Al Franken

[Rockhound]

Seriously Minnesota?

[Oh, Gee!!]

lolz

[FromWayDowntown]

If you believe that government is an extension of the People, Franken's election makes sense. There's no reason that a comedian, an athlete, an actor, an author, a scientist, a doctor, a school custodian, or a homemaker should be categorically deemed unable to serve as a representative of those who are willing to elect him or her.

Franken's politics wrankle many, but he's well-educated and has certainly been thinking about the issues that affect people for many years. More than that, apparently, the majority of those who voted in that race preferred him to the incumbent political veteran.

Obviously, the willingness of Minnesotans to vote for outside-the-norm politicians is substantial (Jesse Ventura).

[spurster]

... apparently, the majority of those who voted in that race preferred him to the incumbent political veteran.


Not true. A third candidate received over 15% of the vote, so both Franken and Coleman have about 42%.

[ploto]

Better than another attorney- no offense FWD

[FromWayDowntown]

Not true. A third candidate received over 15% of the vote, so both Franken and Coleman have about 42%.

Okay, the greatest percentage of those voting in the race chose Franken.

[Wild Cobra]

Okay, the greatest percentage of those voting in the race chose Franken.

Not true either. It may not be proven legally, but there is definitely vote fraud in this election.

More ballots than people.

Designated votes for Frankin when no senate candidate was selected, but Obama was picked.. Guess what... They made those Frankin votes! Sure, they did the same thing for the republican candidate, but the democrats there did everything they could that had better benefits for Frankin!

[Winehole23]

Not true either. It may not be proven legally, but there is definitely vote fraud in this election.

More ballots than people. Ok, prove it.


Designated votes for Frankin when no senate candidate was selected, but Obama was picked.. Guess what... They made those Frankin votes! Sure, they did the same thing for the republican candidate, but the democrats there did everything they could that had better benefits for Frankin!Sounds like there might have been a deal between Coleman and Franken about how to count em up. Was there?

[balli]

Sounds like there might have been a deal between Coleman and Franken about how to count em up. Was there?
Yes. The deal was that the ballots to be counted, had to be agreed upon by both parties, i.e. Franken couldn't count ballots unless Coleman agreed to them and likewise Coleman couldn't count ballots unless Franken agreed.
Coleman tried to get out of this deal (just yesterday?) by going to the State's Supreme Court. But they bitch slapped him back into reality.

[Winehole23]

Coleman tried to get out of this deal (just yesterday?) by going to the State's Supreme Court. But they bitch slapped him back into reality.So then, the Minnesota SC not letting Coleman welsh on the deal in the 11th hour, is the nub of the so-called vote fraud?

How ridiculously puny.

On the evidence so far disclosed, Mr.Coleman should concede. We need all of our US Senators right now, even the likes of the completely untested Mr. Franken. Hyperlegal persistence in the electoral cause impairs the state delegation at some point.

Just where that point lies I'll leave to those more knowledgeable than me. At some point, the classy thing to do is to step aside for the good of the country, and quit Smeagol-ing it up.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Very Very Very shady that he was down by about 8-13% at the first count of this election back in november.

[Winehole23]

Very Very Very shady that he was down by about 8-13% at the first count of this election back in november.Franken lost on election day but won the recount. Shame on Coleman for (apparently) losing it.

Whoever wins, it's all based on hypertechnical bs now.

[Winehole23]

Mr.Coleman won by 725 votes (http://beltwayblips.dailyradar.com/story/minnesota_senate_recount_latest_coleman_franken/) on election day.

A local view:

http://www.minnpost.com/stories/2008/12/03/4992/the_coleman-franken_recount_why_are_the_numbers_so_different_a nd_whose_tally_will_prove_correct_and_many_missing _ballots_in_minneapolis

[Winehole23]

Here's your brief, WC:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123111967642552909.html

The facts in the article aren't sourced in the text, but they seem to back up what you say. The two main issues seem to be double-counted ballots and and absentee ballots.

I thought Coleman already lost the fight over the ballots he claims were double-counted, and a ruling on the absentee ballots already counted (the counting "prior to standardization" is the bone of contention) would appear to be pending.

[ChumpDumper]

Not true either. It may not be proven legally, but there is definitely vote fraud in this election.

More ballots than people.

3,199,134 registered voters.

http://www.sos.state.mn.us/home/index.asp?page=531

2,424,637 acceptable votes counted.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/01/franken-reid.html


According to those sources, you're full of shit.

[George Gervin's Afro]

Ok, prove it.

Sounds like there might have been a deal between Coleman and Franken about how to count em up. Was there?

He doesn't have to prove it. Rush Limbaugh told him so..

[Rockhound]

Never question the government if the left is in control.

[I Love Me Some Me]

What's wrong with Franken?

He's good enough.
He's smart enough.
And doggonit, people like him.

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/2163/stuartom9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Winehole23]

Reid and Durban say Franken won't be seated (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/05/durbin-doubts-franken-wil_n_155408.html).

[smeagol]

Al Franken is unfunny

[ClingingMars]

He doesn't have to prove it. Rush Limbaugh told him so..

:lmao

gotta love people hatin' on Rush, he'll just keep getting things right. :lol

also, Al Franken sucks.

-Mars

[Viva Las Espuelas]

3,199,134 registered voters.

http://www.sos.state.mn.us/home/index.asp?page=531

2,424,637 acceptable votes counted.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/01/franken-reid.html


According to those sources, you're full of shit.

look at the precincts, idiot.

[ChumpDumper]

look at the precincts, idiot.:lol

I won't ask you to explain yourself, because I know you can't.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

:lol

I won't ask you to explain yourself, because I know you can't.
i just know how to search the internet. maybe one day you will to.

[Winehole23]

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/01/did-wall-street-jorunal-fire-their-fact.html

[ChumpDumper]

i just know how to search the internet. maybe one day you will to.Too bad Coleman is trying to get MORE votes counted for himself.

You guys will never understand just how stupid you are.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Too bad Coleman is trying to get MORE votes counted for himself.

You guys will never understand just how stupid you are.
if franken can do it, then coleman can do it. are you really that stupid? nevermind. don't answer that.

[ChumpDumper]

if franken can do it, then coleman can do it. are you really that stupid? nevermind. don't answer that.:lmao

You don't even know what you are saying anymore. Hell, who am I kidding -- you never knew.

[ClingingMars]

:lol

I won't ask you to explain yourself, because I know you can't.

http://www.dakotavoice.com/index.php/component/content/article/1-latest-news/150-liberals-take-aim-at-state-secretary-of-state-offices.html


Coleman came out of the election with a 215 vote lead, and in most cases a recount will increase the margin of the leading candidate; no guarantees, but usually. But thanks to several interesting developments, that lead managed to switch, in about the same numbers, to Franken.

A lot of ballot changes ended up going Franken's way, some would say an inordinate number. Hmmm.

Also, if a ballot becomes damaged during counting, a duplicate is required to be made and marked "Duplicate." Only it looks like many of these weren't marked "Duplicate," and now more than 25 precincts now have more ballots than voters who signed in to vote. Interestingly, these irregularities run in Franken's favor.

Another precinct "lost" 133 votes. In other words, a hand recount found 133 fewer votes than were recorded on election night. There is no proof that any votes were actually lost; evidence seems to indicate that officials may have run some of the ballots through twice accidentally on election night. But rather than go with the more accurate hand recount number, officials are going with the election night count (which can't account for 133 ballots)...giving Franken an extra 46 votes.

But a precinct in a different county went a different way. They, too, had a disparity between election night totals and a hand recount, this time resulting in 177 ballots that weren't recorded on election night. But this time, the board went with the new total...giving Franken an extra 37 votes.

Absentee ballots are being recounted, but not all of them are getting counted. Counties that went heavily Franken have sent in their absentee ballots to be recorded...but it seems Coleman-dominated counties are dragging their feet. Chalk up another 176 votes for Franken.

Then there was the interesting manner in which some of the votes were "interpreted." It seems some voters filled in the oval on the ballot, only to put an X through it sometimes. In many cases, iif the X was through a Coleman-filled oval, the X meant "the voter changed their mind and didn't want to vote for Coleman;" if the X was through a filled-in Franken oval, it meant "the voter wanted to emphasize their desire to vote for Franken by filling in the oval and marking it with an X."

It almost seemed that in liberal-controlled Minnesota, the standard operating procedure for determining which vote counts to accept and which ones to reject hinged on one question: does it benefit Franken?

All election officials have a responsibility to follow the law and ensure it is applied consistently. But even if they fail in this duty, there are other officials who are charged with "being the grownup" and ensuring others do their job. That official is primarily the Secretary of State.

But what are the people to do when they can't be sure any grownups are in charge?

Thus it becomes even more disturbing that liberals are elevating the Secretary of State's office to a level of hyper-partisanship. Is it payback for not being allowed to steal the 2000 presidential election? Is it just a natural evolution in a highly partisan political atmosphere?'

-Mars

[ChumpDumper]

So none of that has anything to do with Coleman's challenge.

You've done it again :toast

[Supergirl]

Well, isn't this the same state that chose a pro-wrestler as its governor? Apparently there's a shortage of lawyers and businessmen in Minnesota.

[Winehole23]

^^^:rollin

[Shastafarian]

:lmao

You don't even know what you are saying anymore. Hell, who am I kidding -- you never knew.

Ya see, I knew what response was coming. I knew what he was gonna say. But there was still some level of shock and amazement when I actually read it. Maybe math isn't his strong suit?

[ploto]

Well, isn't this the same state that chose a pro-wrestler as its governor? Apparently there's a shortage of lawyers and businessmen in Minnesota.

California likes to choose bad actors.