Draft Ciresi? Don't think so

Not true on 2 accounts (0.00 / 0)

MDE wasn't even the first blog to cover the Draft Ciresi site, let alone the only. Check out http://liberalinthelandofconse...

Franken a strong candidate? That's insane. He'll be destroyed by Coleman. He's the one who has failed to keep the focus on the issues, with his own flawed candidacy.

Where is your outrage that his campaign didn't release the playboy story sooner? Do you think that this will be an issue focused campaign if MDE gets to decide the schedule for releasing the details of Franken's past. When the Franken campaign was asked why they hadn't released this story, there answer was something along the lines of: "Franken has written too much scandalous material for us to release it all." Is that what a strong candidate looks like?

And, for the record, the Ciresi campaign was invisible only because the press and blogs chose not to cover it in favor of covering Franken. I think there's a saying about living and dying by the sword that comes to mind when thinking of the Franken campaign this year...

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by: NWDemocrat @ Fri Jun 13, 2008 at 10:13:59 AM CDT

Take a look... (0.00 / 0)

Where's my outrage at the Franken campaign, NWD? Here it is. And what I wrote about the Franken campaign applies to Ciresi too:

"At the convention over the weekend, a Franken staffer suggested to me that the poor media coverage was not the campaign's fault, because they can't control what's in the media. If they believe that, they're in major trouble.

Same goes for Ciresi. If his campaign can't figure out how to get into the media, I don't want him running.

I'm not saying Franken's a great choice--but Ciresi is an equally bad choice. They seem to have the EXACT same media problems. There's only one difference I can see--Franken can start campaigning now, while Ciresi won't be able to start until September.

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More commentary at the Twin Cities Daily Liberal.

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by: Jeff Rosenberg @ Fri Jun 13, 2008 at 15:54:58 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

hmmm (0.00 / 0)

Touche on the outrage. I remember reading that now. I guess I was trying to make a larger point that it's Franken and his campaign that are to blame for the mess we're in right now. You did say, though, that Franken is "a strong candidate." That set off my outrage. Thanks for the reminder about your own.

As far as media coverage goes, I'll give you that the Ciresi campaign was not stellar at getting news coverage, but I think that we may be holding them to a false standard. Not being as heavily covered by the media as Al Franken isn't a fair standard or an appropriate barometer. Think of past statewide candidates. Neither Hatch nor Klobuchar got as much coverage during the endorsement period. Did any of the candidates in 2000 get as much coverage? Wouldn't anyone look invisible during the convention period when compared to a celebrity? The question is,does that make Ciresi's campaign bad or just starved of oxygen...

Should Ciresi's campaign have done better? Yes. But when you have a celebrity in the race, the celebrity draws the media focus (for better or for worse). I'm not trying to let Ciresi's campaign off the hook, but I think that it was inevitable that they would seem invisible in comparison, 7+ months out from election day.

As far as time to campaign goes, Ciresi would only have 2 months, but he would be able to harvest the Obama voting surge, while Franken will inspire massive cross-balloting. Isn't that what we're saying when we say that Coleman is vulnerable; doesn't that mean that a generic but likable democrat can beat him...

Ok so I'm really not sure what i think of the draft ciresi blog or even Ciresi getting back into the race. But I do know that as a party, we need to be open to a primary in this senate race. Right now Ciresi seems like the only person in the state who has the guts to challenge Franken.

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by: NWDemocrat @ Fri Jun 13, 2008 at 18:36:17 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

"Strong Candidate" (0.00 / 0)

You're taking our breath away, fella!

To say Al Franken is a wounded duck before the general election campaign has started is an understatement. Franken will be slaughtered in the election and will severely dampen DFL fortunes up and down the ticket.

How stupid is the DFL?  They nominated Al!

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by: minneopa @ Fri Jun 13, 2008 at 10:46:47 AM CDT

Ciresi was doing fine! (0.00 / 0)

Every poll leading to Ciresi's exit was neck and neck with Franken. Ciresi got out of the race because he didn't have the delegates. The delegates who don't represent the general population.

Ciresi would do well in a general election.

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by: Patrick Black @ Fri Jun 13, 2008 at 20:19:46 PM CDT