Don't look now, but things are getting pretty interesting in Minnesota.

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2008_11/015569.php

ONE ONE-HUNDREDTH OF A PERCENTAGE POINT.... Don't look now, but things are getting pretty interesting in Minnesota.

Just as Secretary of State Mark Ritchie was explaining to reporters the recount process in one of the narrowest elections in Minnesota history, an aide rushed in with news: Pine County's Partridge Township had revised its vote total upward -- another 100 votes for Democratic candidate Al Franken, putting him within .011 percentage points of Republican U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman.

The reason for the change? Exhausted county officials had accidentally entered 24 for Franken instead of 124 when the county's final votes were tallied at 5:25 Wednesday morning.

"That's why we have recounts," Ritchie said, surveying the e-mail sent in from the county auditor. "Human error. People make mistakes."

The margin in the tightest Senate race in the country bounced like the stock market throughout the day, with the difference between Coleman and Franken dropping, then rising briefly to 590 votes before shooting down to a razor-thin 236 by day's end.

Coleman's margin has gone from 725 to 477 to 341 to 236. All of this is before a statewide recount.

Why have there been so many fluctuations? The Star Tribune reported yesterday, "It's because county auditors are finding minor errors as they're proofing their unofficial numbers before shipping them to St. Paul, said John Aiken, spokesman for Secretary Mark Ritchie."

At this point, the margin is amazingly close. There were nearly 3 million votes cast in this race, and over 4,000 voting precincts in Minnesota. If there was a single ballot that was overlooked or scanned improperly in every 17th precinct, Franken and Coleman are tied.

Which is why a recount is no-brainer. It's automatic in Minnesota when the margin of victory is 0.5% or smaller -- this race is down to 0.1% -- but Coleman is urging Franken to waive his right to a recount and concede. Why? Because, well, Coleman thinks it'd be nice "for the healing process."

Franken isn't going for the idea, and will allow the process to proceed. Stay tuned.

—Steve Benen 8:45 AM

[pleah]

1. K&R I think Coleman actually lost, that is why he

wants Al to concede. So, I can't wait to see if this is actually true.

[Sinistrous]

13. I have the feeling that Coleman is scared that his/the GOPs vote manipulations

will be exposed in a recount and he does not want a vacation in the crowbar hotel.

[smoogatz]

20. He wants to keep his government job.

It's as simple as that, most likely. I mean, what wingnut wouldn't? Power, influence, bribes, free healthcare, fawning aides, hand-jobs from hot lobbyists, a decent paycheck for running your mouth, and a hell of a nice pension when you're done. what's not to like?

[glinda]

22. Big Pharma, big oil and the stonewaller to investigations

Yup. Norm is too important to things staying the same.

[pleah]

27. I hope you are right and he gets his much needed vacation!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[gollygee]

2. It's important that the will of the people be known

That's what was so frustrating 4 years ago with Al Gore. It didn't feel like the will of the people WAS known.

If they do the recount and Franken lost, then so be it. And thankfully we'll know for sure. But we really do need to know for sure. Knowing that our vote counts is a cornerstone of the democratic process. People need to know that their votes were carefully counted.

[kath]

24. That's right - it's not about the candidates. It's about the will of the people, dammit.

for a candidate to concede before the will of the people is known is a totally bullshit concept, IMHO.

[Not the Only One]

3. good news and trend

We had many first time voters who likely had trouble voting. Other factors like English as a second language or growing up in poorly funded schools could make our voters unable to complete the ballot the way they intended. I'm very optimistic now.

[mopinko]

16. my polling place was crazy.

so many first time voters, so many voters who hadn't voted since we had punchcards. i agree. we had very many spoiled ballots.

[driver8]

4. Coleman is a piece of shit -- this is one race I wanted the Dems to win!

I would love to see that weasel lose this election.

Go, Franken!!

[opihimoimoi]

15. Norm the worm is a POS....Go Al....kick ass....

[secondwind]

5. are there any uncounted provisionals outstanding? or absentee outstanding?

I am getting excited!




:headbang:

[struggle4progress]

31. Right now they're just examining tally sheets for errors. Hand recount starts mid-November. Absentee

ballots had to be received by Election Day and would have been counted that same day

See: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/news_cut/archive/2008/11/live-blogging_mark_ritchie.shtml

[peekaloo]

6. Senator Al Franken

Fuck Norm Coleman

[lonestarnot]

7. Go Senator Al!

[Kingofalldems]

8. That's like saying "Here's the money I owe you, but you can't count it."

[slampoet]

9. THIS is why we need universal runoff election laws. I can't believe they aren't doing that instead .

[hootinholler]

21. WTF are you talking about...

AFAIK, there were only 2 candidates in this race.

-Hoot

[laundry_queen]

23. There is an independent in there as well. eom

[Leopolds Ghost]

28. Actually the independent candidate was a huge factor drawing Perot-like numbers.

Minnesota is the only place where the Perotistas successfully set up a third party voting trend, thanks to Jesse Ventura. I don't think it's such a bad thing. It certainly is a reason for MN and NY to pass instant runoff voting since they have actual strong third party candidates.

[crispini]

10. Niiiiiiiiiiiiice.

Tasty.

[central scrutinizer]

11. Actually 0.01% is one one-hundredth of a percent

[1776Forever]

12. Franken would be a much better Senator for any State then Coleman. What a piece of work his is!

How could anyone vote for this fraud after they found out about his benefactors? Come on!

Norm Coleman's Suit-gate (updated)
The Big E's picture
Submitted by The Big E on October 7, 2008 - 7:49pm.

http://www.mnblue.com/norm+colemans+suit-gate

One of the poorer members of the US Senate, Minnesota's own Norm Coleman, has been taken care of by his friends. From a sweetheart apartment deal in Washington, DC to a job for his wife so she can afford to live in California to clothes, it is clear that Republican donors are taking good care of Norm and his family.

Coleman also has a close relationship with Minnesota businessman Nasser Kazeminy, a big donor to the G.O.P. and to Coleman. In 2005, the senator and his daughter jetted down to the Bahamas on a private plane owned by Kazeminy, a trip valued at $3,960. In 2004, he and his wife flew to Paris on Kazeminy’s plane, a $2,870 value.

“The trips … fall under the Senate gift rule, which allows for pre-approved gifts from long-term friends, the Star Tribune said in a 2006 story about the trips. “Coleman said he has known Kazeminy for more than a decade and the two have spent Christmas together. ‘It’s a friend with a plane,’ Coleman said.”

I’ve been told by two sources that Kazeminy has in the past covered the bills for Coleman’s lavish clothing purchases at Nieman Marcus in Minneapolis. The sources were not certain of the dates of the purchases; if they were made before Coleman joined the Senate in 2003, he obviously would not be required to report it under senate rules. But having a private businessman pay for your clothing is never a good idea if you’re a public official (Coleman was mayor of St. Paul from 1994 to 2002).
(Harper's)

....

Read more at the link and see the video there.

[depakid]

14. Seems to me a run-off process like Georgia's would have been a better way

to resolve the matter.

[Patiod]

17. That's why we knock on one more door

After working on a Congressional campaign in a district of half a million people that was lost by 11 votes, I know this.

[BrklynLiberal]

18. I am looking forward to Sen Franken's acceptance speech...

[lady lib]

19. I find that I heal better after a nice healthy recount. nt

[FatDave]

25. Isn't this where the Supreme Court steps in to stop the counting?

[defendandprotect]

35. Yes .. to protect Coleman's right to not be humiliated by a loss --!!

[petronius]

26. It wouldn't matter what Franken said anyway, correct?

The Minnesota elctions people will follow the law, regardless of any comments made by the candidates. After all, the rights being protected by the mandatory recount aren't Franken's rights, they're the rights of the voters...

Coleman is just blowing desperate hot air, and setting up (if he loses) for a whole bunch of conspiracy-theory whining about how Franken unethically 'stole' the seat.

[struggle4progress]

29. Currently behind by 239:

http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20081104/ElecRslts.asp?M=S&R=all&P=A&Races=''

[struggle4progress]

36. Update: Coleman's lead dwindling, now just 238

Fri, 11/7/2008 — 3:47pm — Jacob Grovum
http://www.mndaily.com/blogs/filed-under-politics/2008/11/07/update-colemans-lead-dwindling-now-just-238

[Overseas]

30. K&R -- with thanks to Al Franken for standing up for his voters. //nt

[SlowDownFast]

32. GO AL!!!

Don't back down!

Make sure they count ALL the votes!

[defendandprotect]

33. I think they tried really hard to hold onto corrupt Coleman + Stevens ...

[ColbertWatcher]

34. Don't give up Al! n/t

[tbyg52]

37. If you'd like to kick in a few $ to the recount fund

https://secure.alfranken.com/page/contribute/EM2008

[rateyes]

38. It would help the healing process for YOU to concede, Norm. nt

[eridani]

39. If you folks need a recount fund, those of us in WA particularly need to donate to it

It was the Internet that saved our asses and got us our manual gubernatorial recount in 2004.

[Joanne98]

40. Why do "errors" always benefit the thugs?