My NARN colleague Michael Brodkorb has been beating up the Franken campaign like Mikek Tyson going over an errant waiter.<\/p>\n
Now, even the AP is on the story, with this piece by the AP’s Pat Condon (with whom we’ve visited in the past) on Brodkorb and his MO:<\/p>\n
From the kitchen table in his tranquil suburban neighborhood, Brodkorb for the last year has used his blog “Minnesota<\/a> Democrats Exposed” to launch a furious political assault on Franken. He’s labeled the former comedian and liberal commentator a “mean-spirited and un-Minnesotan” candidate who’s running a “desperate and ridiculous” campaign.<\/p>\n
That’s routine stuff in the world of political blogging, but in the last two months Brodkorb has scored two direct hits that have the Franken campaign reeling. Brodkorb scooped the traditional media by detailing extensive bookkeeping problems in New York<\/a> and California<\/a> that ultimately prompted Franken, this week, to pay about $70,000 in back taxes to 17 states.<\/p>\n
The stories have knocked Franken off balance as he prepares to take on Sen. Norm Coleman, in what’s expected to be one of the most expensive and toughest-fought U.S. Senate races this year.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
I loved this next bit (emphasis added by me):<\/p>\n
Democrats have tried to downplay Brodkorb by portraying him as part of coordinated Republican attacks.<\/p>\n
“When people talk about the right wing noise machine, that’s what it is,” said Franken spokesman Andy Barr.<\/p>\n
But even some of his harshest critics admit Brodkorb, who has no real counterweight on the left<\/strong>, has been effective.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
No counterweight.\u00a0 I love that.\u00a0 And ain’t it the truth.<\/p>\n