<

Veterans Criticize Coleman Ad that Attacks Wellstone
Tuesday, October 1, 2002
By Mark Brunswick
Star Tribune Staff

"Even if we disagree on whether and when we should use force in Iraq, we should all be able to agree that a decision as important as this one should not be dictated by political consideration not just because of a hotly contested Senate race," former Sen. Dave Durenberger said in a statement.

A group of veterans supporting U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone denounced Republican challenger Norm Coleman's latest television advertisement Monday, saying the ad, which criticizes Wellstone's votes on military spending and veterans' benefits, distorts the Democratic senator's record.

Wellstone's record on military spending during his two Senate terms has increasingly become the focus of attention as a possible vote on military action against Iraq looms.

The Coleman ad, which began airing over the weekend, says Wellstone voted against funding for defense appropriation bills, military pay raises and major weapons systems that were employed in Afghanistan, such as the B-2 Stealth bomber. The ad, repeating claims Coleman has made on the campaign trail since June, also criticizes Wellstone for voting against pay raises for soldiers 13 times and against health benefits for veterans.

"If he's not fighting for them ... ask Wellstone: Who are you fighting for?" the ad says.

Several veterans who support Wellstone said the ad implies that the senator is unpatriotic, and they urged other veterans to call on TV stations to pull the ad.

"For Norm Coleman to come out and say that Senator Wellstone is unpatriotic is just an out and out lie," Richard Bergling, past Minnesota president of the Vietnam Veterans of America, said at a State Capitol news conference.

* Pork-barrel spending?
* Moore on civil liberties
(More: StarTribune.com News Source)
2002 © The Star Tribune.

Dan