Coleman accepts nomination, tries to rouse Republican troops
Addressing a convention hall in Rochester that had more than a few empty delegate seats, U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman tried hard Friday to rouse to action a state Republican Party facing tough odds in an election year that most believe strongly favors Democrats.
With huge video screens reflecting back to the crowd Coleman’s image, dominated by preternaturally white teeth, and stressing how he’s spent 32 years in public service, the senator described how much he loves the job he’s had the last six years and wants for six more.
Without naming Al Franken, his probable opponent in this fall’s election, Coleman emphasized his own long public career, and said, “People don’t want an ideologue or a divider,” they want someone who can get things done. Coleman then outlined some of his accomplishments.
He talked about helping farmers around Lake Bronson in northwest Minnesota get help after devastating floods a few years ago.
“The best ideas don’t come from the Capitol in Washington, but from regular people” like the Lake Bronson farmers.
But Coleman saved the biggest moment for Wyatt Rech, 6, of Montgomery, a little boy battling a rare form of childhood cancer – a Wilms tumor on his kidney.
Holding the boy in his arms, Coleman talked about introducing his Conquering Childhood Cancer Bill, which “has a long way to go to become law.”
But he praised Wyatt and his parents for being crusaders in finding ways to cure childhood cancer.
“Thank Wyatt and his family for their passionate public service,” Coleman urged the applauding crowd.
Coleman went on to say that Americans and Minnesotans are looking for “problem-solvers and not angry sloganeers” – another not-so-veiled reference to Franken.
The senator talked about how Republicans need “to re-establish” their bond with the American people. He quoted Winston Churchill, who told the British people, “When you are going through hell, keep going.”
He urged Republicans to “be straight” with the American people. “We’ve violated the fiscal discipline” that is supposed to be the hallmark of Republicans.
Coleman mentioned the war in Iraq. Trying to distance himself a bit from President Bush, Coleman said, almost defensively, to a few catcalls, “We stuck with a flawed strategy for too long … we failed to see the insurgency coming.”
But he then praised the more recent success of Bush’s surge strategy, describing how he took a walk a few months ago in Falluja without body armor.
“Minnesotans want to see our troops brought home safely without sacrificing” gains made in the war on terror, Coleman said.
In the closing part of his speech, Coleman, the former Democrat, urged his now-fellow Republicans to do “a better job” of emphasizing the “core conservative Republican” values of individual rights, free enterprise, no taxes, protecting life “from conception to natural death” and supporting traditional marriage.
Coleman, 58, delivered a message to DFLers: “Keep your hands out of our pockets.” The crowd applauded.
He outlined his “eight-point action plan.” With the help of Republicans, and, presumably, Norm Coleman, the senator said America must:
- Grow jobs by cutting taxes.
- Cut wasteful Washington spending.
- End our addiction to foreign oil. (He got big applause for this one.)
- Develop a program for providing health care to more Americans … “without bureaucrats coming between doctors and families.”
- Win the global economic competition.
- Protect the environment.
- Secure our borders.
- Find peace through strength.
Then Coleman closed with his oft-used illusion to the sun rising in America, echoing Ronald Reagan.
“Some may believe that the sun is not rising in America, but not me and not you – we believe that hope and confidence and optimism ” are the DNA of America.
As Coleman’s speech ended and the crowd stood and applauded, the Chicago song “Feeling Stronger Every Day” began playing.
Morning Reports
