A mea-mea culpa?

I've been pretty harsh on Norm Coleman, and his decision to side with democrats in signing on to the Webb amendment the other day, was to me, the proverbial last straw.

But who should turn me around on the subject, but Andy Aplikowski:

Here’s another piece that center right folks to consider if they think Norm Coleman has picked up the white flag of defeat and is preparing to wave it.

“We are going to be in Iraq a long time. I am not supporting dates, specific dates, timetables for withdrawal,” he said. “When my colleagues on the other side of the aisle talk about redeployment, they are talking about getting out of Iraq. I’m not. And simply because that’s the reality.”

Those who say U.S. troops must be out of Iraq by September are “missing reality,” he said.

Coleman, like some of his Republican colleagues also up for re-election in 2008, has been under pressure from largely Democratic-friendly groups and Democratic opponents to change his views on the Iraq war.

Why would leftist pacifist pro-Democrat groups and Democrat candidates themselves target Coleman on the war if he was going to vote their way?

My thinking is that they want to target Coleman as insurance to push him over to their side of the fence; but I respect Aplikowski's assessment. Norm has been anything but solid on many of his stances to this point; and I think I'll take a "trust but verify" approach.

I will gladly (and hope to be) proven wrong.

Prove me wrong, Norm. Please.