich, the Democrats are the party of the working guy”
“Bush stole the election”
All of which are demonstratively FALSE, but they were pushed out so-long and so loudly that they are accepted as the truth.
So how is an attack angle that is the TRUTH be overselling?
In other words,the Big Lie approach works even better when it is the truth being repeately loudly.
Nathan_OH on August 5, 2008 at 2:32 PM
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