A discussion has commenced involving what Norm Coleman should do next.
As the chances of him retaining his U.S. Senate seat grow bleaker and bleaker, there’s a train of thought in some circles that if the Minnesota Republican has any future political aspirations – such as being governor of this fine state – he might want to think twice before immediately filing an appeal if he, as expected, loses the trial that for weeks has been trying to determine who won the Senate election in November, him or Democratic challenger Al Franken.
One story discussing the issue in the Twin Cities media analyzed Minnesotans and determined that we’re a stoic, understanding bunch, and that if the process to determine a winner in the election has to involve an automatic recount and then a trial, so be it, we say. But, the story theorized, if Coleman appeals the ruling by the three-judge panel overseeing the trial, more and more Minnesotans will roll their eyes, and wish that Coleman would respect the process, accept defeat, congratulate Franken and move on with his life.
Certainly, it’s not looking good for Coleman, who was ahead by a couple hundred votes on the morning after the election. The judges decided that 351 ballots should be re-examined, far fewer than Coleman’s attorneys requested. Theoretically, that would potentially be enough to erase the 225-vote lead that Franken held after the initial recount that was mandated by state law. But a big chunk of the 351 ballots are from metro precincts that heavily favored Franken, and some of the 351 are also ballots that Franken’s camp wanted recounted, so you can bet those will favor the Democrat, too. (Update: The recount today of those ballots pushed Franken’s lead to 312.)
So Coleman and his people are saying they will waste no time filing their appeal. If all the votes are counted, they contend, the incumbent Republican will retain his seat for a second term.
The fatal flaw in that argument is that, before the tide turned in Franken’s favor, there were all kinds of votes that Coleman insisted should not be counted.
But these are politicians we’re talking about, so radical shifts in strategy and opinion are not just the exception, they’re expected. Coleman is a politician, so his goal is to win. Politicians seek elected office, after all, so if you’re not elected, you’ve failed a basic requirement of the job. He didn’t want a bunch of votes counted, but now he does. Surprised? Lest we forget, Coleman used to be a Democrat, and then he switched parties. Hey, it happens.
So let Coleman appeal. Let the politician desperately trying to remain in office leave no stone unturned in his effort to win. For politicians, winning isn’t just everything, after all, it’s the only thing.
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A discussion has commenced involving what Norm Coleman should do next.
As the chances of him retaining his U.S. Senate seat grow bleaker and bleaker, there’s a train of thought in some circles that if the Minnesota Republican has any future political aspirations – such as being governor of this fine state – he might want to think twice before immediately filing an appeal if he, as expected, loses the trial that for weeks has been trying to determine who won the Senate election in November, him or Democratic challenger Al Franken.
One story discussing the issue in the Twin Cities media analyzed Minnesotans and determined that we’re a stoic, understanding bunch, and that if the process to determine a winner in the election has to involve an automatic recount and then a trial, so be it, we say. But, the story theorized, if Coleman appeals the ruling by the three-judge panel overseeing the trial, more and more Minnesotans will roll their eyes, and wish that Coleman would respect the process, accept defeat, congratulate Franken and move on with his life.
Certainly, it’s not looking good for Coleman, who was ahead by a couple hundred votes on the morning after the election. The judges decided that 351 ballots should be re-examined, far fewer than Coleman’s attorneys requested. Theoretically, that would potentially be enough to erase the 225-vote lead that Franken held after the initial recount that was mandated by state law. But a big chunk of the 351 ballots are from metro precincts that heavily favored Franken, and some of the 351 are also ballots that Franken’s camp wanted recounted, so you can bet those will favor the Democrat, too. (Update: The recount today of those ballots pushed Franken’s lead to 312.)
So Coleman and his people are saying they will waste no time filing their appeal. If all the votes are counted, they contend, the incumbent Republican will retain his seat for a second term.
The fatal flaw in that argument is that, before the tide turned in Franken’s favor, there were all kinds of votes that Coleman insisted should not be counted.
But these are politicians we’re talking about, so radical shifts in strategy and opinion are not just the exception, they’re expected. Coleman is a politician, so his goal is to win. Politicians seek elected office, after all, so if you’re not elected, you’ve failed a basic requirement of the job. He didn’t want a bunch of votes counted, but now he does. Surprised? Lest we forget, Coleman used to be a Democrat, and then he switched parties. Hey, it happens.
So let Coleman appeal. Let the politician desperately trying to remain in office leave no stone unturned in his effort to win. For politicians, winning isn’t just everything, after all, it’s the only thing.
