THIS IS EXCELLENT NEWS!! FOR NORM!!!

!!!COLEMENTUM™!!!!

The world according the Republicans:

Supreme Court rules for Bush in 2000. Good.

Minnesota Supreme Court rules against Coleman in 2008. Bad!

If and when Franken takes his seat, I sincerely hope he turns into a serious Senator.

Norm, please give your state a big Christmas present and concede -- now.

Let the "Al Franken Decade" begin!

Franken a serious Senator?

It seems as if he is pretty serious in that he went through the seemingly arduous process of insisting on a recount in all its ups-and-downs, moving his case through various court challenges and just refusing to lose.

I remember Randi Rhodes complaining that Franken got most of the Air America perks of a "headliner" when he really wasn't a "radio" guy.

Well, I suppose his program could be a snoozer, especially in comparison to Rhodes and other true "radio people." He seemed to be sincerely interested in the ins-and-outs of public policy. A little bit of a know-it-all (I'm remembering a particularly obnoxious interview he did w/our mayor Shirley Franklin), but I'm still glad he's winning?/won?

He beats the hell out of what my state just sent back to the Senate!

Congratluations (I hope!) to Al Franken.

Thanks for being a serious candidate and not giving up...

We don't know yet if more Improperly Rejected Absentee Ballots will be sent-for-counting from Democratic counties or from Republican counties.

Al Franken isn't certain to be certified.

Who will win court cases after certification is another question.

I've posted some of the history of this before, but once again...

The idea that Al Franken should run for the Wellstone Seat in the Senate was first discussed out loud in spring, 2003 at the first meeting of the Wellstone Action Foundation -- Paul's Memorial -- during a coffee break. Al and Molly Ivins were talking with Walter Mondale (all three were on the initial board), and at one point Molly just outted with it -- "Al, you gotta move home to Minnesota and run for Paul's Seat." Walter thought about it for a few minutes -- and agreed, it might just be a good idea. I've heard that Al thanked Molly for telling him what to do with the rest of his life, but said he would have to talk the idea over with his wife Fran before agreeing to move to Minnesota and run for Paul's Senate seat. Anyhow -- once people around the Wellstone board started talking, the idea was just out there -- maybe Al Franken would move home and run.

So it came to pass that in 2005 at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Carter and Mondale did a big public seminar that was on C-Span, and the question was popped -- was Franken running for this Senate Seat, and was Mondale supporting Al?

Mondale answered by allowing that Al Franken was a real smart fellow. He thought he might be considering moving home to Minnesota, and that he was very clearly a Progressive DFL'er. He went on to say that lots of those fellows down in DC were pretty bad comedians but they didn't know it, so maybe it was time for Minnesota to send them a real comedian. And so it came to pass that about four months later Al Franken moved to Minnesota, got a condo, moved his radio studio, and went down to the Court House to register to vote, and then showed up at his DFL Precinct Caucus -- which is how you become an official member of the DFL. In 2006 he campaigned all over the state for DFL candidates, along with Mondale he developed a "two man show" in which Mondale played straight man to Franken's running commentary as to why we needed to elect a whole slew of DFL'ers. Franken got introduced around the state, marched in festive parades and all -- and Mondale provided all the introductions to the party regulars. After a year of this -- he finally resigned from Air America, and announced his candidacy, and started the long slog to getting the DFL endorsement.

So it all started with Molly Ivins holding forth during the coffee-break at a Board meeting on what Al Franken should do with the rest of his life. And I suspect it ended today with this ruling from the Minnesota Supreme Court, which I would point out is without dissent. It will be tough on Coleman, but one wonders who is going to invest in his case given the rulings of both the Canvass Board and the Courts. I think overall the Recount has been very transparent and fair, and with the Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court sitting next to Richie during the ballot review, I think it has legitimacy.

I am not a patron of some heaven and hell religious beliefs -- but for the last couple of days I've been thinking about a grand square dance in Heaven -- yes, the angels have fiddles such as on some Xmas cards, but they play ho-down music, and there are Paul and Molly swinging yer partner to a fair-thee-well.

I've posted some of the history of this before, but once again...

The idea that Al Franken should run for the Wellstone Seat in the Senate was first discussed out loud in spring, 2003 at the first meeting of the Wellstone Action Foundation -- Paul's Memorial -- during a coffee break. Al and Molly Ivins were talking with Walter Mondale (all three were on the initial board), and at one point Molly just outted with it -- "Al, you gotta move home to Minnesota and run for Paul's Seat." Walter thought about it for a few minutes -- and agreed, it might just be a good idea. I've heard that Al thanked Molly for telling him what to do with the rest of his life, but said he would have to talk the idea over with his wife Fran before agreeing to move to Minnesota and run for Paul's Senate seat. Anyhow -- once people around the Wellstone board started talking, the idea was just out there -- maybe Al Franken would move home and run.

So it came to pass that in 2005 at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Carter and Mondale did a big public seminar that was on C-Span, and the question was popped -- was Franken running for this Senate Seat, and was Mondale supporting Al?

Mondale answered by allowing that Al Franken was a real smart fellow. He thought he might be considering moving home to Minnesota, and that he was very clearly a Progressive DFL'er. He went on to say that lots of those fellows down in DC were pretty bad comedians but they didn't know it, so maybe it was time for Minnesota to send them a real comedian. And so it came to pass that about four months later Al Franken moved to Minnesota, got a condo, moved his radio studio, and went down to the Court House to register to vote, and then showed up at his DFL Precinct Caucus -- which is how you become an official member of the DFL. In 2006 he campaigned all over the state for DFL candidates, along with Mondale he developed a "two man show" in which Mondale played straight man to Franken's running commentary as to why we needed to elect a whole slew of DFL'ers. Franken got introduced around the state, marched in festive parades and all -- and Mondale provided all the introductions to the party regulars. After a year of this -- he finally resigned from Air America, and announced his candidacy, and started the long slog to getting the DFL endorsement.

So it all started with Molly Ivins holding forth during the coffee-break at a Board meeting on what Al Franken should do with the rest of his life. And I suspect it ended today with this ruling from the Minnesota Supreme Court, which I would point out is without dissent. It will be tough on Coleman, but one wonders who is going to invest in his case given the rulings of both the Canvass Board and the Courts. I think overall the Recount has been very transparent and fair, and with the Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court sitting next to Richie during the ballot review, I think it has legitimacy.

I am not a patron of some heaven and hell religious beliefs -- but for the last couple of days I've been thinking about a grand square dance in Heaven -- yes, the angels have fiddles such as on some Xmas cards, but they play ho-down music, and there are Paul and Molly swinging yer partner to a fair-thee-well.

Say it O'bitchly say it, say SENATOR AL FRANKEN!

All Hail "Landslide" Al! Surely LBJ and Molly Ivins are smiling and Hubert H. is as "pleased as punch". Think O'Reilly will send flowers?

What wonderful news! I for one can hardly wait to watch Senator Al making mincemeat of his old Southern white guy colleagues. He and Barney Frank should do a Frank and Franken routine (Barney, complaining about the Rick Warren debacle, said Obama's belief in nonpartisanship was unrealistic: "I'm suffering from post-partisan depression," Barney said.)

BTW, if you want to listen to AirAmerica, you can pick up a live stream. It's linked on www.RealityChex.com

Thank you Sarah Palin with your $150,000 wardrobe! That money probably cost Norm his seat. I still think the RNC should've sprung for the matching handbag.

Do, a deer, a female deer
Re, a drop of golden sun
Mi, a name I call myself
Fa, a long long way to run!

When Al Franken gets sworn in as the junior Senator from Minnesota, he is going to stumble through the same learning curve he did when he started his campaign against Coleman. Against Coleman, the issue was an inexperienced campaigner against an experienced one, and the gap showed in the early going. Once in the Senate, Franken, the official with no elected experience, no Senate experience, will be rolled by the old dogs of the Senate, from both sides, until he learns the ropes of legislative maneuvering. An experienced staff will go a long way toward mitigating this, but the important thing is not to expect big things from him out of the blocks just because he has high name recognition.

And me, I'm Senator Al Franken

And me, I'm Senator Al Franken

And me, I'm Senator Al Franken

now that the mn senate race is pretty much rapped up, my biggest nov 4 disappointment is now bachman.