Friday, November 21, 2008
Politics The Minnesota Senate Race Recount
Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 5:17 PM
I'm obsessed about this—but I haven't been writing about it because, uh, I've been obsessed about other, far more trivial matters. But Al Franken is closing the gap and may yet overtake GOP douchetooth Norm Coleman. Following the Franken/Colemen recount has me going to TPM and 538 every few hours—something people with real lives stopped doing on November 5. Gotta love this detail from 538:
The Uptake has video of 10 ballots identified by Franken that were challenged by the Coleman campaign simply because [the] voter voted both for John McCain and Al Franken! Uh, in case you were wondering, the campaigns are no longer leaving any stone unturned.The disincentive to challenge ballots is precisely this sort of thing—challenges that look so ridiculous that they'll weaken your ability to take the moral highground.
And it's too bad they didn't (or couldn't) do this in Florida in 2000:
...the Secretary of State is also taking under advisement a proposal to make all challenged ballots available for public viewing on a website.
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more public record of questioned ballots here (photos):
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/feature…
In this case, the photos show both sides being kinda silly.
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/feature…
In this case, the photos show both sides being kinda silly.
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I think the intent on most of them are pretty clear. The rejection of ballots due to "identifying marks" is bogus. I'm rooting for Al but I would bet on Coleman.
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Franken will win. For some reason it's well accepted that Democrats submit ballots with crossouts and conflicted markings way more than Republicans.
The rules in MN are great and make the most sense.
Meanwhile it's Richardson for secretary of commerce and Geithner for treasury.
So that's Obama Biden Clinton Holden Geithner Richardson and Napolitano.
Plus they are saying Summers (Sumners) will be some kind of adviser.
Too bad Obama sin't going to GA personally, that race is only 3 points apart. Billdawg and Gore went.
But the number 60 is not so magic anyway. There are a few Republicans who will likely vote with the Democrats on all the cloture type stuff (a vote merely to allow a bill to be voted on) like the Maine senators Specter, etc.
So, looking good that Obama will be able to move the Senate on most things.
Unity.
The rules in MN are great and make the most sense.
Meanwhile it's Richardson for secretary of commerce and Geithner for treasury.
So that's Obama Biden Clinton Holden Geithner Richardson and Napolitano.
Plus they are saying Summers (Sumners) will be some kind of adviser.
Too bad Obama sin't going to GA personally, that race is only 3 points apart. Billdawg and Gore went.
But the number 60 is not so magic anyway. There are a few Republicans who will likely vote with the Democrats on all the cloture type stuff (a vote merely to allow a bill to be voted on) like the Maine senators Specter, etc.
So, looking good that Obama will be able to move the Senate on most things.
Unity.
8
Never underestimate the Lizard People!
(Do they still have a show on Seattle public access cable?)
(Do they still have a show on Seattle public access cable?)
9
I'd just like to say that as a regular listener to his Radio show on Air America--the only show on that network that I found enjoyable--Franken came across as informed, nuanced, thoughtful and caring about the subjects he covered. Often people denegrate humor and underestimate its power, but I think that Franken may well be able, if given the opportunity, will be able to bring something to the Senate that we don't typically see in this country. A well placed satyrical remark, as evidenced by the impact of the Daily Show, can reframe an issue in a way that more common forms of Washington rhetoric fail to do. If Franken manages to pull out a win, I, for one, will be closely following whatever committees he is on.
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** Following the Franken/Colemen recount has me going to TPM and 538 every few hours—something people with real lives stopped doing on November 5. **
I'll have you know my life is as real as anyone elses! (Just check out #12!)
I'll have you know my life is as real as anyone elses! (Just check out #12!)
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