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Ear to the Ground

Franken Closes In on Coleman

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Posted on Nov 7, 2008
Al Franken
realcities.com

Poised for victory?: Comedian-turned-politician Al Franken.

Having suggested that fellow Minnesotan Al Franken should concede defeat earlier in the week, Norm Coleman was keeping mum by Friday afternoon, when it was discovered that Franken was trailing his Republican rival for the U.S. Senate by only 238 votes.


StarTribune.com:

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.”

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By leilah, November 9, 2008 at 7:42 pm #

Coleman would be better for the Democrats.  He’s a wimp and a scare like this would make it easier for the Democrats to intimidate him.  He’d be like “Wimpy” Nelson from Nebraska.  As the story goes, pre-election 2004, Josh Bolten talked with Nelson in the WH limo while driving around Omaha.  About 1 or 2 miles from the hotel, they kicked Nelson out of the car and made him walk back.  Nelson got the message.  He was a loyal Republican after that in votes they wanted.
Al Franken, however, has that AIPAC and JINSA money behind him and he’d be just another (D-Israel).

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By leilah, November 9, 2008 at 7:42 pm #

Coleman would be better for the Democrats.  He’s a wimp and a scare like this would make it easier for the Democrats to intimidate him.  He’d be like “Wimpy” Nelson from Nebraska.  As the story goes, pre-election 2004, Josh Bolten talked with Nelson in the WH limo while driving around Omaha.  About 1 or 2 miles from the hotel, they kicked Nelson out of the car and made him walk back.  Nelson got the message.  He was a loyal Republican after that in votes they wanted.
Al Franken, however, has that AIPAC and JINSA money behind him and he’d be just another (D-Israel)

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By leilah, November 9, 2008 at 7:30 pm #

I think the Democrats could give Norm, the St. Paul Playboy, the scare of his life and have him intimidated similar to the situation Senator “Wimpy” Nelson from Nebraska found himself in with the Bush Admninistration in 2004. They scared him into voting exactly the way they wanted him to vote after throwing in a few personal insults, gratis.  In 2004 pre-election, the WH staff took him somewhere in Omaha in the WH limo and on the return trip Josh Bolten kicked him out of car about 1 or 2 miles from the hotel. Made him walk back.  Nelson got the message.  Now, the Dems could return the favor and get a guaranteed vote for whatever they want without getting another Senator (D-Israel).

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By Nikevictory, November 9, 2008 at 11:54 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Spontaneous wit is a more effective communication skill than recitation of party talking points. Franken can obviously think for himself: does this quality not serve the citizens better than the speech of a ventriloquist’s dummy?
Coleman as a party parrot would have the perfect connections for voter manipulation: I say a revote on paper ballots with no chance of miscounting or cheating will be in order.

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By KDelphi, November 9, 2008 at 5:32 am #

Frqanken may be very passionate in his beliefs..I just dont agres with them. I do not think he is very “left of center” at all.

He is better than Coleman and he adds a Dem vote.

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By Inherit The Wind, November 9, 2008 at 2:20 am #

I LIKE the idea of a professional comedian in the Senate.  There are so many amateurs there already.  Besides, he’ll pick up fabulous stuff there!

“Keep it up, Guys. I need the material!”—Mark Russell

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By leilah, November 8, 2008 at 6:11 pm #

Bradblog reports that Big Al never wanted to talk about voting irregularities on his Air America talk show.  I wonder if this revoltin’ development will pique his interest.
As a Senator with a possible vote on the middle east, I remember a converstion he had with Norm Ornstein of AEI during the Israeli invasion and bombing og Lebanon.  They were lamenting Hezboulah’s use of the anti-tank weapons in a tone that sounded like whining as in, “It’s not fair.”  Here we had Israel dropping cluster bombs on Lebanon and getting its lunch handed to them on the IDF invasion front, and these two whiners had the gall to cry about it. They were really out to destoy Beirut, the jewel of the Mediterranean, and destroy the prospering Lebanon, another democracy in the middle east.
Juan Cole said it best in his reaction to the Neocons sabotaging his appointment to a postion at Yale when he said, “The Jews have an absolute genius in getting people angry at them.”

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By Anthony Look, November 8, 2008 at 5:37 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

What is a Maverick if not someone that is unconventional. I have followed Al Franken’s career since the early seventies; the underlying comedic tone has always been one of politics. He has demonstrated a genuine interest and heartfelt concern (though some may not agree with his left of center thinking)all his life. This is a man that did not take the traditional way to make his imprint of his love of America. It cannot be argued that someone that has devoted decades of satire and humor has a genuine yearning for a better America; therein was the gut of his humor.
A maverick is someone that makes an imprint, touches a nerve, takes the pulse of American and notices the abnormal beats; someone that presents an argument that makes us think. This Al Franken has done throughout his career. He has made possible discussion of ignored topics of importance, of washed over issues that demand review, brought to light glossed over infractions; all with a stinging artistic flare. His run for the this seat is a opportunity that Americans should not take lightly; this is a man that cares. A man that has cared all his life.
In this upcoming run off, remember one thing. This is a good man, a good family man, a good American; one does not devote their entire life’s work addressing America’s ills and successes through comedy without the love of our nation being so evident.

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By Improbus, November 8, 2008 at 12:45 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Hello Mr. Coleman, I am your worst nightmare ... Al Franken.

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By KDelphi, November 8, 2008 at 2:48 am #

I am not totally crazy about Franken—he’s ok. I would like to see another Dem in there, just in case the Dems decide to actually do soemthing this time.

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By PatrickHenry, November 7, 2008 at 9:28 pm #

I would suspect Diebold to throw a few votes to Coleman given Republican popularity.

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