Franken Officially Wins Minnesota Senate Recount -- But It's Not Over
The Minnesota state canvassing board has officially certified the election results showing that Al Franken is the winner of the Minnesota recount -- by a nose. And it is far from over.
The numbers: Franken at 1,212,431 votes, Coleman at 1,212,206 votes. Including the large number of votes for third-party candidates, plus ballots that didn't include a vote in the Senate race, this is a margin of 0.0077% out of over 2.9 million ballots cast.
Officially, next legal step is for Gov. Tim Pawlenty to sign a certificate of election, and for Sec. of State Mark Ritchie to co-sign, within the next seven days. But that probably won't happen -- the Coleman campaign has said they will file a challenge of the election in court, which under state law delays the issuing of that certificate until the proceeding is settled.
Coleman does not have much a chance in such a proceeding, as we've noted before. But it could be a while, bottling up Franken's win for weeks or maybe even months.
Late Update: Al Franken has scheduled a press conference at his house for 5 p.m. ET, according to The Uptake. Note that this is not simply Franken's press people or Franken's lawyer holding a presser, but Franken himself -- and at his home, no less. It seems like we may be getting a declaration of victory, taking on the mantle of Senator-Elect.
Meanwhile, Coleman's lawyers reaffirmed at their own press conference that they will challenge the election results.
Hahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahhahhahahahahahahahahahahhahaahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahaaaa!!
Suck on that Coleman!
Congratulations Senate Al Franken!
(damn that sounds good)
January 5, 2009 3:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
PS: Norm Coleman looks more like Gary Busey every day.
January 5, 2009 3:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was thinking Nosferatu...
January 5, 2009 4:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good. Put him on a cycle without a helmet let him complete the image...
January 5, 2009 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Curious: The Senate parliamentarian refused to accept the certificate submitted upon behalf of Burriss because it lacked the SOS of Illinois' signature.
Conversely, Democrats say they intend to try and seat Franken tomorrow even though it is absolutely clear that the same certificate will not and cannot be signed by the Minnesota Governor until next monday or tuesday at the earliest, by Minnesota law.
Anybody see a double standard here?
January 5, 2009 3:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Remember, I want them both seated as soon as possible, but the Minnesota governor is legally prohibited from signing the certificate for 7 calendar days to allow for the filing of a contest. Maybe if Norm concedes the point becomes moot. But as of now, there is no certificate signed by the governor attesting to the actual winner.
January 5, 2009 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, because in neither case is it actually about signature technicalities. The differences are quite obvious.
January 5, 2009 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Open the champagne!!!!
January 5, 2009 3:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Finally....a real comedian headed to the senate instead of the miserable clown that he's replacing.
pv2k
January 5, 2009 4:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Coleman's challenges on the absentee ballots have as much merit as his challenges on recounting of ballots, this shouldn't take long. His positions on this have been all over the map. Not long ago he wanted to count only 47 absentee ballots. Now 900 isn't enough. He's as transparent as glass.
January 5, 2009 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have been an inveterate political detractor of former Senator Norm Coleman and have said derogatory things about his personal character and overweening ambition, but it does seem to me that the best way to celebrate this is to accentuate the positive: the will of the people prevailed.
Senator-elect Franken needs our positive support. The campaign is over and we don't need to pummel Norm any further. Doing so does not help the new Senator with his constructive duty to serve all of Minnesota's people---and the nation's.
Delighted as I am, it is worth remembering that very nearly the same number of people voted for Norm as for Al; and over 15% voted for other candidates. It would be inconsiderate and unseemly to flaunt this outcome in their faces. I'm sure happy, though!
January 5, 2009 4:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, it is kind of fun...
January 5, 2009 4:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, who am I kidding with my sanctimonious platitudes? Let's get ourselves a silver bullet and a wooden stake and do this properly.
January 5, 2009 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Careful clarification: previous comment meant purely as a metaphor, a figure of speech; not meant to imply, suggest, encourage, or advocate said silver bullet or wooden stake in any literal sense.
January 5, 2009 5:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Coleman should crash the presser...
January 5, 2009 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Congratulations Senator-elect Franken!!!!!
January 5, 2009 4:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I suggest that Al Franken keep a tally of the minutes filibusterd against him and return the favor once he's officially seated.
I would wager more than the million bucks I have never had that I usually bet on these spontaneous wagers, that Franken would make them all laugh, make them cry, he can make them feel guilty and feel proud, as well or better than any of them.
Franken's what most of them wish they were.
Keep a tab, Al.
And remeber, payback should be a roll-on-the-floor five-hour comedy routine for the public record. Once you're legit, stick it to em'.
...minute for minute, hour for hour, insult for insult.
We look forward to your historic revenge filibuster.
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/jep07/
January 5, 2009 5:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Officially, next legal step is for Gov. Tim Pawlenty to sign a certificate of election, and for Sec. of State Mark Ritchie to co-sign, within the next seven days."
Don't you mean after waiting at least 7 days in case a lawsuit is filed?
January 5, 2009 5:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Congratulations Senator Franken!
I expect that it will take some time for Senator Franken to be seated. Ex-Senator Coleman has the right to exhaust his legal options; that is the process dictated by the law. We must not disregard the law in our eagerness for change, especially considering the last eight years of lawlessness. We must be patient a little while longer now that victory is almost assured.
January 5, 2009 6:44 PM | Reply | Permalink