Here’s why I think Al Franken is Minnesota’s best choice for US Senator:

1. He’s a policy wonk. In both his books and on his radio show, he showed the depth of knowledge he has on important policy issues, such as health care, prescription drugs, and the current wars. With the economy in trouble, two wars lingering, and the cost of health care increasing, we need someone in Washington who really understands the issues and can work to fix things.

Norm Coleman, on the other hand, does not seem to be a policy wonk. Instead, he touts the work he’s done for individual families where he’s aided them with international adoptions. While that is admirable, it’s only a small fraction of the work a US Senator should be able to accomplish in 6 years.

Franken is the kind of guy who will surround himself, and call on, the best people he can find to help him understand the government’s current policies and work to steer them in directions that improve effectiveness, efficiencies, and costs. For example, one of his regular guests on his radio show was Princeton economics professor, Paul Krugman, who’s gone on to win a Nobel Prize in economics.

2. He’s bi-partisan. Franken gets labeled as being very partisan due to the titles of some of his books including “Lies (And the Lying Liars Who Tell Them): A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right” and “Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot”. However, if you actually read those books, it’s clear that he’s really going after the most partisan people on the right such as Limbaugh and FOX News hosts like Bill O’Reilly.

When Franken makes attacks like that, he’s not being partisan. In my opinion, what he’s really doing is attacking partisanship while saying, “we can do better.” Try reading the last chapters of his books rather than cherry picked comments if you want to get a feel for that side of Franken.

Coleman, on the other hand, has a rep for not being partisan, but it’s simply not true. For example, Norm Coleman has run to head the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) in the past. HE didn’t win the post then, but he’s actually running for the post again now. What is the NRSC? It’s the group that puts out the most divisive ads of the campaign. Coleman, for the past month, has claimed to run clean campaign ads, while at the same time running to head the group that’s running dirty, misleading, campaign ads on his behalf.

NRSC.org Commercial

3. Franken is not corrupt. If you don’t like Franken enough to vote FOR him, here is why you should vote AGAINST Norm Coleman. Coleman has managed to get himself caught up in some nasty conflicts on interest, including a very slimy relationship with the head of a Houston oil exploration company. As I understand it, Coleman’s family has taken trips, suits, and potential straight cash from his buddy in Houston.

What scares me about this is that Coleman’s relationship with Nasser Kazeminy reminds me way too much of the issues that took down now-convicted Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska. I’m not saying that Coleman’s corruption is at the same level as Stevens, but he only has had 6 years compared to Stevens’ 40.

Personally, I don’t want Minnesota to grow a reputation as being a corrupt state. Coleman’s troubles are already getting talked about not just nationally but internationally. Coleman has not come clean about why the heck his buddy Nasser Kazeminy’s business partners are suing each other over what sound like politically motivated corporate payments to a company Norm’s wife happened to work for. In fact, Coleman is doing everything he can to divert the story away from the money trail, claiming that this is an attack on his wife. And Kazeminy isn’t talking either. This smells like a rotting Alaskan salmon to me.

With No Distractions, Al Franken Will Work Hard for Minnesotans

We need to send someone to Washington who can focus on representing Minnesota rather than defending himself from ethical – and potentially legal – problems over the next six years.

I encourage you to vote proudly for Al Franken for Senate.