If selling out to Joe Camel were an Olympic event, freshman Senator Norm Coleman would win a silver medal, and presidential candidate John McCain would win a gold medal. According to the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund, Coleman accepted $63,500 in campaign contributions from the tobacco industry since 2001, far more than anyone else in the Minnesota Congressional delegation. John McCain’s senior adviser is tobacco lobbyist Charlie Black. Do Coleman and McCain really believe that joining forces with Big Tobacco is compatible with protecting America, upholding moral values, and preserving the sanctity of life?

Jason Hsu

Cedar Rapids, Iowa