Editorial for June 10

Let’s hope for spirited, constructive U.S. Senate race
Now that the two major parties have endorsed their candidates for U.S. Senate from Minnesota — Democrat Al Franken over the weekend, Republican Norm Coleman the previous weekend — we have some high hopes for the coming campaign.

These are two familiar, prominent men, and if they do it right, this could be a campaign that rivets the state for a while. Maybe even lead to meaningful changes in federal government, and certainly more civic involvement in Minnesota.

They've already got our attention, one could say, by simply being who they are — Franken the famous humorist, Coleman the former mayor and sitting senator — but they should now capitalize on the fame to engage us in vital, constructive debate.

They've got the capabilities to do so. Franken is a great speaker, Coleman an energetic one. They both have firm beliefs on core issues, and both strive to make connections with parts of their audience.

We're not asking for Lincoln-Douglas, but maybe something close — something where the two men's well-crafted oratory skills can carry all of us into caring about this election.

We've already seen some potential for distraction, but we urge the candidates and their supporters to not wallow long in that direction, but rather give us spirited campaigning on the major issues of the day.

We're talking the war, the economy, health care and, from our perspective, critical rural issues such as transportation, jobs, ag and infrastructure.

It would be great to see the 2008 campaign defined by a series of energetic debates by Franken and Coleman on those issues, and also to see them campaign individually at a higher plane than typical modern politics. As they traverse the state, can they stir us to be engaged and can they show us how they, as senator, would wield the clout to state and national benefit?

Yeah, that's asking a lot. But then these are two men who like to talk like they think big — if they think so, then they should be willing to try to lift us all.

We challenge them to do so.

We'd like to see a series of debates at regional centers around the state. Individual policy speeches at regional centers. We'd like specifics on each man's approach to the war, their thoughts on how the economy is hurting average Minnesotans, and especially what they would or could do to help on the most troubling domestic issue, health care.

To get an early look, we can check the candidates' Web sites. Coleman is at www.ColemanforSenate.com. Franken is at www.alfranken.com.

That's a good start. But with two men so comfortable in the public eye, the state should expect a whole lot more in coming months. Lively debate, proposals for real solutions, and the kind of energy that becomes a vortex that draws all of us voters in.

America is in a period where we needed committed and informed voters, where the choices of this fall will have great impact on our lives. The Senate race is an ideal opportunity to connect voters and candidates.