Al Franken: Another Senate seating ruckus?
Franken
WASHINGTON — Roland Burris isn’t the only would-be U.S. senator whose arrival in Washington will be scrutinized.
Al Franken, a Democrat who left the wacky world of comedy for the wacky world of politics, is preparing to take his seat as the junior senator from Minnesota now that the Canvassing Board in his state this afternoon certified his 225-vote recount victory over incumbent Republican Norm Coleman.
Speaking in Minnesota a few minutes ago after the seven-week recount, Franken said: “After 62 days of careful, paintstaking hand inspections, I am proud to stand before you as the next senator from Minnesota. This victory is incredibly humbling, not just because it was so narrow but because of the tremendous responsibility it gives me on behalf of the people of Minnesota …
“I know that this isn’t an easy day for Norm Coleman and his family … Norm Coleman has worked hard for this state and this country and I hope to ask for his help.”
Franken might not want to ask for that help just yet considering that Coleman hasn’t given up. Coleman lost a round in the Minnesota Supreme Court today when the court refused his bid to have hundreds of rejected absentee ballots included in the recount.
But a spokesman said that Coleman will persist with a lawsuit that asks the Minnesota Supreme Court to review the certification. He has seven days to file the suit.
Coleman is contending that hundreds of absentee ballots were not properly counted and that other ballots were counted twice. He would first have to persuade a three-judge panel that more counting should be done and then make up the 225-vote difference when those disputed ballots are re-examined.
Roll Call newspaper reported this afternoon that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., would try to seat Coleman tomorrow — the same day that Burris is promising to seek entry to the Senate chamber after his disputed nomination by scandal-plagued Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Franken did not say when he’s headed to D.C., but given Coleman’s remaining legal avenues, it is likely that Minnesota’s Senate controversy — like Illinois’ — will continue.
National Republican chairman Mike Duncan — who is fighting to hang on to his own job — issued a statement just now showing that the the GOP intends to be aggressive.
“The efforts of Al Franken, Harry Reid and (NY Sen.) Chuck Schumer to steal this election and seat Al Franken despite not having an election certificate are unprecedented,” Duncan said.
If Franken’s election is upheld and Illinois gets a junior senator that Democrats can agree on, Democrats would have 59 Senate seats — one short of a filibuster-proof chamber.
The “Magic 60″ is meaningless, not because Senate rules don’t matter, but because no matter what the partisan lines, once the total number of votes on a bill approaches 60, conservatives will either be able to peel off a moderate Dem to keep a filibuster or Democrats will be able to peel off a moderate Republican to break the filibuster. Obviously, the more Democrats there are, the easier for them to break a filibuster, but failing to get 60 Dems doesn’t mean they can’t do it.
Another classic example of Democrats stealing an election. Do you have this mixed up with Chicago?
In Chicago, they don’t steal votes, they pay off people. How else can you explain the media staring at Obama’s abs instead of digging into his trash to find out where he was born.
The press’ coverage of Obama has been a disgrace. The facts are staring them in the face and they look the other way.
I’ll plead one more time in case this will jolt some sense of responsibility out of these guys. The public has a right to know if Obama truly meets the most basic requirement to be the President — that of natural born citizen status. Do you not realize what would happen if he is found to be ineligible after the inauguration? Do you not care? Is this your form of affirmative action?
Stop looking the other way.
congrats Al, you will be a great Senator. I am glad MN took to so long to do this recount, I have more confidence in it then I did in Florida.
Simple and straight forward statement. If you seat Al Franken, you have to seat Roland Burris.
Hey Think!
If you spent as much time doing service for others less fortunate than you rather than spewing off ill-informed blog posts, our country would be a better place. Disagree with policy all you want…debate is a good thing…but there are obvious reasons no one is writing articles about Obama’s citizenship - and it has nothing to do with lazy or liberal writers. Turn off the radio and start WORKING for a more perfect union. Hate, ignorance and self-service is soooo last year!! I suggest starting your new year with the corporal works of mercy.
PT — Thank you very much for your suggestion. Since I am already doing a great deal of work for others, should I also do your share too? It seems like you have little ambition to seek out the truth in this matter, so I’m guessing you are munching on your cheetos, watching CNBC and daydreaming about Keith Oberman.
You and your party already have filled this country with enough hatred, ignorance and self-service. I certainly won’t even begin to do any of that.
What is at stack here is our Constitution and the integrity of our election process. I certainly will disagree with Obama on many things. Most people, like yourself, will refuse to listen to the alarms and will learn your lessons the hard way. Most conservatives, like myself, won’t be treating Obama with the hatred and disrespect that your kind directed at Bush. Go ahead, I dare you to say something nice about Bush.
We all learn in school the most basic requirements to be President. It is our right to know that this requirement has been enforced. You will find nowhere that Obama has been certified as being eligible for office. This is such a simple requirement with a simple resolution. If Obama does not produce his certificate of birth showing the hospital of birth, then what can we assume?
You can move ahead with your blinders on. Can’t imagine you reading anything wordy like the Constitution anyway.
I expect something better out of Mr. Lambrecht, but perhaps that is too much to ask as well.