I’m fine with that too. The rule should either clearly be “Only filling in the bubble signifies intent” OR “If you are too stupid to fill in the bubble we’ll try and read your mind”.

It should not be one rule for the election and another for the recount.

He didn’t count what he calls “defective” ballots. Now, it turns out they weren’t “defective” at all. They simply weren’t read by the computer.

By his own admission he knowingly disenfranchised 6,000 Minnesotans. Now he’s changing the rules to count them.

Of course, those 6,000 voters whose ballots he didn’t count probably voted in every race, not just Senate, so this should for all intents and purposes be a recount of every race. If a guy circled “Coleman” he probably circled “McCain” too and that should be counted. Could make a difference in those close mayor and city council races.

What sheer incompetence. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to set up a system where the 1 or 2 ballots per polling place that the computer rejected could be reviewed by both parties when the polls close and intent determined. Take about 30 seconds.

The Secretary of State designed a system he knew didn’t count every vote.

That’s crazy…… maybe even criminal.

Why aren’t you running a story about Norm’s incredible shrinking lead? I read this morning that his lead has shrunk from 700 votes down to 236. When you consider that all election officials do is push a button on the voting machines to get a receipt of the results, something very fishy is going on here. Is the Secretary of State incompetent or is the DFL trying to steal the election?

The fact is that the vote count isn’t even finalized yet — counties are still finishing, cross-checking, and retabulating. The number on Nov. 18 will be the number — and it will probably within 300 votes of where it is now. Which means that Coleman will probably have the lead, and the advantage, going into the recount.

But if he doesn’t — if Dakota County, say, finds out they had Franken’s totals from one precinct marked down as 104 when it was really 401, and Franken takes the lead — will Coleman concede, and refuse a recount? Will he pledge to do what he’s urging Franken to do?

Of course not. Nor should he. This is close enough that a recount should happen. If, as I expect, that recount confirms Coleman’s victory, then fine — Coleman wins. But we all know that he won fair and square. Isn’t that what you want?

Sorry, I lost my mind there — of course you don’t care about winning fairly. The last eight years is proof enough of that.

As I said yesterday if you don’t think Marky Rich ain’t going to steal this thing you haven’t been paying attention to the fascistic DFL.

Random? I don’t think so. Someone is stuffing the ballot box by about 240 votes every recount. The result of course, will be the right one, as soon as it is in favor of Franken. Numbers do NOT behave this way. Random errors DO NOT BEHAVE THIS WAY.

Why? He isn’t anymore crazy, psychotic, fascistic or deranged then the rest of the Democratic party.

He will be the official winner and I will honor and respect him as Senator as if he won by 100,000.

Now, how about if Franken wins by 1 after the recount, I will say the same thing — He will be the official winner and I will honor and respect him as Senator as if he won by 100,000.

Can you?!?

Flash

I’d appreciate it. Shut the fuck up, and get on with the business of destroying the country. That IS what you’ve voted for.

Damn you’re dumb.

A recount to remember from the MN-Pol E-Mail list today:

==
In looking at the recount and the potential of Franken winning this I would encourage people to look at the results of the Wilson – Garza City Council race in Saint Paul’s Ward 1 in 1989. All of the ballots were basically the same optical scan that most of the metro uses.

In that race the results on election night had Garza ahead by 49 votes – 3562 Garza – 3513 Wilson

After the recount was completed the results were 3645 Wilson 3644 Garza (and eleven for the “canvassing board”)

After the “canvassing board” ruled the final vote was 3649 Wilson and 3647 Garza. 4 votes in the trash.==

= = = =

I look forward to Senator Elect Franken taking office. As long as the other candidate is declaring premature victory, I might as well, too!

You were great on Hollywood Squares, but I have to say, you are MUCH funnier posting here.

The way you pretend to be so crazy and conspiratorial, well, it is just a refreshing change from all these loons who actually ARE crazy and conspiratorial.

Keep up the good work!

They never did want him to win and embarrass them. They only really pushed for him when they thought he might be the magical “60th vote”.

Now that’s it’s clear he won’t be the 60th vote they would just as soon see the sexist, racist, porno writing, elitist, angry, bitter little man have his hissy fit and slink back home to New York.

No, we are doing it so Coleman understands his!

SD16 race: By 85 votes!

R: 22271
D: 22356
Olson as a write in: 1462 (OOoo, that has to sting)
Other write ins: 237

HD16A race: By 89 votes!

R: 10955
D: 11044
Write in: 45

HD12B race: By 76 votes!

R: 9995
D: 10071
Write in: 33

= = = = =

So is everyone demanding Franken to step aside also in agreement that all three of these recounts to be suspended by the GOP ‘loser’ as well. Same law applies. Mike, come on, is there a consistency in your application of ‘loser’ and ‘law’

Here, I’ll show you how it is done. I believe in every case that the law should be applied and that the recounts that meet the statues should be carried out, irregardless of party in the lead in those elections.

See, that’s not tough!

Flash

Why shouldn’t he want it not to happen, and — since it clearly will — get all the political advantage possible out of it? Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it?

I don’t expect Franken to make the rational calculation of, on one hand, seeming to be a poor loser by dragging this out vs. actually winning, but, even if he did, it’s not clear that dragging it out is the wrong strategy for him. It’s not like he really has much of a chance of losing gracefully at this point, anyway, and making some sort of comeback. So, for him, it’s all or nothing.

It’s not impossible that, out of the 6000 or so questionable ballots, there could be as many as five hundred or so more Franken than Coleman votes in it, after all; makes sense for him to go for it, and for Coleman’s observers to question and argue over any, err, questionable questionable Franken ballot.

While I’m not a partisan, I won’t unquestionably accept the results of the recount; depends on how it’s done. My guess is that it’ll be done fairly, and, if it seems to me to be done that way, I’ll certainly accept the result; if I see what I think to be cheating and fudging, I won’t.

Let Democracy rule! Endorse the results of the recount on principle, not partisanship.

…. will you be showing the Michelle Obama “Down with whitey” video ?

Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN

we have a system unlike Florida where our votes actually do get counted with no controversay. Furthermore recounts show the intial count is off by maybe one or two votes. certainly not like the 475 Franken needs or the 1,500 you’re dreaming of.

by the way we do have a winner his name is Norm Coleman.

Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN

It is clear by his remarks, there is currently no winner or loser yet. The loser he is referring to is the official loser AFTER the recount.

So when Franken wins by over 1000 votes, the loser, Coleman, and his supporters can confidently come to the conclusion that they lost.

Thanks for that clarification, Mike!

Will you go on record that A) You support the rule of law, and that B) you will accept, unconditionally, the results of the recount. I will!

Flash