Sen. Norm Coleman doesn't like the tasteless comic books attacking Al Franken sent out by the National Republican Senatorial Committee to Minnesotans, notes the Pioneer Press blog Political Animal, and the senator said so in a message to the group:

"The piece itself is something that simply should never made it to the mail. The direct mail piece, which comes in the form of something that looks like a comic book, focuses on Mr. Franken's repeated efforts at comedy using jokes about rape, child abuse and other degrading commentary during his career," Coleman wrote.

"A piece of direct mail, dealing with this subject matter, that could be viewed as a comic book by children is something that is just not acceptable. I'm astonished that anyone would have used such poor judgment. There's no excuse for any effort to make a joke out of rape or child abuse — there's also no excuse for the type of direct mail piece that was sent to the people of my state.

"It is my hope that you will make it clear, in whatever legal means are available to you, that such direct mail is unacceptable. And, if anymore remains to be mailed, that it be collected and destroyed."