Norm Coleman

Norm Coleman's Big Three

tptadmin — Fri, 3 Oct 2008 16:53:51 -0500

Mary Lahammer continues with excerpts from her election-year "Big Three" project. Last week she had a revealing interview with Dean Barkley. This week Norm Coleman talks about the the Big Three moments in his life.

Big Three Bombshells

Mary Lahammer — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:53:12 -0500

Tune in to Almanac tonight because we think we have some news to report. I’ve been working on the biographies of the Senate candidates in a show called "Senate Race MN: Big Three Moments" it’s the big three moments of the three candidates’ lives, the personal turning points for Dean Barkley, Norm Coleman and Al Franken. The whole program premieres Oct. 22 8:00 pm on TPT-2.

We got amazing access to all the candidates’ homes, wives, and children for emotional and candid interviews. One candidate revealed something that he told me he wanted to get out before his opponents got to it first. We will reveal that tonight on Almanac. Next week we’ll have more interesting news on another candidate. We’re talking about things that everyone has whispered about in Minnesota politics for years, but rarely if ever talked about on the record.

So, for all of those who wondered why my blog and I dropped off the radar screen recently, this is why. This project has been incredibly surprising, rewarding and draining. I see all the candidates in a different light and understand them on a deeply personal level and I think viewers will too. We've never seen them like this. I really have to thank the Barkleys, Colemans and Frankens for being so willing to open up about some of the most difficult times of their lives.

Senate Campaign Managers

tptadmin — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:58:27 -0500

We sit down with officials from the Coleman, Franken and Barkley campaigns. We talk ad strategy and other topics. Cullen Sheehan, Andy Barr and Jim Gibson are our guests.

The New Senate Race

Mary Lahammer — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:36:07 -0500

With primary opponents out of the way, Al Franken sought to "kick off the general election with a rally." You'll recall he also kick-started his campaign after Ciresi got out of the race and got criticized for not being available to the media. Today's event press release was careful to note that "a media availability will follow." Franken's camp created some strong images with supporters rallying around. The site was the Paul and Sheila Wellstone Center, obvious symbolism there.

Since, Sen. Norm Coleman is in D.C. today, his campaign manager Cullen Sheehan had a press conference rolling out three new ads. Sheehan also noted at Franked "failed to get the support of one-third" of voters in the primary. They want former Sen. Dean Barkley in the debates and think Barkley will appeal to possible Franken voters. Sheehan said "what Barkley does is put Franken in third place on public service" since he's never held office.

Political reporters are expecting a pretty predictable campaign, more of the same for the next 6 weeks. But if Minnesota history holds true, big races bring big surprises at the last minute: Boschwitz/Wellstone, Grunseth/Carlson, Wellstone/Mondale/Coleman, Pawlenty/Hatch. Expect the unexpected in Minnesota politics.

Coleman Comesback

Mary Lahammer — Wed, 3 Sep 2008 19:06:29 -0500

Sen. Norm Coleman addressed the convention for a second time today. That equals Sen. Amy Klobuchar's appearances before the DNC and is twice as many appearances before a national audience as his opponent Al Franken. The Dem turned down his short opportunity before the mic in Denver. The Republican former St. Paul Mayor woke up the crowd in his five minutes at the RNC. He hit on the topic on everyone's mind: Sarah Palin. Coleman said "Minnesotans are always thrilled to welcome another hockey mom." He got some good cheers, even a standing ovation at the end from the delegates on the floor.

It seems people off the floor but in the hall may be having a harder time connecting with the speakers because you can't see their faces. There are not the big easily viewable screens like in Denver. People really have to strain up past speakers and rafters to see a jumbotron. And it is more difficult to relate to strangers hundreds of feet across a room when all the "real people" are talking. What the X does better than the Pepsi Center is allow people in the hallways to see into the hall, but you need to see faces full of emotion to really get the impact.

Day Two at the Republican National Convention

tptadmin — Wed, 3 Sep 2008 10:43:45 -0500

Day two at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul featured primetime speeches from Sen. Norm Coleman and Rep. Michele Bachmann while protestors continued to work the streets.

Day One at the Republican National Convention

tptadmin — Mon, 1 Sep 2008 21:09:18 -0500

Protesters steal the thunder of the opening day of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul while Sen. Norm Coleman is still proud to bring the convention to his home town.

Protesters Take Over

Mary Lahammer — Mon, 1 Sep 2008 19:02:50 -0500

Protesters took over the story in downtown St. Paul today, overshadowing the start of the Republican National Convention. They turned out in the thousands and remained mostly peaceful. I saw some angry interactions between the pro-war and anti-war people, but nothing violent or extreme in the main organized march. The anti-war people were flipping the bird at the pro-war people and that seemed to upset them more than the conversations and confrontations I witnessed. The outbreaks that resulted in arrests were smaller splinter groups.

Visually, the protesters got pretty close to the Xcel Center despite the big black fences in the way. And the protesters put on a good show for the press with lots of powerful visuals. One woman who was barely dressed other than pearls and red body paint said she was a "deconstructed Republican."

The police force was ready, really ready, clad in serious riot gear. The incongruous scene that stands out to me was a nice local cop noticing we were struggling to find a road they weren't blocking off, so he lifted his visor and gave us some specific directions on how to get passed him in the skyway. That's Minnesota nice and our David Gillette sums it up perfectly in his cartoon.

Inside the X, the security mood was much more laid back than Denver. We got easier floor access, working our way to the Minnesota delegation. On the way, we ran into Sen. Norm Coleman who sounded pretty confident that he and Gov. Pawlenty would still get a chance to welcome the convention. Coleman said having this convention in the place often called "the house that Norm built" makes him feel like a proud papa.

This Week's Campaign Notebook

Mary Lahammer — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:01:09 -0500

Leading my Campaign Notebook for this week, Pawlenty's national press blitz from "Face The Nation" this weekend, to FOX News earlier the week, from the Wall Street Journal story and sketch over the weekend. We should know within weeks if he's the VP candidate. What will we talk about if he's not?

The Pew poll this week was big news. It's a good poll and details how McCain is picking up steam with older and blue collar voters. It appears the same tightening of the race is happening here in Minnesota. Smart Politics talks about that and how Pawlenty's approval ratings have suffered in his home state with his visible national ambitions. We'll have video proof of Obama's campaign in Minnesota trying to shore up this weakness with Walter Mondale and Josie Johnson launching a talking to seniors tour.

Then the Senate race, took another mudslinging turn as Coleman and Franken's campaigns tried to show the press they were more open and it was their opponents who were holding back details on unpaid utility bills and unpaid taxes. As the Pioneer Press' Rachel Stassen-Berger so beautifully and bluntly asked each campaign yesterday "Don't Minnesotans have to choose between a tax cheat and a rent cheat?"

Finally, Rep. Mark Olson just doesn't go away. Instead of working at the local political level, now prominent Republicans are coming out against him from Sen. Norm Coleman to the Senate Republican Caucus who said he isn't welcome. Assistant Minority Leader Sen. David Hann told me "We don't believe that Mark Olson should be a candidate." When I said his local party chose to endorse him he said "I respect local endorsements, but we don't have to support their endorsement."

Campaign Notebook

Mary Lahammer — Fri, 8 Aug 2008 16:11:24 -0500

Gov. Pawlenty's national prospects and travels lead my Campaign Notebook this week. The week began with a warm welcome full of autograph seekers at Farmfest and ended with the story and photo on the front page of the New York Times.
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