"It takes bulldog courage to overcome obstacles," said Sen. Norm Coleman this afternoon at the Conservative Heartland Leadership Conference in St. Louis, Mo., an event which American Issues Project sponsored. Encouraging conservatives with an incredible sense of optimism--both for the future of America and the outcome for his own, still-undecided Senate race--Coleman encouraged the crowd to "outwork our competition" and added that "a single act of goodness can tip the scales."
As mayor of St. Paul from 1994-2002, Coleman pointed out that he never raised taxes. Without his leadership, the capital city of Minnesota might be facing bankruptcy today. Having switched parties in 1996, he was reelected as a Republican--a feat virtually unheard of in America's major cities. Thus, Sen. Coleman was the perfect spokesperson for much-needed optimism at today's event.
"I’ve been counting and recounting my blessings," Coleman joked. Though a small panel of judges ruled Al Franken won the 2008 contest for Senate, Coleman is waiting for the Minnesota Supreme Court to determine whether 4,400 absentee ballots--mostly from Republican areas--will be counted. "I have a lot of faith. Whether your vote counts shouldn’t depend on where you live." Coleman added that he is "a man of great faith" and "very hopeful and confident."
The senator encouraged conservatives to have faith, too. "Political movements are like rivers," he said. "They start small, as all really important things do … and [ultimately] gain strength more powerful than its source."
Sen. Coleman stated unequivocally that Obama is "dead wrong" on domestic and international issues and expressed concern for “a foreign policy predicated on wanting to be liked rather than respected.”
Coleman emphasized principles of action amidst this grassroots-focused crowd, urging conservatives to identify modern-day Jack Kemps, mobilize in blue and purple states and hold elected officials accountable for their actions. He also focused on the strength of ideas over hype and personality. "Conservative principles have stood the test of time," Coleman said. "The American people agree with us, but they like the president. ... We need to find ways to more optimistically promote our vision."
Conservatives should be optimistic about the future of America because of its young people, Sen. Coleman suggested, adding that the younger generations in America will be unwilling to accept excessive government intrusion into their lives and, for example, control of their health care. "Young people are self-directed. If they want to travel, they don’t call a travel agent; they go online to Expedia and figure it out themselves," he said. Not only is this cause for hope, but it further
demonstrates the need for increased resources for and the importance of online activism--what he calls
the "grass e-roots"--particularly as it relates to reaching young
people. "E-politics is the name of the game and we have to learn it," adding that Republicans need to reach people where they spend their time--within online social networks.
After his speech, Sen. Coleman spoke to Jim Hoft, columnist for American Issues Project and proprietor of the popular blog, Gateway Pundit, about this need to focus energy and resources online--and then connect those resources with offline action, as well as the future of the American conservative movement. You can watch that short video clip here.
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See also:
Zombie Robbery... 2,812 Dead Voters May Give MN Senate Seat to Franken
Conservative Heartland Leadership Conference-- Norm Coleman Speaks on Future of GOP (Video) ...Update: 2,812 Dead People Voted!