Campaign manager attempts to defend Norm Coleman in Star Tribune op-ed
The Star Tribune allowed Sen. Norm Coleman's campaign manager, Cullen Sheehan, to respond to Bill O'Brien's letter from May 3, 2008 criticizing Norm for shifting his convictions as is politically expedient. How would Sheehan attempt to defend Norm?
O'Brien calls himself an "attentive voter." Like many Democrats and others who oppose the leadership provided by Coleman, however, he indulges in fantasy and speculation.
(Strib)
Of course, he demeans and insults Democrats. Typical.
But let's take a closer look at how Sheehan will defend Norm's most glaring political weakness...
First of all, if we Democrats indulge in misinformation based upon fantasy and speculation, we shouldn't be taken seriously. What about all the facts, published comments and recorded votes? What about Norm's leadership? You can count on Norm when it doesn't matter. Outside of rebuilding the I-35W bridge, Norm has led on issues that matter to his corporate donors and their special interests. This is all immaterial to Mr. Sheehan, because he's hoping to disgourge some Norm-speakTM onto Strib readers.
Sens. Coleman and Carl Levin, D-Mich., worked together to root out waste and fraud in the U.N. program. They refused to accept at face value that the U.N., which receives hundreds of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars, was capable of policing itself. Because of their investigation, the U.N. is implementing reforms and changes to its operations.
Yes, Norm did investigate the oil for food program, but there was so much corruption, incompetence and illegal activity by fellow Republicans that he ignored. Here is a complete list (to my knowledge) of everything Norm investigated as Chair of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations:
- United Nation's Iraq Oil for Food program
- FEMA Chief Michael Brown
- Doctors owing back taxes but still collecting medicare and medicaid payments.
- Civil servants who travel business or first class instead of coach
- Safe importation of prescription drugs (protecting the pharmaceutical industry)
- Human Rights Council of the UN
- Music industry's battle with computer downloading
- U.S. companies setting up sham offshore tax shelters
Norm is only interested in investigating things that Republicans hate (the UN for example), Republican's who've been thrown under the bus or investigations in which no Republicans could be harmed. In counterpoint, here are the things Norm failed to investigate as Chair of the PSI:
- Intel reports on WMD's
- Dispersal of the Iraqi Army
- NSA's secret wiretapping program
- Cronyism in appointments in Provisional Govt
- Torture at Abu Ghraib
- No bid contracts
- Billions of dollars of State Department cash disappearing in Iraq
- Corruption among contracting companies in Iraq
- Poorly constructed facilities built by contractors
- Contaminated water drunk and used by troops
- Abuses committed by contracting companies in Iraq
- Production problems for MRAP vehicles
- Wrong or not enough armor for troops and their vehicles
- Death of Pat Tillman
- Lies surrounding abduction and rescue of Jessica Lynch
- Overcharges among contracting companies in Iraq
- Guantanamo
When Sheehan talks about waste of millions of dollars, the Bush Administration was squandering billions and Norm looked the other way. Furthermore, Norm's single shining light of oversghtiness in Iraq, Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR), that he talks about incessantly as how he's been strong on oversight, is corrupt. What is worse for Norm is the that there is not just one case of corruption in SIGIR but two of them. SIGIR is just a propaganda tool for the Bush Administration.
But let's get back to Cullen Sheehan's defense of Norm.
Norm only became interested in supporting pro-environmental initiatives after the Republican ass-whuppin' of 2006. His environmental track record is poor until 2007. If he hadn't worked hard for I-35W bridge funding, he should be called home immediately -- I will admit that he and Sen. Amy Klobuchar did their jobs well. I think it's worth mentioning that the Republicans underfunding of our intrastructure led to the bridge collapse. The least Norm could do is bust it securing replacement bridge funding.
As for standing up national security, what about our ports? The Bush Administration ignored the findings of the 9/11 Commission on how to ensure the safety of our nation. It's also legitimate to argue that the occupation in Iraq has provided our enemies a fantastic recruiting tool.
Coleman's bipartisanship is the biggest joke of possibly all the assertion Sheehan makes. Norm was a strong conservative partisan up until the 2006 elections. He had 98% and 84% conservative ratings in his first two years in office. Norm was appointed one of the principle defenders in Congress of Karl Rove against the accusation of outing Valerie Plame. Norm was in the Republican attack squad at the DNC2004.
Time and time again, Norm has placed the needs of the Republican Party above the needs of Minnesotans.
Sheehan was almost done, here's his close:
He remains staunchly prolife. He remains committed to lower taxes and controlled spending. He believes that government can serve as a positive force for change, but that it should not be the nation's health-care provider, educator, parent or pastor.
O'Brien suggests that the senator's position on the Iraq war changed after "midterm elections proved that the electorate is fed up with our Iraq policy." Coleman's position has been clear, consistent and comprehensive. He has made it clear that we must succeed in Iraq. He has been clear that while mistakes have been made, our objective should not be to leave an Iraq behind to be subjugated by Iran and Syria, or a safe haven to Al-Qaida.
On issue after issue, Sen. Coleman has remained steadfast and true to his principles and his promises.
"Government can serve as a positive force for change"? Doesn't that sound like liberal pixie dust? Don't Republicans want to shrink government to the size where they can drown it in the bathtub?
There is no doubt that Norm is opposed to healthcare reform. He's shown his belief that the government shouldn't be involved in education by voting for No Child Left Behind and then hamstringing the states by underfunding it.The government should be the nation's parent? Huh? How about taking care of the messes? Do you remember New Orleans, Mr. Sheehan?
When Sheehan tries to address Norm's shifting positions on the occupation of Iraq, he simply lies. Norm changed his position after the 2006 election. He initially opposed the surge when Bush proposed it. Then he only opposed it in Baghdad. Then he opposed the opposition to the surge. Then he voted for the surge. By May or so of 2007 he was back to his more comfortable role as cheerleader. This is not consistency. I have said that Norm will be attempting extremely difficult political gymnastics during his reelection campaign.
This isn't consistency. His desperate attempts to sound moderate illuminate his chameleon nature.
In one aspect Norm has been remarkably consistent. He has reliably and steadfastly voted for blank checks for the occupation of Iraq. He has been unwavering in his support for Bush's destruction economic policies that have led our nation into recession by mortgaging our future to the Chinese. He has unfailingly overlooked all the crimes, incompetence, hubris and corruption of Republicans. He has unswervingly tried to promote Republicans goals above any other.
So in some ways, yes, Norm has been consistent.
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