The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Editorials

November 13, 2008

Our View: Acrimony over Senate race grows

Even after the votes have been tallied and a recount has been ordered, candidates in Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race continue their acrimony as if it were the last week of the election.

Clearly the stakes are high. Democrats, who hold the majority in the U.S. Senate, are looking for that magic 60-margin filibuster-proof majority. Republicans are trying to stop that from happening at all costs.

When charges of money laundering were alleged against Sen. Norm Coleman’s friend and supporter in a Texas lawsuit that came to light just before voting day, the accusations hit cyberspace. Coleman immediately accused his opponent Al Franken of drumming up the controversy and leaking it to the press. Franken denied all involvement.

So far, the evidence appears in Franken’s favor and Coleman has not since repeated the charge. But that doesn’t mean Franken has been an altar boy. He took up news of the lawsuit as an opportunity to criticize Coleman further, mostly focusing on character issues rather than policy issues.

All of this now occurs in the context of a required recount of the election that currently shows Coleman winning by 200-plus votes. Coleman’s camp has reloaded and taken aim at Democratic Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, accusing him of partisanship and suggesting at least that he should not be involved in the recount as part of the state canvassing board. Ritchie, as secretary of state, will be on the board to determine the fate of contested votes. But he also appointed two judges appointed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty and two other judges whose political leanings are not really clear cut.

Franken spokesman Andy Barr didn’t miss an opportunity to criticize Coleman’s questioning of the appointments as well. Coleman has plans to send lawyers and observers to nearly every one of the 70-plus recount sites in Minnesota.

Voters and average citizens probably thought the political fighting and acrimony should have ended Nov. 4. Unfortunately, there appears to be a few more weeks or months of political nastiness they will have to endure.

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