Jul 16, 2008 5:14 pm US/Central
Despite Challenger, Franken Focus Is On Coleman
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ―
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Al Franken commented for the first time Wednesday on the candidacy of Priscilla Lord Faris, who is an attorney and the daughter of former state Attorney General Miles Lord. (File)
Al Franken For Senate
U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken said Wednesday that a primary challenge from a fellow DFLer won't stop him from focusing his attention on Republican Norm Coleman.
Franken's comments were his first on the candidacy of Priscilla Lord Faris, an attorney and the daughter of former state Attorney General Miles Lord. Lord Faris said earlier this week that she agrees with Franken on the issues but thinks Democrats should be concerned that he won't be able to beat incumbent Coleman.
"Anybody's entitled to run," Franken said. "I just know this is going to come down to me and Norm Coleman."
Franken said he hadn't given any thought to whether he'd be willing to debate Lord Faris, which she has suggested.
Franken made his comments while accepting the endorsement of ACORN, a community organization that's been providing financial counseling to low- and middle-income Minnesotans facing problems with mortgage payments. Franken said if elected he'd support a temporary moratorium on home foreclosures.
Meanwhile, state DFL Party chairman Brian Melendez held a Capitol news conference where he accused Coleman of "out and out lying" on the campaign trail when it comes to offshore oil drilling issues and employee unionization issues.
Melendez played video of Coleman recently suggesting that China has a foothold on oil drilling near Cuba when American companies can't tap into those deposits. Vice President Dick Cheney made a similar claim in a speech last month, but days later his office acknowledged that such drilling isn't currently happening.
Coleman campaign spokesman Mark Drake said the senator was expressing the view that China is better positioned to go forward with drilling there because of strong ties to Cuba.
He dismissed Melendez's accusation of lying as "a series of baseless attacks by Mr. Melendez on behalf of Al Franken."
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Norm Coleman was born in New York City in 1949. Al Franken was born in New York City in 1951.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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