Norman, is that you?

Earlier this week, MinnPost’s Eric Black was optimistic that Norm Coleman really wasn’t going to try to wring every last little bit of delay from the Senate contest endgame:

It will be of modest interest to note how many of the 10 days Team Coleman takes to file. He has said on the radio that he will not need 10 days. It is just a notice, which can be filled out quickly and easily, not the appeal brief.

Many Dems have stated, as if it were a proven fact, that Coleman knows he cannot win and is continuing the case solely and despicably to delay the inevitable seating of Franken. I am aware of no evidence to support this fairly serious allegation of abuse of process. Coleman did not take the maximum 10 days after the Canvassing Board’s final action to file his notice of contest — in fact he filed it on Day One. His trial team could easily have dragged the contest trial out longer by putting more invididual voters on the stand, and, in fact, Team C seems to have blundered by not doing so. Certainly, it was not a decision consistent with a strategy of maximum delay. If Coleman waits until day 10 to file his notice, I will consider that the first dilatory tactic. If he files in the first days of the window, will his critics concede that he has passed up a chance to delay the case further?

Well, the smart money says he’s going to be more dilatory than prompt.  According to The UpTake this morning, Coleman’s spokesperson, Bogus Ben Ginsberg, is already saying that the appeal may not be filed until next week. 

Meanwhile, speaking of dragging things out:  The Texas Kazeminy case is being pushed back another month, even as Norm tells us all not to read too much into his refusal to discuss whether or not the FBI’s been talking to him about it.