*Coleman* says he may vote against Chertoff

[Dickie Flatt]

Give it a few days and I'm sure this will all blow over.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/10799414.htm?1c

Sen. Norm Coleman said Wednesday he was not willing to support Homeland Security nominee Michael Chertoff because of security funding cuts to the Twin Cities, signaling a rare public breach with the Bush administration.

"I'm not prepared to cast a vote for him," Coleman told The Associated Press after Chertoff's confirmation hearing. "This has nothing to do with him. I am angry with the stupidity of the Department of Homeland Security somehow separating Minneapolis and St. Paul in funding for urban security grants." ...

Coleman, R-Minn., said he was hopeful that the issue could be resolved ahead of next week's vote in the Government Affairs Committee, on which he serves. ...

"I don't like protest votes, but this action is so personal, and so foolish," said Coleman, a former mayor of St. Paul.

[Nitrogenica]

1. Gimme a break. There must be some seedy catalyst for him to

say this. I can't trust this extremist flip-flopper. He has become Bush's lap dog.

[latteromden]

2. The whole statement sounds ridiculously childish and out of character.

I doubt he'll follow through with it, though.

[mediaman007]

3. Don't think that Coleman hasn't cleared his actions with the White House

and Senate Republicans. When the bean counters check the votes and discover that Chertoff will be confirmed, a wink and nod will head Norm's way.

Instead of Chertoff, Norm should be telling Bush* and his administration to resign. He was pretty tough on Kofi Annan over the Oil for Food scandal, but when the administration loses 9 billion dollars in Iraq, Norm's pretty quiet.