# How's Al Franken's Senate bid going? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 12, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239 "2008-02-12T01:57:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 27
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/521 "2009-01-06T19:40:54Z")
I agree, Coleman will concede. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/522 "2009-01-06T19:41:19Z")
Place your bets! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/523 "2009-01-06T21:06:41Z")
Well, just as I said, Coleman won’t concede. What? _What?!_ ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/524 "2009-01-06T21:12:19Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I’m sure he knows he can’t win a court contest (his lawyers must have told him by now) But his lawyers will continue to get money if he files suit, so maybe their advice might be a bit tainted… ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/525 "2009-01-06T21:14:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Norm Coleman will go to the courts in hopes of returning to the U.S. Senate. > > Coleman announced this afternoon his campaign will contest the results of the statewide recount that gave him 225 fewer votes than Democrat Al Franken. > > “As of today not every valid vote has been counted and some have been counted twice,” Coleman said as he was surrounded by dozens of supporters in a packed room across the street from the Capitol building. [http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/108931/](http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/108931/) ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/526 "2009-01-06T21:17:39Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > [http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/108931/](http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/108931/) So, is it time to start printing up “Sore Norm! Loserman” bumper stickers? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/527 "2009-01-06T21:22:19Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > [http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/108931/](http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/108931/) Coleman added, “And it is only a coincidence that the votes have been counted twice, in my judgement, are Franken votes. And it is also strictly coincidental that the votes I want to be counted that weren’t are votes for me. I just want to make sure this is fair, right?” ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/528 "2009-01-06T21:31:05Z")
Crybaby Coleman is his name, whining about unfairness is his game. Sheesh, there was more daylight in this recount process than in any I’ve ever heard of. Each side had its lawyer present at every step of the way, you could watch them review the ballots over the Internet, and all that. With the absentee ballots, Coleman could have proposed uniform standards for reviewing the rejected ballots (in addition to the four specific grounds for rejecting absentee ballots, which AFAICT were applied pretty much uniformly statewide), but he didn’t. Now he’s lost, so he’s whining. What a prick. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/529 "2009-01-06T21:41:59Z")
Well, that’s the last time I give Coleman any credit for common sense. Deep down, I knew he was too much a narcissist to admit defeat. I guess sometime in March or April Senator Franken will take his seat. Coleman is burning any bridges he might have had left in this state. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/530 "2009-01-06T21:54:22Z")
The memory I took with me to the voting both that day was of how foolish the Coleman campaign ads looked when Franken’s camp caught them spinning footage of Franken. Video: Franken jumping up and down at a podium wagging his finger and visibly shouting. Voiceover: “Franken is just too unstable for Minnesota. A loose cannon.” They ran the ad throughout October. At the end of October Franken ran his own ad showing the original Coleman ad then added this: Voiceover: “I bet you’re wondering where this footage was taken? Does this look familiar?” Video: Same video of Franken however this time extended and with audio. Franken is at some type of Wellstone benefit telling a comical story about Paul Wellstone’s younger years when he was on the track team and Paul’s father was on the sidelines jumping up and down wagging his finger shouting “Go Paul Go!” ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/531 "2009-01-06T22:03:44Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Well, that’s the last time I give Coleman any credit for common sense. Deep down, I knew he was too much a narcissist to admit defeat. > > I guess sometime in March or April Senator Franken will take his seat. Coleman is burning any bridges he might have had left in this state. I think it will happen really quickly. If he wanted to drag it out, he had twenty days to file the contest. Norm wants it settled (or he would have taken his 20 days), the MN Supremes have NO desire to let this drag out. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/532 "2009-01-06T22:19:17Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I guess sometime in March or April Senator Franken will take his seat. Coleman is burning any bridges he might have had left in this state. Normie can always go back to New York. 😃 That picture on the Star-Tribune homepage makes me want to slap the smug right off his face. Bastard. Robin ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/533 "2009-01-06T22:46:07Z")
Dayumn. He looks like a frickin’ muppet. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/534 "2009-01-06T22:58:54Z")
He looks like somebody glued Dennis Kucinich’s face to John Kerry’s skull. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/535 "2009-01-06T23:00:26Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Video: Same video of Franken however this time extended and with audio. Franken is at some type of Wellstone benefit telling a comical story about Paul Wellstone’s younger years when he was on the track team and Paul’s father was on the sidelines jumping up and down wagging his finger shouting “Go Paul Go!” Actually, that was Paul Wellstone himself jumping up and down, to cheer on his son David in high school track meets. But the Coleman campaign clearly misrepresented this footage, and got caught at it. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/536 "2009-01-06T23:55:59Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What is the consenus among Minnesotans on Ventura’s administration, anyway? Good, bad, indifferent? I don’t know that there is a consenus, but I pretty much agree with **Blinking Duck**. Ventura started out as a decent governor, and personally, I think the shakeup was a good thing. By the end of his term, he’d turned into a whiny little kid. He’d verbally pick on people and then complain and whimper when they hit back. He came across as someone that terribly insecure, and makes up for it by putting on a bully fascade. ---
**Author:** ![Sinaijon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sinaijon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaijon)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/537 "2009-01-07T00:25:10Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Sheesh, there was more daylight in this recount process than in any I’ve ever heard of. Each side had its lawyer present at every step of the way, you could watch them review the ballots over the Internet,. It’s not that cut and dry. The reviewing of the rejected absentee ballots was not a uniform process. They were only counted if all three parties involved (the county, and each campaign) agreed that it should be counted. Since atleast 2 of the parties where at odds, only the most obvious ones where agreed upon. The rest are going to be settled in court: [QUOTE=SC Justice, Alan Page] “Because the parties and the respective counties have not agreed as to any of these ballots, the merits of this dispute (and any other disputes with respect to absentee ballots) are the proper subjects of an election contest,” Page wrote. [/quote] _That_ is why he is filing a lawsuit. So far, each campaign has had a unilateral veto over whether or not a rejected absentee ballot is counted. Anybody can see how that would not be a fair process. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/538 "2009-01-07T00:32:36Z")
> [@Sinaijon](#): > > So far, each campaign has had a unilateral veto over whether or not a rejected absentee ballot is counted. Anybody can see how that would not be a fair process. I’m not seeing it. Are you suggesting that Coleman was somehow coerced into making himself lose? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/539 "2009-01-07T00:34:44Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > I’m not seeing it. Are you suggesting that Coleman was somehow coerced into making himself lose? Well, Coleman’s legendary fairness surely caused him to approve recounts in counties where Franken had an advantage, and only Franken’s legendary cheatiness caused Coleman counties to not be counted. Can’t you see?! ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/540 "2009-01-07T01:09:56Z")
Aside from the weakness of Coleman’s complaints (and they are exceedingly weak), his bigger obstacle is that even if he gets everything he wants (and he won’t), he still won’t make up enough votes to pull ahead. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239.md?page=26) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239.md?page=28)