The local paper here, the Star Tribune ("the Strib" for short) has a front page story on new revelations of tax-paying problems by Franken's show business enterprise in California. This "mini-scandal", coupled with an earlier "mini-scandal" where Franken was in trouble with the state of New York for not paying worker's comp. premiums may make Franken's (surprisingly difficult) quest to unseat Norm Coleman that much more difficult.
This problem also comes on top of a recently released Rasmussen poll (a poll taken BEFORE this most recent revelation) that shows Norm Coleman pulling ahead of Franken 50%-43%. As a Minnesotan is irks me to no end that Coleman, the quintessential mediocre empty-suit, is even in the ballpark as far as retaining the senate seat the Republican slime machine stole for him in 2002.
The fact that Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (as the Democratic Party in MN is called) front-runner can't seem to get any traction, even though Minnesota is largely a "blue state" where the current president and his policies are not particularly popular is troubling to say the least and, as stated before, Franken was not getting much traction even before this new "scandal".
I wish to again encourage Minnesotans and netroots people nationwide to give SERIOUS consideration to Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Franken's main rival for the DFL nomination. The unfortunate fact is that Franken is largely a "known quantity" and is FAILING to live up to his hype of being "electable".
As a volunteer for the JNP campaign nearly EVERY conversation I have with people goes something like this: "I/we love Jack and agree with him on the issues, but I/we think Al is more electable." The perception of Franken's electablility was more rooted in celebrity name recognition than anything else, and now that isn't even working for him against Norm Coleman.
Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer is a true progressive who the more people know of him, the more they like him. He is running a strong grassroots effort much in the mold of the late, great Paul Wellstone (who was constantly being told he was "unelectable" and had no chance). Franken's problems are not going to go away, and as someone who is already a known quantity, the well to draw new converts is pretty much dry. A careful re-examination of this race is in order, and Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer can deliver the goods.