Coleman Supports Bi-Partisan Measure Condemning MoveOn's Personal Attack on General Petraeus

Calls on Franken and Ciresi to End Silence

St. Paul - Joining a bipartisan coalition including 71 of his colleagues from both sides of the aisle, Senator Coleman today voted for a measure condemning MoveOn's vicious personal attack. The measure expresses the sense of the Senate that Petraeus "deserves the full support of the Senate," and goes on to "strongly condemn personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all members of the Unite States armed forces."

Earlier this week, Senator Coleman called on both DFL candidates opposing him to refute MoveOn's attack, and repeated the call today:

"It's unfortunate that neither Al Franken nor Mike Ciresi can summon the courage to reject MoveOn's deliberate smear attack on General Petraeus. The Senate did the right thing and moved forward in a bipartisan way to condemn the attacks - Franken and Ciresi need to do the right thing and repudiate them as well."

Franken has long been a supporter of MoveOn, supporting them financially, and helping them fundraise. Ciresi seemed to have condemned the ad in a statement issued last week, but then retracted it.

"Al Franken can continue to call for cutting off financial support for American troops in Iraq, and Mike Ciresi can continue his support for beginning an immediate withdrawal of American troops, but they should join me and an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the Senate in repudiating the attacks of groups like MoveOn, which devalue the crucial debate over Iraq."