Stunts Can’t Distract from Coleman’s Record

09/25/2007

Stunts Can’t Distract from Coleman’s Record on War in Iraq



Unwilling to Abandon Failed President’s War in Iraq,




St. Paul, MN (September 25, 2007) As Senator Norm Coleman pulls political stunts to distract from his record as a staunch supporter of President Bush and the failed war in Iraq, the Minnesota DFL Party said today that Coleman can’t hide from his own record on the issues that matter most to Minnesotans — voting seven times this year alone against changing course in Iraq and serving as a shameless attack dog for President Bush.

“Senator Coleman can’t hide from his own record — not only consistently supporting the war in Iraq, but loyally serving this failed president by doing more than his share of attacking the credibility of brave American veterans,” said Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez.

“Coleman can try to erase his record with empty words and cheap political stunts, but the fact remains that he had seven chances to change course in Iraq this year alone, and he’s voted against every single one of them,” continued Melendez. “At the end of the day, Minnesotans will judge Coleman on the issues that matter most to them, and no amount of distraction can change Coleman’s unwavering support for the president and his failed war in Iraq. Our state deserves far better than the political opportunist that is Norm Coleman.”

Coleman Can’t Hide from Record on War in Iraq.

Coleman Voted Against Boxer Amendment to Condemn All Attacks on Current and Former Members of the U.S. Armed Forces. Senator Coleman voted last week against the Boxer Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which reaffirmed, “strong support for all the men and women of the United States Armed Forces and to strongly condemn attacks on the honor, integrity, and patriotism of any individual who is serving or has served honorably in the United States Armed Forces, by any person or organization.” The amendment was defeated 50-47, with only two Republicans, Senators Chuck Hagel and Arlen Specter, voting in favor. [Vote #343, 9/20/07]

Coleman Avoids National News Programs Because of War Support. According to a report on MSNBC, Coleman is among Republican senators up for reelection who are avoiding appearances on national news programs because of their support for the war in Iraq. [MSNBC, 9/24/07]

Coleman Voted Seven Times This Year Against Changing Course in Iraq. Senator Norm Coleman has voted seven times this year alone against changing course in Iraq. [Vote #346, 9/21/07; Vote #345, 9/20/07; Vote #252, 7/18/07; Vote #147, 4/26/07; Vote #126, 3/29/07, Vote #116, 3/27/07;, Vote #75, 3/15/07]

Coleman Has Supported Bush on Key Votes 90.5% of Tenure in Senate. This figure represents the four-year average of Coleman’s Congressional Quarterly presidential support index. In his first year in the Senate, Coleman backed Bush a whopping 98% of the time. [Star Tribune, Big Question, 5/14/07]

Coleman “Unapologetic” About Friendship with Bush. At a 2001 Bush-Coleman event in Minnesota, soon after the White House persuaded Coleman to run for Senate and dissuaded other Republicans from running, Coleman said, “I've gotten to know this president, there's no question about that. I'm unapologetic.” [Star Tribune, 5/18/01]

Coleman Acknowledged Minnesotans Want Withdrawal from Iraq. In July, Coleman himself acknowledged that Minnesotans do not support continuing the war in Iraq. Coleman said, “If I took a poll in my state right now, Minnesotans would say, 'Get out of Iraq right now.’” And in April, Coleman said, “I believe the people of Minnesota have had enough of this war.” [USA Today, 7/12/07; Albert Lea Tribune, 4/27/07]

Coleman Said “Whatever the Future Brings, We Must Stand With This President.” In September 2004, Coleman praised President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq and said, “Whatever the future brings, we must stand with this president.” [Star Tribune, 9/22/04]

Coleman’s Record as a Partisan Flack for the Bush Administration Long, Storied:

Coleman Assigned Attack Dog at 2004 Democratic National Convention. “Coleman, a major fundraiser and co-chairman of Bush's Minnesota campaign, did Republican ‘truth squad’ duty at last month's Democratic National Convention in Boston, where he characterized Sen. John Kerry as a liberal and a flip-flopper on the issues.” [Star Tribune, 9/1/2004]

Coleman Blasted by Star Tribune for Taking on Attack Dog Role in 2004. The Star Tribune editorial board blasted Norm Coleman in July 2004 for morphing into an attack dog for President Bush, and said he, “demeaned the U.S. Senate and embarrassed many of his constituents… It's one thing for Coleman to introduce Bush at a Twin Cities rally or to appear at a Republican convention to extol Bush's virtues and bash the opposition. It's quite another for him to behave as though he were a Republican political operative taking cues from Karl Rove.” [Star Tribune, 7/29/04]

Coleman Embraced President Bush and Attack Dog Role. When questioned whether being the Bush Administration’s attack dog could hurt him, Coleman said, “’I get back to my belief that I can be most effective for Minnesota by working with the president,’ said Coleman, who prides himself on a close relationship with the administration that has paid off for the state.” [AP, 4/3/04]

Coleman Attacked U.S. Representative and Vietnam Veteran John Murtha for Asking for More Troops. After Congressman John Murtha challenged the Bush Administration to either send more troops to Iraq or to pull out, saying “the directions got to be changed or it’s unwinnable,” Norm Coleman attacked Murtha, saying, “The war is winnable, but if insurgents heard his words, it was harder to win than before he spoke.” [Star Tribune, 5/20/04]

Coleman Hired Infamous Ad-Man Scott Howell. Norm Coleman hired Dallas-based media consultant Scott Howell. Howell is best known for ad that juxtaposed the pictures of former Democratic Senator and disabled Vietnam veteran Max Cleland with Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. Howell was also responsible for an ad against Tennessee Senate candidate Harold Ford, Jr. in 2006 that the NAACP called an attempt to reinforce prejudices about interracial relationships. [Dallas Morning News, 8/26/07; Chambliss 2002 Ad; 2006 RNC Ad]