Negative ads help al franken pull ahead in minnesota

The Al Franken campaign has turned around in Minnesota.

A new poll from the Star Tribune Minnesota shows a 13-point jump in support in a month for Democratic comedian-talk-host-turned-politician shows he's taken his first clear lead, 43-34% in his hard-fought race against incumbent and Bush clone Sen. Norm Coleman.

And the inherently prickish Coleman's nasty campaign ads have seemed to have turned against his own self.

Republicans are fearing Democrats will win a 60-seat majority in the U.S. Senate after Palin's much-hyped "victory" turned out to be just a feeding tube to a comatose McCain campaign. (Palin helped her own political future more than that of the ticket or her grouchy Olde Gentleman running mate).

Worrisome for the Franken Campaign had been the Independence Party candidate Dean Barkley who threatened to pull votes away from the Democrat. But the poll also shows support for Barkley's low-watt, underfunded campaign at 18 percent,andmost of his support drawn from Coleman.

Another poll suggests that Franken’s gain is a voters reaction to Coleman's harsh advertising. It shows 56% of poll respondents consider ads criticizing Franken to be “mostly unfair personal attacks.” Only 42% said the same about ads criticizing Coleman.

Franken is striking back: In a highly personal teevee ad, his wife Franni Franken acknowledges that she is a recovering alcoholic and talks about how her husband has supported her battle with the disease for more than 20 years. She says, "At one point in our life, I struggled with alcohol dependency. How could a mother of two fabulous, healthy children be an alcoholic?

The ad is one of two airing this week to counter a stream of ads by Coleman and the GOP attempting to portray Franken as angry, erratic and temperamentally unsuited for the Senate.

The ad featuring Franni Franken shows pictures of the couple and their two children as sAlso according to Politico: "The poll also found Democrats have opened a substantial lead in party identification, with 42 percent of likely voters self-identifying as Democrats, compared with just 26 percent self-identifying as Republicans."

Comments

[EvergreenRailfan]

I just wonder how many votes the Independence Party Candidate will get in this election. He has less experience in the Senate than Coleman, but slightly more than Franken. Former Senator Barkley was appointed to fill out Wellstone's term in the Lame Duck Session following the 2002 Mid-Term election. 18% is a number not to be taken for granted in a tight election campaign. Former Governor Ventura built a Third Party that at least has a chance in Minnesota, might be one of his legacies as Governor.

[Minnesota thins]

The independence Party can't raise money, and their candidate can't move his name recognition numbers. As BlatherWatch says, so far they are hurting Coleman.
Coleman pulled such dirty tricks getting into office at the time of Wellstone's death, he deserves to lose, especially to his nemesis Franken. heartfelt neenerneeners Brian Maloney.

[KS]

There seems to be a disconnect with that poll and other recent polls - see this piece from Powerline blog from below and draw your own conclusions:

Kevin Duchschere is a terrific reporter. I have found Duchschere to be the soul of fairness in my dealings with him over the years, but his story today is mystifying. It provides no data that would allow readers to take a look inside the poll's data, even though the story acknowledges that the poll conflicts (by 20 points!) with the Survey USA poll on the Coleman-Franken race released yesterday. The Star Tribune's sidebar on how the poll was conducted is likewise lacking in such data. In place of internal data that might allow readers to evaluate the poll themselves, Duchschere gives us the assurance of Star Tribune editor Nancy Barnes:

“This is an independent pollster who is respected across the country,” Star Tribune editor Nancy Barnes said. “It’s the same pollster who found the presidential race in Minnesota to be a dead heat last month. All polls have a margin of error, but on the whole we trust that these results have merit.’’
Doing a little big of digging, we have obtained the internals of the September 15 Princeton Survey Research poll (in which Coleman led by four points) and today's Princeton Survey Reserach poll. The September 15 poll had a party identification breakdown between Democrats and Republicans of 34-31. In today's poll the party identification breakdown between Democrats and Republicans is 42-26. (Michael Brodkorb has posted a Coleman campaign memo with the Princeton Survey Research internals here.) The shift in the breakdown of the sample tracks the difference in the results reported and raises the question whether Minnesotans have shifted party identification by 13 points in the past three weeks or whether the current poll sample is invalid. At the least, I think readers should be provided the information that raises the question, particularly in light of the history of the Star Tribune's Minnesota Poll.

[sparky]

The Franken campaign is taking nothing for granted. The polls have been all over the place, and they are planning on continuing to work hard to win every vote.

[joanie]

Also from politico:

A separate new SurveyUSA poll shows McCain with a 1-point edge in Minnesota, while the RealClearPolitics polling average shows Obama with a 5-point advantage.

The problem with polls. Who do you believe?

The pure decency of Franken will win out of there's any justice left at all in this country.

[robinz]

The pure decency of Franken will win out of there's any justice left at all in this country.

I'm holding my breath and crossing my fingers since Justice went out the window in this country eight years ago.

[Farnigan]

SurveyUSA is a robo poll,notoriously volatile, there's a reason there's the 5 pt. MOE

[joanie]

watch it"

Understand the bailout. It is so important.

[Duffman]

Absolute rubbish!

[Bradley Cerns]

I am getting cautiously optomistic. After Palin splashed across headlines of the fawning media, it looked like this ambitious novice spouting right wing cliches was capturing the hearts of those americans that elected George Bush twice. It looked like desperate times again.
Now it seems they have caught on to her, at least for this cycle. She's not stupid and very much putty in the neoconservative, religious right-wing hands, but for now she has been sidelined. Things are looking up for 2008, but Palin won't be going away. The Republicans do not deserve to win, they have a lousy presidential candidate, and a campaign that has real problems. Al Franken would make an interesting and lively Senator.

[joanie]

Add "smart" to that list, Bradley.

You didn't watch it, duff. That's why I call you parrot. You're not informed by anything except the vacuous space between your ears and right-wing radio.

Had you watched it, you'd know what the "rubbish" was but you don't. You are not only an empty suit but a transparent one as well.

[chucks]

Gee Joanie, does it make you the least bit nervous when it starts out "Hi, my name is Chuck .... and I am a scholar at......
Got a lot more to listen to, but that is my first observation.

[joanie]

A rose by any other...

When you get to Ehrenreich, keep going chucks. At least try.

A little like cod liver oil - well, you know.

The third fellow and Dean Baker do most of the talking after Barbara is done. She's the social worker. They are the economists.

[cinco]

Duffman pronounces something "rubbish" without listening to it, and because there is something "scholarly" about it. That's what makes him a Republican. He needs the non-scholarly wisdom of Sarah Palin or George Bush to explain economics to him.

[Duffman]

'cinco' must be your IQ. Wow!

[Duffman]

'You are not only an empty suit but a transparent one as well.'

Excuse me ms j, you surely must have me confused with the next POTUS. Haha...

[Duffman]

at least I picked up a date last night at Eve's lounge in Fred Meyer's, so ha! :)

[Duffman]

That was not me that posted under my name at 7:27pm, FYI I have a 'date' thank you.

[KS]

Duff - I think I know you and you are less of an empty suit and way more transparent than the presumptive POTUS, barring the unexpected.

psst...I am praying for the unexpected.

[Duffman]

7:27 and 7:39 posts are not me; but what's new.

[Duffman]

What's old? You are and also annoying... You obviously have nothing better to do on a Sunday night....Absolute rubbish!

[Duffman]

Haha...bothered you, eh

[Tommy008]

'Barack Obama is not only a racist ,but an angry racist." -perceptive caller on Billy Cunningham tonight- Don't forget Gore and Leiberman were 6 points behind a week before the election and went on to win the popular vote. i think Obama may be peeking wiht the bad economy.he should fade and drop in the polls in the next weeks as the economy improves. Barack and Michelle- a nightmare from Hell

[Tommy008]

sorry- peaking, not peeking. Barack and Michelle- a nightmare from Hell

[Tommy008]

Nice to see something finally wipe that arrogant smirk off O.J.'S face. It was disgusting to see all the black atorney's and anchors on Court TV, including the simpering Jamie Floyd, line up on the side of O.J being guilty of only minor nothings, and the white attorneys and anchors correctly stating the serious felonies he'd committed in that hotel room. Shades of 1994-95. Floyd predicted he'd go free. hahahah so much for her expertise. I guess 12 convictions, mostly ,if not all, felonies, with a minimum of 15 years in prison, finally removed the sociopath's silly grin.LIFE IS GOOD.

[joanie]

He could get life, I hear. What goes around comes around . . . so they say.

I'm loving it! Klueless told duff he was "way more transparent"...than Obama.

Finally, we agree, KS. Iin fact, there's almost nothing there at all.

Waiting for my chucks to post. I am woman...he is man. I like a man who watches economists online.

[Duffman]

we know who posted that don't we...

[Tommy008]

It's incredible to be listening to Kirby one minute and the instantly feel the sense of repulsion and loathing as i hear the snappy, uptempo ' i am woman" type song intro for the cruel cackling degenerate otherwise known as Dr. Laura. Doctor's offices acros the country have probably been visited over and over by men who have strained ankles and broken legs while leaping across the office or living room to change the radio channel as soon as her intro comes on.

[sparky]

wow.

Bobby May, the McCain campaign chair in Buchanan County, Virginia and correspondence secretary for the Buchanan County Republican Party, is very upset that Virginia may give its 13 Electoral Votes to the Obama. So upset that he wrote an article in The Voice, a local newspaper.

According to him, if Obama is elected:

"FREEDOM OF RELIGION: Mandatory Black Liberation Theology classes taught in all churches - raise taxes to pay for this mandate. Put Rev. Jeremiah Wright in charge...."

"DRUG CRISIS: Raise taxes to pay for free drugs for Obama’s inner-city political base...."

"2ND AMENDMENT: Under Obama will only apply to gang-bangers, illegal aliens,
Islamo-Fascist terrorists, and Senator Jim Webb’s aide...."

"FOREIGN RELATIONS: Appoint Rev. Al Sharpton as Secretary of State, Jesse Jackson as UN Representative, and let Bill Clinton handle all other "foreign relations" ... As long as Hillary doesn't find out...!"

"THE WHITE HOUSE: Hire rapper Ludacris to "paint it black." Taxes to be increased to buy enough paint for the job plus spray-paint forgraffiti...."

"THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES: Raise taxes to send $845 billion, most of it to Africa so the Obama family there can skim off enough for them to free their goats and live the American Dream...."

"NATIONAL ANTHEM: Change to the "Black National Anthem" by James Weldon Johnson...."

"US CURRENCY: Update photos to reflect US diversity; include pictures of "great Americans" such as Oprah Winfrey, Ludacris, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Paris Hilton, and Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson (Obama's new Secretary of the Treasury - 50 Cent refused position after learning that he would lose his crazy check if he accepted the nomination)...."

"US FLAG: Replace 50 stars with a star and crescent logo; red stripes changed to green to represent Obama’s tree-hugging radical environmentalism and his lack of experience. Flag lapel pins, having become a substitute for "real patriotism," will henceforth be banned...."

More of this insane screed can be found at www.latimes.com as a scanned document. They have a link.