In New Ad, Klobuchar Pledges To Work With Franken To End Gridlock, Reverse Bush Economic Policies

Franken: “Together, We’ll Bring Change.”

SAINT PAUL [10/23/08] – The Al Franken for Senate campaign today proudly released a new 30-second television ad, “End the Gridlock” featuring Senator Amy Klobuchar.

In the ad, Sen. Klobuchar says she will work together with Franken to “put the middle class first.” With a new President and “a Senate willing to help him” the two will “work to reverse the disastrous Bush economy, stop the billions in giveaways to the special interests, and cut taxes for the middle class.”

Senator Amy Klobuchar:

“This election is about a new direction for our economy and our country. Al Franken and I will work together to bring the change the middle class needs.”

Communications Director Andy Barr:

“Senator Klobuchar is a terrific champion for Minnesota’s middle class–and she’ll make a great senior Senator from our state. Al is honored to have her support and looks forward to working with her on behalf of working families when he joins her in Washington.”

(more…)

Coleman To Welcome Giuliani To Minnesota Days After “Condemning” Calls – But Calls Feature Giuliani’s Voice

Say One Thing, Do Another – Coleman Can’t Be Trusted On Negative Campaigning

SAINT PAUL [10/23/08] – According to published reports, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who will be campaigning for Norm Coleman today, has been revealed to be the voice attacking Barack Obama on negative robo-calls – the very same robo-calls Coleman has condemned.

Hear the audio here:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/1008/Rudy_takes_to_phones_to_hit_Obama_on_crime.html

Communications Director Andy Barr:

“Norm Coleman’s hypocrisy stinks worse every day. We already knew that he employs the same smear merchant, Jeff Larson, who produces these calls. Now we find out that he’s welcoming the voice of those attack calls to campaign for him in Minnesota. This is just another outrageous example of how Minnesotans can’t trust a word Norm Coleman says. He should be ashamed of his campaign and ashamed of his hypocrisy.”

Full release after the jump…

(more…)

In New Ad, Clinton Cites Franken’s Commitment To Helping People, Republican Obstructionism

SAINT PAUL [10/22/08] – The Al Franken for Senate campaign today released a new 30-second television ad, “60 Votes” in which Senator Hillary Clinton offers a ringing endorsement of Al Franken’s commitment to helping people, his middle-class economic agenda, and his capacity to bring Minnesotans the change we need.

Sen. Clinton visited Minnesota yesterday to stump for Franken at a rally attended by more than 2,000 people.

Communications Director Andy Barr:

“Senator Clinton is a hero to so many of us who share her passion for change and her commitment to working families. In the Senate, Al Franken will join her in standing up for the middle class. And with Barack Obama in the White House and Al Franken working with Senator Clinton and Senator Klobuchar in the Senate, we’ll be able to turn the page on the Bush-Coleman era and make our economy work for the middle class again.”

(more…)

Policy Address Contains Details On Franken’s Plan To Make The Economy Work For The Middle Class

Franken Is The Only Candidate To Oppose $700 Billion Wall Street Bailout – Now Proposes Solutions For Main Street Crisis

SAINT PAUL [10/22/08] – DFL U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken today addressed the Humphrey School Candidate Forum at the University of Minnesota. In his remarks, Franken called for bold action to help Minnesota’s middle class: cutting taxes on working families, ending giveaways to special interests and companies that outsource, creating jobs by investing in short-term infrastructure projects, and helping small businesses find credit in an uncertain economy.

Franken also reiterated his opposition to the $700 billion Wall Street bailout, describing his concerns with the lack of oversight for the financial services industry and the failure of Washington to address the housing crisis that sparked the economic downturn.

Read more, including excerpts from Franken’s remarks, after the jump…

(more…)

*** RADIO ACTUALITY AVAILABLE ***
http://www.alfranken.com/page/-/audio/20081022_Tester.mp3

Montana Senator Brings “Rebuilding The Middle Class Economy” Tour To Duluth, Virginia, Chisholm, Keewatin, Grand Rapids

Franken’s Jobs Plan Takes Center Stage

SAINT PAUL [10/22/08] – U.S. Senator Jon Tester of Montana visited Duluth and the Iron Range today to stump for DFL Senate candidate Al Franken as part of the campaign’s “Rebuilding the Middle Class Economy” tour.

Tester, elected in 2006, spoke about Franken’s commitment to creating and protecting good-paying middle class jobs at stops in Duluth, Virginia, Chisholm, Keewatin, and Grand Rapids.

Sen. Jon Tester:

“I am pleased to visit Minnesota on behalf of the Franken campaign because Al understands that rural communities need a new direction. I’ve been working in the Senate on behalf of Main Street small businesses, family-owned farms and ranches and working families, and I look forward to Al joining me because he gets it. Al will help Minnesota’s rural communities with an agenda to grow the economy from the ground up with investments in infrastructure like roads and bridges, education, health care and renewable energy. With Al in the Senate, Minnesota’s middle class families will have a true champion working to provide a brighter future.”

Al Franken:

“It’s an honor to have Sen. Tester campaigning for me. When I get to Washington, I’ll be proud to stand with him and fight for economic policies that keep the farm safety net strong, put more money in middle class family budgets, and create good jobs in northern Minnesota and across the country.”

Full release after the jump…

(more…)

Clinton Joins Franken To Stand Up For Minnesota’s Middle Class

SAINT PAUL [10/21/08] – Sen. Hillary Clinton visited Minnesota today to urge Minnesotans to work hard to elect Al Franken to the U.S. Senate. Clinton and Franken held a rally on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Today marks the beginning of the final sprint, when the campaign expects to have 77,000 volunteers making 1.5 million calls and knocking on 2.8 million doors – an unprecedented Minnesota grassroots campaign.

Over 2,000 people attended the rally.

Sen. Hillary Clinton:

“Minnesota needs a Senator who will fight for working families. Barack Obama needs a Senator who will work with him for change. And I need a partner to stand alongside me and work for energy independence, an end to the war in Iraq, and an economy that works for everyone. Al Franken will be that Senator.”

Al Franken:

“Senator Clinton is an inspiration to so many Minnesotans–myself included. I’m honored by her support, thrilled with the energy she’s brought with her to Minnesota today, and excited about working with her in Washington to fight for Minnesota’s middle class families.”

Other speakers at the rally included: Senator Amy Klobuchar, 3rd Congressional District candidate Ashwin Madia, State Auditor Rebecca Otto, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, Speaker of the Minnesota House Margaret Anderson Kelliher, and state Senator Tarryl Clark.

Senator Clinton is one of three U.S. Senators campaigning for Franken in Minnesota this week. Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa joined Franken and local farmers for a rural issues roundtable in Mankato this morning. And Senator Jon Tester of Montana is campaigning for Franken in Duluth and on the Iron Range tomorrow.

Franken will accompany Senator Clinton to tonight’s rally for Barack Obama in Hibbing. Over the past week, he has campaigned in northern and southern Minnesota on a “Rebuilding the Middle Class Economy” tour.

Full release after the jump…

(more…)

Coleman Trying To Have It Both Ways: Claim To Go Positive, While Allies Attack Franken – Will Double Standard Be Exposed On Thursday?

Coleman’s Phony Piety Fails As Star Tribune Poll Finds Just 28% Believe He Is Sincere About Changing His Tone

SAINT PAUL [10/21/08] – Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, the most vicious partisan attack dog in the entire Republican Party, is coming to Minnesota on Thursday to campaign for Norm Coleman. Today, the Al Franken for Senate campaign is asking: Just how negative will Giuliani go, and just how much negativity will we see from Norm Coleman and his allies before he stops pretending he’s running a positive campaign?

A new Star Tribune poll released this morning shows that just 28 percent of Minnesotans “thought [Coleman] was sincere about wanting to change the tenor of the campaign.”

Communications Director Andy Barr:

“From ‘winking’ at his friends to run attack ads, to employing the same smear merchant currently associating Barack Obama with terrorists in phone calls, to now bringing in the nastiest attack dog in the entire Republican Party, it’s clear that Norm Coleman’s press conference was just another shameless political ploy from a man who has offered Minnesotans nothing else since he went to Washington. Norm Coleman’s campaign is as negative as it’s ever been–and Coleman himself is just another phony Washington politician.”

Full release after the jump…

(more…)

Agriculture Committee Chairman Visits Southern Minnesota In Support Of Franken

Franken Lays Out Rural Agenda, Plans To Rebuild Middle Class Economy, At Roundtable With Local Farmers

SAINT PAUL [10/21/08] – U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, visited Mankato today in support of DFL Senate candidate Al Franken. Harkin, Franken, and Thom Peterson of the Minnesota Farmers Union held a roundtable at Mankato’s Wagon Wheel Cafe with local farmers.

Sen. Tom Harkin:

“I know Al Franken will work alongside me in the Senate to keep the farm economy going strong. But I also know that he represents real change from eight years of economic policies that have sold out our middle class to special interests. Minnesota needs a change this November, and Al Franken is that change. He’ll stand up for working families in Washington and make our economy work for the middle class again.”

Al Franken:

“I’m honored to have Senator Harkin with me in Mankato today, and I’m looking forward to working with him and with Collin Peterson to stand up for Minnesota farmers in Washington. It’s clear that the economic policies of the last eight years aren’t working in rural Minnesota. Middle-class families need real change in Washington, and I will work with Senator Harkin to bring them that change.”

Read full release, including Al’s rural agenda, after the jump…

(more…)

Coleman Hypocritically Claims Moral High Ground While His Friends Do The Dirty Work

If Coleman Wanted The Attacks To Stop, They Would – But New Web Counter Exposes Pledge As Cynical Stunt

SAINT PAUL [10/20/08] – The Al Franken for Senate campaign today launched “Wink Watch,” a new on-line counter of negative smear attacks launched by Norm Coleman’s allies since he pretended to call for a positive campaign ten days ago. The updated Wink Watch can be accessed at www.alfranken.com/winkwatch.

Communications Director Andy Barr:

“Minnesotans can spot a phony from miles away. And every time they see a TV ad, open a mail piece, or receive a nasty phone call from one of Norm Coleman’s allies attacking Al Franken, it’s just further proof that Coleman’s holier-than-thou pledge to ‘go positive’ is just that: phony. He could easily take steps to stop the special-interest-funded campaign of character assassination against Al Franken. But instead, he winked at his allies and continues to work with the NRSC to spread these false attacks. He’s just another phony Washington politician.”

Today’s Wink Watch (all figures since Oct. 10):

The campaign is asking alert voters to report new robo-calls, attack mail, and radio or television spots by emailing winkwatch@alfranken.com.

(more…)

Coleman Has Paid Same Firm $1.8 Million – Will He Repudiate Their Tactics?

SAINT PAUL [10/18/08] – This morning, the New York Times reported that FLS-Connect, the Saint Paul consulting firm run by Jeff Larson which Norm Coleman has paid over $1.8 million, is responsible for the “uniformly negative and sometimes misleading” automated calls being blasted to voters in at least ten swing states–including Minnesota.

Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine has denounced the calls and urged the McCain campaign to cease its use of FLS-Connect’s tactics. McCain’s New Hampshire campaign chair, Peter Spaulding, has also denounced the calls.

But Norm Coleman, who just days ago drew statewide coverage for his pledge to run a “positive” campaign, remains silent about his consulting firm’s controversial tactics.

Communications Director Andy Barr:

“Norm Coleman says that times are too tough for negative campaigning. But he’s stayed silent in the face of revelations that his top political consultant is responsible for a wide-spread program of orchestrated smears against Barack Obama. That is unacceptable to Minnesotans tired of these underhanded tactics. He should immediately denounce these calls. If he doesn’t, he’ll have proven once and for all what Minnesotans are beginning to realize: Norm Coleman’s pledge to “go positive” is just another political stunt by the ultimate Washington politician.”

LINK TO NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/18/us/politics/18robo.html

(more…)