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Aug 6, 2008 11:12 pm US/Central

Reality Check: Franken Vs. Coleman TV Ads

Reporting
Pat Kessler
(WCCO) It's he said, he said in the Minnesota senate race on TV. Republican Sen. Norm Coleman argues he's independent, while Democrat Al Franken said Coleman's a rubber stamp for the President.
The campaign strategy ties Coleman to an unpopular President George W. Bush.

 "Al Franken says George Bush has been wrong on Iraq and wrong on the economy," said an announcer in a Franken for Senate ad. "Norm Coleman supports Bush almost 90 percent of the time."

 That's roughly ACCURATE.

 Franken averages all of Coleman's U.S. Senate voting scores for the last five years.

 Coleman was once very loyal to the President, 98 percent of the time in 2003, but only 68 percent of the time in 2007.

 Even so, Coleman's own television ads describe him as independent.

 "In a political race, people will say a lot of things," said Laurie Coleman in a Coleman for Senate ad. "They'll say Norm is a rubber stamp for the president. But he's been ranked as one of the most independent senators."

 But that's only PARTLY TRUE.

 The Coleman ad uses vote totals only for 2007, the year he ranks as one of the Republicans least supportive of the president.

 Here's the REALITY.

 President Bush is the most unpopular president in modern history.

 Al Franken is trying to remind voters of the Coleman-Bush link. And Coleman is attempting a precarious political balance: Loyal to the President, but not too loyal.

 That's Reality Check.

 To check the resources for this Reality Check click on the links below.
 Al Franken For Senate
National Journal: 2007 Voting Ratings
Coleman For Senate
Polling Report: President Bush and History

 

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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