Think Progress

Franken leading Coleman by more than 250 votes.

As of 3:02 this afternoon, Al Franken was leading Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) by 257 votes in the senate race recount. FiveThiryEight’s Nate Silver projected Franken would ultimately win the recount with a margin of at least 70 votes.



42 Responses to “Franken leading Coleman by more than 250 votes.”

  1. nanlichi says:

    Sweet! Now pray for an aneurism when Billo and pus-gut Rush hear about it.


  2. Cappy says:

    I don’t see why Coleman doesn’t just concede. He’s going to need time to deal with the FBI investigation into his funny money.


  3. pete says:

    The wailing, and gnashing of teeth, on local Reich-radio is fantastic! But, what’s really gratifying is that it’s the first time that I really feel my single vote is significant. If Al wins, and proves faithless, feel free to blame me.


  4. pete says:

    And, on an off topic story, Bristol Palin’s Mom got arrested on drug charges. I just hope that Bible Spice’s second grandchild isn’t affected as severely as the first.

    http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/crime/story/628010.html


  5. rogerD says:

    One of the contested ballots said “thank you for counting my vote”. Coleman’s camp said that surely couldn’t be valid. The MN voting board disagreed. One board member then said to the ballot, “you’re welcome”. Humor is the best answer to this nonsense.


  6. dixie blood says:

    #4, pete,

    Nice link…


  7. nanlichi says:

    rogerD, I had heard that before and wondered what the logical connection was for the challenge. What makes the ballot not valid?

    If anything, it should be counted twice because the person really, really wanted to vote for Franken.


  8. Zooey says:

    Nate Silver is amazing — GO FRANKEN!!


  9. RUCerious says:

    Big Al in the Senate, and we’re one vote closer to cloture proofing. Muck you Fitch!


  10. Zooey says:

    pete Says:

    And, on an off topic story, Bristol Palin’s Mom got arrested on drug charges. I just hope that Bible Spice’s second grandchild isn’t affected as severely as the first.

    http://www.adn.com/ news/ alaska/ crime/ story/ 628010.html
    December 19th, 2008 at 4:30 pm

    That’s Bristol’s future mom-in-law. :)
    But if she’s lucky, Bristol will grow a brain and run for the hills…


  11. RUCerious says:

    Wedding rehearsal dinner party, how awkward!


  12. normalasf says:

    Poor Bill O’Reilly. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.


  13. Leftside Annie says:

    HURRAH!!!

    Go, Al!!


  14. pete says:

    Zooey Says:

    That’s Bristol’s future mom-in-law. :)
    But if she’s lucky, Bristol will grow a brain and run for the hills…

    December 19th, 2008 at 4:38 pm

    With that combination of genetics and environment? Bristol stands a better chance of being Raptured at the alter.


  15. dixie blood says:

    I worked at SNL when Al was a writer. Davis of “Franken and Davis” was also a writer and both are very nice down home people. Very smart.


  16. nanlichi says:

  17. nanlichi says:

    RUCerious, you obviously doesn’t recognize American family values. Just because you didn’t have a 9 month old pregnant bride and the groom’s mother wearing a shiny ankle bracelet in case she bolts. And little sister carrying Mom’s last (or should I say latest) whelp.

    I bet you didn’t serve moose balls for appetizers either did you?



  18. RUCerious says:

    Moose balls? No, but we considered Rocky Mountain Oysters!


  19. pete says:

    Still OT:

    I wonder if Levi’s Mom volunteered to provide the “Wedding Crystal”?


  20. CZ-1 says:

    Paul Wellstone, your seat is almost safely back in good hands. We miss you Paul!


  21. nanlichi says:

    Levi’s Mom thought the wedding plans needed to be “tweaked” just a little.


  22. CZ-1 says:

    normalasf Says:

    Poor Bill O’Reilly. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.

    For me, it’s not even close, not even on the menu. Both of my shoes are flying at O’Lie-ly!


  23. CZ-1 says:

    Here it comes, O’Lie-ly:


    .7II?I
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    . Z7?$?+++++7NN… …..
    . .7DDN+I??++++==NDDD7.. $DNNDDDN.
    $8DDD8DND8D+7N8===DDDDDDDDDDDNDDDDI=
    O88DDDDNNDND8DNDDOODO=MDNNDNNNNNNNNND?7I
    .+DDDDDDDDDNDDDDDN88ZZ7ZN8DNNNNNNNNNNNDD?I77
    . .,ONNNNNNDNNDNNNDNDDDDDD88OZ$Z8ZNDODNDDDNNNNNNNDD+?I$$
    .DMNNNNNNNNNNNDDD8DDD888ZZZOOOD$OOD8OZDNNDDNNNNNDO+?I$N7
    DDMNNNNDNNNNNN8ND87OO8OZOZZ++=++NDD8DDDDNNNNDNNDNN=?7NN$
    .NDNNNNNNNNN8NNDN88D8ZZ+=,,:=++++?$88DD8DNNNNNNNNNNNNNN:Z
    8NMNDNNNDNN8DO8D888Z=+++=~=~~==++++?88DDDDDDNNNNNNNNND:ZO
    $8NNNND8D888ODD8888OZ=+++==~===+++++I88DDDDDDDDNNND,77$D8
    .DDNNNNNDDN8DOOD8888OZ~++++====~++++?IO8DDDDDDDD8I777ZDDD
    ,ND8DNNNNND88O8O8D8OOZ=+++++====+????7Z8DDDDDNI8888DDDDN
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    …Z78O888888888OOOOOOZZZOOZZ$ZOOOOO888888DZ$I7=….
    .,$?O88ZZZZZZOOZZZ$??I+~,…
    …….


  24. CZ-1 says:

    nanlichi Says:

    rogerD, I had heard that before and wondered what the logical connection was for the challenge. What makes the ballot not valid?

    I believe the Coleman camp tried to claim it was an “identifying mark,” which is not allowed per an outdated Minnesota election law.


  25. CZ-1 says:

    Dr. Hussein Matt Says:

    CZ-1 Says:
    Here it comes, O’Lie-ly:

    huh?

    Um, my ASCII shoe art didn’t come through the commenting process very well, did it? Oh well. It was the thought that counted.


  26. Nevar says:

    Your thoughts have been counted.


  27. Nevar says:

    They were clear enough in intent, I doubt if the canvassers will reject them.


  28. nanlichi says:

  29. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    And Norm Coleman took another issue to court. This time it’s about the so-called double counted votes. Funny thing about Norm, when this subject first came up weeks ago Norm and his Attorneys fought to have all the votes counted. Now that he is losing, he wants only the votes where they could find the original and the duplicate counted. This will take around 100 votes away from Al Franken. Not enough to make Coleman the winner, but hey, Coleman has to fight for every vote.

    How many of you think that Coleman will concede when it’s called for Franken? You know, like Coleman asked Franken to concede “for the good of the state” after the original count, even though the recount was mandatory.


  30. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    CZ-1 Says:
    nanlichi Says:
    rogerD, I had heard that before and wondered what the logical connection was for the challenge. What makes the ballot not valid?
    I believe the Coleman camp tried to claim it was an “identifying mark,” which is not allowed per an outdated Minnesota election law.

    You are right, most of Coleman’s were for identifying marks. The canvassing boards only disallowed a ballot with an “identifying mark” if it came close to identifying the person who made the vote. One of Coleman’s challenges was a ballot where someone wrote “Thanks for counting my vote!”. Now that’s ironic. A lot of Coleman’s other challenges were ones where there was just a blot somewhere on the ballot. Then there were his challenges where someone voted for McCain and Franken. Coleman actually challenged those votes as the voter really intended to vote for Colemnan! They didn’t buy it.


  31. Bilbo Hussein Baggins says:

    nanlichi Says:
    rogerD, I had heard that before and wondered what the logical connection was for the challenge. What makes the ballot not valid?

    A vote is not valid if the canvassing board couldn’t figure out the voter’s intention. I watched a lot of the canvassing live on the internet yesterday and it was fascinating what Coleman challenged. But a valid challenge would be that all the bubbles on a ballot were fully filled out, but the one by Franken’s name was barely marked. That vote was not awarded to Franken because it wasn’t apparent that was the voter’s intention. Most of them were really clear what the voter intended.

    Coleman challenged way more than Franken and withdrew fewer frivolous challenges because that kept him in the lead when they started their final determination. It was a way to psych people out and a way for him to claim that the vote was stolen since he was ahead before the final count.

    One thing Franken being ahead might make happen is for Coleman to cooperate in the counting of the absentee ballots since they are his only hope of winning at this point.


  32. I. B. Leary says:

    Norm Coleman is a big fat idiot.


  33. Above the Clouds says:

    This is why we vote–each and every one of us.


  34. KEVKEV IN APACHE JUNCTION says:

    Norm Coleman
    is
    Going
    to
    the
    Grey Bar Hotel next Year!


  35. Buckie Boy says:

    You mean, the Repuke scum lords couldn’t fix this one enough to steal another win?

    How nice.


  36. Tim Vaculik says:

    Just as I predicted…

    Democrats just keep “finding” more votes until they win.

    Simple. As predictable as the sunrise each day!


  37. EugeneDebs says:

    Tim Vaculik Says:

    You are such an ignorant punk. There are no questionable votes you lying sack of shit. They just COUNTED ALL OF THE VOTES. We all know how much you Republicans HATE when that happens.


  38. web_geek says:

    Tim Vaculik Says:
    Just as I predicted…
    Democrats just keep “finding” more votes until they win.
    Simple. As predictable as the sunrise each day!

    Do you know how this process works or are you just being contrary?


  39. EugeneDebs says:

    web_geek Says:

    He is being Timmeh. He ONLY posts what he has been PROGRAMMED to regurgitate. My guess is Hannity or the Oxymoron put THIS one into what I will generously call his brain


  40. roscoe says:

    Thank you God & Paul Wellstone for looking down on us Minnesotans & removing Norm Coleman & sending him to prison. I can hardly wait for the day when O’Reilly, Coulter, Limbaugh, Hannity & any other GOP Franken haters will have to kiss his Blue-Democratic, Senatorial arse.


  41. signet says:

    Al: If you win this one, whatever you do, don’t fly private or commuter… Please…



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