Independent Minnesota Senate Candidate: If There's A Do-Over, I'll Run -- And I Might Win
Today I had the opportunity to speak with Dean Barkley, the Independence Party candidate who received 15% of the vote in the Minnesota Senate race, and he confirmed to me that if there is indeed a new election -- an idea that Norm Coleman has been floating -- he will be a candidate.
Barkley doesn't think a do-over will actually happen -- nor does he think it should happen -- and he traces the Coleman rhetoric to one reason. "Well that's probably because they're coming to the realization that they're gonna lose. It's that simple," said Barkley. "He's lost some pretty significant motions and decisions in court the last week, and I think he's coming to the realization that he's not gonna prevail in the finality. So obviously if you don't want to lose, you're gonna do everything you can to muddy up the waters."
But if it does happen, Barkley is in. "I wouldn't mind having another shot at the apple -- bring it on," Barkley told me. "If it was a do-over with everybody, not just Coleman and Franken. They seem to think they're the only two people with a stake in the outcome."
He added: "I might win it this time, after the behavior of those two."
Barkley also rejected the suggestion that he would be any kind of spoiler in the race. If anything, he's met a lot of voters who have told him if they could do it again, they'd have picked him.
"I think I would win," he said. "And then we can have the argument, how many votes did Coleman or Franken take from me. The notion that I take votes for them, they don't own any votes. That whole assumption is ridiculous. It epitomizes the whole two-party arrogance, that they own the whole election cycle."
Barkley's own high vote total came in part from the sheer negativity between the two major candidates, and the last few months haven't exactly been positive. There hasn't been any recent polling out there of what a do-over would be like for Franken, Coleman and Barkley, which would give us an idea of how this whole dispute has affected the candidates' reputations and popular appeal. And it would very interesting to see some.
Josh
Elana
Matt
Eric
Not gonna happen Dean, keep dreaming. Funny you mention arrogance- you should really look at what comes out of your mouth. From: a MN voter.
February 27, 2009 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just to be clear, Barkley does not think a revote should happen. I've now made that a bit more precise.
February 27, 2009 5:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Gotcha, Eric. Thanks for the clarification. Upon further reflection I think pompous is a better word than arrogant regarding Barkley.
February 27, 2009 6:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
The problem is that Coleman can "float" this idea all he wants, but it's just not going to happen. Has anyone taken the time to explain to Coleman Minnesota election law and what it would actually take to have a "do over" election?
The problem I'm having with the reporting of this is that Coleman is clearly in fantasyland territory with no hope of it occurring. Yet, if I were to believe the reporting on this there seems to be an implication that Coleman can will it to happen by some magical means.
February 27, 2009 5:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wouldn't dismiss it too easily. If the Senate Republicans were able to filibuster Franken's seating, they could force a stalemate, from which a new election would be the only exit. I don't think they can pull it off, but it's certainly possible.
February 27, 2009 5:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
And the fun thing for the Thugs, is that all they have to do is THREATEN a filibuster, and Reid will capitulate.
Curiously, when the tables were turned and the Thugs threatened to nullify any filibuster with the so-called "nuclear option"---why, Harry Reid . . . . . well, he capitulated. It is his customary and habitual response to the Thugs. Harry's not one of the "blue dogs"---he's one of the "Pavlov dogs."
February 27, 2009 6:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
and Reid will capitulate
Indeed, that's what he does best.
But only to Republicans, mind you. When it comes to Democrats, he will ignore "holds", force traditional filibusters, etc.
It's Reid's unique understanding of what it means to be "Majority Leader."
March 2, 2009 4:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
What "behavior of these two" is he referring to regarding Franken? What has Franken done since Nov 4th that has sullied his reputation? It was a automatic recount and then he's defending himself in court - He should do that?
February 27, 2009 5:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of course, "Walter Mitty" is correct as usual. When Mr. Barkley tars both Norm and Al with the same brush, it is not fair to Al, who has been really low-key since Election Night. I have mentioned in several posts the impression I have, which is reinforced by Barkley's remarks, that the general public in Minnesota is swallowing the media line that "both sides" are engaged in unseemly, dilatory antics---whereas in fact, 90% of the grandstanding and 100% of the hogwash is coming from Norm's side.
Mitty's points--that the recount was automatic and that Franken is now in the position of having to defend himself in court---as if he had a choice!--are the points that Franken's spokespeople are NOT making effectively. They are arguing that Al should be seated because of the importance of the stimulus bill. That just isn't persuasive except to partisans who already favor him.
February 27, 2009 6:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's time for Dean Barkley to quietly fade away. He's caused enough trouble, as has his "party", in MN elections for the last several terms.
February 27, 2009 6:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hear, hear!
February 27, 2009 6:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Shouldn't that decision be up to the voters of Minnesota, TOG old buddy?
Remember, it was Barkley's candidate, Jesse Ventura, who knocked off Norm Coleman in 1998, thus seriously crimping Norm's national ambitions. Norm would have been a much more formidable candidate against Paul Wellstone in 2002 if he had been running as an incumbent Governor! As it was, Norm led most of the year, and was just falling behind when Senator Wellstone's plane crashed.
And it was the guy who inspired Barkley's party, crazy old Ross Perot, who kept Bush Senior from winning a second term in the White House---Clinton never would have won without Perot siphoning away votes from Bush.
February 27, 2009 10:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Unfortunately the false equivalence meme pushed by Barkley and often purveyed by the national media IS good news for Republicans...and bad news for the country. Congress has serious challenges to face, and the country needs to understand that the Republicans are just playing party-first obstructionism in this election contest and on the floor of Congress. Our political system has structural obstacles to meaningful participation by third parties like Barkley's; nevertheless, it is not helpful for him to engage in deceptive, pox-on-both-houses rhetoric.
February 27, 2009 6:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Barkley isn't "pushing a false equivalence meme." He was the candidate of the Independence Party, which under Minnesota law is a major party legally equal in all respects to the Republican Party and the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.
Minnesota has a strong third party tradition. Our greatest Governor, Floyd B. Olson, was elected on the Farmer-Labor ticket, three times.
The Independence Party, formerly the Reform party, elected its candidate as Governor in 1998. The DFL hasn't elected a candidate for Governor since 1988.
The situation today is reminiscent of the 1940's, when neither the Farmer-Labor nor the Democratic parties quite had the strength to beat the Republicans. So they merged, to form the DFL.
I agree that Barkley's rhetoric is off-base in this instance. But that's politics. And if there are intelligent strategists in either the DFL or the Republican party, they should be courting Mr. Barkley, not ignoring him or dismissing him.
Third parties historically have served a useful role in introducing new ideas or policies in times of political stalemate and stagnation. Sometimes good, like the Socialist Party, sometimes bad, like the Prohibition Party. But the people are always entitled to have a choice.
February 27, 2009 11:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll reply to my own comment: Look here a.c.head, you dope, you totally misunderstood what tedb was saying. the "false equivalence meme" referred to Barkley's falsely equating Franken and Coleman, NOT to the role or ranking of Barkley's political party. You better get some new glasses, or eat less sugar, or something. and make shorter posts; yours are the most boring on TPM.
February 27, 2009 11:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow, a.c.head. You are harder on yourself than I would have been. While trying to be succinct, I was obviously not clear enough. Thanks for clarifying my point.
February 28, 2009 12:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
Axioticheesehead is right. Franken has been low-key since the election. The shameless grandstanding and lies are coming from Norm's side.
When Dean says he might win the election in a revote "after the behavior of these two," he's pulling a typical Independence Party "a pox on both houses," which, unfortunately, is also the pose taken by most of the local mainstream media because it makes them look "objective" and "above-the-fray."
It's bullshit, of course. In MN, like elsewhere, the three Repub tactics are: lie, manipulate and slime the opponents. (Rinse and repeat.) And in Republicans say it, the media repeats it, because as they see it, that's what "fair" coverage is all about.
My acquaintances who vote for Independence party candidates like Barkley are mostly "moderate" Republicans who are disgusted by right-wing Republicans, but feel far too superior to ever vote for the Dirty Fucking Hippies of the Democratic party. An Independence party pal of mine constantly decries "the extremists on both sides" but when I ask him to give me one example of extremism on the part of Minnesota DFLers all I get is..........(crickets chirping.) I know I'm biased, but my Independence party friends care far more about being "non-political" or "above nasty politics" than they care about actual governance. It's really weird.
So Barkley's a pox on both houses is soooo typical.
February 28, 2009 4:46 PM | Reply | Permalink