Vermont is a so deep blue as to be almost black, and so very few places in America replicate Vermont’s self-inflicted Left-on-Left wounds. But Minnesota is one of them.

Going back to last year, one of VDB’s fondest dreams was an Al Franken candidacy out in Minnesota. We had all sorts of visions: Harold Ramis running a series of “Groundhog Day”-style attack ads against Norm Coleman, The Daily Show shooting live from the dumpster into which Coleman famously fell, or the pizza joint outside which Coleman’s father was caught getting some extra toppings on his ‘za.

But there’s trouble in Frankenland: Al’s primary opponent Mike Ciresi is now arguing to Minnesotan DFLers that Franken — one of the country’s most outspoken and influential anti-Iraq voices — is a Johnny-come-lately on this anti-War stuff, and can’t be trusted.

In short, Ciresi maintains that Franken is not Left enough, and basically indistinguishable from Coleman.

Honest, that’s the guy’s pitch.

Jesus, that gives VDB an odd case of deja vu.