Minnesota’s progressive newspaper endorses … Norm Coleman?
posted at 11:14 am on October 25, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Over the years, conservatives have had many complaints about the editorial direction of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. They have offered hyperbole and misdirection in their obvious bias against Republicans, and often have contradicted previous editorial positions just to score a cheap shot or two at the GOP. Most of the bloggers in the NARN have tangled with the Strib’s editors and columnists at one time or another, especially Power Line and Jim Boyd, who left the Strib when ownership changed.
Set against this history, most of us expected the Strib to endorse Al Franken in an orgy of recrimination against the outgoing Bush administration. Michael Brodkorb discovered a surprise instead:
I visited numerous gas stations this morning trying to locate an early edition of the Sunday Star Tribune newspaper. On my third try, I found the newspaper and read the unbelievable news: U.S. Senator Norm Coleman was endorsed by the Star Tribune. From the endorsement:
“Independent judgment, excercised on behalf of the special interest of the country and state, is what we hope to see from our U.S. Senators. With that hope in mind, this newspaper recommend the reelection of Republican U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman.” Source: Star Tribune, October 26, 2008
Michael additionally reports that the Strib casts doubt on Franken’s ability to be a “constructive force” for consensus and compromise. That’s certainly an understatement, but coming from the Strib’s editorial board, it’s a rare bit of common sense and sanity. When even the Strib’s editors see Franken as a divisive presence, the lesson for readers should be obvious.
How badly does this hurt Franken? He’s been trying to paint Coleman as a lackey of George Bush and an extremist, which has always been a ridiculous position, one that even a DFL-friendly outfit like the Star Tribune can’t quite swallow it. Note, too, that the Strib could just as easily have endorsed independent candidate Dean Barkley or refrained from any endorsement at all. Instead, by backing Coleman, they may have put the final nail in Franken’s coffin.
The endorsement has not yet appeared on the Strib’s website, but I will link to it tomorrow when it does.
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Glad to see someone stand up and say ‘NO’
to Liberal Koolaid!
canopfor on October 25, 2008 at 11:17 AM
The Strib endorses Coleman — and this is a good thing?
I hope so.
Terrie on October 25, 2008 at 11:18 AM
Good news, I hope it is the ticket. I have to admit that I have been scratching my head about Minnesota for a while.
Cindy Munford on October 25, 2008 at 11:21 AM
Has anyone checked the thermometer in Hell? It must be pretty cold down there today.
RBMN on October 25, 2008 at 11:26 AM
Me hopes, ‘a backlash’ has started against the Left!
canopfor on October 25, 2008 at 11:28 AM
We can only hope that more sanity sinks into some of the media and pundits that are not ready for the radical changes many in the democratic party has expoused. Out-right professed socialist policies from the top of the ticket and filtered through-out this nations communities seems to be hitting home with rejection. To those in the democratic party that feel “their party” has left them without the representative values many embrace, please feel free to pull the lever for John McCain and Sarah Palin. This nation will thank you for your sensible decision.
Rovin on October 25, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Perhaps Franken can blunt the endorsement effect by telling a profanity laced joke.
a capella on October 25, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Maybe some journalist want a tiny shred of credibility AFTER election day.
Mojave Mark on October 25, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Common Sense from the left…… like a breath of fresh air.
originalpechanga on October 25, 2008 at 11:33 AM
I’m on the fence.
When the Strib endorses Michele Bachmann I’ll believe someone on their editorial board has a brain.
Until then, I think this shows what a truly horrible candidate Al Franken has always been, and what a true RINO Norm Coleman is.
mngirl on October 25, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Frankenlyin’ needs to get in the Strib editors’ faces like he did to Coleman.
What? That’s what Obama told his disciples to do.
jgapinoy on October 25, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Wow.
They managed to get to the Right of Hillary Clinton on this.
I’m impressed. And hopeful — Coleman’s one of McCain’s friends in the Senate. And McCain’s going to need every single one.
ClintACK on October 25, 2008 at 11:42 AM
My local paper endorsed the Republican candidate for mayor so they could profess “fairness.” It was a pre-emptive move designed to keep people from complaining about their coming endorsement for Obama.
Connie on October 25, 2008 at 11:43 AM
The Philadelphia Inquirer endorsed Rob Zimmer over Frank Lautenberg this week too. And it endorsed a Republican challenger, Craig Williams, over incumbent Rep. Joe Sestak.
Maybe it really is dawning on some of these editorial boards that (a) they are in deep financial doo-doo and need to appeal to a broader audience to survive; and (b) the country needs a robust two-party system to keep the politicians from both parties honest.
It does no good to the country to eliminate moderate voices like Norm Coleman’s, in favor of slashing partisans with zero background in public service, like Al Franken.
I also have to think that ultimately the editors of that paper realize that Al Franken is really just a comedian. Minnesota had its laughingstock moment with Jesse Ventura; it really doesn’t need to get stuck with another one for six years.
I hope that if Norm Coleman wins, conservatives will lay off him and other moderate to liberal Republicans. We need all the bodies we can get right now, and if the Republican brand is going to be rebuilt it will not be as an ideological, right-wing-only party. At some point the country is going to get fed up with the slash-and-burn thug politics that have taken over the Democratic Party, especially when it fails to deliver the chicken in every pot that it has promised in this election. The Republicans will be poised to reemerge if we have calm, mature voices like Norm Coleman. If we don’t, the Democrats will have a much longer run as they continue to caricature Republicans as mean, nasty, right-wing ideologues.
rockmom on October 25, 2008 at 11:44 AM
This is big news for Norm. I just spoke with one of his campaign staffers, who said that they were surprised. This staffer said that they weren’t that surprised the Strib not endorsing Franken. This staffer said that they thought the Strib might endorse Barkley.
This Monday, I’ll have another big announcement about the Coleman campaign on LFR.
PS- I’ll also be breaking a major scandal in one of the Minnesota legislative races this Monday, too.
LFRGary on October 25, 2008 at 11:46 AM
From the deepest blue part of the City of Lakes: This is pure self-preservation on the part of the Strib. I fit wasn’t for Mrs.Strozek I would have dropped this rag years ago
Bruno Strozek on October 25, 2008 at 11:47 AM
What? You mean to tell me there’s no market for a foul-mothed rabid liberal with no talent…one who’s so annoying that he makes other foul-mouthed rabid liberals tune out Air America??
landlines on October 25, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Why do all these loser-ass conservatives for the Obamessiah say they aren’t doing it to make liberal friends, but 5 seconds later, they are posting on HuffPo (like Adelman) or going on the Daily Show (like Buckley)?
Speedwagon82 on October 25, 2008 at 11:55 AM
So there is a line that won’t be crossed.
Hence forth known as the “Franken limit”. Occasionally misspoke as the f**kin limit.
patrick neid on October 25, 2008 at 11:57 AM
Is this the first time in history that a liberal newspaper has endorsed a conservative? It seems like conservative newspapers go out of their way to obsess when a conservative President messes up and endorse the liberal, but liberal newspapers never reciprocate.
Speedwagon82 on October 25, 2008 at 12:00 PM
The Red Star did endorse Pat Anderson in 06, basically saying the truth that she was a great state auditor. What happened despite the Trib’s endorsement? Anderson lost to a DFLer in the biggest landslide victory against a Republican in state history. Please pray for our state…..
IR-MN on October 25, 2008 at 12:09 PM
I have mixed feelings on this. We saw how Rudi and Mitt got sawed off at the knees in the primaries, which, indirectly, put us where we are right now. OTOH, we’ve been drifting away from basic conservative principles for some time, which bothers even moderates like myself. Bush’s bigger government brand isn’t a good thing, yet I resist social conservative litmus tests. Things like immigration have played no part in the election, but remain a running sore.
The primaries hurt us badly.
a capella on October 25, 2008 at 12:15 PM
Norm Coleman isn’t a conservative. But he’s as conservative as he can be and still get elected in Minnesota. And he is certainly more conservative than Amy Klobuchar, or any other Democrat in the Senate. Remember, he probably would not be in the Senate, had Paul Wellstone not died two weeks before the election in 2002. So it’s something of a miracle if Coleman is reelected this year. And especially so if this seat keeps the Dems from getting to 60.
rockmom on October 25, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Hope you’re right about this. Also hope that this particular ghoul doesn’t make it back from the dead.
AZCoyote on October 25, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Norm used to be a Democrat. A pretty conservative one for the Twin Cities. He would still be a Democrat, but the DFL told him in no uncertain terms that he would not be supported for statewide office b/c he was Pro-Life. That said, we had a few conservative senators. Rod Grams was very conservative, but lost to Dayton. Rudy Boschwitz was also pretty conservative, but lost to Wellstone in a heart breaker.
IR-MN on October 25, 2008 at 12:30 PM
The word is that a significant percentage of top DC Dems privately want Franken to lose.
(1) Because he’d be an embarrassment, even by their standards.
(2) Because if he wins other Hollywood types will decide they should be senators too.
AlexG on October 25, 2008 at 12:40 PM
Al Franken has always been a ludicrous candidate. If the bottom hadn’t fallen out of the economy, he’d be running 3rd, behind Barkley. And by the way, Barkley is a joke, too.
Norm isn’t perfect, but he’ll do the right thing on most of the issues we care about.
Mr. D on October 25, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Wow, I saw the picture out front, and just inserted Franken for the word Coleman.
About an hour later, I see on Drudge that the Star-Ledger is cutting jobs, so I was wondering if that was a Minnesota paper, so I come back here to see it is the Tribune, but you cant get that info from out front, so I come inside. I still did not notice till I saw Michael Brodkorb and read the wuote from him.
Wow, pictures play a huge roll in what we perceive.
WoosterOh on October 25, 2008 at 1:02 PM
Guys, check the view over to the magnetic North Pole… takes a little time to locate (since it’s at a different angle from each region) but I believe that I (ever so faintly) spotted a really fat, four-footed Santa Claus flying this way, getting an early start for the Christmas season.
……it’s ears look funny though and appears really larded up around the belly. I didn’t see any dark colored chocolate candy… but I saw pigs feet and chicarons.
Mcguyver on October 25, 2008 at 1:37 PM
I had to read it twice.
KBird on October 25, 2008 at 2:36 PM
How long before Smalley and his goons try to beat the hell out of the Star-Tribune building?
Start throwing punches and such.
Teddy on October 25, 2008 at 2:57 PM
That finger in Coleman’s face. I would sooooooo kick his obnoxious ass.
marklmail on October 25, 2008 at 3:11 PM
Is that Stuart Smalley?
kanda on October 25, 2008 at 3:20 PM
If I were to hazard a guess I would think that they have seen internal poll data that shows Franken was going to bite the dust anyhow and this was a token endorsement they could point to and say see we are not biased.
CommentGuy on October 25, 2008 at 3:57 PM
I’m doing a Fred Sanford at this moment!!!!!!!!!
oakpack on October 25, 2008 at 4:05 PM
No one has yet mentioned the Lileks Effect — maybe he’s got pictures of the Endorsement Writers in compromising positions, and endorsing Coleman over Franken was his ransom demand … 8^)
GoHskrs on October 25, 2008 at 5:54 PM
Let’s take ANY endorsement we can, folks !
After all, this is FrankenFace we’re talking about, here !
pambi on October 25, 2008 at 6:35 PM
Has anyone heard the sound of trumpets – or looked to the skies and seeing judgement day draw near?
For the Star Tribune to endorse Norm Coleman has to be a sign of the impending apolcalyse.
Jesus is coming – everyone look busy….
Dr. Gecko on October 25, 2008 at 7:11 PM
Who in their right mind would even vote for Franken?
Cr4sh Dummy on October 26, 2008 at 12:55 AM
I love it when Harry Reid gets kicked in the shins.
T J Green on October 26, 2008 at 1:33 AM
Here’s the link.
DannoJyd on October 26, 2008 at 3:42 PM
The Star-Tribune is a “progressive” newspaper???
Let’s tell the truth, here Ed.
The Star-Tribune is a left wing extremist, socialist propaganda paper, perhaps even Marxist. It’s the “Pravda of the North”.
Totally incredible. Not. fit. for. human. consumption.
Not even a good source of fish-wrap. If they buried it, it would be considered toxic waste.
Dr. Bob on October 26, 2008 at 10:05 PM
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