Mike McFadden on Homeland Security

Combat propaganda & recruiting by the Islamic State

Mike McFadden, the Republican, has accused Democratic incumbent Sen. Al Franken of failing to stop Minnesota from becoming a recruiting ground for extremists, and this week he released his own plan to combat propaganda and recruiting campaigns by the Islamic State, Somalia-based Al Shabab and other Islamist organizations aimed at Minnesota immigrant young people.

Franken, who is finishing his first term, counters that he's been on top of the issue for years. McFadden argues that Franken--and the Obama administration as a whole--have not done enough to stop the trend.

We need a national strategy against ISIS, and don't have one

Franken countered that he pressed the FBI and US Justice Department to focus more resources to crack down on terrorist recruitment. Franken said McFadden last year ducked a question on what action to take after Syrian President Bashar Assad was believed to have used chemical weapons on his own people. "He refused to answer because it was a tough call," Franken said. "It is easy to score political points from the bleachers. This is a serious job. You've got to make real choices in real time."