Coleman brings message to local residents

Published 12:00 am Thursday, June 6, 2002

Norm Coleman wants to be a U.S. Senator for Minnesota who "gets things done."

He doesn't just want to "rattle the cage," like, he said, his opponent does.

According to the Republican, public service is about "doing, delivering and getting things done."

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And that's the kind of U.S. Senator he will be, according to the candidate.

If the polls are accurate, it was no coincidence Wednesday morning when a crowed packed into the Holiday Inn of Austin Conference Center meeting room to meet Coleman.

All of the inquiring minds wanted to know something.

"Are we winning or losing?" asked Thomas J. Purcell, who like Coleman, has flirted with both the DFL and GOP political parties.

Coleman said, "Our polls have shown the race consistently close."

In a race against a two-term incumbent, being close in the spring bodes well for whatever lies ahead this fall.

"I'm an underdog. I've always been one and got things done, too," Coleman said.

Chuck Moline, owner of Corporate Financial Services, Inc., put together the reception for Coleman with help from Sandy Forstner, executive director of the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce.

Coleman, who visited Albert Lea earlier Wednesday, said he is counting on and "army of small business owners and employees and Chambers of Commerce all across Minnesota" to help Coleman wrestle Wellstone's Senate seat.

With only 24-hours notice, Moline and Forstner were able to attract a large crowed, including many "new faces." "New" as in Democrat faces at a Republican event, which had Republicans ecstatic afterwards.

The GOP faithful were also there.

State Senator Grace Schwab, candidate for reelection to the Minnesota Senate, and Jeff Anderson, candidate for a House seat, introduced Coleman.

It was Coleman's second visit to Austin this year. In February, he spoke to a crowd of 1,230 students and faculty at Austin High School.

Among the youth present were Mike Gravelle and Claire Johnson, both AHS juniors, attending the political rally as guests of their teacher, Anderson.

Coleman, who was a prosecutor for the Minnesota Attorney General for 17 years, before becoming a 2-term mayor of Democrat-stronghold St. Paul, said, "I really believe there is a greater respect for public service since the events of last September 11."

Coleman said officeholders have a responsibility to youth and others of "getting things done."

Now more than ever, there is a time of "danger and opportunity," according to Coleman, who was challenged by a dangerous opportunity of his own doing, when he bolted the Minnesota DFL Party to become a Republican.

According to Coleman, his opponent had the opportunity to help do something about what senior citizens and others deemed a growing danger in their lives: the steadily increasing price of prescription drugs, by the Democrat's 1990 pledge has gone unfulfilled.

Then, Coleman began extolling his mantra for solving problems. Ensuring a quality education and economic development can be achieved by "working together," according to Coleman.

His track record as mayor of St. Paul shows how Coleman can solve difficult problem s and bring opposing sides together, according to the candidate.

Coleman's passion for "togetherness" in problem-solving sparked the Republican's

telling the crowd his favorite quote: "David Ben Gurion, the Israeli leader, once said, 'Anybody who does not believe in miracles is a realist',"

Coleman said.

In the question-and-answer session that followed, Coleman said Wellstone's long-held record of voting in the distinct

minority on issues refutes the Democrat's claim that he is bipartisan. "I want to be known as someone who gets things done; not just someone who is rattling the cage all the time," he said.

AHS students Gravelle and Johnson said they were impressed with the candidate. Gravelle said he has met both Wellstone and Coleman and the Republican is "more conservative like me."

Johnson also said she was impressed with what she saw and heard Wednesday morning from Coleman. "I liked what he said about bringing people together to solve problems," Johnson said.

Bringing people together is what the Republican must do to defeat a Democrat incumbent in a Senate race that has attracted national attention.

It is one of 34 contested Senate races this year and who controls the u.S. Congress hangs in the balance.

(Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at

lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com)