Norm Coleman suspends negative ads
posted at 1:40 pm on October 10, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
With Minnesota polling in flux and even Democrats wondering whether they want Al Franken to win, Norm Coleman has decided to change his strategy. In a statement today, Coleman has decided that the economic crisis demands positive, hopeful messages from politicians. He will instruct his campaign to stop all negative ads against Franken and trust Minnesotans to make the wise choice:
The first is an announcement that as of today I am suspending all negative campaign ads and am calling on those who support me to do the same.
Legally I can’t control ads from independent groups. I wish I could, if I could they would all be positive. All I can control is those ads where I say “I’m Norm Coleman and I approve this message.”
I’m doing this for two reasons
First of all, this is a terrible time for so many people with the financial crisis – with real concerns and fear about people’s jobs – about their life savings – and their children’s future and education — when we are all bombarded with negative messages of real consequence.
At times like this, politics should not add to negativity – it should lift people up with hope and a confident vision for the future.
And second, I decided that I was not all that interested in returning to Washington for six years based on the judgment of voters that I was not as bad as the other two guys. I want folks to vote for me, not against the other guys.
I will continue to campaign in a way that shows the contrast between myself and the others in experience, judgment and temperament. But I will stress my positive record, of which I am very proud, as the main reason folks should support me.
Coleman noted that some negative YouTube ads may still be in the pipeline, as well as fundraising letters that simply can’t get stopped now. However, the television ads will get pulled immediately, and Coleman will rely on his record and his policy stances for the final three weeks of the campaign.
Will Franken follow suit? I doubt it, which could cut both ways. He can continue to erode Coleman’s positives, but risks running up his own negatives. If Coleman’s statement gets play in Minnesota, any continuing attacks from Franken could be seen as dirty pool as well. It’s a risky strategy, and we’ll just have to wait to see whether it pays off for Coleman.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages:
Republicans. Taking the high road. To oblivion.
lorien1973 on October 10, 2008 at 1:32 PM
Coleman must think he is Minnesota’s McCain- Say hello to “Senator” Franken
trainwife1962 on October 10, 2008 at 1:33 PM
Is he doing this to distance himself from the McCain strategy, or mock the Obama strategy?
cornfedbubba on October 10, 2008 at 1:34 PM
Dude, you fried the right column again.
doubleplusundead on October 10, 2008 at 1:34 PM
Do Coleman’s internal polling numbers tell him something differently than the MSP Red Star Tribune and other polls, or are they even worse than we think and this is a Hail Mary.
PimFortuynsGhost on October 10, 2008 at 1:35 PM
I hope that works out for ya, Norm.
Mcguyver on October 10, 2008 at 1:35 PM
Is anyone else missing the rest of the blogs?
right2bright on October 10, 2008 at 1:36 PM
Ed, wash your tags out with soap.
faraway on October 10, 2008 at 1:36 PM
This is the main reason:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ljrh72Qy1tw
You can blame the RNC for it. The RNC got sloppy, and the Franken campaign caught them distorting an event in one of their anti-Franken ads.
RBMN on October 10, 2008 at 1:37 PM
Who broke teh blog?
malan89 on October 10, 2008 at 1:37 PM
He approved this message before he dissapproved of it.
And yes, I am missing the rest of the blogs.
BackSeatDriver on October 10, 2008 at 1:37 PM
I want the right column back. waaaahh….
Mommypundit on October 10, 2008 at 1:39 PM
“Right Wing blog [page format] runs away from Norm Coleman”
eeyore on October 10, 2008 at 1:39 PM
Ed, who else?
Marine_Bio on October 10, 2008 at 1:39 PM
These missing blogs are not the ones I used to know.
faraway on October 10, 2008 at 1:40 PM
…the voters of Minnesota must be sniffing silage if they prefer a meat puppet like Franken…over anyone…over Howdy Doody…over Paris Hilton…over the late Paul Wellstone….
…so, either the people don’t like negativity — it’s such a downer — or they blame him along with the Republican Party for a financial imbrolio created by their precious Democrats….
…either way, they may give the nation the gift of Al Franken…for which I’m sure we’ll all thank them….
Puritan1648 on October 10, 2008 at 1:40 PM
Hey Coleman, take your bailout and SHOVE IT.
lodge on October 10, 2008 at 1:41 PM
Crimminy! What a bonehead move. Maybe the Pubbies have decided to do a lemming march so they can wash their hands of the coming 4 years (or more.) At any rate, sayonara Normmie. Thanks for giving us Senator Smalley. (I just decided to vote for Barkley. And have your minions stop calling me for cash.)
Bruno Strozek on October 10, 2008 at 1:42 PM
I thought maybe Obama was flushing conservative blogs down the memory hole also.
faraway on October 10, 2008 at 1:44 PM
Ed, this is a good approach for Coleman.
Stevens did the same thing, and it is working. The Negative ads up here in Alaska are just making people sick of watching them. It doesn’t matter who they are from either… those running or those running 527 ads.
And they have brought back the Obama ads, talking horribly about McCain…. I am just tired of it.
upinak on October 10, 2008 at 1:46 PM
Enjoy the private sector, Norm. At least he’ll live on in the history books as the answer to “Who was the hack who actually lost to Stuart Smiley?”
JammieWearingFool on October 10, 2008 at 1:47 PM
any state dumb enough to elect an absolute BUFFOON like Franken deserves him…..wait about, which state was it that elected Jesse the body?
SDarchitect on October 10, 2008 at 1:48 PM
Franken deserves all the respect and positive attention that a tick infected with Lymes warrants. The tweezers of truth and a good flush down the toilet bowl of oblivion.
Murphy’s Law would say something about allowing a liberal to lie and not holding them to the fire as being the same a agreeing with them.
What is going on this election? Shooting with blanks.
Hening on October 10, 2008 at 1:49 PM
None of these guys have balls anymore. Instead of putting the fear of God into Minnesota voter’s minds he is caving and the result will be Al Franken of all people, in the United States Senate. Cheney said it best — Coleman, go f%&k yourself.
grdred944 on October 10, 2008 at 1:50 PM
This is sheer lunacy. A stunt — a bad stunt. Franken will continue to run negative ads and Coleman won’t respond to them, because doing so would be “negative.” Negative ads are part of the process, as they should be. I wouldn’t go for Franken’s jugular with a vicious personal attack, but hits on his lack of intellectual strength and his extreme liberalism are in-bounds.
I quit. If Republican candidates for office are not willing to fight for their seats, I’m not willing to waste my time or energy supporting them.
Outlander on October 10, 2008 at 1:50 PM
Dude…where’s the blog column?
ManlyRash on October 10, 2008 at 1:50 PM
it would have looked better if he had changed his tactics BEFORE he lost a double-digit lead. Now it looks desperate.
okonkolo on October 10, 2008 at 1:51 PM
There must be something up with long term exposure to sub-freezing temperatures. Way to go Norm, you and McCain will have plenty of time to congratulate each other up on the high ground of planet oblivion.
Doh!!!!
dmann on October 10, 2008 at 1:52 PM
It would seem a bit more sincere if he had done it before he was down in the polls. Now, it has the appearence of finger in the wind decision making.
a capella on October 10, 2008 at 1:53 PM
I keep banging my head hoping to wake up from this nightmare
titus_pullo on October 10, 2008 at 1:55 PM
Heh. Are we twins?
a capella on October 10, 2008 at 1:55 PM
I will not shed a tear for the rino!
grapeknutz on October 10, 2008 at 1:56 PM
Coleman wants to make it VERY CLEAR that any “over-the-top” anti-Franken ad you see from now on, and some previous ads, are NOT HIS. Coleman’s negative ads were very careful and specific. Some of the others were not.
RBMN on October 10, 2008 at 1:58 PM
MN as a political entity is replete with wimps, crybabies and do gooders. Listen to the voices of the past Democratic senate candidates and you’ll see what I mean. As a person who was raised in Philly, I can’t tell you the number of Minnesotans who think I can rip their vocal cords out of their throats, just because. This state has as many goofy stereotypes of others as any state. I love the geography of this state. the people? not so much. Coleman is kowtowing to those ninnies, me thinks.
MNDavenotPC on October 10, 2008 at 2:01 PM
Have Dhimmicrats ever stopped running negative ads?
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on October 10, 2008 at 2:04 PM
NEGATIVE
ADS
WORK
Now, someone bring the republican party up to speed.
fogw on October 10, 2008 at 2:05 PM
“Cut the tips off your arrows men, we don’t want anyone storming our fort to get hurt.”
Akzed on October 10, 2008 at 2:05 PM
It’s one thing to use rubber bullets, it’s another to serve rioters cupcakes and tea.
What is it with these people? They would compliment their flayer’s bladesmanship.
Akzed on October 10, 2008 at 2:07 PM
I don’t know if this will work, but Norm has to do something. The negative ads have been running here for two months straight – trust me, everyone knows who Franken is. The disturbing part is that apparently up to 40-45% people don’t seem to care.
I know Norm is a RINO, guardians of purity. But is it better to have a guy who’s with you 60-65% of the time, or is it better to have Al Franken?
Mr. D on October 10, 2008 at 2:09 PM
I know lots of people like him, that he’s a good conservative, blah, blah, blah, but I’ll never forgive him for going wobbly on Iraq when it counted – along with RINOs like Smith and Sununu. So if this decision doesn’t play well with Minnesotans – who I guess like to play nice, right? – I won’t miss him personally, though I’ll miss his vote if the Democrats get near 60 in the Senate. Otherwise, if Minnesota wants to elect a complete doofus like Al Franken to high office – so what else is new?
CK MacLeod on October 10, 2008 at 2:09 PM
Shrewd. Very shrewd.
I think it will pay off, though. I think the combination of negative presidential ads and state and local ads has many people weary, and they’ll pay more attention to ads that inspire them.
MadisonConservative on October 10, 2008 at 2:09 PM
Madison Conservative
I hope you’re right, I really do.
MNDavenotPC on October 10, 2008 at 2:13 PM
Madison… you should see the 527 ads.. they play over and over and over.. I now have them memorized.. and they are extremely negative.
I wish they would go away.
upinak on October 10, 2008 at 2:15 PM
How bad is Coleman to be losing to this goofball?
right2bright on October 10, 2008 at 2:17 PM
Remember that we are living in a society that worships entertainers. Sports starts, movie stars, etc. Hence why Obama has actually made it this far. Franken is associated with a household name. Sad fact about this nation. If there were any government intervention I’d like to see, it would be caps on salaries for tv and movie stars, as well as caps on salaries for baseball and basketball players.
MadisonConservative on October 10, 2008 at 2:23 PM
Why announce it? Just do it and point to the fact that you stopped it if accused later.
Jdripper on October 10, 2008 at 2:41 PM
The conservatives NEED TO PURGE rinos out the party and send them packing to the dems side of the isle. They have misrepresented themselves to the voters, we dont like it!
grapeknutz on October 10, 2008 at 2:53 PM
I want to believe that people in America are intelligent and decent, but lately I think the country has been over run by morons. The governor of NJ today announces that he will approve the plan to raise toll 100%. He figures by raising taxes he will help the economy of the state. People around the country should take a look at how democrats are destroying NJ. Obama and democrats in both houses will do the same to the country. God Help us.
pukara61 on October 10, 2008 at 3:22 PM
Is he losing that he wants to take the high road? Gee all these GOP candidates are losing their balls. When are they going to fight!
mariloubaker on October 10, 2008 at 3:24 PM
Hello filibuster proof senate. Hello Fairness Doctrine and internet neutrality. Bye Bye Hot Air.
KW64 on October 10, 2008 at 3:27 PM
Remember that Coleman only won his election in 2002 because Paul Wellstone died and the party-funeral they held for him backfired. And he won with a razor thin margin over Fritz Mondale. And that was when George Bush was popular and the economy was good. Coleman’s seat was never safe; he was maybe the most vulnerable of any GOP senator. He tried to separate himself from Bush, but anyone with an R next to his name in a blue state this year is in big trouble.
rockmom on October 10, 2008 at 6:04 PM
Angry Al has already said this is a cheap political ploy. He won’t stop his negative ads.
So, Coleman is accomplishing what, by doing this?
13Girl on October 10, 2008 at 7:46 PM
Comment pages: