In Minnesota, Independence Party U.S. Senate nominee Dean Barkley has climbed to 13 percent in the latest Minneapolis Star Tribune poll. Incumbent Republican Norm Coleman is at 41 percent, and Democrat Al Franken 37 percent.
The newspaper says Barkley has been “the beneficiary of the crossfire” between the major party candidates. Barkley has “been campaigning for only two months, mostly on his own shoe leather and the dim memory among voters that he served briefly in the U.S. Senate. According to the poll, conducted Wednesday through Friday, and follow-up interviews with respondents, Barkley’s success is less a credit to him than a measure of the growing disdain among voters for Coleman and Franken.”
42 responses so far ↓
1 Trent Hill // Sep 15, 2008 at 9:53 am
Good for him! 13% isnt exactly a winning percentage, but it is enough to get into the debates and news.
2 citizen1 // Sep 15, 2008 at 10:21 am
Ventura could have won this seat.
3 Trent Hill // Sep 15, 2008 at 10:29 am
Yep…Especially after his appearance at the Rally–he’d easily get fundraising mobilization from the Truthers, the other Paulites who liked him, and others around the country.
4 Sivarticus // Sep 15, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Good, I hope the two idiots continue to claw each other to shreds. If Barkley performs well in the debates, he might get boosted to around 20%, though he’s a real longshot to win.
5 Ross Levin // Sep 15, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I might donate to Franken…
6 Trent Hill // Sep 15, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Ew. Why? If anyone, donate to the LP, CP, or IP candidates.
7 Ross Levin // Sep 15, 2008 at 4:39 pm
I’ve read a few of his books and he’s an honest, funny, insightful man who I think would be a great addition to the Senate. Not all Democrats are evil…
8 Peter Orvetti // Sep 15, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I had thought reasonably well of Franken until this January incident, corroborated by the head of the school’s College Democrats:
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/14115411.html
9 Mike Gillis // Sep 15, 2008 at 4:43 pm
No, but Franken’s positions on a number of issues are backpedaling into the center since he’s started his run.
More and more, he’s taking far less progressive positions on Iraq, impeachment, healthcare and other issues, than he had as a radio host and author.
That’s disconcerting in that I fear he’ll just continue to cave to the party leadership as a Senator. In that case, what’s the point of electing him?
10 donald raymond lake // Sep 15, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Thanks for the info, it sure WAS NOT available on the corporate media environment —and sadly, usually fair and open Ron Gunsmann of Politics1.com joined the IP black out.
Shades of Jesse Ventura……..
11 kalipay // Sep 15, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Why is the Constitution Party candidate, James Niemackl not included or mentioned here? What are his polling numbers currently?
He was also at the R4Republic, and was much more official-looking and respectable than Barkley
http://jamesforsenate.org/
12 Sivarticus // Sep 15, 2008 at 9:09 pm
The Constitution Party in MN always ends up very low in statewide races. Usually less than 1%. Prior to the Green Party and Ventura’s Independence Party, I think they picked up a little steam and had a few candidates in debates in the late ’90s. Since then, very low finishes in races for Senate, Governor, and Congress.
13 Trent Hill // Sep 15, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Sivarticus,
The CP in MN has,since 1998 I believe, been concentrating on local races and have almost sworn off statewide races.
14 G.E. // Sep 15, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Ross – Franken is a neocon, man.
15 Ross Levin // Sep 15, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Hahahaha.
16 G.E. // Sep 15, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Seems like you have a right-wing neocon, a traditional left-wing Israeli firster, and the guy who gave us Homeland Security… Vote CP/LP/Green.
17 G.E. // Sep 15, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Ross – Not all Democrats are evil, but Franken is no Gravel or Kucinich.
18 Ross Levin // Sep 15, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Have you read any of his books? I’d say, if he has the courage, he has the potential to be a Gravel or a Kucinich.
19 G.E. // Sep 15, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Too bad Jesse isn’t running:
Jessue vs. the Neocons (Coleman and Franken)
http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/021954.html
20 G.E. // Sep 15, 2008 at 9:55 pm
I read about half of Lying Liars. It was pretty funny and mostly good. But Franken is a rich pro-war Establishmentarian, not a working-class populist liberal like Gravel and Kucinich.
21 Ross Levin // Sep 15, 2008 at 9:58 pm
How do you figure he’s a pro-war Establishmentarian?
22 G.E. // Sep 15, 2008 at 10:03 pm
He supported the war in Iraq from Day-One, Ross.
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/senate/11761151.html
He’s an Israeli firster:
http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2003/2003-December/029742.html
“I’m Jewish, and as such, I’m a supporter of Israel.”
Why should his religion/ethnicity play into it?
Can you imagine Obama saying, “I’m black, and as such, I support Africa”?
23 Peter Orvetti // Sep 15, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Why is the Constitution Party candidate, James Niemackl not included or mentioned here? What are his polling numbers currently?
We didn’t do the poll, we just reported on it. Ask the Star-Trib.
24 G.E. // Sep 15, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Here’s a REALLY good article from CounterPunch, one of the best left-liberal sites on the Web:
http://www.counterpunch.org/walsh05042005.html
Lying on Air America to Support the War
Al Franken is a Big Fat Phony
25 Ross Levin // Sep 15, 2008 at 10:08 pm
I’m Jewish and therefore I understand the reasoning of supporting Israel, and I do support Israel.
I think Jews have a more intimate knowledge of the history of Israel, because of their experiences with the Holocaust and oppression for thousands of years. It is amazing to have a country where the majority of the people are Jewish, and that is something worth protecting.
Plus, being a supporter of Israel doesn’t mean you’re anti-Palestinian or an “Israeli firster.”
I can’t excuse Franken’s pro-war stance. Although I will say that he wasn’t in elected office, which adds a certain weight to every decision and position you hold. And I still think he holds some great, progressive views in other areas, and he has since changed his position on the war.
26 G.E. // Sep 15, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Read that CounterPunch article if you want to go on claiming that Franken is not a neocon.
Someone can correct me, but I’m pretty sure anyone who advocates the Israeli state is technically a “Zionist,” since Zionism — correct me if I’m wrong — was the movement to establish a Jewish state. Having a state (which, alone, I am against) in hostile territory like that necessitates constant militarism and big government.
If you are truly an expert on Israeli history, then I assume you know that Israel was “given” to the Israelis by the evil British Empire, and only after Jewish terrorists committed horrible acts of terrorism in London, etc. This is documented fact. Two of the terrorists were later prime ministers. Golda Mayer was a Socialist in the U.S.
I think European Jews should have been paid heavy restitution from the German people. Perhaps they could have used the money, collectively, to buy land and start “Israel” if that’s what they wanted to do. By kicking the existing inhabitants off of their land … not nice and the fighting will never end.
27 Ross Levin // Sep 15, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Look, the founding of Israel happened in a terrible way. And at the time I probably would have been against it.
But the fact is that there are millions of Jews there now. And something (humane) has to be done to handle the clash of their society and the Palestinians’.
And being for the Iraq war initially does not make you a neocon.
28 Sivarticus // Sep 15, 2008 at 10:20 pm
G.E.,
The Greens and Libertarians are not running a Senate candidate in Minnesota this year. The only real choice aside from Coleman/Franken is either Dean Barkley or Niemackl from the Constitution Party.
29 G.E. // Sep 16, 2008 at 12:15 am
How is Al Franken NOT a neocon? He’s a Scoop Jackson Democrat. That is the definition of neocon. Just because he supports the traditional neocon gang (the Democrats) and not the one they’ve only more recently taken over (the Repugs) does not make him NOT a neocon. He clearly formulates his foreign-policy views with Israel on his mind — he admits to this. If the definition I used before isn’t good enough, then THAT is the definition of neocon.
30 paulie cannoli // Sep 16, 2008 at 1:39 am
I’m Jewish and therefore I understand the reasoning of supporting Israel, and I do support Israel.
I’m of mostly Jewish descent, and I don’t want any American politicians supporting Israel in their official capacity.
If they want to support Israel as private citizens, organize voluntary help for Israel, emigrate to Israel and join the IDF – that’s their business. If they propose to spend American taxpayers money, that is not good for either country and certainly not morally right.
Israel, with the help of Jews in other countries and Christian Zionists all donating voluntarily, can take of itself. The US regime should get out and stay out of mideast conflicts. (Real) free trade with all, entangling alliances with none.
31 paulie cannoli // Sep 16, 2008 at 1:41 am
and only after Jewish terrorists committed horrible acts of terrorism in London, etc.
I wasn’t aware of any Jewish terrorism in London. As far as I know it was all in British Occupied Palestine. Citation(s)?
32 Mike Theodore // Sep 16, 2008 at 1:46 am
Go to sleep, psychos. Your babbling can wake up the dead!
33 paulie cannoli // Sep 16, 2008 at 1:46 am
I’m already asleep.
34 Mike Theodore // Sep 16, 2008 at 1:47 am
Touche.
35 darolew // Sep 16, 2008 at 8:35 am
“Go to sleep, psychos. Your babbling can wake up the dead!”
In my timezone, that comment was made at 10:46 pm. Not exactly strange to still be awake. =P
(Now, why I still haven’t gone to bed by now, that’s a different matter…)
36 Sean Scallon // Sep 16, 2008 at 10:04 am
There was a SurveyUSA poll that showed Franken ahead of Coleman 41-40 with Barkey running at 14 percent. It seems to me right now Barkely is hurting Coleman more than Franken because he’s picking a lot of anti-Franken voters who now have another choice besides Neocon Norm.
Whether Barkley’s numbers can hold up remains to been seen. IP candidates since Ventura are notorious for good poll numbers in September, bad ones in October.
37 G.E. // Sep 16, 2008 at 10:17 am
I think I was wrong: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haganah#After_the_war
38 Trent Hill // Sep 16, 2008 at 11:18 am
GE,
At the founding of the nation of Israel there was a significant amount of terrorism on both sides, obviously. The british “gave” land to the Jews, and also to the Arabs—they promised both groups the Palestinian Mandate. When there was a conflict, they divided the land—Transjordan to the Arabs, Israel/Palestine to the Jews–this was a 2:1 split.
39 Ross Levin // Sep 16, 2008 at 5:18 pm
paulie – I’m not saying I support foreign policy regarding Israel, but I support the existence of Israel. All that GE provided was a quote saying Franken “supports Israel” and (if you look at the link) that he’s against the wall they’re putting up. In fact, what Franken said is basically the same as what I’m saying – that he’s Jewish and therefore has a special connection to Israel, and that he supports the existence of the state of Israel.
40 G.E. // Sep 16, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Israeli attacks against British occupiers were only justified (and in my mind they were) if Palestinian attacks against Israeli occupiers are also justified.
Ross – Did you read the Counterpunch article? They’re left wing and Franken doesn’t cut it for them.
41 Ross Levin // Sep 16, 2008 at 5:25 pm
I read the article. I said:
I can’t excuse Franken’s pro-war stance. Although I will say that he wasn’t in elected office, which adds a certain weight to every decision and position you hold. And I still think he holds some great, progressive views in other areas, and he has since changed his position on the war.
42 G.E. // Sep 16, 2008 at 5:27 pm
It would be cool to have Franken in the Senate because it would further erode the notion of seriousness in government. The state is a joke, so why not open it up to comedians in addition to actors.
Even Barack Obama was more right than Franken.
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