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St. Cloud State University
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Coleman charges campus
Thursday stop at SCSU one of last for Coleman's campaign
By Eric O'Link
Published:
Monday, October 28, 2002
Media Credit: Eric O'Link
Republican senate candidate Norm Coleman spoke at an SCSU rally Thursday night. Coleman suspended all campaign activities following the Friday news of Sen. Paul Wellstone’s death.
The night before Sen. Paul Wellstone's plane crashed into a northern Minnesota forest, killing all aboard including the senator, the Minnesota Senate race was still business as usual — and as close as ever.
Norm Coleman, former St. Paul mayor and the Republican candidate in the Senate race, stopped at SCSU Thursday night and spoke to an enthusiastic crowd as part of his college tour. Earlier in the day, Coleman had been at St. Mary's University of Minnesota in Winona and St. Olaf College in Northfield.
After completing an interview with ABC-TV in the Atwood Brickyard, Coleman spoke to an energetic group of about 40 students and supporters.
The crowd chanted "We want Norm!" as Coleman took the podium, prompting him to begin his speech jokingly, "There must be a lot of hockey fans at St. Cloud State."
As Coleman spoke, he outlined some of the differences between himself and his opponents and encouraged students to do all they could to spread the word about his campaign. He also shared some of his past with students; he talked about attending Woodstock and being a college activist in the 1960s.
"Along with my books, I carried a bullhorn," he recalled. "You never knew when a protest might break out."
Coleman's claim to fame is his record as St. Paul mayor. In an eight-year term, during which he switched political affiliation from Democrat to Republican in a largely Democratic city, he did not raise taxes and created 18,000 jobs. He also spearheaded efforts to bring professional hockey back to Minnesota and did so — the Minnesota Wild — after the Xcel Energy Center was built.
Coleman said as a senator, he would be prepared to "get things done," and take responsibility if he did not follow through, instead of blaming someone else.
"I'm not pointing blame," he told University Chronicle. "You need to take responsibility; you make your pledges, you make your commitments and you live by them."
When asked, Coleman also clarified some accusations made against him. For example, he said he did not have anything to do with Enron.
"After I left the mayor's office," he said, "I got a job with a law firm: 70 lawyers, five in government relations — not me, by the way. Before I joined the firm, they had at one time done work for Enron at the Legislature. They had stopped by the time that I got there, so I have no connection."
Coleman also dispelled a claim that he wanted to log the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota as inaccurate.
"I am not for logging in the BWCA; I wanted to get rid of the blowdown," he said.
University Chronicle also asked Coleman his thoughts about the controversial "Catholics for Coleman" campaign signs that have recently appeared around St. Cloud. Some have complained that the signs imply that Coleman is officially endorsed by the Catholic Church, which cannot endorse political candidates.
"Some say, 'Is that an endorsement from the Church?'" Coleman said. "Well, I don't know; if I've got Democrats for Coleman, does the Democratic Party endorse me? I don't think so. I think people can organize and whatever the banner is, if it gets them fired up to vote, it's a blessing for everybody."
Coleman said he is a good choice for SCSU voters who are thinking about the future.
"The college students who are attracted to me are attracted because they're actually thinking when they get out of school, they'd like to pay off their debt," he said. "They'd like to have less debt. They'd like to have a job. They look and say, 'Who's the guy who is most likely to give me at least an opportunity so I can get on my feet after I spend my years here?' I'm really impressed by that, because that's a little forward thinking. You're not just living for today."
Then he smiled and added another reason: "(Because) they like hockey."
After the rally, Coleman spent about a half-hour meeting and talking with students and autographing campaign signs and shirts.
Students at the Coleman rally were thrilled that he came to SCSU.
"We knew we'd have some excited college students here to support Norm," said SCSU sophomore Justin Byma, an economics major and the president of College Republicans. "I think Norm really reaches the younger voters, and I think we saw that here tonight."
Byma's wife, Betsy, also a sophomore and political science major, agreed.
"I thought it was a great rally," she said. "He was positive, he was optimistic; he really livened up the crowd."
International business major Josh Severson, another sophomore, said he was glad that Coleman came out. Severson said he supported Coleman because, "I'm a big supporter of tax cuts. I've paid my fair share."
Senior Sara Hippert, also in political science, said she liked Coleman's jokes.
"I like to see him in person and see that he's a warm, caring guy," she said.
The SCSU rally was one of the last events Coleman attended before Wellstone's death.
Not long after the news broke, Coleman directed his campaign to suspend all activities. Political ads for Coleman and those against Wellstone were pulled from television and radio, and the Coleman campaign's Web site was replaced with a statement from Coleman:
"The people of Minnesota have experienced a terrible, unimaginable tragedy. Laurie and I are deeply saddened about the death of Sen. Paul Wellstone, Sheila and their daughter Marcia, members of their campaign staff and the pilots. The entire Wellstone family has been selfless public servants who embodied the best of Minnesota. Laurie and I wish to extend our deepest sympathy and heartfelt prayers to the entire Wellstone family and to all families who have been impacted by this terrible tragedy
