The Honrable Norm Coleman

8 Random Items for 1/22/2009 #1

Here's an update from brownsox at Daily Kos on the current status of the Al Franken, Norm Coleman Senate battle in Minnesota.

The idea of Norm Coleman doing anything honorable is laughable. What a loser.

Up Yours WSJ

8 Random Items for 1/8/2009 #3

I suppose it is ironic that some of the best reporting in the world comes from the Wall Street Journal, but they have the single most disgusting editorial page I have seen. They lie and distort with impunity as they proved with a recent editorial on Al Franken's victory in the Minnesota Senatorial campaign .

538 was the first to take the editorial apart, piece by piece, and show that the WSJ editorial was dishonest with almost every word of the column. Even better, Steve Benen of the Washington Monthly pointed to a great letter to the WSJ by one of the members of the Minnesota State Canvassing Board. Great stuff.

One can only assume, based on the tone of the editorial, the numerous inaccuracies, and the over-the-top slam at Al Franken ("tainted and undeserving?") that had Norm Coleman come out on top in this recount, the members of the Board would have been praised as "strong-willed, intelligent, and perceptive."

We won't hold our breath waiting for that editorial to appear.

Norm Coleman Calls for the Disenfranchisement of Minnesota Voters

8 Random Items for 1/7/2009 #7

Norm Coleman's solution to his electoral woes is to not count the votes of voters who did nothing wrong. A solid, typically Republican strategy.

Congratulations again to Minnesota's Senator-Elect, Al Franken.

A Deeply Stupid Man

8 Random Items for 1/6/2009 #3

Watch this video and wonder exactly why Bill O'Reilly said what he said. At no point has Norm Coleman ever been certified the winner of this election. Incidentally, videos like this one from Jed L at Daily Kos are what makes the web so great as a political and news tool.

Senator Al Franken

8 Random Items for 1/6/2009 #1

The recount is over and Al Franken has won the election in Minnesota. Norm Coleman will fight the result in court, but this will do nothing more than delay Franken's entry into the Senate. I do, however, commend Norm Coleman's new found belief in counting every vote. It's about time you came around to that opinion sir.

No, Not Really

8 Random Items for 12/23/2008 #7

You cannot believe anything you read at Fox News. Ever. Seriously, they are all liars.

Not Just Yet

8 Random Items for 12/23/2008 #1

We can't say Senator Al Franken just yet, but the day is coming. I believe that the State of Minnesota needs to call the race for Mr. Franken. Mr. Coleman can work out any issues he has in court.

Senator Al Franken?

8 Random Items for 12/12/2008 #6

Well, things are going Stuart Smalley's way in Minnesota today. First, in a ruling on the precinct with missing ballots, the state canvassing board voted unanimously to restore the election night totals for Franken for that precinct. This prevents what would have amounted to a near 50 vote loss for Franken.

As to the issue of the uncounted absentee ballots, the board again voted unanimously to request that the counties count the votes. (They cannot force the counties to do so, but they can bring about pressure.) Since the board is made up of members of both parties and independents, there should be a limit to Norm Coleman's whining.

None of this guarantees an Al Franken victory, but it makes it a little bit more likely. Coleman was certainly a bit more moderate than many Republicans, but he was an odious freak none the less. It will serve this country well to have him out of the picture for the next six years.

Big Day Today

8 Random Items for 12/12/2008 #3

The Minnesota State Canvassing board meets today to discuss many of the absentee ballots that were thrown out during the initial counting of the Franken - Coleman Senate race. These ballots were mishandled by the election board, but the voter did nothing wrong. The side in favor of voting inclusiveness would like to see these ballots counted. The other would not. Guess which is which?

One Thing to Remember

8 Random Items for 12/9/2008 #1

No matter how this thing turns out, Al Franken was fighting to count the votes, Norm Coleman was against it.

The Voter's Voice

8 Random Items for 11/20/2008 #3

No one has a claim on the seat. The voters have a claim on the seat. The candidates will not decide this, the voters will decide it. That's the beauty of it. (Source)

Al Franken would make a great Senator. I have no doubt of that. Put aside his comedic persona you've known in the past and marvel at the class of the man. While his opponent, Norm Coleman,is doing everything in his power to shut down the recount, Al is simply making sure the voters voice is heard. This race was decided by 215 votes. There were 2.19 million votes cast. Doesn't that warrant a recount? By law, in the state of Minnesota, it does.

Coleman is simply taking a page out of the Republican playbook. This is a historically Republican act, and it goes back much further than the 2000 debacle where the Republicans shut down the recount in order to silence the will of the Florida voters. Republican success depends upon as few people voting as possible. They continually put up as many roadblocks to voting as they can, and when those don't work, they aren't above a few dirty tricks to game turnout. (In 2002, for example, the Republicans jammed the phone lines of a New Hampshire Democratic Get Out the Vote effort. A number of GOP officials were convicted.)

It is Republicans, such as Georgia congressman Lynn Westmoreland, that have tried to dilute the Voting Rights Act of 1965, because, you know, states like Georgia are no longer racist in their policies. I guess all those long lines in predominantly black areas are just a coincidence. I guess that predominantly black precincts receiving fewer machines and older machines is also a coincidence.

It is time for the federal government to pass an affirmative right to vote for all citizens of age. It is time that any attempt to infringe on this right be punished with as much severity as the law will allow. Disenfranchisement, in a Democracy, is perhaps our worse punishment. After all, the government does not represent the disenfranchised.

Count the votes. Get them right. That's more important than the cost or the time involved.

One Down, Two to Decide

8 Random Items for 11/19/2008 #2

Congratulations are in order to new Alaska Senator Mark Begich. He has (finally) been declared the winner over his Republican opponent, Senator Ted Stevens. Stevens has served Alaska in the Senate seemingly forever. He is the longest serving Republican Senator ever. He is one of the most crooked politicians in the Senate today. Bye bye Ted and don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.

Still to go?

We have the recount in the race for the Minnesota seat formerly held by one of our greatest Senators, Paul Wellstone. The race is between Al Franken and Norm Coleman. Naturally, the Republicans are doing everything in their power to ensure that as few votes as possible are counted. They are making accusations against the Democratic Secretary of State in Minnesota. Well, they are accusing him of being crooked without actually offering anything resembling evidence that he is crooked. Typical. It is believed that Franken has a very good shot in a recount.

In Georgia, we have the runoff election between Senator Saxby Chambliss and Jim Martin. The American people deserve a quality progressive like Jim Martin in the Senate. Saxby Chambliss is a farce and should be ridicules and laughed out of office. Let's give the people the Senator they deserve. (More on this race later.)

Quick 8: Did You Notice?

1. During Obama's infomercial last night, he didn't mention John McCain once. Do you think it would be possible for John McCain to talk 30 minutes without mentioning Obama? 15 minutes? 30 seconds?
2. Sarah Palin appears to be looking ahead to a Presidential run in 2012. How do you think it makes John McCain feel to know that his running mate is already planning her future, a future that won't include the White House?
3. Elizabeth Dole has run the most despicable ad of the election campaign. The ad, called "Godless" is a near inhuman attack on Kay Fagan, Dole's opponent for her seat in the Senate from North Carolina. Fagan is a Sunday school teacher and is a deacon in her church. Even the Republican on this CNN panel finds this attack to be despicable. I think we can all look forward to Dole's forced retirement courtesy of the good people of North Carolina.
4. John McCain admitted on Larry King last night that Barack Obama is not a socialist. His supporters must be so disappointed!
   
5. The NRSC has gone after Al Franken with, quiet possibly, the dumbest ad I've ever seen. It's a group of C list celebrities. It's funny that the Republicans regularly attack any actor that expresses a liberal political opinion because no one should care what an actor thinks. Then they trot out every celebrity they can find that supports their party. They even elect them into office. This has been another edition of Republican hypocrisy.
6. Wendy Button, a former speechwriter for John Edwards, Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama, has decided to support John McCain. Why should you care? I'm stumped.
7. The Daily Kos, on their Act Blue page, has raised over 2 million dollars from over 21,000 people. That's the power of the blogosphere. They are now trying to get to 30,000 donors by this Friday. Help them out!
8. It appears that Democratic Senate leadership may have grown a pair. They appear to be ready to strip Joe Lieberman of his only committee chairmanship. Seems fair considering that Lieberman is NOT a member of the Democratic Party anymore and has supported the Republican candidate for President.
   

Al Franken Would Make a Great Senator

8 Pithy Opinions #2

I like to laugh and Al Franken is funny, but that's not why I want Al Franken in the Senate.

I've always wondered where Rush Limbaugh gets his facts, and Al Franken figured it out, but that's not why I want Al Franken in the Senate.

I loved the late liberal Senator from Minnesota, Paul Wellstone, and Al Franken was a good friend of Senator Wellstone and would like to live up to his example if he were elected, but that's not why I want Al Fanken in the Senate.

I'm impressed, basically, anytime I can see anyone draw anything, and Al Franken can draw the entire United States of America while taking questions at a rally, but that's not why I want Al Franken in the Senate.

I've always thought Rush Limbugh was a big fat idiot and Al Franken wrote a book called Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations, but that's not why I want Al Franken in the Senate.

I've always wanted to be sued by Bill O'Reilly, and Al Franken was sued by Fox News at the behest of Bill O'Reilly shortly before the publication of his great book Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, but that's not why I want Al Franken in the Senate.

I've always wanted to joke about Karl Rove and Scooter Libby being executed for Treason, and Al Franken did it, while sitting next to David Letterman no less, but that's not why I want Al Franken in the Senate.

I've always wanted to deliver a verbal smackdown to Ann Coulter about her inaccurate, slander filled books, and Al Franken did just that at The Connecticutt Forum, but that's not why I want Al Franken in the Senate.

I've always wanted someone to make a documentary on my life, and Al Franken's life was featured in the major motion picture Al Franken: God Spoke, but that's not why I want Al Franken in the Senate.

I want Al Franken in the Senate because he's good enough, he's smart enough, and doggone it, I like him.