Poll: Minnesotans Want Coleman To Concede Defeat
When Norm Coleman announced on Tuesday that he was contesting the Minnesota election result, he said he was doing it to ensure that the will of the people was followed. But a new SurveyUSA poll shows just the opposite: Minnesotans want this thing to end.
The numbers: 49% disagree with Coleman's decision to contest the election, compared to 42% who agree. There also is no great constituency for the Coleman campaign's claim that the recount was slanted against them, with 56% saying it was fair to both candidates and only 31% saying it was unfair to Coleman. When the question is phrased as to what to do next, 44% say Coleman should concede, 31% want to hold a new election, and eight percent want to have another recount.
The poll also shows that the election dispute, plus all the mud-slinging during the campaign itself, have sent both candidates' personal ratings down the drain: Coleman is at only 38% favorable to 44% unfavorable, while Franken has a statistically similar 37%-45%.
Oddly enough, the Coleman campaign told the ABC affiliate in the Twin Cities that this poll only reinforces their decision to contest the election.
Oh Norm, have you no sense of shame? At long last sir, have you no sense of decency?
January 9, 2009 10:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is Norman Coleman we're talking about, you realize. Talking "decency" to him is like talking shoes to a snake.
January 9, 2009 10:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Delusional is the only thing I can think.
Wait. Not that _my_ thinking is delusional. It might be though.
Anyway what I meant was that Norm is being delusional.
January 9, 2009 10:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Norm Coleman meant the will of the people on Election Day.
There should be an examination in court of whether Coleman's claims have merit.
If Al Franken were trailing, I'd want him to sue, and it's fine for Coleman to sue.
January 9, 2009 10:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
How many appeals and for how many weeks/months/years would you like to see him drag this out?
The Canvassing Board was more than fair. Coleman knows his suit has no merit. This is not about getting fair treatment under the law. This is about dragging out the vacancy on the Minnesota Senate seat to help his buds in the Senate and it's about hoping desperately to try and put a sliver of daylight between the certified results and somebody's--anybody's--perception of what they legally should be.
January 9, 2009 12:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's fine for Coleman to sue if he has grounds. He doesn't. It's all hand-waving.
January 9, 2009 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Saying that there should be an examination of Coleman's claims is not the same as supporting his making of those claims. Yes, he's filed a suit, and by all means the courts should look at it fairly. But anyone who's been following the recount and has read the complaint knows that the case is totally baseless. Which is to say, he shouldn't have filed it. Not that he had no legal right to....that it was immoral to.
Also, I agree with the poster's theory that this is just a time-stall. Particularly once Burris is seated and the cloture requirement goes back up to 60, the GOP surely consider this an easy and relatively cost-effective way to temporarily steal a vote from the Dems. When we're talking about things like EFCA and stimulus in the immediate future, an appeals process that could take through February surely seems appealing. Pardon my pun. Of course, on the other hand, Coleman could simply be counting on the Supreme Court to install him like our still-President. Doesn't seem likely to me, but then I didn't think it was likely last time.
January 9, 2009 3:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Once Burris is seated, the Senate Democrats should immediately move to sit Franken "without prejudice" pending the outcome of the election contest.
When Norm inevitably loses the contest, Minnesotans can ensure he never gets elected to anything ever again.
January 9, 2009 10:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
They can't. Minnesota law prevents certification before all challenges are resolved.
January 9, 2009 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
i'd say both you and coleman are on lose footing when you use this poll to say 'Minnesotans want ...'
January 9, 2009 10:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
I find it hard to get to worked up about all this. Al Franken will be in the Senate, and probably in not more than a month.
January 9, 2009 10:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Also interesting today is a new poll of New York's 2010 Senate race if King and Kennedy run against each other; the poll has Kennedy up 18% and it really contradicts PPP's 2% margin from a few days ago. There are also new Senate polls from California (with the Governator) and New Hampshire! (Full roundup).
January 9, 2009 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
I frankly think that Coleman's behavior maybe a matter of simple survival. With an ongoing investigation into some potentially shady dealings, it behooves Coleman to divert attention away from the investigation and onto the election. It would also benefit him in the investigation to have the power of a sitting senator. I don't think he is giving up anytime soon.
Republicans would do well to remember that if he loses in his bid for the seat, and ends up indicted it will do them a great deal of harm. Pawlenty should have common sense enough to encourage this process to an end.
January 9, 2009 11:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
He doesn't have the "power of a sitting Senator" any longer. His term has expired. Unless the near-impossible happens, and he somehow overcomes Franken's 225-or-so vote margin, Norman's a former Senator. And as much as I like the simple sound of that, I like the reality even more. And it's how I'd bet relative to the court case he's pitching.
January 9, 2009 12:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
So how low will their personal ratings go by the time Franken's seated? Luckily, with 6 years to go, these can be easily amended and mean little in the long run. I guess the next question is, in 2010 how jaded will Minnesota voters be?
January 9, 2009 11:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
THIS POLL IS EXCELLENT NEWS FOR NORM COLEMAN!!!!!
January 9, 2009 12:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exclamation points are not talking points, chimpale. Neither does upper-case give your argument the upper hand.
I'll assume this is a subtle piece of satire...
January 9, 2009 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're obviously new here...
January 9, 2009 1:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think this finally puts Idiotics long-running joke to bed, no?
January 9, 2009 2:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
I guess I was being too subtle.
Coleman somehow thinks that the poll reinforces his case. I don't even want to try to follow the convoluted sputter of his explanation for that. With Palin making public statements again, it's getting difficult enough to stay out of the Bizarro World as it is.
In short, no, it isn't excellent news for Coleman, much as he'd like someone to believe it is. I'm pretty sure he doesn't.
January 9, 2009 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Never explain a joke. To do so either implies that the joke was bad or that your audience is unenlightened.
January 9, 2009 3:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just tryin' to help a newbie.
January 9, 2009 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I'm not THAT new to TPM but I guess I just missed the point of your rapier wit. Happens to me all the time...just ask my wife.
January 9, 2009 5:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Say "G'night," Norm.
You're FINISHED!
Hallelujah!
January 9, 2009 3:20 PM | Reply | Permalink