Whoops! Coleman Maneuver To Gain Votes Actually Costs Him A Few
Here is an astoundingly funny blooper from today's Minnesota state canvass board meeting: The Coleman campaign tried out an interesting maneuver on ballot challenges in an attempt to regain some lost ground against Al Franken -- and then they only ended up losing more ground.
As we reported on Tuesday, the Coleman campaign asked to be able to reinstate some of the ballot challenges that they'd previously withdrawn before these meetings had begun. Basically, they wanted to use the benefit of now knowing what the board members' standards and precedents were on figuring out how to count the disputed ballots, and then apply that knowledge to some challenges they'd previously thought wouldn't work.
Well, we just went through a round of that, and the Coleman campaign successfully deprived Al Franken of...one vote. Then it was the Franken camp's turn, getting to try out the same thing -- and they were able to net four votes. And it was all the Coleman camp's idea!
This whole exercise isn't done yet, as the Coleman campaign is going to be coming back for another round of this. But it wasn't a good start.
Instant karma's gonna get'cha, gonna knock ya in the face, Norm.
December 19, 2008 4:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Talk about a divided electorate. Has a U.S. Senator ever been elected by such a small percentage win as this looks like it will be? Not to mention you know it isn't 100% accurate.
December 19, 2008 4:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Check out the Wyman v. Durkin 1974 race for senator from NH.
December 19, 2008 4:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lyndon Johnson won the 1948 Senate race in Texas by 84 votes, permanently gaining the sobriquet "Landslide Lyndon".
December 19, 2008 8:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Johnson won the Democratic Primary election by 84 votes. Not the Senate election.
December 20, 2008 8:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
In 1948, the primary WAS the election in Texas. Those were the days of the Dixiecrats. The Republican party was practically non-existent in the South.
December 20, 2008 1:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Watching the streaming video of the MN canvassing board, I can't remember when I've had so much fun watching paint dry :-)
December 19, 2008 4:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
What website are you watching the streaming video of the canvassing board?
December 19, 2008 4:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
When they are meeting there is a link at the top of this page. http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/senate/
I for one did not find it boring. It was engaging to watch. The star tribune also had the ballots up on their site earlier so the one could judge them for ones self and now they have pages where you can see each ballot and compare the boards decision to yours and the agregate of the choices of all who marked a decision.
December 19, 2008 4:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
here is a link -- http://theuptake.org/
December 19, 2008 4:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's interesting to watch, but it tells you for sure that this is within the margin of error. I hope Al Franken wins the coin flip, but it is no better than that. It is a tie.
December 19, 2008 4:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Over lawyer'g has its penalties, but the best in watching this was how trivial the challenges actually were, if there was on imperfection Coleman challenged.
However it was funny to see how people actually filled out their ballots---one person filled in every oval to make certain they overvoted or whatever....
others made mistakes....
December 19, 2008 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Me too! The last time I remember so much fun was watching the Watergate hearings when I was about eight years old.
I've just called the Sec. State Ritchie's office to complain that there will be NO VIDEO feed from now on. This is a big mistake. I told them how many of my friends in many states are watching this. I've sent the link to my friend overseas and they've watched a little too. Everyone is impressed how fairly this process is going... They told me that the Sec. State does NOT have this technology and that they are in the House of Rep. using their facilities. The House staff will go home for the holidays thus no video feed. It's really too bad because everyone is so impressed how honest this is being done.
I'm from Oregon and rooting for Franken. But he's been down from the beginning and would accept the loss because these guys did it fairly.
Franken came to Eugene OR and did a live radio show. I'm so impressed on how honest he is. He'll do whatever is right for America and MN. He won't be thinking about lobbyists, corporate handout vacations, bribes... Franken will do what's right. It is surprising to me that Minnesotans did vote him in 80%.
December 19, 2008 4:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's the one and only thing this Minnesotan loves about Norm Coleman. He lost an election to a professional wrestler, and is on the verge of losing one to a professional comedian. I just gotta wonder, who can he possibly lose to next???
December 19, 2008 4:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Patrick Fitzgerald or equivalent?
December 19, 2008 4:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Several large, heavily inked members of the Aryan Nation, in the Federal prison of someone's choice?
December 19, 2008 5:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
CIVICS QUESTION:
Let's say this drags out in court for a couple months.
In that case, there are 99 senators for any legislation that comes up in the meantime. So do you still need 60 to beat a filibuster, or only 59?
December 19, 2008 4:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, they'd actually need 59.4, and though I don't know of any sitting Senator willing to be sliced into decimal segments, I can think of a few I'd be willing to do it to myself.
December 19, 2008 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's a very good chance there won't be a second Senator from Illinois either. The total seats sworn in would be 98, bringing the needed down to 59, but the Dems would only have 58 since Obama's Democratic seat would be vacant.
Thanks, Blago.
December 19, 2008 5:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ee-ouch! Good one!
December 20, 2008 7:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Is it too late for Norm to wheel out the Brook Brothers mob? That's all that's missing from this circus, except perhaps a command performance by John McCain, parachuting in to help "resolve" the situation . . .
December 19, 2008 4:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
In his case, would it not be the Nieman-Marcus mob?
December 19, 2008 7:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Minnesota will have a Senator. If not the elected one, the Governor will have a temporary stand in until it is settled.
December 19, 2008 4:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
If not the elected one, the Governor will have a temporary stand in until it is settled.
I guess Pawlenty would just appoint Coleman
December 19, 2008 4:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
He is rumored to be mulling it as an option. Dammit...
December 19, 2008 5:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
And if he does, and Franken ends up winning, it will make him out to be the partisan hack most Dems know he is.
December 19, 2008 5:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
The rule is that a 3/5 majority of SITTING SENATORS is required to invoke cloture.
So if we are down to 98 SENATORS, then 58.8 votes (rounded UP to 59) would be sufficient.
December 19, 2008 5:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
The recount should get its own cable channel.
December 19, 2008 5:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Apparently "The Uptake" will be able to get a camera in Monday and Tuesday next week, so they will have both audio and video of the next meetings of the "Minnesota Canvass Board" proceedings. Problem is they have been using a feed from the House of Representatives staff, and they all go on Holiday beginning this weekend.
As to Pawlenty appointing a Senator -- I gather that depends on the Senate declaring the seat vacant, and I have my doubts whether that will happen, given the Democratic Majority.
December 19, 2008 6:31 PM | Reply | Permalink