Norm Coleman in 2008 MN Senate Debates

On Energy & Oil: Helped pass wind-power tax credits for energy independence

Turning to Coleman, Franken said: “There was no reason to do that to get wind credits unless you had senators who took money from big oil companies.”

On Principles & Values: Experience needed to forge deals about real problems

Coleman responded that “It’s easy from the cheap seats to throw shots,” and said that Barkley and Franken lack his experience and his understanding of what it takes to forge deals in the hard-ball partisan atmosphere of Washington.

Responding to Barkley’s charge that he was beholden to big oil companies and other special interests, Coleman said Barkley is one to talk; he worked as a tobacco lobbyist. “We have real problems out there, real challenges,” Coleman said. “In the end it’s about who can work out there and who can solve it.”

The candidates agreed that Congress needs to work to regain the trust of the American people. Coleman reminded the audience that he pulled his negative ads last week because he didn’t want to add to peoples’ discomfort. Franken countered, “Sen. Coleman ran millions of dollars of negative ads against me, and they backfired, so he stopped running them.”

On War & Peace: The surge in Iraq succeeded; failure isn’t an option

Coleman responded: “I will not tell the parents of any kid who has died in Iraq that their son died because of a mistake. I simply will not do that.” He said the surge in Iraq succeeded in allowing “the forces of moderation to triumph over extremism,” and that “failure isn’t an option” in the continued battle against terrorism.