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A long time ago, I had the privilege of helping to run the floor for Norm Coleman’s first run for mayor of St Paul. It was a long day and after a couple of rounds of voting, one the the other two major candidates was set to drop out. The word was that the drop out would endorse no one. Instead the failed, long time St Paulite got up to the podium and endorsed the opponent. Norm and the rest of us were devastated. The numbers didn’t look good and despite our protests, the young assistant attorney general, Norm Coleman took to the microphone and dropped out after the next vote. He could have held on to his dwindling numbers two more rounds and forced the city convention into a stale mate. Instead, Norm Coleman decided that he would come back to fight another day.

There were a number of better days. He entertained the idea of being the State drug czar, an appointment that Governor Perpich gave to someone else. He actually did become Mayor of St Paul. Norm Coleman ran for governor and was part of the Jesse Ventura steamroll. He stood on the center stage with the post 911 President of the United States, was elected into the U S Senate and was part of Minnesota’s flirtation with the purple state category.

When you look at the Coleman’s history, it really is quite remarkable how far he came from that day when he looked at the numbers in St Paul. It is sad to watch that same guy carry out satewide press conferences yesterday. Primarily, because he sopped looking at the numbers:

  • Coleman again claims that he’s really about counting all the votes. Clearly, that’s not the case. This isn’t a fight to Count Them All because every time that happens Frankin picks up more votes.
  • He again claims that this is not for political or patrician reasons. Clearly, that’s not the case because it’s been well documented that this recount is the RNC’s operation to prevent a crucial vote from making it on the Senate floor. That 60th vote is so vital , yet the party is bending over back wards to stop it.
  • Finally, he champions the right to legal recourse. As I pointed out some time ago, it’s a bit galling that the leader of Tort Reform is now the champion of the right to the open courtroom, although I do agree that the right is there.

It seems to me that on that spring day back in the early 90’s Norm made the right decision. It paid off in many ways for him. It’s time that that guy make his way back to the podium.

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