rachel stassen-berger

Community papers can’t catch a break: As the Minneapolis paper formerly known at The Bridge shuts down — even, apparently, online — a paper that stopped publishing two years finds itself on the receiving end of a lawsuit. Also, to sidestep mayhem at health care forums, local social media experts are trying a more civil exchange online.

As both sides in the Norm Coleman-Al Franken U.S. Senate dispute await the election-contest court’s climactic ruling that could come at any time (like maybe today … please?), here’s a quick review of what else has been going on: partisan sideshows, another newspaper editorial, and a call for the media to call it like it is — Coleman lost.

When it comes to rejection and Norm Coleman’s campaign, Noah Kunin knows a thing or two. As senior political correspondent for The UpTake, he’s seen his questions ignored at Coleman press conferences; his colleagues have been refused access to campaign “media availabilities”; and the state GOP chair called The UpTake a “partisan, liberal blog” as a way of attacking Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, who referenced The UpTake’s video feeds in an email.

But what Kunin wasn’t prepared for was the rejection of his absentee ballot.

Two Star Tribune reporters have answered the charges former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman made yesterday against them. Coleman told WCCO-TV the reporters ambushed him last October with questions about alleged money funneling and implied they intended to deliver a performance before partisan cameras that would provide footage for an eleventh-hour attack ad.
Paul McEnroe and Tony Kennedy said today they [...]