A new 30-second TV spot pressuring Sen. Norm Coleman to come out against the continuation of the Iraq war hits Minnesota air today and was released for preview at a 1 p.m. news conference. There’s a link below so you can check it out yourself.
The ad, by Americans United for Change, doesn’t contain any surprising new facts or arguments. It says that the war has been a disaster, that Coleman has supported Bush’s policy, and it shows, in addition to pictures of death and destruction, images of Bush and Coleman together — images that are likely to follow Coleman throughout the 2008 campaign.
It ends: “Norm Coleman is still standing with President Bush on Iraq, voting time and again against bringing our troops home. Tell Norm Coleman, after four years, it’s time to end the war.”
Jeremy Funk, spokester for Americans United for Change, said Coleman was the latest member of Congress on a list of “people that we think, because they are up for election, are most likely to succumb to pressure and vote the right way to bring an end to the war in Iraq.”
Iraq war critics have been heartened by three Senate Republicans and former war supporters — Richard Lugar of Indiana, George Voinovich of Ohio and Pete Domenici of New Mexico, who have recently called for a
change in Iraq policy. But Funk noted that none of them committed to specifically vote for the kind of measures that would force a change.
He said anti-war groups are anticipating that this week and next, consideration of amendments to the Defense Appropriations Bill will provide opportunities for members of Congress to take concrete stands in favor of winding down the war.
“They can talk tough, but you can’t then vote for a toothless resolution,” Funk said. “They have to vote for some amendments that are binding and set deadlines for withdrawal.”
Previous Senate targets of nearly identical ads have been Republican Sens. John Sununu of New Hampshire and Susan Collins of Maine, along with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Six House members have also received the treatment.
Americans United is part of a coalition of anti-war groups, operating as Americans Against Escalation in Iraq. One of the other member organizations, Vote Vets, has already run a similar ad pressuring Coleman to change sides. The complete list of the 11 organizations is here
Coleman has supported the Bush Iraq policy since the 2002 campaign, when he supported the congressional actions and presidential decisions that led to the war. But he did not agree with Bush’s decision in January to send additional U.S. troops into Baghdad. And he has said repeatedly that he is open to a new approach in Iraq after he hears the September report of Gen. David Petraeus about how the “surge” strategy is working.
Americans United for Change is a labor-funded group, formerly called Americans United to Protect Social Security from an earlier period when it concentrated on opposing President Bush’s proposal to partially privatize Social Security. The Minnesota GOP put out a press release today calling it a “shadowy liberal front group that won’t disclose its donors.” Americans United for Change does not disclose its donors and is not required to do so.
The ad, titled “Still” and backed by a $100,000 buy, is viewable below. I’ve called Coleman’s office to seek his response to the ad and will add his quotes here when I get them.
