# 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:** 57
**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:** [June 30, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1121 "2009-06-30T22:11:52Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > And, yes, I know that the parties would have been precluded from such an agreement by the electoral rules, but imagine if all the politicos had gotten together and said, ‘Let’s try to spare the possibility of the taxpayer (and our own parties) throwing millions of dollars down the crapper in recounts and lawyers’ fees and let’s do our damnedest to get these rules changed." The Mn Secretary of State did propose new changes in Minnesota election law, including things like clearer specifications on absentee ballots, early voting procedures, issuing a provisional election certificate during recounts, better maintenance of voter rolls, etc. It was passed by both houses of the Legislature and sent to Gov. Pawlenty – who vetoed it! ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1122 "2009-06-30T22:28:58Z")
Does conceding an election have any legal standing? ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1123 "2009-06-30T22:38:52Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Does conceding an election have any legal standing? That’s what I was just about to ask. **Could** Pawlenty still refuse to sign the certificate, if he wanted to, or does Coleman’s concession override that? Do the laws address this kind of thing? ---
**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:** [June 30, 2009, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1124 "2009-06-30T22:41:59Z")
Pawlenty could refuse to sign the certificate, but I doubt it would be legal. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1125 "2009-06-30T22:49:17Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Does conceding an election have any legal standing? “I concede” may well. He’s probably filed whatever he needs to file to give up. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1126 "2009-06-30T23:00:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Will he be sworn in in time to vote for the cap and trade bill? I hear that will be tough to pass in the Senate. The Democrats, as the party in control of the Senate (even if they don’t have the super-control of 60 seats) can choose precisely when to put the bill on the floor. Given this news, I would imagine that they’ll wait for him. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1127 "2009-06-30T23:00:38Z")
Pawlenty’s only grounds for not signing would have been the election was still contested. If it’s no longer contested, he really has no grounds at all. ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1128 "2009-06-30T23:14:41Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > “But as I leave you I want you to know — just think how much you’re going to be missing. You won’t have Coleman to kick around any more” Well, Michele Bachmann is still around. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1129 "2009-06-30T23:35:40Z")
> [@imthjckaz](#): > > Well, Michele Bachmann is still around. Someone needs to give her a cocker spaniel named ‘Checkers’. Does she have a daughter? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1130 "2009-06-30T23:35:56Z")
Complicated. Can’t kick her around without you throw a net over her first. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1131 "2009-06-30T23:46:34Z")
Would you all get over the nonsense that the governor won’t sign? He’s already said publically he will sign it, now that the court has ruled, and Coleman has conceded. Honestly, I can see where conspiracy talk starts. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1132 "2009-07-01T00:26:55Z")
It’s now reported that Pawlenty has signed the certificate. Way to go, Mr. Smalley! (that book was brilliant! If his Senatorial career is 1/4 as on target, he’ll be an above-average senator) ---
**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:** [July 1, 2009, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1133 "2009-07-01T01:15:40Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > “I concede” may well. He’s probably filed whatever he needs to file to give up. No, conceding has no legal status. The state government issues the certificate of election to the winner; the loser(s) are not involved at all (unless they contest this in court, like Coleman did). There is nothing Coleman has to file to ‘concede’. But a public concession probably indicates that he won’t be filing any additional challenges to the election. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1134 "2009-07-01T01:28:47Z")
Well, just for sake of paranoia, can someone press for court review on their own? Suppose someone is so incensed at the prospect of Franken that they are determined to press ahead, do they require Coleman’s permission? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1135 "2009-07-01T01:28:59Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > It’s now reported that Pawlenty has signed the certificate. > > Way to go, Mr. Smalley! > > (that book was brilliant! If his Senatorial career is 1/4 as on target, he’ll be an above-average senator) Seems Senator-Elect Franken is going to be on the Indian Affairs committee. Would that he was there during some of Abraham Jackoff’s shenanigans. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1136 "2009-07-01T01:47:31Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > If he wins, is this the Al Franken Century? Show of hands: When he announced that the 21st Century was going to be the Al Franken Century (was it in 1999?) did you think it was anything but a joke? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1137 "2009-07-01T01:55:40Z")
What, can’t you see it in his eyes, that burning determination for world domination? Of course, to be fair, that’s pretty common amongst nice Jewish boys from Minnesota. ---
**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:** [July 1, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1138 "2009-07-01T01:58:54Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Well, just for sake of paranoia, can someone press for court review on their own? Suppose someone is so incensed at the prospect of Franken that they are determined to press ahead, do they require Coleman’s permission? I believe you need what is legally called ‘standing’ to sue in court. That would normally be showing that you have suffered injury from this action. Obviously Coleman & the other losing candidates have that. It’s questionable if anyone else does. You could possibly claim that as ‘a citizen of Minnesota’ you are injured by this, but Courts generally don’t like such broad classes of plaintiffs – if this was allowed, just about any citizen could sue over nearly any legislative action. I think any individual or group of citizens would have a lawsuit thrown out quickly by the Courts, just based on lack of standing. ---
**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:** [July 1, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1139 "2009-07-01T02:02:18Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Show of hands: When he announced that the 21st Century was going to be the Al Franken Century (was it in 1999?) did you think it was anything but a joke? I don’t remember that. I do remember on SNL when he declared that the Eighties would be the Al Franken Decade. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239/1140 "2009-07-01T02:22:55Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I do remember on SNL when he declared that the Eighties would be the Al Franken Decade. “I’d like to thank you all for voting for me, Al Franken.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239.md?page=56) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-al-frankens-senate-bid-going/437239.md?page=58)