• May 26, 2012
BRILLIANCE

June 25, 2008

Best Attack Ad Of The Election Season?

by Jim Newell  

Last week, there was a big controversy in the Minnesota Senate race between Norm Coleman and Al Franken in which some Liberal Bloggers thought that Coleman’s wife, Laurie, was edited into an ad for her husband. Laughable!, responded the Coleman campaign, which has gone so far as to produce a response ad of Al Franken “green-screened” into Minnesota. It is STAGGERING. Your Wonkette has not laughed this hard since the start of the Iraq War. [YouTube]

{ 61 comments }

spencer June 25, 2008 at 3:12 pm

The Republicans who drink mochachinos are once again marginalized.

NotUrEvryDayWEzl June 25, 2008 at 3:13 pm

Norm Coleman is aware of the internet, and all internet traditions.

He is not, however, aware of the idiocy of continuing to call attention to his editing by satirizing himself.

Count Snarkula June 25, 2008 at 3:13 pm

Sadly, that ad is funnier than anything Franken has done in the past. Just sayin’

PoliticalGraffiti June 25, 2008 at 3:15 pm

well, he certainly proved his point

Godless Liberal * June 25, 2008 at 3:16 pm

I am extremely sad that Youtube is blocked at work.

MadMangosteen June 25, 2008 at 3:17 pm

you see, he drinks fancy, because he is a Liberal

SocialList June 25, 2008 at 3:18 pm

Norm thinks a Minnesota accent is something to make fun of apparently.Nobody will notice that,I’m sure.

itgetter June 25, 2008 at 3:22 pm

Why oh why do conservatives always pick on my fancy drinks?

As I sit here drinking my tall non-fat hazelnut latte with the obscene Starbucks logo on its insulating sleeve, I turn my nose up at the idea that my coffee habits have somehow made me elite. My liberal education, love of arugula, and visit to Paris are what made me elite.

Serolf Divad June 25, 2008 at 3:23 pm

Wow… that fall just shy of the “Danny’s Rush:Limelight Guitar Hero Perfect Score” video as far as production values go.

graceless June 25, 2008 at 3:23 pm

Was Al Franken ever funny?

Tawmn June 25, 2008 at 3:24 pm

satire is funny because it makes you laugh.

FlownOver June 25, 2008 at 3:24 pm

I hadn’t known there were things so unfunny that they could actually make milk go back into your nose. Now I do.

AxmxZ June 25, 2008 at 3:24 pm

A real Minnesotan drinks kossu, because the realest Minnesotan of all is still in Finland.

DirkLeisure June 25, 2008 at 3:25 pm

[re=24484]Godless Liberal *[/re]: In this case, be happy.

Inadequate Blackmail June 25, 2008 at 3:26 pm

Being a True Patriotic American basically breaks down to pride in the type of coffee you drink. This was funny though. I still haven’t forgiven Al Franken for that one time he made fun of The Bangles.

Leak Plugger June 25, 2008 at 3:26 pm

Man, I’m no Coleman fan, but this is HILARIOUS. Al hasn’t been funny at all during his campaign. He ought to step it up now…

thefrontpage June 25, 2008 at 3:27 pm

These Colemanites better watch it—Al Franken’s going to be president some day. After Ralph Nader wins the 2008 general election, of course.

EnBuenOra June 25, 2008 at 3:29 pm

Next we’re sure to see hordes of Minnesotans with pitchforks & torches assembling in front of the Franken household screaming “We don’t need you here, outsider!!!”

NotUrEvryDayWEzl June 25, 2008 at 3:29 pm

As I watched the video again, I noticed myself seeing past the poor editing of Franken’s head to the head of the actor playing him. If i’m not mistaken, he benefits from the transplant.

Walter Sobchak June 25, 2008 at 3:34 pm

[re=24501]Leak Plugger[/re]: Agreed. I got a letter from his campaign yesterday, and for once opened a political solicitation in the hope I would find something vaguely amusing inside. Nothing. In fact, the idea that a guy running for Senate in Minnesota is sending me a letter in deepest Florida was the funniest aspect of the situation. He should bring his A game, maybe do some blow or whatever made SNL funny back then.

johnbpt June 25, 2008 at 3:39 pm

Norm, or whichever member of his brain trust gave the green light to this, is retarded. In a totally hilarious way, of course.

Servo June 25, 2008 at 3:40 pm

[re=24500]Inadequate Blackmail[/re]:
Michael Steele should’ve put her heel in his groin for that one.

NoWireHangers June 25, 2008 at 3:41 pm

You’ve got to purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka before you run for office, Al.

Q2 June 25, 2008 at 3:41 pm

Al Franken is an idiot. Does he belong in the Senate? Actually, when I think it through, yes he does…he’ll fit right in.

I’m in with the sin crowd;
I go where the sin crowd goes.
I’m in with the sin crowd;
And I know what the sin crowd knows.

travellabyrinth June 25, 2008 at 3:46 pm

The “latte liberal” line never gets old does it? Oh wait, it does.

Quacker June 25, 2008 at 3:47 pm

Looks like Coleman’s in trouble. Just because an Ivy Leaguer can make a career out of not being funny, doesn’t mean a dipshit can do it.

Whore Diamond in the Rough June 25, 2008 at 3:48 pm

[re=24513]NoWireHangers[/re]: That reference is worth 1.5 whore diamonds.

AnnieGetYourFun June 25, 2008 at 3:48 pm

Aw, c’mon, you gotta give someone credit for trying. The coffee jokes are getting a little old. Not that I live in Seattle or anything. SHUT UP.

Inadequate Blackmail June 25, 2008 at 3:50 pm

[re=24512]Servo[/re]: Exactly! Make him feel the Eternal Flame… on his testicles! Amirite? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Seriously, The Bangles rule and Al Franken is a dick.

RaptorAvatar June 25, 2008 at 3:52 pm

Two whore diamonds. Not as crazy as the Pennsylvania healtchare gopher ad.

Servo June 25, 2008 at 3:56 pm

[re=24522]Inadequate Blackmail[/re]:
I haven’t heard better vocals since.
Ya got Sid & Susie?

lawrenceofthedesert June 25, 2008 at 4:01 pm

While Benjamin Franklin may have been right when he wrote, “Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of gefilte fish,” I find it delightful that comments on Wonkette at 3 p.m. are just as deconstructed as those written at 3 a.m.

Harvey Birdman June 25, 2008 at 4:01 pm

Did I detect a Lebowski reference in this post?

Servo June 25, 2008 at 4:03 pm

[re=24544]Harvey Birdman[/re]:
Does the Pope shit in the woods?

Inadequate Blackmail June 25, 2008 at 4:22 pm

[re=24537]Servo[/re]: Yes. Great album. Actually got to see them play at SXSW. Hoffs was excellent. Back to your regularly scheduled snark.

Jewdishoowary Square June 25, 2008 at 4:23 pm

Dumping on New York? Fuck you, Norm Coleman. You mess with my ‘hood, you mess with me. Don’t make me kick your tuchas, Upper West Side style. You won’t walk straight until Rosh Hashanah.

Jewdishoowary Square June 25, 2008 at 4:24 pm

[re=24545]Servo[/re]: It depends. Is he hiking?

freeradical June 25, 2008 at 4:25 pm

Um, has anyone listened to Norm Coleman? He’s got a bigger NY accent than Schumer. Why? Cuz he wuz born in the Brooklynz.

Diadhuit June 25, 2008 at 4:29 pm

ok so I can see where 4 dollars of the budget for this ad went, where is the other $16?

unertl June 25, 2008 at 4:37 pm

Upon further inspection I don’t think that was really Al Franken in the video.

gjdodger June 25, 2008 at 4:44 pm

Sorry, Norm. Your political career is as dead as Kirby Puckett.

hockeymom June 25, 2008 at 4:56 pm

What is it with The Bangles?

My husband gets downright misty, each time he talks about the lead singer and how “she looks sideways with her eyes in that one video.”

I’m forever on the look-out for a petite brunette,looking sideways at my husband.

NebraskashireGentry June 25, 2008 at 4:58 pm

how hard will you laugh when Al Franken wins this election?

Wine from Outer Space June 25, 2008 at 6:02 pm

So apparently the attack here is that Franken left the state of Minnesota at some point in his lifetime. And he enjoys coffee beverages. Brutal. WON’T SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?!?

The “Minnestoan accent” sounds oddly like Dan Aykroyd’s Dr. Detroit. For those who don’t know Dr. Detroit, it’s what your voice would sound like if you were trying to pass a bundle of fish hooks.

wonk_the_heck June 25, 2008 at 6:46 pm

That ad burned a hole in the Broca area of my brain.
No further comment is possible.

Voyou Charmant June 25, 2008 at 7:16 pm

I am not even sure what he is making fun of. That Al Franken moved away? That Al Franken dared to live in the same city that he was working? That Al Franken had a nice apt? That Al Franken likes complicated and disgusting sounding coffee?

I can’t wait to see Franken’s ads.

obfuscator June 25, 2008 at 7:56 pm

This just in: Republicans will always suck at being funny and utilizing the internet, always & forever.

Also, that Susanna Hoffs & Matthew Sweet covers album is pretty wonderful.

qwerty42 June 25, 2008 at 8:11 pm

[re=24497]AxmxZ[/re]: kossu? Well, in Wisconsin it is beer.

hopeforbill June 25, 2008 at 8:45 pm

[re=24493]graceless[/re]: funny peculiar, not funny haha.

DoctorCulturae June 25, 2008 at 10:02 pm

Coleman: no issues, no record, and most importantly funny for all the wrong reasons.

Lazy Media June 25, 2008 at 10:13 pm

I don’t care who you are, that was funny. And I like Al Franken bunches and bunches. But that shit was funny.

Keram2 June 25, 2008 at 10:16 pm

I love this. It’s like when you’re having an argument with someone crazy, and instead of addressing their stupid points, you just recite what they said in a funny voice. Sure, you didn’t prove them wrong, but you sure as shit pissed them off. And isn’t that why we argue anyway?

Cathangover June 25, 2008 at 11:12 pm

Why doesn’t Coleman just bring up the time Franken and his buddy negligently allowed the gorilla mix-up in “Trading Places”? One of them was obviously a costume.

weirdiowasculpture June 25, 2008 at 11:49 pm

I think the idea was that Al Franken is sort of a carpetbagger, but this ad spews so much hate with the accent and all that it makes me loathe Norm Coleman even more.

AlexisHidell June 26, 2008 at 12:37 am

If I were Franken’s campaign manager, here’s the commercial I’d make: I’d paste googley eyes on a Summer’s Eve douchebag and shoddily animate a mouth on it, then as the camera moved in close it would say in a high-pitched, Mr. Bill-esque voice: “I’m Noooorm Coooooleman. Thank god Karl Rove and pals had Paul Wellstone offed back in 2002! You Minnesotans all have dumb accents and eat lutefisk! My wife is in the kitchen where she belongs! Vote for meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”

gurukalehuru June 26, 2008 at 1:12 am

So, he left Minnesota to live for a while out of state, because he became successful and famous,like Garrison Keillor,Bob Dylan and Jesse Ventura.

ThreeFingersNeat June 26, 2008 at 9:05 am

[re=24502]thefrontpage[/re]: So Nader is the gateway candidate?

[re=24522]Inadequate Blackmail[/re]: Walk Like a Minnesotan?

artbot2000 June 26, 2008 at 10:10 am

[re=24895]AlexisHidell[/re]:

Well, that would be swell Alexis, and I’m sure we all want to see that, but Young Al is running for the Senate. I’m sure we all have advice to give him and we are all looking forward to sharing that with him after the show, I’m sure.

MY advice is the same advice I always give Democrats running in swing states: Fly Commercial.

[re=24951]ThreeFingersNeat[/re]:

Ooh yah, but FOUR fingers, now you’re talking.

The Neoskeptic June 26, 2008 at 10:12 am

[re=24544]Harvey Birdman[/re]: It’s bush league psych-out stuff!

artbot2000 June 26, 2008 at 10:25 am

Re. the ad itself: Since a loose reading of prior posts has not turned up the term DOUCHENOZZLE, let me be the first. Norm is a douchenozzle. His only hope for reelection is if he stays within ten points going into November and THEN Franken is taken out by some freak bong accident or a doubleknit explosion at a tractor pull.

WHO can be funny about Minnesota? Many have tried and all have failed. Wisconsin, however…. but seriously, folks, Young Norman will be lucky to win forty percent of his own block in Saint Paul. Make that thirty-five. Maybe not so funny, but when you’re working with douchenozzles, funny is a come and go kinda thing.

thatwriterdude July 10, 2008 at 7:01 pm

I was in Laurie’s acting class in Hollywood back in 2002. No one had any clue she was married to Norm Coleman until he won his Senate seat and she dropped out suddenly to go play his wife. We thought it was a joke until there she was a couple days later on tv by his side as if they loved each other. They had been living apart for years. Their marriage is a complete sham.

She never wore a wedding ring, and never spoke of a husband. Ever. We all assumed she was single; especially since she was flirtatious with the guys in the class (had she not been so much older than myself, I could have, and would have; in a word, she was horny — that’s all I’m gonna say). She was as wooden as one would expect a model to be — emotionless and aloof, there because she had money and free time; i.e., a serious actor’s worst nightmare if you had the misfortune of having to do a scene with her.

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