Today is a sad day for the Tygrrrr Express and Jewish Republicans everywhere. Senator Norm Coleman has thrown in the towel in his reelection bid to the Minnesota Senate seat he won six years ago.
If my blog had flags, they would be at half staff today.
https://tygrrrrexpress.com/2009/02/meeting-norm-coleman-a-mensch-among-men/
The nation has become a darker place today. Minnesota is about to inflict a black eye on itself. Minnesota nice will be an expression of days gone by as the nicest people in the country prepare to swear in a vicious human being who swears at others in a hateful manner.
This was more than a political race. It was one of the finest human beings to ever hold public office in Norm Coleman to give up his seat to one of the nastiest human beings in America, even by liberal entertainment industry standards. Some will say that the new Senator is the heir to the Paul Wellstone legacy, but Paul Wellstone, while a partisan liberal, was not overtly hateful. In fact, it was the hate speech that turned his funeral into a campaign rally that doomed the decent and honorable Walter Mondale, allowing Norm Coleman to get elected in the first place.
So what happens next?
Well for those who think that the Democrats will destroy America now that they have the magic 60 senators needed to choke off filibusters, fear not. Remember, Democrats can’t govern. They have not successfully governed since LBJ. They will either have to water down their bills to keep conservative democrats on board, or they will face the same problems they had in 1993 and 1994.
I do actually have friends that are liberals, and in brutally honest moments that they would only reveal privately, they are terrified that the Democrats will mess it up again. Is Barack Obama so special that he can reverse what has basically been a culture of losing, retreat, and defeat in terms of actual accomplishments? Time will tell. He does not seem good at persuading people when it comes to anything other than his likable personality.
As for Norm Coleman, a logical move for him would be to run for the job that he wanted to begin with, that being Governor of Minnesota. While he will be missed in the Senate, I maintain that what separates Governors from Senators is that Governors actually do things. Executives run things. They have budgets. Senators make speeches. I hope Americans remember this during the next election.
Tim Pawlenty is not running for the governorship again, clearing the path. Tim Pawlenty is already running for Vice President in 2012 anyway. Yes, people think I mean President, but his role will be to finish badly, in fourht, fifth, or sixth place, say nothing bad about the frontrunner, and get selected as a running mate. I keep emphasizing that he has the qualities that make a great VP candidate. He’s tall, he has good hair, and he is completely inoffensive.
Like Pawlenty, Norm Coleman is not a talker. He is a doer. He is a quiet, calm, thoughtful man. Hopefully he will continue his career in public service, with this unfortunate dvelopment not stopping his overall upward trajectory.
I wanted Norm Coleman to fight to the very end, that being the U.S. Supreme Court. However, he has considerations, such as financing, and more importantly, his family.
Senator Coleman remains one of the best people I have ever encountered. No amount of liberal electoral shenanigans can change that.
Godspeed, Senator Coleman.
eric