Coleman-Franken feud boils over at final debate

Months of tension between Republican Sen. Norm Coleman and his Democratic rival, Al Franken, burst into open acrimony during the last debate of the campaign Sunday night as they traded heated accusations about allegations made in a lawsuit against the incumbent.

It started immediately, and Coleman denied taking money or gifts from supporters without disclosing it. That charge stems from sworn statements in a lawsuit filed last week in Texas claiming Coleman’s friend and donor Nasser Kazeminy funneled $75,000 to a business that employs Coleman’s wife in order to enrich the senator.

“The answer is no,” Coleman said when asked whether the allegations were true. He then swung back to his charge that Franken was responsible for a TV ad about the allegations, which shows a clip of reporters asking Coleman about the alleged payments to his wife’s employer -- and which the senator said defames her.

Franken’s campaign isn’t running the ad, which is paid for by Democrats in Washington.

“You have an ad that’s defaming my wife,” Coleman said. “I think there’s a line in this business. You can take any shot you want at the candidate. Mr. Franken, rather than rejecting it, is promoting it.”

Franken replied that Coleman must answer questions about the allegations -- and rejected the idea that discussion of it is an attack on Laurie Coleman. “This is not about Norm Coleman’s wife,” Franken said. “This is about Sen. Coleman’s sugar daddy.”

But that didn’t end the recriminations. For the first time in five debates, Coleman criticized Franken on an issue other Republicans hammered for months -- that statements and writings in his careers as a comedian and writer betrayed an angry sensibility unsuited to the Senate.

“I think folks have a right to look at the character, to look at the record,” Coleman said. “Jokes about rape, is that a line? Writing pornography for Playboy, is that a line? Calling a Supreme Court justice sexist, is that a line?”

The sniping left a wide opening for the third candidate at the debate, the Independence Party’s Dean Barkley, who is gaining in the polls. He presented his candidacy as an alternative for voters tired of what he called “the most negative campaign in Minnesota’s history.”

“I ask people, do you think either Al or Norm will change the way Washington works?” Barkley said. “That’s a question you have to ask yourself.”

On the issues, Franken said his main goal would be “getting the economy back on track.” Coleman said he wanted to be a part of changing the divisive tone in Washington and accomplishing common goals.

Barkley emphasized the need to rein in spending. He said that in each of his past runs for office, dating to 1992, he has warned of the dangers of a spiraling deficit.