New Ad Pressures Pawlenty To Seat Franken

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: In The News

(AP)

Liberal advocacy group Americans United For Change has released a new ad pressuring Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty to "act in the best interest of Minnesota" and certify Democrat Al Franken as the state's senator.

Franken was declared the victor in his battle against Norm Coleman for the Minnesota Senate seat following a recount and legal wrangling that has lasted for months. Coleman is now appealing the decision to the state Supreme Court.

"Most Minnesotans – including Republicans – believe that once the state Supreme Court rules, Governor Pawlenty should do his legal duty and certify Al Franken as our senator," an announcer says in the spot. "But the national Republican donors don't want Minnesota to have our rightful representation in the Senate. The Republican Campaign Chairman, Texas Senator Cornyn, said Norm Coleman's court challenges could take 'years' to resolve."

"Now Governor Pawlenty has a choice," the announcer continues. "Will he act in the best interest Minnesota or his own national political ambitions?"

These words then appear onscreen: "Call Governor Pawlenty at 800-657-3717. Ask him to put Minnesota's interest ahead of political ambition."

The stakes for the Minnesota seat increased this week with Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's announcement that he is becoming a Democrat, effectively giving the party 59 votes in the Senate. If and when Franken is seated, the Democrats will have 60 votes and a filibuster-proof majority – though that would require the votes of all 60 senators who caucus with the party, which is far from a sure thing.

National Republicans, who would prefer to keep Franken from becoming a voting member for as long as possible, have raised money for Coleman's legal effort.

Americans United For Change's Jeremy Funk says the group is spending "five-figures" to air the spot on cable. He said it will run on cable in the twin cities and Rochester media markets starting tomorrow and is going to run through the week.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by mrzerato April 30, 2009 10:37 PM EDT: They should put some pressure on pawlenty to sign the certificate of election; Reply to this comment


by BlueGrassView April 30, 2009 9:36 PM EDT: I teach my son that when he loses a game, he shakes hands and goes on with his day. Too bad that family value isn't one in former Senator Coleman's history.; Reply to this comment


by johnb8888 April 30, 2009 7:44 PM EDT: If Pawlenty kisses Tex-ass instead of serving the people of Minnesota, he can kiss his national ambitions goodbye, we're tired of him sacrificing Minnesota interests to suckie up to fascists.; Reply to this comment


by joanne11kh April 30, 2009 5:56 PM EDT: Unfortunately, Minnesota does not have recall. (the pols have convinced enough people that waiting till the next election is soon enough to get rid of someone.) And Coleman will not become a democrat. He started out as one, and changed parties once already.
Now, Pawlenty has his eye on running for President (was very upset when his mentor, McCain, picked Palin over him). He thinks every one in Minnesota will think it isn't his fault. -- He's wrong. We will remember. Even polls here think Coleman should give it up. (poster from Minnesota); Reply to this comment


by johndevinejr April 30, 2009 5:53 PM EDT: It's all good because, unlike Dubya's theft of the 2000 election, there is certain to be a backlash among Minnesota voters against this blatant circumventing of the rule of law. I will be very surprised if the next governor isn't a Democrat.
Posted by mcthreeteeth at 1:25 PM : Apr 30, 2009

republicans don't seem to realize that this is the exact kind of thing that has caused them to loose seats in the first place.

For some reason they seem to believe that if it didn't work the first time, make it even more unAmerican and people will vote for them

I think they'll get their 21% in 2010. By 2012 if all goes well they should be where they belong.

Right around 2%.; Reply to this comment


by johndevinejr April 30, 2009 5:49 PM EDT: The only salvation for the Republicans now is to get rid of all religious influences in their party. And that will be a long, painful, process for them.
Posted by tmittelstaed at 2:31 PM : Apr 30, 2009

Republicans are not fiscal conservatives. They just say they are.

They expanded the government to it's largest size in history. They took a balanced budget and a budget surplus and squandered it on a war in the wrong place.

They prosecuted that war on borrowed money so as not to raise taxes. Something that has never been done in this country before.

Financially responsible people don't allow the infrastructure to deteriorate from neglect as the republican have.

Of course we all want taxes as low as possible. But there is a minimum that must be done to allow the society to operate.

republicans didn't even do that.; Reply to this comment


by tmittelstaed April 30, 2009 5:31 PM EDT: The Republicans only hope for the national Presidential election in 2012 is to be as obstructionist as possible for the next 4 years, then when nothing is accomplished, they will blame Obama and say he was a bad President, when it is their obstructionism that caused the problem. That is why this election is so critical to them.

The Republicans need to back off, and do some introspection. They think they lost because they "lost their way from their principles" well they need to try living their principles and see how many people that will get them - my opinion is: not many.

I'll tell you the problem with the Republicans. America wants fiscal conservatives, they don't want elected representatives spending money they don't have. Ronnie Raygun figured this out in 1980 and he gave the American people the ultimate deal-with-the-devil: you could get fiscal conservatives BUT you had to take right-wing religious fruitcakes along with them. And America took the deal. And for a number of years things worked - kind of. Then the religious right took over the Republican party. And America didn't like it and elected Clinton. Then Clinton stumbled and the Religious Right saw their opportunity and got control again - and by then, all the fiscal conservatives had disappeared from the Republican party and the Religious Right went hog-wild and spent like drunken sailors.

Now, the Republicans just think that if they can whitewash the religious right in their party and pretend that there's fiscal conservatives in there, that America will take that deal with the devil and let the Republicans back into power. What they don't understand is that America is no longer willing to tolerate the interference of religious conservatives just to get fiscal conservatives - particularly when those "fiscal conservatives" took a surplus in 2000 from the last administration and turned it into the largest deficit and national debt in history.

The only salvation for the Republicans now is to get rid of all religious influences in their party. And that will be a long, painful, process for them.; Reply to this comment


by quapawsix April 30, 2009 4:18 PM EDT: What is it with these Republicans the vote was in favor Al Franken after the recount. I smell a Bush somewhere in the wood pile; Reply to this comment


by iam4honesty April 30, 2009 3:57 PM EDT: Republicans have painted themselves into a corner. Pawlenty won't have a snowball's chance in south Texas in a national election if he drags this out, and he will never get the support of those in power within the republican party if he doesn't. He's SOL.

It's as though the republican party is rotting from the inside out.; Reply to this comment


by roger_inkart April 30, 2009 3:50 PM EDT: The GOP continues to slit it's own throat by demonstrating time and time again how much more it values party than the citizens they supposedly represent.

Minnesotans are moderates mostly. But I find it hard to believe that after this they will consider voting another Republican into the senate. Republicans are not looking at the big picture. They have to be more than the party of obstruction and "no." Little wonder their party is a laughing stock.; Reply to this comment