What you've all been waiting for: My talk with Normie's Aide

[dflprincess]

I didn’t expect my chat with Normie’s aide (henceforth known as NA) to result in the guy realizing Norm’s a jerk and quitting his job, but I did expect it to be more fun than it was. The only real fun I had was knowing the guy was grinding his teeth each time I said Normie. I was hoping he’d say something about it so I could explain that that’s about the only civilized thing I call the weasel. But, NA was himself very civil and I can’t criticize his demeanor even if I question his intelligence.

The conversation mainly consisted of both of us repeating talking points to each other. I can’t tell you how many times I used the words “Bush puppet” (I though puppet was less hostile than stooge) and NA denying that. Several times NA tried to end the conversation by repeating that the phone call was only to let me know my comments had been passed on to the Senator. I would counter that his message had said he wanted to explain some of the Senator’s positions to me.

Here is a recap of the conversation (sorry it's long).

NA says Norm does not always support Bush, that he was opposed to cuts in Medicaid, supported Community Block Grants and Pell Grants. I countered that Normie only votes contrary to Bush when it’s clear that there are enough votes for the Bush’s will to be done without Norm’s vote. I also noted that Normie supports the war, supports the tax cuts which can only mean he supports the country going bankrupt. NA said there were ways to make up the deficit without raising taxes. My response was that would mean more cuts to social programs and how would that help the people of Minnesota? He responded that the point of the message was to let me know my comments would be passed on to the Senator.

I asked him why Normie had supported the bankruptcy bill when more than half the personal bankruptcies are the result of medial bills. NA said the point of the call had been to let me know that my concerns would be passed on to the Senator. So, I played the Wellstone card. “Y’know,” I said, “Paul Wellstone single handily stopped that bill the first time it came up.” NA responds that Normie has a different ideology. To which I replied, “Yes, Paul Wellstone cared about people, Norm Coleman only cares about Norm Coleman and currently he thinks he can further himself by obeying Bush. But, you’d best remind him that in 2008 Bush will be out of office and he’ll have to face the people in Minnesota who know who Normie is really working for.”

NA then switched tactics to end the phone call and said “Well, I know I can’t change your mind about this, and you can’t change mine.”

Before I let him hang up, I did tell him I had one more thing to ask and that was how can Normie say that Bush hasn’t mislead the American people. “A statement like that,” I said, “leads me to believe that he’s delusional.”

NA tells me Bush has not mislead the public. “Oh,” I responded, “I must have missed it when they found the WMDs.”

“Er, ah,” say NA, “no there weren’t WMDs but what about freeing people from a ruthless dictator and protecting us from terror.”

“Then we should have attacked Saudi Arabia, “ says I.

At this point NA brings up something along the line that I’m probably just getting my information from the Strib. HE reads the “New York Times” and “Washington Post”. I told him that, thanks to the Internet I check out those papers as well as some of the foreign ones like the “Guardian” , the Sydney “Herald” and a couple of Canadian ones. “And you don’t think the foreign press has their own spin on things?” He asked.

Finally, I asked if Normie’s cute little committee, when it’s done going after Kofi Anan, will be looking into the billions that are unaccounted for in Iraq. Well, he didn’t know about that. “I do,” I replied, “the answer is no because that money is going to line the pockets of Bush and Cheney’s pals.”

At that point he repeated that we were never going to agree and that I just didn’t like Republicans. I agreed that I didn’t like Republicans like Norm, but that I could respect Republicans like Elmer L. Anderson and Normie would be wise to reinvent himself again along those lines (I probably shouldn’t put ideas like that into his head).

The call ended at that point with the guy telling me to feel free to call the office if I ever need anything.

I still find it amusing that Norm has decided to make his staff “reach out” like this. Certainly, Bush’s falling ratings have something to do with it. And, of course, there were all the articles in the last week about the Wellstone Memorial opening which only serves to remind people of what was lost and look at Normie and say “Yeeeeech”. But, I would guess the biggest factor in this sudden concern for his constituents, is what’s happening to Randy Kelly. That alone should get the rat to start thinking about packing his bags.

[Tiggeroshii]

1. Haha.

I need to start doing that to my Congressman, Jerry Lewis.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. I can just hear you arguing with NA

:highfive:

:7

[hermetic]

3. Good job!

Well put. Thanks.

[dpbrown]

4. Nicely done!

More people should take Normie to task.

[Spike from MN]

5. Bwahahahahaha!! You stuck it to 'em! Good for you!

I love how NA could only spew back the talking points. Hah! Nice try buddy. I particularly like how he said that Normie has a "different ideology" than Wellstone. Uh, no shit buddy. That's a bit of an understatement to say the least. Gee, do your suppose those differences might have something to do with why Minnesotans love Wellstone and hate Normie? (And yes, I used the present tense for Wellstone because we STILL love him. Besides, I still have a hard time using the past tense where Wellstone is concerned. I suspect I'm not alone in that regard.)

And I love how you threw Elmer Anderson in his face! Yes, there WERE good Republicans and they are NOTHING like the current-day Repukes. I wasn't in MN when Elmer was Gov and even if I had been, he was a bit before my time. But his name has come up so often over the years and he was always referred to with such reverence that I had assumed he had been a Governor here for quite a few years. I was really shocked when I read his obit and discovered that he was only Governor for two years. He obviously made a huge impression on everybody in a relatively short amount of time and those two years that he served carried on WELL into the future. Last fall when I read his endorsement of Kerry, I could fully understand why Minnesotans of all stripes held him in such high regard. So don't worry about throwing Elmer Anderson in NA's face. I never met Elmer Anderson but believe me, Normie is NO Elmer Anderson. ;)

Is Normie starting to sweat? Most definitely. Suddenly, his canned email responses are arriving in my inbox in a very timely manner. Gee, after pretty much ignoring me for the past 3 years, I'm suddenly supposed to be impressed that his office is quick to send me canned responses?? I haven't had a chance to reply to them yet but I will and believe me, he won't like what I have to say. Gee, imagine that. ;) The again, maybe I shoud be nice in the hopes that they will call me for the purpose of "passing my comments along to the Senator." If they would promise to take down my comments word-for-word, I'd go along, just to get them to write "Normie Coleperson" in the ol' comments box.

Way to go dflprincess! You truly lived up to your DU username and then some! You did us proud!

[dflprincess]

6. Don't worry about being nice in your email

I was surprised when I got the phone call because my last two missives to the weasel had been especially snide.

[Spike from MN]

9. Thanks for the tip.

I'll make sure to be even more of an ass than usual when I email Normie. ;)

[katinmn]

7. Thanks for exposing the weasel to his little minion!

I can't imagine ever working for a slime like Normie.

Was NA being pretentious when he said he depended on info from the NYT and WaPo for news and not the Strib?

Gee, perhaps Normie and his staff SHOULD read the Strib. It is after all, Minnesota's largest and most influential newspaper.

Recall Norm Coleperson!

[dflprincess]

8. I think NA was being a little snippy at that point

trying to imply that he was better informed than those of us back here in the wilderness. Though, overall, I'd give him a point for controlling himself fairly well, I knew the "Normie" thing was getting to him. And it can't be easy to have part of your job description be "defend the indefensible". If only I were a more persuasive debator, I might have convinced him to leave the dark side.

I forgot in my narrative about Norm apparently going to cave on ANWAR. At first he tried to deny that, but I did remind him it's been stuck into the budget bill. Then he tried to defend Norm's voting for the budget bill because "there's good things for Minnesota" in it. I didn't argue that point well at all except to suggest that Norm vote against it and then come home and explain why he voted that way. I neglected to point out that sticking ANWAR into this bill is just a sleazy Republican trick or that, if Bush wants this bill passed, I doubt it can be that good for Minnesota.

[Oreo]

10. Thanks for sharing!

Here's to stopping another republican St Paul mayor from going any further in politics. :toast:

Unless Kiffmeyer starts doing backflips to rig the election, Coleman is a shoe-in.

Bite it Normie!