You want the DFL endorsement and nomination to run against Norm Coleman? You want everybody in the DFL to work for you and promote your candidacy?
Not before you beat Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer fair and square for the endorsement. And you can't do that by avoiding any further debates with your only remaining (serious) challenger. Frankly, Al, Spot's not sure you're up to it. The other "debates" have all been opportunities for all the candidates - including at least Ciresi and Cohen, too - to provide short answers to short questions. Sound bites.
Here's what MPR says about the prospect for additional debates:
Nelson-Pallmeyer said he wants to debate Franken as much as possible before the state DFL convention in June. Nelson-Pallmeyer said Franken's celebrity and money have driven his success, not his positions on the issues.
"The reason Franken is ahead is because he was in the race for two years and has spent millions of dollars," he said. "What I find is that everywhere I go in the state of Minnesota whenever we're side-by-side I have tons of supporters coming over to my campaign. So this is the period where that will continue."
"I like Jack tremendously but he's not going to dictate what I do with my campaign," Franken said. Franken said he will not commit to another round of DFL debates.
"You know, we've had, I don't know, 16 debates or something and right now I'm really very busy doing all of the things I need to do to prepare for the general," he said.
Really, Al? The general election is in November, and even the state convention is a couple of months away. I am sure that you and Andy Barr can free up some time between now and then, my liege.
Spot would like to see you sit across a table from Jack and actually discuss issues with him: engage in a dialog. He wants to see, among other things, whether you can do that without interrupting all the time, as you had a propensity to do on your radio show. Spot wants to see somebody actually confront you, put you on the spot, make you justify yourself.
The DFL is entitled to that.
Perhaps you can talk about the Iraq war, climate change and our responses to it, including expanded use of nuclear energy, and health care. There are lots of other things, too.
Spotty says to all the delegates at this weekend's DFL conventions in the 3rd Congressional District (and of course any county or district conventions after this weekend, too): if Al shows up, demand that he debate Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer.
Shout it out to him if you have to.
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