Coleman launches astroturf campaign

The spin surrounding the contested U.S. Senate results, Paul Demko wrote yesterday, is irrelevant: “The only votes that matter now are those of the three district court judges on the panel.” Still, Norm Coleman’s campaign has followed up its weekend video with an email to supporters this morning essentially calling for an astroturf campaign. While the missive doesn’t include talking points, it includes plenty of repetition to underscore key themes: The term “valid vote” appears six times, while the concept of “having your voice heard” is repeated seven times, in addition to the email’s subject line — the strategy seems to be to imply that the will of voters is being ignored in this process. Posted in full after the jump, the email includes links to mainstream media sites and blogs, from the Star Tribune to Politico to the Minnesota Independent, so supporters can “log on, and link in and give your voice the sound we need to hear!” (Huh?)

The Star Tribune gets a specific call-out:

For example, on the Star Tribune site, www.startribune.com, you not only have the option of posting your own comment on any story that has to do with Senator Coleman or the recount — but you can vote on whether or not you like the comments others make about the story.

All you have to do is open the story, and see the reader comments on each story. A simple log in and registration, and you are on your way to making your voice heard!

An email to Al Franken’s campaign, asking if they’re planning a similar mailing, has not yet been returned.

Full text of the Coleman campaign email:

Dear Friend,

As you know, the contest phase of the Minnesota Recount started yesterday. Already it is clear that the Franken Campaign will continue its effort to block every valid vote from counting. His attorneys have made it clear that they have one goal, and one goal only: To stop every valid vote from counting, and to prevent every valid vote from counting only once.

More and more people are realizing that this election is far from over. And, more and more people are recognizing that if this contest phase is done correctly it is very likely that the results from election night will be the same at the end of this contest: A re-election of Norm Coleman to the United States Senate.

You’ve been so much help already, but, now we need your help even more. As the Franken legal team ramps up its efforts to block every valid vote from counting, the collective efforts of the national Democratic machine, combined with the Franken Campaign, are doing all they can to influence public opinion.

Whether it’s the blogs, or the newspapers or talk radio, we need your voices to be heard. A letter to the editor. A post on a blog. A call to a radio talk show. Or, even a post to places like the Star Tribune reader comment section on stories about the trial are critically important.

All it takes is a computer, and a minute or two of your time each day to let your voice be heard. We’ve all worked so hard to make sure Norm Coleman was re-elected on Election Day.

We’ve got to keep working hard to make sure that he is re-elected…again.

Below, we’ve listed a number of links that you can access online from your computer and the internet. Each and everyone of these publications gives you an opportunity to have your voice heard. And, now, more than ever, we need your voice to be heard.

Please take the time to log on, and link in and give your voice the sound we need to hear! The sound of victory and the sound of all valid votes being counted – and all valid votes being counted only once.

For example, on the Star Tribune site, www.startribune.com, you not only have the option of posting your own comment on any story that has to do with Senator Coleman or the recount — but you can vote on whether or not you like the comments others make about the story.

All you have to do is open the story, and see the reader comments on each story. A simple log in and registration, and you are on your way to making your voice heard!

It’s a great way to have your voice heard — and make sure that someone else isn’t getting in the last word!

Thank you for your help and commitment!

- Team Coleman

Team Coleman

LETTER TO EDITOR LINKS

http://mpls.startribune.com/dynamic/feedback/form.php?opinion=1

letters@pioneerpress.com

MN NEWS

www.pioneerpress.com

www.startribune.com

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/

http://www.minnpost.com/

http://www.kare11.com/

http://wcco.com/

http://kstp.com/

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/myfox/

NATIONAL NEWS/BLOGS

http://www.politico.com/

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/

http://thehill.com/

MN BLOGS

http://www.minnesotademocratsexposed.com/index.php

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/polinaut/

http://blogs.twincities.com/politics/

http://minnesotaindependent.com/

http://mnpublius.com/