Comments on: Franken-Coleman Recount Update, 01/08/09: How Far Will It Go?

By: cinnamonape

cinnamonape — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 17:12:12 +0000

The way I figure it, the right-wing catcalls will likely have no effect on Pawlenty, who soon will be left as the only state without two sitting Senators. Pawlenty will likely be compelled to go along with the Democrats “provisionally” seating Franken. Is there any sort of a deadline on the Governor with-holding his signature from a candidate certified as the winner. I know he has a week in which to allow individual challenges by VOTERS regarding their ballots. But is he mandated to sign the certification if those are “moot” to the final outcome? Is he legally required to withhold his signature if an opposing candidate decides to file a frivolous lawsuit? That seems an absurd situation. It would give all sorts of latitude for a Governor of one party to keep out a Senate victor of the other party in perpetuity. They could even have some minor party file the suit and hide behind their skirts. Would Minnesota law allow such a violation of the will of the people?

Personally, if Coleman’s lawsuit is going to cost millions I hope that the right-wing mouthpieces raise a lot of cold hard cash for him and see it get flushed down the legal toilet.

By: JohnEmerson

JohnEmerson — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 12:24:03 +0000

It might be worth it to he Republicans just to delay Franken’s seating for 2-3 months while Obama is trying to get his program through. And the allegations of fraud will go over with the demented Republican base, though it may backfire with everyone else by now. Few Minnesota Republicans are pushing the “stolen election”, but Coulter, Hannity, O’Reilly, Limbaugh, Lott, and the WSJ don’t let that slow them down.

I’m still wondering how The Village will treat this. The honest story will be “Franken won a close race after a very careful recount”, but they’re going to be tempted by the “After an interminable and flawed recount, Al Franken has been named US Senator from Minnesota, and we’ll probably never know who really won”. Because that would be balanced.

The main thing is to seat Franken, but the post-election spin tells you something about whether we’ll still be playing under Clinton Rules.

Note that, for all the talk about crazies on the internet and the know-nothing Republican base, the worst slime comes from national media, including the WSJ, which is America’s #2 or #3 newspaper.

By: newtonusr

newtonusr — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 08:20:00 +0000

LOL!

By: Teddy Partridge

Teddy Partridge — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 08:18:37 +0000

Coleman used to be a Democrat, right?
That’s probably what’s keeping Harry Reid from seating him.

By: Teddy Partridge

Teddy Partridge — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 08:17:45 +0000

WSJ probably took stoopit Malkin’s word for it. Idiots.

By: cherveny

cherveny — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 06:37:30 +0000

Hehe, a number of people on various sites have made that comment, about how he really is burning his bridges with the public. I guess he’s just counting on retiring from politics if he loses. Either that, or he’s trying to build up Republican brownie points, till he has enough to redeem for an appointed position, once a Republican has office again.

By: oldgold

oldgold — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 06:09:21 +0000

As someone who has detested Coleman for over 3 decades, I am happy to see him fight on.

Why?

Coleman’s conduct over the past week has demonstrated for all to see that he is a world class self-aggrandizing hypocrite. In so doing, this mountebank has destroyed any future he might have had in politics. Good riddance.

By: newtonusr

newtonusr — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 05:59:55 +0000

Let them ~~piss away~~ spend all they want.

By: cherveny

cherveny — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 05:59:02 +0000

I wonder how long people will continue to contribute money to an obviously losing cause (Coleman’s legal bills). Even those who are the most pro-Republican/anti-Democrat have to get fatigue with these childish games eventually.

By: bluejeansntshirt

bluejeansntshirt — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:56:35 +0000

DIGG is open.

Thank you PW.