College prof no walkover for Franken in Minn. Senate run

[sasquatch]

Source: Associated press

ALBERT LEA, Minn. - On the Senate campaign trail, Al Franken frequently invokes the name of his friend, the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, as a major inspiration.
But as Franken moves to consolidate Democrats behind his challenge to Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, another Democrat is chipping into his support — one whose background and beliefs spark even greater Wellstone nostalgia for some voters.

Like Wellstone, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer is a college professor with a long history of political activism and fearless liberalism. His green-and-white campaign signs mimic the Wellstone placards that still hang in the front window of many a Democratic household, and that's not an accident.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080511/ap_on_el_se/minnesota_senate;_ylt=AtAU0lZjK4ibeTjxRBdyDDBvzwcF

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Could this be a fallout from the pro-change/anti GOP & DLC movement that will keep Franken from beating Coleman in Minnesota.

[Wapsie B]

1. Too bad I didn't know about his appearance there.

I would've loved to hear him.

[wellstone dem]

2. Jack Nelson Pallmeyer is an amazing man and I am proud

to day I'm a delegate who will be voting for him at the Minnesota State Convention.

http://www.jackforsenate.org/

[sasquatch]

3. That's nice, I wonder if he beats Franken if Franken will campaign for him?

:shrug:

[dflprincess]

Both Franken and Nelson-Pallmeyer have said they'll abide by the party endorsement in June

(meaning they won't take it to a primary). I'd bet that whoever doesn't get the endorsement will campaign for the other as the one thing everyone agrees on is that we have to get rid of Coleman. They've also run civilized campaigns - both are spending more time talking issues and campaigning against Coleman not each other - so I'm not aware of any bitterness between their campaigns. I don't think anyones supporters will have trouble making the switch after the June convention. I supported Nelson-Pallmeyer at the caucus and district convention, but I won't think twice about working for Franken should he wind up being the candidate.

[CatholicEdHead]

10. The DFL will get behind whomever it is

[greiner3]

14. I don't know about that;

Is one candidate saying that they poll more working class white males than the other? DOH! Wrong campaign

[dflprincess]

9. self delete - dupe

[MNPeaceguy]

18. Jack is best on style, best on issues

JNP was smart enough to be against the Iraq war before it
started, and courageous enough to be eloquent and public about
it.  He will be smart enough to doubt the lies for the next
war also.  He has the guts, the integrity and the vision to
make the best senator from MN in at least 6 years.

[Ian David]

4. I'm maxed-out on donating to Al Franken. Someone else here has to donate now. n/t

[onehandle]

6. He got the rest of my Edwards money.

He'll get more from me in the Fall.

I want to hear Captain Phone Sex say, "Senator Franken."

[Ian David]

7. Captain Phonesex will call him "Senator Stuart Smalley."

And keep in mind that "Stuart Smalley" has been to Iraq and Afghanistan several times to support our troops.

Bill "Malmedy Massacre" O'Reilly has been to Iraq and Afghanistan zero times.

And Sylvester "Rambao" Stallone, who endorsed Rudy 9iu11ani, chickened-out of a USO tour at the last minute because he was afraid it might be dangerous.

[MNPeaceguy]

19. You could always donate to Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer instead

[onehandle]

5. Franken will be the candidate in November and will beat Coleman. nt

[Ian David]

8. Coleman is the dumpster-diving son of a parking lot fornicator. n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. I have a friend in Minnesota

and I asked him if Franken could beat Coleman and he told me he is never going to beat Nelson-Pallmeyer.

[sasquatch]

13. Wow, that's how powerful this guy is!

:wow:

[electron_blue]

12. I'm rooting for N-P! And I donated to him today for the first time.

Franken looks good on many levels, but Nelson-Pallmeyer looks better and more like my kind of politician.

[FunkyLeprechaun]

15. As a Minnesotan here in the UK

I haven't heard much of Nelson-Pallmeyer. I've got an Al Franken button here and all I heard from Minnesota was Mike Ciresi and Franken battling it out.

I wonder if Nelson-Pallmeyer will be the Leigh Pomeroy* of Minnesota though...

*I didn't hear about Leigh Pomeroy, who ran against Gutknecht in MN-1, until the summer before the 2004 elections. As a Minnesotan that's living in the UK, I've now just heard of Nelson-Pallmeyer and I don't know much about him, I haven't seen him speak, I haven't had a chance to read his literature.

I've donated to Franken though and hope to vote for him in the 2008 election. I've seen him speak, read his literature, and darn it, I like him!

Nelson-Pallmeyer has to convince me first.

[gulfcoastliberal]

16. Franken endorsed the war and seems pretty much a DLC clone.

Mr. Nelson-Pallmeyer has my support, 100%.

Fuck Franken - he's just another millionaire wannabe.

[high density]

20. Franken, like a lot of other people, believed Bushco going in

But I believe he has a different feel on the war now.

[electron_blue]

17. In a nutshell: Nelson-Pallmeyer and Franken comparison on issues

"Nelson-Pallmeyer is to Franken's left on just about everything. He's opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances, for nationwide legalization of same-sex marriages, a full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq in the next nine months, universal single-payer health insurance and a massive reduction in defense spending."

Here's a longer story from NPR a few days ago discussing Nelson-Pallmeyer and Franken. They sure make it sound like N-P is heir to the Wellstone throne.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/05/09/pallmeyer/