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Current Events => Breaking News => Topic started by: Wretched Excess on November 05, 2008, 08:09:49 AM

Title: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 05, 2008, 08:09:49 AM

this one will likely trigger an automatic recount.  the margin is 762 our of over 2.5 million votes cast.  and I am sure the dems will be in court this morning demanding that anything that the rules pertaining to undervotes be changed in franken's favor for the recount.

it's going to be embarrassing if this guy gets into the senate.

Quote
Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race
Republican Norm Coleman has won a second term in the U.S. Senate, barely surviving a stiff challenge from ex-comedian Al Franken.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Republican Norm Coleman has won a second term in the U.S. Senate, surviving a stiff challenge from former comedian Al Franken.

Coleman squeaked past Franken by the narrowest of margins: a few hundred votes with nearly 2.9 million cast. The margin appeared certain to trigger an automatic recount.

If the margin holds up, Coleman would be among the fortunate Republicans who survived big gains by Democrats nationwide.

Link (http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/11/05/coleman-edges-franken-minnesota-senate-race/)
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: EaglesWings on November 05, 2008, 09:08:58 AM
It is embarrassing that he is even this close to Norm Coleman!!!  What has happened to our country? 
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: franksolich on November 05, 2008, 09:10:10 AM
It is embarrassing that he is even this close to Norm Coleman!!!  What has happened to our country? 

It's just a small speck of icing, but it's icing; that one Republican woman congressman the Democrats, liberals, and primitives wanted out of there won.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: BlueStateSaint on November 05, 2008, 09:28:37 AM
This morning on Fox & Friends, it was Major Garrett (I think) who said that privately, a lot of Dems in the Senate are embarassed by the prospect of Al Franken becoming one of them.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 05, 2008, 09:36:27 AM

this one will drag out for weeks.  I assume the SofS for minnesota is a dem, so I am sure they will refuse to certify the election results until franken has manufactured the votes he needs to win.

Quote
With 100 percent of the 4,130  precincts reporting, Coleman had an unofficial margin of  601 votes out of nearly 2.9 million cast.  Recounts are required in races with a winning margin of less than one half of 1 percent.

 Franken said this morning that he intends to exercise his right to a recount.

He also said his campaign is investigating alleged voting irregularities at some polling places in Minneapolis, and that “a recount could change the outcome significantly.”

 â€œLet me be clear: Our goal is to ensure that every vote is properly counted,” he said.

Link (http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/senate/33829369.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUs)
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: JohnnyReb on November 05, 2008, 10:24:26 AM
“Let me be clear: Our goal is to ensure that every vote is properly counted,” he said. .....twice ....or more times if need be.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: franksolich on November 05, 2008, 10:25:55 AM
Anybody have any news on the Washington gubernatorial race?

I can't find anything.

And I've been looking.

Really.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 05, 2008, 10:46:16 AM
Anybody have any news on the Washington gubernatorial race?

I can't find anything.

And I've been looking.

Really.

gregoire seems to have that one in the bag, 54-46.  not sure how much of the vote is reporting, but they have called it for her
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Chris_ on November 05, 2008, 10:54:57 AM
It is embarrassing that he is even this close to Norm Coleman!!!  What has happened to our country? 

The USSR finally succeeded in putting stupid pills in the water, disguised as Flouride.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 05, 2008, 10:56:46 AM
It is embarrassing that he is even this close to Norm Coleman!!!  What has happened to our country? 

nothing against minnesotans, but they also elected jesse ventura governor.  in fact, the third party candidate was JV's campaign manager, and quite likely cost coleman more votes than franken.

Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: miskie on November 05, 2008, 05:16:53 PM
This morning on Fox & Friends, it was Major Garrett (I think) who said that privately, a lot of Dems in the Senate are embarassed by the prospect of Al Franken becoming one of them.

Unless he is #60, I would LOVE to have Franken in there. We need to help the Congressional and Senatorial Obamites become identified as buffoons. I predict a very short honeymoon period for Obamarx before the pile-on begins.

Remember - there is no more Bush, and no longer a credible Republican power base. The insults will start on the interwebs, then get picked up by late night comedy and editorial comic strips. Then once Obamarx' shine is fully worn, the attacks will begin in earnest. They're the media, they're a bunch of ratings whores - the smell of red-meat will become irresistible to them.

*I can't wait until the DUmmies hate The Daily Show. Rehashed Bush jokes will only go so far before the ratings (read as: 'ad revenue' ) slip.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Chris on November 05, 2008, 06:05:13 PM
Quote
Franken said this morning that he intends to exercise his right to a recount.

That will be the first exercising Al Franken has done since high school gym class.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Thor on November 05, 2008, 07:44:53 PM

Quote
Franken said this morning that he intends to exercise his right to a recount.

That will be the first exercising Al Franken has done since high school gym class.

Actually, MN state law gives an automatic recount when an election is that close. Franken isn't "exercising" anything except his jaws..
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: SaintLouieWoman on November 05, 2008, 08:17:07 PM
Unless he is #60, I would LOVE to have Franken in there. We need to help the Congressional and Senatorial Obamites become identified as buffoons. I predict a very short honeymoon period for Obamarx before the pile-on begins.

Remember - there is no more Bush, and no longer a credible Republican power base. The insults will start on the interwebs, then get picked up by late night comedy and editorial comic strips. Then once Obamarx' shine is fully worn, the attacks will begin in earnest. They're the media, they're a bunch of ratings whores - the smell of red-meat will become irresistible to them.

*I can't wait until the DUmmies hate The Daily Show. Rehashed Bush jokes will only go so far before the ratings (read as: 'ad revenue' ) slip.

The problem is that it's almost impossible to insult the dems. Look at guys like Murtha and Barney F. Al Franken will fit right in, sadly.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Miss Mia on November 05, 2008, 09:08:42 PM
How long until the recount is done and the results are final?  Hopefully Coleman retains his lead, Franken is a moron.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 06, 2008, 12:17:41 PM
That will be the first exercising Al Franken has done since high school gym class.


Actually, MN state law gives an automatic recount when an election is that close. Franken isn't "exercising" anything except his jaws..

he could waive the recount.  but that would be expecting too much.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 06, 2008, 12:18:02 PM
How long until the recount is done and the results are final?  Hopefully Coleman retains his lead, Franken is a moron.

they say it will stretch into december.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 06, 2008, 12:42:52 PM


coleman is screwed.  it's not so much a recount, which would be just running the ballots back through the counting machines, but a reevaluation of each ballot to magically discern the voter's "intent".  there is an Official 2008 Recount Guide (.pdf) (http://www.sos.state.mn.us/docs/recount_guide_2008.pdf?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUs) (which is actually very well done) that describes the "do's and don't" of deriving the voter's intent, but the secretary of state is a dem, and I am sure he will torture the process to any degree required to get al franken elected to the senate.

from the recount guide:
Quote
Minnesota law requires that every effort be made to accurately count all votes on a ballot. This means that a
ballot or vote must not be rejected for a technicality if it is possible to decide what the voter intended, even
though the voter may have made a mistake or the ballot is damaged. Intent is determined only from the face of
the ballot. Use the following rules to decide what a voter intended:

(several graphical examples are included)

they only have to flip one vote (disqualify a coleman vote, "manufacture" a franken vote & etc) in every 5,000 or so to reverse the results of the election.  the franken campaign will have lawyers present at the recount to examine every ballot.   and before the recount can take place, the allegations of undefined and unspecific "voting irregularities" will have to be resolved, most likely in court.

this is gonna suck.  in a lot of ways, it's probably going to be worse than florida in 2000.  the stakes aren't as high, but this is a whole state, not a few counties.


Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Tnafbrat on November 06, 2008, 12:52:51 PM
*I can't wait until the DUmmies hate The Daily Show. Rehashed Bush jokes will only go so far before the ratings (read as: 'ad revenue' ) slip.

That's already starting,  one of the threads here this morning had a link to DU hating Jon Stewart. (I'd link it but damned if I can remember which one it was)
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Schadenfreude on November 06, 2008, 10:29:28 PM
Coleman's lead is slipping away. Funny how that happens, I would think the leader would break away with more recounts.  :whatever:
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 06, 2008, 10:45:06 PM
Coleman's lead is slipping away. Funny how that happens, I would think the leader would break away with more recounts.  :whatever:

Quote
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.

Link (http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/34024274.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUT)

and the secretary of state in minnesota is a dem.  coincidental, of course, that all of the "human error" has gone against the republican.  if they manage to reverse the results of the election and put that ridiculous man in the senate, expect the dems to POUR money into the runoff in GA to try to unseat saxby chambliss.

Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: DumbAss Tanker on November 07, 2008, 10:03:58 AM
I hope that ridiculous caricature of a man chokes to death on one of the whole deep-fired chickens he obviously eats for snacks.  Minnesota, wasn't Ventura enough of an embarassment for you, WTF?
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 07, 2008, 05:09:58 PM
good for coleman;  he is at least fighting back.  the minnesota secretary of state is a dem (and a former community organizer, by the way), and is twisting the arm of every county election commissioner in the state to manufacture votes for franken before the recount even takes place.

Quote
Coleman Campaign Questions Voting Data as Franken Gains Ahead of Recount
Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman is leading Democratic challenger Al Franken by 239 votes -- down from 590 the day before.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Norm Coleman's campaign is using the state's open records law to ask state and all 87 counties for access to voting data and other records.

The Republican's campaign has questions about the gains that Democratic rival Al Franken has made since Election Day.

Coleman led Franken by 239 votes Friday afternoon -- down from 590 the day before, as officials double-checked reports.

Coleman campaign manager Cullen Sheehan complains of "statistically dubious and improbable shifts that are overwhelmingly accruing to the benefit of Al Franken."

The Coleman campaign sent a request to state and county officials seeking data from election night, and records related to ballot security and revisions made since then.

A recount is due to start once results are made official Nov. 18.

Link (http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/11/07/coleman-campaign-questions-voting-data-franken-gains/)
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: EaglesWings on November 08, 2008, 07:38:58 AM
Do the Republicans have any hope for EVER winning elections in the future when this crap goes on?  It is very discouraging to me!!!
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 08, 2008, 07:38:41 PM
I suppose stuff like this happens in every election, and we are only noticing this time because the margin is so small.

but this is just getting ridiculous.

Quote
In Pine County, an election official accidentally entered 24 votes for Franken on Tuesday night instead of the 124 he actually received. The mistake was caught on Thursday and the numbers changed, said Jim Gelbmann from the Secretary of State's office.

KARE 11 News has also learned Ramsey County found 55 absentee ballots which arrived on time to be counted on election day, but which were not. Those results have now been included in the new totals.

In northeastern Minnesota, the town of Buhl's ballots had been cast but not counted in statewide totals. It turns out election officials there counted the votes but never called them in.
.
.
.
Coleman received 152 votes in Buhl and Franken got 343, for a difference of 191 in the Democratic candidate's favor.

Link (http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=528970)
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: mamacags on November 08, 2008, 07:46:24 PM
I suppose stuff like this happens in every election, and we are only noticing this time because the margin is so small.

but this is just getting ridiculous.


WTF!?!?!?  Are people really that stupid that they would vote for that tool?  I am more and more amazed at the stupidity of people every day.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 08, 2008, 07:51:15 PM
WTF!?!?!?  Are people really that stupid that they would vote for that tool?  I am more and more amazed at the stupidity of people every day.

that unstable unfunny man could be headed for the senate.  it's the voters in minnesota that have the sense of humor. :whatever:
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: SaintLouieWoman on November 08, 2008, 09:43:52 PM
that unstable unfunny man could be headed for the senate.  it's the voters in minnesota that have the sense of humor. :whatever:

What's in the water up there?

We might as well save the money of running an election, if the will of the people isn't followed and the voting is rigged as in some 3rd world country. The dems will get their veto proof majority no matter how dirty.  :whatever: :banghead:
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 08, 2008, 09:50:05 PM
What's in the water up there?

We might as well save the money of running an election, if the will of the people isn't followed and the voting is rigged as in some 3rd world country. The dems will get their veto proof majority no matter how dirty.  :whatever: :banghead:

I feel better about the convict in alaska than either coleman or chambliss.  both would win in a fair fight, but chambliss is going to get buried beneath a tsunami of dem money to try to dump him.

I still think that Sarah should run in the special election that will take place when the senate expels stevens.  that would set her up nicely for 2012.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Schadenfreude on November 08, 2008, 09:53:08 PM
What's in the water up there?

We might as well save the money of running an election, if the will of the people isn't followed and the voting is rigged as in some 3rd world country. The dems will get their veto proof majority no matter how dirty.  :whatever: :banghead:

I have no idea.... this state is certifiable.

Unfortunately, (as far as the fillibuster proof majority goes) I think they already have it with McCain etal.

There was one county that found ballots that contained 100 votes for Franken AND for Obama! That means that everyone on those ballots voted for BOTH Franken and Obama....

Not a statistician, but what is the likelihood? Come on.  :lmao:
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 08, 2008, 09:57:54 PM
I have no idea.... this state is certifiable.

Unfortunately, (as far as the fillibuster proof majority goes) I think they already have it with McCain etal.

There was one county that found ballots that contained 100 votes for Franken AND for Obama! That means that everyone on those ballots voted for BOTH Franken and Obama....

Not a statistician, but what is the likelihood? Come on.  :lmao:

the recount is going to be a mess.  fortunately, minnesota has really comprehensive recount guidelines (I posted them upstream in this thread), but they will argue over every stray mark on every ballot to "discern the intent" of the voter, I am sure.

Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Thor on November 08, 2008, 10:35:33 PM
I have no idea.... this state is certifiable.

Unfortunately, (as far as the filibuster proof majority goes) I think they already have it with McCain et al.

There was one county that found ballots that contained 100 votes for Franken AND for Obama! That means that everyone on those ballots voted for BOTH Franken and Obama....

Not a statistician, but what is the likelihood? Come on.  :lmao:

It's fairly possible IF those 100 ballots were from the idiots that voted a straight Dem ticket, which is likely in some counties. I do suspect that there will be enough ballots found that will put Franken-idiot over the top.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 08, 2008, 10:38:10 PM
It's fairly possible IF those 100 ballots were from the idiots that voted a straight Dem ticket, which is likely in some counties. I do suspect that there will be enough ballots found that will put Franken-idiot over the top.

I am afraid that I agree with you.  jeez, thor, will minnesota be proud to put the first certifiable lunatic in the senate?
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Schadenfreude on November 08, 2008, 10:42:53 PM
It's fairly possible IF those 100 ballots were from the idiots that voted a straight Dem ticket, which is likely in some counties. I do suspect that there will be enough ballots found that will put Franken-idiot over the top.

With an optical scanner system, this whole idea of finding ballots that have not been counted, is whack.

You fill in the little circles, then you take your paper ballot to the scanner, run it through with the election judge right there... you leave. Everyone who votes, feeds the scanner with one ballot. The results are transmitted to the Secy of State.

What am I missing?
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 08, 2008, 10:46:45 PM
With an optical scanner system, this whole idea of finding ballots that have not been counted, is whack.

You fill in the little circles, then you take your paper ballot to the scanner, run it through with the election judge right there... you leave. Everyone who votes, feeds the scanner with one ballot. The results are transmitted to the Secy of State.

What am I missing?

oh, wait.  so you run it through, and see that your vote registered as you wished?
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Schadenfreude on November 08, 2008, 10:53:06 PM
oh, wait.  so you run it through, and see that your vote registered as you wished?

If it can't read the ballot, it kicks it out. Otherwise, I think you can assume that your ballot was properly counted
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 08, 2008, 10:55:40 PM
If it can't read the ballot, it kicks it out. Otherwise, I think you can assume that your ballot was properly counted
what I am asking is whether you KNOW that your vote was registered as desired before you leave the polling place.  that would tend to take the air out of the "discern the intent of the voter" exercise that I am sure that the franken forces will use to it's fullest.

Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Schadenfreude on November 08, 2008, 11:00:53 PM
what I am asking is whether you KNOW that your vote was registered as desired before you leave the polling place.  that would tend to take the air out of the "discern the intent of the voter" exercise that I am sure that the franken forces will use to it's fullest.



No, I don't ever see the results of my vote after it has gone through the machine.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 08, 2008, 11:02:26 PM
No, I don't ever see the results of my vote after it has gone through the machine.

oh.  ugh.  this will stretch on until january then.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Thor on November 08, 2008, 11:28:13 PM
No, the electronic scanners don't verify one's votes before accepting them......
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 08, 2008, 11:30:31 PM
No, the electronic scanners don't verify one's votes before accepting them......

then we're screwed.  they will count votes until they get the answer that they want, a la gregoire and rossi in washington.
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Tnafbrat on January 28, 2009, 02:39:34 PM
then we're screwed.  they will count votes until they get the answer that they want, a la gregoire and rossi in washington.

.... and you are proven true!  :banghead:
Title: Re: Coleman Edges Franken in Minnesota Senate Race (Recount very likely)
Post by: Sam Adams on January 30, 2009, 02:24:05 AM
I am afraid that I agree with you.  jeez, thor, will minnesota be proud to put the first certifiable lunatic in the senate?

Certifiable lunatics are people too.