Minnesota's Star Tribune - endorsement split: Obama / Coleman

[LVZ]

Usually, newspaper endorsements don't mean much. In Nevada, we expect the Las Vegas Review Journal to always back the Republican and the Las Vegas Sun will usually back the Democrat.

But in a very close Senate election in a "wave" year, Minnesota's Star Tribune endorsement might be just enough to be the tipping point to letting former-Democrat Norm Coleman retain his GOP Senate seat.

That is unfortunate. Of course, we can hope that Obama's "ground game" superiority will carry over to down-ticket races like the Coleman/Franken Senate contest enough to overcome the Star Tribune endorsement.

It was interesting to note that Al Franken was not even mentioned in the Star Tribune endorsement.

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/33243864.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUnciaec8O7EyUsr

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/33243874.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUnciaec8O7EyUsr

[truthisfreedom]

1. Pfft. Franken has been opening up a lead. Look here.

Minnesota Trends: Coleman vs. Franken

Date Coleman Franken

10/22/2008 37% 41%

10/09/2008 37% 43%

9/18/2008 48% 47%

8/13/2008 45% 45%

7/22/2008 44% 43%

[Eric J in MN]

2. They mention Al Franken on page 2 of the endorsement.

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We bank our hope for a less polarized America with Coleman, despite accord with DFL challenger Al Franken on some important issues. However, we consider his recommendation for a "no" vote on the economic bailout package the wrong call at the wrong time.

Franken is a gifted communicator. His best-selling books skewering the Bush administration and the Republican right helped revitalize the Democratic Party when it was on the ropes. He's an effective critic. It isn't as easy to envision him as a constructive force for bipartisan legislation.

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The Star Tribune was purchased by a Wall Street firm in 2006.

They mention his oppostion to the Wall Street bailout as a reason they're against him.

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

3. The Strib's op/ed pages have been headed steadily rightward

since they were sold. We now get that asshole Michael Gerson everytime he writes a column. Krauthammer the uberfuckwad and other right wingers like the truly despicable Clifford May. A few years ago we got Friedman, Kristof, Krugman, Ivins and Tom Teepen on a regular basis. I'd vote for a return of Kristof, Krugman and Teepen and the deep-sixing of May, Gerson and Shithammer.