Al Franken has lost his bid to have invalid absentee ballots counted in his bid to represent Minnesota in the Senate. He’s not happy about that and looking at his options. Read about it below and see a photo and video.
Al Franken
The not at all funny comedian Al Franken has been, almost unbelievably, in a close race to become the Senator from Minnesota. His opponent, Norm Coleman, has been ahead of Franken, but only by 292 votes. Franken made a bid to have 4,740 invalid absentee ballots counted, which might give him a few more votes. These are ballots that were deemed invalid due to having been improperly filled out, are missing a signature or the person had been dead for a hundred years. The state Canvassing Board has denied Franken’s bid to count those invalid votes and he’s not taking it well.
Franken is looking at taking the whole mess to court, as opposed to the days in which the loser of an election would bow out gracefully, for the good of the country, and congratulate the winner. Taking this avenue will only draw out an already contentious and difficult election for the people of Minnesota.
As irritating as Al Franken is, reportedly even to his fellow democrats, it is an important race for them. The democrats fell just short of attaining the majority they needed in order to have what is known as a super majority in office. That super majority would ensure that any checks and balances between the Obama administration, the Senate and Congress, would be null and void. Their only hope of getting that majority is to win the two outstanding races that weren’t finalized on November 4th. That is the Minnesota race and the Georgia Senate race between Republican Saxby Chambliss and democrat Jim Martin. The democratic party has poured resources into winning both of these races since the November 4th election.
Another avenue that Al Franken could use to ensure the will of the democratic party over rides the will of the people of Minnesota is for the Senate to determine the winner. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has stated:
The board’s decision drew a response from the Senate’s top Democrat, Majority Leader Harry Reid, who called it a “cause for great concern.�
“As the process moves forward, Minnesota authorities must ensure that no voter is disenfranchised,� Reid said in a statement. “A citizen’s right to have his or her vote counted is fundamental in our democracy.�
The Senate and Congress do have the authority to decide an election, although that option is extremely rarely used.
It is fairly certain that Franken will take to court the decision to throw out invalid ballots. Whether or not Harry Reid will have the Senate intervene in that race is yet to be seen. If they do, then I think that is a good indication of what we are in for with the current democratic majorities in the Senate and Congress, not to mention if they manage to gain a super majority.
Al Franken - Video
November 29th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Franken was asking to have the invalidated ballots looked at as part of the recount to see if they were really invalid. The recount board didn’t rule on the question itself, but told Franken to take it to the courts.
I think that the Democratic Senate should do the same thing that a Republican Senate would do in the same case — seat the member of their own party.
The race is closer than it would have been in most cases if 2.9 million coins had been flipped.
November 29th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Every now and then theres someone in my life that I just want to smack the crap out of with no explanation, just cuz they erk the living daylights outta me.
Michael Moore was at the top of that list until Stewart Smally decided to run.
Franken is an evil, lying, mean, nasty little whiney b*tch.
John, if your coin comparison is correct then something fishy is definitley going on.
November 29th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Al Franken can be funny because he has a sense of humor. A sense of humor balances a human being. So many of our politicians are funny because they DON’T have a sense of humor. We have already seen how that works.
November 29th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
if you flipped coins 2.9 million times than almost certainly the race would have been won by more than 292 votes one way or another.
however, the dems simply seating franken because he is a dem is the road to fascism.
of course the dems are not above this if they think they can get away with it, but it is absolutely important in a democracy for the party in power to not steal elections.
which is why it was right and proper for gore to lose and for nixon to lose before that. in a close election the party in power should NOT get the benefit of the doubt.
November 29th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Ben.
Franken is only funny when hes scripted.
That doesnt mean he has a sense of humor.
What he thinks is funny can be found in any bar full of disgruntled washed up middle age men.
If he truly had a sense of humor he wouldnt whine and b*tch whenever someone takes a shot at him.
His lack of this quality is why he has clearly displayed “imbalance” many many times throwing little hissy fits everywhere in public.
Bush can laugh at and even make fun of himself.
November 29th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
WE HAVE MORE TO DO:
Democrat Jim Martin is in a runoff against Bush Republican Saxby Chambliss for the Senate seat from Georgia. Bush’s Saxby Chambliss voted against spending a few measly dollars to provide health care coverage for Georgia, and Americas needy children. But he supported wasting hundreds of billions of your dollars, and the life BLOOD of Americas finest on an unnecessary war in Iraq.
At a time when 47 million of you have no health insurance coverage, and over 100 million of you with insurance are just one major illness away from complete financial destruction. Bush and Saxby Chambliss voted to make the heart break of bankruptcy relief even harder for all of you to use.
You see, Bush and Saxby Chambliss, and his family don’t have to worry about their health care coverage. They have the finest health care coverage your tax money can buy for them. Courtesy of you. The American Tax payer. In fact, no one but the super rich can afford the health care coverage you the tax payer provide for Saxby Chambliss, and his family for FREE! with your tax dollars.
He supposedly works for you. But he doesn’t think you and your family should have access to the type of taxpayer supported FREE health care that you provide for him, and his loved ones for FREE!. Doesn’t that just make you BURRING MAD!
Vote for JIM MARTIN for US senator from Georgia. Vote for JIM Martin who will be on your side. Vote for JIM MARTIN who will work with President Obama and a majority congress for you. Vote for JIM MARTIN most of all for your-self, your family’s, friends, and loved ones. Vote for JIM MARTIN for a better America, and a better World.
Don’t let Saxby Chambliss make a chump out of you by tricking you into voting against your own best interest. Saxby chambliss is NOT! on your side. He’s not one of you. He is on George Bush’s side. And we all know what a catastrophe the Bush Chambliss administration has been the past 8 years.
Contact all your family and friends and do every thing you can to see to it that JIM MARTIN and GEORGIANS! take that senate seat back for Georgia, and America. No matter where you live in America. This is important to you. President Obama will need all the help, and power you can give him to try and fix this catastrophic mess that the Corrupt Bush Chambliss administration has created.
As I said before you will have to vote in overwhelming numbers to overcome the Bush Chambliss “Let Them Eat Cake” vote fraud machine. Vote early if you can. Then help everyone you can get to the polls and vote for JIM MARTIN. You and your loved ones don’t have to be Saxby Chambliss’s victims anymore.
I know you will get it done. Just like you did for President Obama.
God bless all of you
jacksmith - WORKING CLASS…
November 29th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
jacksmith - the ‘Bush Chambliss’ administration? You are just a little over the top aren’t you? Apparently you think associating anyone with Bush is bad and associating them with a DEMOCRAT super majority in Congress and the Senate and with Obama is good.
You are from the SW, so why are you concerned with who represents Georgia in the Senate? Except that you want that super majority.
Two things. 1st - when you think of how wonderful nationalized health care will be, just think of the VA medical system. That’s what you are looking at with nationalized health care. I would like for insurance companies to be out of the loop - but I certainly don’t want the GOVERNMENT making my health decisions for me.
2nd - I can’t imagine how Obama is going to handle the Global War on Terrorism. I know you lefties don’t think there is such a thing (in spite of all the evidence that there is). But I feel much more secure with George Bush in the Presidency than I do at the thought of Obama having to deal (or not deal) with terrorism. How’s he going to handle the tension between Pakistan and India, for instance. He can’t just vote ‘present’ anymore. He’ll have to actually make decisions. All the smoke and mirrors and YouTube videos aren’t going to cut it for him now.
3rd - do you seriously think Jim Martin gives a sh*t? Do you know him? No, I didn’t think so. You are just concerned with getting that super majority in power so the democrats can run rough shod over the voters.
November 29th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Jack.
The least you could do is be honest.
The Chambliss/Bush vote was a vote against the 28 year olds included on the S Chip bill that were making 83,000.00 a year.
The bill originally was intended to give insurance to kids of families that could afford policies for the adults but didnt quite have enough to cover the kids only.
But Pelosi and gang went and snuck in an age/income bracket to the bill that was basically a back door attempt at ushering in socialized medicine for not only kids but adults as well.
In the process I remember the snide little b*tch marching a whole bunch of sick kids up on the platform at congress asking the country “how can you say no to these kids “? pulling at our heart strings the whole time while she wasnt telling anyone about the 28 year olos moochers on the bill that were making no more than 83,000.00 a year.
Nice try bub.
Next time tell the truth.
December 1st, 2008 at 8:10 am
“Franken is looking at taking the whole mess to court, as opposed to the days in which the loser of an election would bow out gracefully, for the good of the country, and congratulate the winner.”
You mean EXACTLY like Bush in 2000? Typical Right wing Cr@p.
December 1st, 2008 at 6:06 pm
The only problem with yer crap post is that Bush was determined to be the winner.
December 1st, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Yeah - it was Al Gore that took it to court.
HTG - they think if they say something it makes it true.
December 2nd, 2008 at 5:02 pm
[...] other Senate race that is still undecided is between Al Franken and Norm Coleman in [...]
December 19th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
So when are you going to correct the headline and the thrust of this story, that the state Supreme Court will not allow these votes to be reviewed, now that they have?
Thanks, Bill Kelly
December 20th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
This article is [deleted]. Franken attempted - successfully - to be sure that VALID votes were counted. The author of this article is a liar. [edit: deleted obscenities - obviously hit a nerve here. Try to learn to express yourself more effectively]