Absentees push Franken's Senate lead to 312 (Gov Pawlenty speaks out for Coleman)

AP ^ | April 7, 2009 | Brian Bakst

[flattorney]

Democrat Al Franken's lead in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race has grown to 312 votes now that hundreds of absentee ballots have been added to the counting. A three-judge panel ruled that the rejected absentee ballots should be opened and counted after hearing weeks of testimony in a lawsuit brought by Republican Norm Coleman. Franken led by 225 votes going into Tuesday's count of those absentee ballots. The judges allowed 351 absentees into the count and Franken picked up more of them than Coleman did. Other issues are still pending in Coleman's lawsuit, and he has said he will appeal to the state Supreme Court if he loses.

[flattorney]

Governor Pawlenty speaks out for Norm Coleman
      In a MSNBC interview this afternoon, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) suggested that the Minnesota Senate recount between Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken could take several more months to be resolved -- leaving open the possibility that Coleman may appeal his case to the federal courts. Asked if he would sign an election certificate if the three-judge panel rules that Franken continues to hold a narrow lead over Coleman, Pawlenty said he would wait until the appeals process runs its course.




Minneapolis Star Tribune (Endorsed Coleman) Senate Recount | Live Video
Minnesota Democrats Exposes | The Uptake | MN Public Radio Coverage
Minneapolis-St. Paul TV Stations: NBC | CBS | ABC | FOX
~ Minnesota U.S. Senate Election Fiasco ~
FR Keywords: Norm Coleman(R) | Al Franken(D) | Franken: SorosBoy | Porn-O-Rama! Sicko |
Endorsed by Al “Globull Fraud” Gore
Coleman-GOP Election Recount Legal Action(s) | MN Sec. of State Mark "Commie Soros Puppet" Ritchie
"The Dirt": Arianna Huffington was Franken's Secret Video Sex 'Ho - Post 2

TAB

[hoe_cake]

Too strange to be real life...too strange.

[556x45]

Yes and you really have to wonder about the voters in MN. Are they this stupid/asleep/apathetic?? Its really hard to fathom...really.

[Mr Rogers]

Minnesota deserves Franken. The rest of the US does not.

[ZULU]

From little ACORNS, election fraud grows.

[DogBarkTree]

I recently bought over $5000 worth of inventory for my business. I had 2 choices for the supplier. Minnesota and Texas. I spent over $200 more to order from Texas because I despise Minnesota for allowing Franken to steal this election. The Minnesota guy was shocked to hear my reason and the Texan laughed and said he would discount my next order to make up for the extra paid on this order.

[nufsed]

Shouldn’t the term be longer than the appeals?

[flattorney]

04.04.09: Senate GOPs back Coleman all the way
      Abstract: Senate Republicans are backing their beleaguered colleague in Minnesota, saying former Sen. Norm Coleman should push his election case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Coleman has been battling Democrat Al Franken since November for the seat that used to be his, but recent court decisions have moved against him in the legal battle over the recount. Franken technically has a 225-vote lead, and last week a decision gave him a stronger chance of clinging to it. But Coleman's colleagues in the Senate say they trust him and his legal team, and are willing to support a bid to the U.S. Supreme Court if the Minnesota Supreme Court rules against him.
      "I'll back Norm as far as he believes he should go," said Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.). "He's there on the ground, he's the one with the best information and he's a good and honorable man. It's very hotly contested, very close, and there's a lot of questions." "Norm is somebody I greatly respect, I think he has very good judgment, and he has a great sense of what ought to be done. It's his case and he's in the middle of it," said Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.). "I know it's not damaging the party because I don't hear that. But I do think Norm is a very sensitive, thoughtful person and whatever Norm is doing I'm sure he believes is exactly the right thing to do and I support that." Several Republicans compare the Coleman case to the Bush v. Gore decision in 2000, in which the standard of differently-counted votes came into play. "This is about making sure every legal vote is counted, this isn't just about Norm Coleman. This is about protecting the rights of voters," said National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (R-Texas). "It's to my mind a very noble endeavor and one in which, frankly, I admire his perseverence. I support getting it right, and if that includes a federal lawsuit, then so be it. I do think there are important legal issues that don't just affect Minnesota, or affect this race. They affect elections all around the country -- a uniform standard to make sure which votes are counted, and which are not."
      Moderate GOP members also say they back a U.S. Supreme Court battle if Coleman chooses. "Whatever he says," said Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine.). "So much has been committed. He's obviously invested so much in time and commitment and money -- it's staggering -- so I think it's important that either side abide by the final process by which the final decision will be rendered. It would put your mind at peace with the outcome." Republican leadership also say they back Coleman solidly, saying they trust his lawyers' handling of the case. "They know what to do based on their intimate knowledge of the case," said Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.). "I wouldn't presume to give them advice." "The question is, 'Should every Minnesotan's vote count?' And there are are lots of votes out there that weren't counted, so the process ought to be played out until it's concluded," said Senate Republican Conference Vice Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.). "He should be able to exercise his options... There's a pretty good rationale for taking it to the U.S. Supreme Court."

TAB

[jpatt]

This guy is clearly gay, no GOP’r pointed this out during the campaign? Everyone thought his failure to pay taxes would have cost him the election. Those Mn. voters remind me of Pa. voters. Murtha called ‘em racist, then redneck, and BO called them bitter and cling to bible guns- AND THEY BOTH WIN! How did ACORN pull this off?

[flattorney]

THANK YOU!

TAB

[ChinaThreat]

Those of us in a position to have leverage like this should use it. Let the blue states know we don’t care to do business with them anymore.

[bigbob]

The game now has to be to waste as much of Franken’s time and money as possible before he ultimately is seated. The fix was in on election day.

Coleman must be a really lousy Senator in addition to human being for this to have ever happened.

[DogBarkTree]

Im a small operation with only 3 employees. I wished I had more leverage than I do but doing this made me feel better than the $200+ cost. The previous business order used to do business with a supplier in Vermont. I’ve yet to return their calls for over a year.

[trumandogz]

Frankin, with his mouth and in the Senate would be Lead Fundraiser for the GOP.

[jws3sticks]

How many were generated by our "friends" from ACORN?

What a farce!

[MplsSteve]

WELCOME TO FREE REPUBLIC’S MINNESOTA PING LIST!

122 MEMBERS AND GROWING...!

FREEPMAIL ME IF YOU WANT ON OR OFF THIS LIST!

[janipa]

I would contribute to a large billboard of Franken in that diaper pose saying —Minnesota, this is your senator.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Just read Steve Cannon's obit.
There was a master communicator.

[MplsSteve]

I am a resident of Minnesota and was a financial contributor to Coleman’s 2002 and 2008 races.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again.

Norm Coleman was virtually invisible during his six years in the Senate. He loved playing the “Let’s rub elbows and cut deal with each other behind closed doors” routine that exists in the Senate.

He accomplished virtually nothing of substance in his first (and likely only) term. On TV, he seemed to ooze indecision and the inability to give a straight answer to any question. Even on a conservative local radio station, he answered questions in a manner that was similiar pure vanilla pablum.

His re-election campaign was one of those “Hey, vote for me. I really can’t tell you what I’ve done but I’m definitely not Al Franken” themes.

Even given the voter fraud that many believe took place, Coleman should have beaten Franken by at least 5-10 points. Bu he didn’t. The campaign he ran was sub-par and he ought to be incredibly ashamed of himself. I hope he does not run for office ever again.

[toast]

The people you chose not to buy from in Minnesota are gainfully employed and do not work for the government. Therefore, they are not likely to be Franken supporters.