Coleman: It's Not About Me -- "One Vote" In The Senate Is About The Future Of The Country
Former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) spoke to the Minnesota state Republican convention this past weekend -- explaining that his disputed Senate race is not just about him, but the issues that matter to the country.
Norm broke the ice with a joke. "People ask, how are you doing -- you know, the race, it never ends," he said. "And I tell them I've been counting and recounting my blessings since November."
He got serious, too:
"But winning isn't about me. You know, it's not about me or even us as Republicans. It really is about this country. And about the future of the country," said Coleman. "The one vote in the United States Senate, the one vote is a difference between possibly people losing the right to a secret ballot in a union election, or not ... One vote, one vote between the potentiality of a slippery slide into the path of government-controlled health care. If I am in the U.S. Senate, we're not gonna have a government-controlled health care. It's not gonna happen."
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Well, Quimby, you're not gonna be in the Senate so you'd better get used to it.
June 15, 2009 11:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
it goes against my cheapskate nature but, its going to cost me at least a hundred in free drinks at the bar when they seat Franken in the senate. i cannot wait.
even with 60 in the senate its going to take a long time to undo the bush mis/mal/nonfeasance
schadenfreude. my new favorite work.
June 15, 2009 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
There may be 60 bodies in the Senate who will pin "D" to their nameplate, but actually finding 60 to support a measure will be some trick, what with Landrieu, Lincoln, Bad Nelson, Bayh et al., to say nothing [and nothing is best said] about Harry Reid, the "fearless leader" [i.e., no one fears him].
June 15, 2009 2:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
My Bullshit Meter just went to 11.
June 15, 2009 11:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
It might need room to go even higher.
June 15, 2009 12:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
I know. I'm having it re-calibrated so it will go to 1,345,665. That should give it plenty of room for the mythical lies and distortions we will hear non-stop spewing forth from the Rightwing over the next 4 years. It's just one great big Bullshitapalooza Festival!
June 15, 2009 12:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
i so look forward to seeing Norm without his SS detail in the near future. no more taxpayer funded bodyguards for you. lord knows you needed them.
it should be interesting to see how big your mouth will be without them.
June 15, 2009 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe you're joking? This sounds a lot like a threat.
June 15, 2009 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe I've read it incorrectly, but I think ojim is saying that Norm's mouth may write checks his ass can't cash when not backed by the full faith and credit of his bodyguards.
June 15, 2009 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ok, to both of you---but the implication that Coleman (no matter how huge of an asshat he is) needed the protection of the SS detail from physical harm seems a bit extreme.
June 15, 2009 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK. so why do they have them then? other than his taxpayer-funded limo, that is?
norm was locally famous for berating and insulting people in public. maybe it was his NYC roots, maybe he thought that his law degree granted him some sort on immunity from harm. regardless, it only got worse when he got his SS detail and his wife moved to california without him.
June 15, 2009 3:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, he is justing saying that Chicklets is an human ass-hat who without bodyguards would probably have had his silly teeth knocked out of his mouth. Thats all. Now I do not know Ojim but I know Chickletss so consider this conjecture.
BTW: For those of you who have missed a few of the finest moments in the US Senate, watch this youtube of Chickletss having his ass handed to him as ge shills for Bush's illegal war. This is a must see:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyyGoPerzWc
June 15, 2009 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
there is a great video of ted stevens trying to shove his way through a crowd of people after he lost the election. he was just as effective as most 80 year old men would be. the look on his face is classic. he no longer had bully-boys to do his shoving for him. he turned three shades of purple. i was praying for a heart attack. maybe a minor stroke.
that morally vacant bastard son of john elway and sandra bernhard was infamous for trying to send his SS detail to secure restaurant tables for him. and to go and get his wife. he had to be told no repeatedly.
does he have anything to fear? lets find out.
June 15, 2009 2:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
So Norm has that GOP line down perfect, they say they are not the party of "no" but rather the party of "ideas". Of course once again we are treated with the reality versus the GOP ignorance of that reality. What does Norm have to say about losing a legal race? No, I did not lose. What does Norm have to say about Public-Option health care? No, there will be no Public-Option health care. What does Norm say about Franken being seated in the US Senate? No, it was not a fair election.
What did Norm say when GW Bush was President? Yes, Yes and more Yes. SO maybe it is time for him to open his eyes like so many and realize that his party is the same party whose ideas led to a huge deficit, after inheriting a surplus, weakening of our rights to privacy, weakening of government regulations concerning our financial markets, weakening the US prestige when it comes to human rights by torturing its enemy combatants, etc. The GOP ideas have been brought to you by people like Norm, and the American people by a majority rejected those ideas, including the people of Minnesota, Norm. Why do you always say no to things the majority sees as reality, Norm?
June 15, 2009 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, that one vote crap is the reason you're not in the U.S. Senate anymore Normy.
Seriously Reslugs,just face the facts, IT'S OVER! America is tired of your devisiveness.
It will be so wonderful to have a competent, intelligent Senator in your place. We will be actually able to get sound policies with Franken.
June 15, 2009 11:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
And here I thought it was about the people of Minnesota, and having two senators.
More fodder for campaign ads.
June 15, 2009 11:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Norm, is that you? You better start looking for a job cuz the legal bills to defend yourself against that FBI investigation are gonna get steep. I hear Minnesota has a vibrant timber industry. Maybe you can ge a job at a mill chompin logs into sawdust. Either that or build a dam.
June 15, 2009 12:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just the sight of his face annoys me. Can this ruling be announced so MN can be done with this already? I can't believe they've successfully stalled this thing for more than seven months.
Actually, I can. I take that back.
Phony jerk.
June 15, 2009 11:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
So in other words, Norm Coleman is holding that one vote hostage against the wishes of the Minnesota electorate. Not only does he admit it, he's proud of it. He insists that he still has a right to cast it by keeping it away from Al Franken, even though he lost it last November. In other words, he stole it.
June 15, 2009 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
You have it exactly....
It's not about the election at all.
When you work for the political party who's main purpose is to represent and protect the interests of billionaires - you will always have to find creative ways to hold on to and otherwise execute power non-democratically.
Republicans don't hate America, they hate democracy. They hate community.
The envisision a Nation of wealthy chickenhawks protected by people on-leave from their minimum-wage jobs at WalMart.
June 15, 2009 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
If 62% of the overall electorate favor "government controlled" healthcare, I wonder what percentage of Minnesotans feel that way.
June 15, 2009 12:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
hmmm ... June 15 today ... they predicted the court ruling by the end of the month right?
June 15, 2009 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Very classy, Norm.
June 15, 2009 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
do we really live in a country where these type of people and their lies are accepted by half the population?
so obvious and depressing.
June 15, 2009 12:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Did Norm just here and now commit Minnesotan electoral political suicide OR garner permanent guest talking head status on Faux New? Inquiring minds what to know.
June 15, 2009 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks Norm we didn't know that
June 15, 2009 12:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
This must be really reassuring to the millions of people in MN that are not being currently represented in the U.S. Senate because Coleman and the GOP continue to play political games.
June 15, 2009 12:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I live in California where a batch of republicans are sticking to ideology and refusing to raise taxes after slashing those taxes for the wealthy, and then fiscally breaking the state. Norm is doing the best he can to put a hold on the senate.
There seems to be no shame in bending the rules as much as they can to pay off their holders, under the guise of political purity.
What can we do to expose this crap, to make it politically embarrassing or painful to strangle the government in all the bathtubs, as they are doing?
June 15, 2009 12:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Silly argumentation. If Coleman were truly thinking about the future of the country, he would have conceded the election sooner, rather than delaying the inevitable.
Coleman only sees the immediate issues in front of him and not the notion of delaying the rights of the people of Minnesota to have their state properly represented in Congress.
Coleman's delay means that he is indifferent to the concept of democratically elected officials serving their constituency and their country.
This is not a partisan issue. If Franken were being obstructionist, I would be just as exasperated.
Coleman needs to understand that this is an issue about democracy - plain and simple.
June 15, 2009 12:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just goes to show how much respect Republicans have for the sanctity of the vote when the election gives them the wrong result. Norm’s right. It is bigger than him. Though the big principle at stake isn’t defeating liberals by any means necessary, it’s honoring the decision of the electorate and not trying to thwart their will through futile legal maneuvers.
In all likelihood this whole ordeal will be over at the end of the month. At that point, Norm needs to fold up the tent. I think Minnesotans are pretty tired of this post-election process but are generally willing to see it through to the bitter end in state court. In the realm of public opinion, it will not go well for Norm if he takes this to federal court. That said, if it comes to that, I hope Pawlenty and the MN GOP enthusiastically jump on board with the appeal so Norm can drag them all down in one big flaming wreck.
June 15, 2009 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
For modern conservatives, "democracy" anywhere in the world means an election is held and the right person wins. It has nothing to do with the will of the people; if the people choose wrong, then the country must be protected from them.
June 15, 2009 1:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
If the MN Supreme Court rules in Franken's favor and Pawlenty still refuses to seat Franken, I hope the DNC starts broadcasting commercials in MN 24/7 about how Pawlenty and the Republicans want to deny Minnesotans full representation in the Senate for their own self interests (with clips of Norm saying as much) and how anti-American the Republican party is, etc. Lord knows the RNC would have no hesitation doing the same (and worse) if the shoe were on the other foot.
June 15, 2009 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now there is a practical idea. How can a man work so hard to represent the Republican Party first and the majority of Minnesotans second.
June 15, 2009 4:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah Norm that's what democracy is all about representing the will of Norm Coleman... the will of the people be damned.
June 15, 2009 1:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh My God, when is he going to shut up?
June 15, 2009 1:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is Sen. Cornhole on board with this?
June 15, 2009 1:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's Ex-Senator Cornhole
June 15, 2009 2:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Certainly can't let the will of the citizens of Minnesota get in the way of a righteous cause, right, Norm?
June 15, 2009 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
here quimby, let me fix that for you:
...a difference between whether or not COMPANIES lose the right to FORCE a (so-called) 'secret' ballot in a union election when a majority of workers have already openly declared that they want to be represented by a union and therefore don't need any so-called 'secret' ballot...
June 15, 2009 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
If I am in the U.S. Senate, we're not gonna have a government-controlled health care. It's not gonna happen.
Oooh, look at that straw man's head fly as Norm's vorpal blade goes snicker-snack!
Slowly now, for Norm: We're not gonna have government-controlled health care, regardless, since no one is seriously proposing it this time. Optional, government-provided health insurance, maybe, if we're very lucky and we can keep your insurance company and AMA board buddies from killing it with lies like this.
June 15, 2009 6:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Time for Democrats to turn the heat up on Norm. How about picturing him with that Iranian guy who stole the election. He and Norm have the same values when it comes to fair elections.
June 15, 2009 6:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
the guy is actually campaigning again . or thinks he is anyway.
oh begone, tasteless hack.
June 15, 2009 9:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Winning may not be about Norm but losing sure is.Well it may be a little longer for the Court to tell us who the winner is, Norm and his supporting cast have made it clear now more than ever that's he's the Whiner.
June 16, 2009 12:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why can't a conservative controlled Supreme Court just give it to Coleman whether he won it or not.
Wait, that's what happened with W.
June 16, 2009 12:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
What arrogance! This is what scares me about the right. He and they believing only they know what is best for the country ... and willing to subvert our laws and the constitution to attain their goals.
Nevermind what the voters had to say. This about what the republicans want for the future of the country ...
June 16, 2009 7:57 AM | Reply | Permalink