News Cut: January 5, 2009 Archive

Where's Al?

Posted at 11:51 AM on January 5, 2009 by Bob Collins (15 Comments)
Filed under: Politics

The Franken campaign has been working hard, sending out press releases every time a commenter says he's the apparent winner in the Senate race.

A few minutes ago, his campaign reacted to today's Supreme Court ruling that said, basically, if Norm Coleman wants 650 more absentee ballots counted in the race, he should file a challenge to the election in court.

"Today, the Supreme Court once again affirmed the validity of the rules under which this recount was conducted. Minnesotans have waited a long time for a winner to be declared in this race, and today, with the last attempt to halt the counting process now having failed, Al Franken will be declared the winner."

But the statement didn't come from Al Franken. It came from attorney Marc Elias, his lead attorney in the recount. (Here's a copy of the court order.)

Now that Franken is the presumptive winner of the recount, it's time to ask some important questions. Here's one: Where is Al Franken?

I've sent a couple of messages to the campaign officials today, but the only thing coming back are more press releases with more press clippings about the recount.

Here's what I'd like to know:

What now?

Posted at 3:51 PM on January 5, 2009 by Bob Collins (4 Comments)
Filed under: Politics

It appears the U.S. Senate will try to seat Al Franken as a member this week even though he likely won't have an election certificate from Minnesota, Congressional Quarterly is reporting.

Jim Manley, the spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev., said Monday that there "likely will be an attempt to seat [Franken] this week."

A senior Democratic aide confirmed that Senate Democrats hoped to swear Franken in Tuesday, along with the rest of the freshman senators.

Franken may provide more illumination at his 4 p.m. "statement."

Meanwhile, the Norm Coleman camp is giving every indication it intends to take the Minnesota Supreme Court up on its suggestion that he pursue an election challenge to get 650 absentee ballots included in the count.

Does this hurt Coleman's political future? On Midmorning today, Guy Charles, the professor of law at the University of Minnesota Law School, seemed to suggest it does.
In the newsroom today we kicked around the possibility of Coleman running for Tim Pawlenty's job in 2010. What other statewide Republican has his kind of name recognition?

Update 4:49 p.m. - Outside his Minneapolis home this afternoon, Franken took no questions, but read this statement:

"It has been a remarkable couple of months. Our recount brought national attention to Minnesota, and what Americans saw is that we take our democracy seriously. Our recount process was long, it was fair, and it was thorough. We should all be proud of our state, and we should all be grateful for the incredible hard work and dedication of all of our elections officials, from the state canvassing board and the Secretary of State's office to the officials in the cities and counties and precincts of Minnesota."

"After 62 days, after the careful and painstaking hand inspection of nearly 3 million ballots, after hours and hours of hard work by elections officials and volunteers across the state, I am proud and humbled to stand before you as the next Senator from Minnesota.

"This victory is incredibly humbling - not just because it was so narrow, but because of the tremendous responsibility it gives me on behalf of the people of Minnesota.

"While the recount process played out, the challenges facing our state and our nation have only grown. With tensions in the Middle East reaching the boiling point, our economy facing its worst crisis since the 1930s, and Minnesota's middle class families being squeezed harder than ever, it's clear that we have a lot of important work to do.

"I want you all to know that I'm ready to go to Washington and get to work just as soon as possible. And I look forward to joining President-Elect Obama and Senator Klobuchar in getting our country moving in the right direction again.

"I know this is not an easy day for Norm Coleman and his family, and I know that because Franni and I and the kids have had plenty of time over the past two months to contemplate the possibility that this election would turn out differently. Norm has worked hard for this state and this country, and I hope to ask for his help to ensure that Minnesotans can continue to count on receiving excellent constituent services from their two Senators without interruption.

"I also know that this was a hard-fought victory, and that I didn't win the support of every Minnesotan. I'm going to have to earn it by being a Senator who fights for every Minnesotan, whether you voted for me or not. And I want every Minnesotan to hear me say: I work for you now. And I will work hard to earn your confidence.

"There may still be additional legal proceedings related to our recount. But I'm now in the business of serving the people of Minnesota. And the best way I can serve the people of Minnesota right now is to focus all my attention and all my energies on getting to work for them on the issues we'll be facing together.

"I would like to close by doing something I wish I'd gotten a chance to do properly on Election Night, and that is to thank some people. My amazing staff and supporters across the state who made this victory possible and stuck with us this whole way. All the volunteers who woke up the morning after Election Day and got right back to work to help our recount effort. Our state's dedicated elections officials, our tremendous congressional delegation, and our fantastic Senator, Amy Klobuchar, who continues to be a mentor and an inspiration. And, of course, my beautiful wife Franni and our amazing family.

"For our state, today marked the end of a long process that will forever be a part of Minnesota history. But today is also a beginning. The history of our country will be forever altered by what we do together to address the challenges we face together. So, with tremendous gratitude for the victory we have won, I'm ready to get to work.

"Thank you."

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