After eight months of waiting, Minnesota will finally have full representation in the US Senate. The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled today in favor of Al Franken, confirming that he won the recount and is entitled to the Senate seat once occupied by the late Senator Paul Wellstone. Today we start the process of moving forward, of tackling the work of governing this state, starting a new day of progressive values and protection of our most needy citizens. Today we can rest easy knowing that our election system was tested and came through shining. Today we can let out a collective deep sigh, and know that the waiting is over.
Congratulations Al Franken, and congratulations to all the staff, interns, volunteers, voters, donors, lawyers, students, moms, dads, first time voters, absentee voters, college students, folks from Albert Lea to the Northwest Angle, from the north side to the lakeside, from the Iron Range to the Twin Cities - congratulations Minnesota.
We did it.
Finally OVER! What a relief.
Coleman was gracious all right. So I will endeavor not to be too suspicious.
Its unfortunate they removed theuptake.org from the event at Coleman’s press conference,
as they’ve covered pretty much the entire proceeding.
Smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em. Great going, AL.
Al Franken should be in a similar mold as Paul Wellstone.
Get real.
Obvious troll is obvious.
I’m going to have a good big slice of chocolate cake to celebrate this tonight.
Work hard for us Al, we need you.
You need a Senator? Yep, you need help all right.
Jason,
Thank you for Representing the typical Minnesota Republican blogger PERFECTLY.
Great Job!
What the FUCK are you on about?
Doesn’t one have to be a Republican to be a “typical Republican blogger”?
Nice try.
Republicans in Rochester are up in arms that Senator Al Franken STOLE the election!!!
Congratulations AL!!! You will do Minnesota proud! Stay passionate and on course!!!
If Al Franken is constructive and thoughtful as he has been during the past seven months, I’ll probably like him.
If he is cynical, polarizing, and blindly liberal as he has been for the past decade, I’ll be the first to help on the campaign against when his re-election campaign begins in four years.
Ball is in Franken’s court. But I agree, he has every right to go to DC and show us who he really is. The convenient news for Al is that he barely had to spend any time in cold Minnesota and gets to be back out east where home is.
DTM,
You just can’t help yourself, can you. Al Franken has never been cynical, polarizing or blindly liberal. He believed Dick Cheney’s lies and supported Bush against his better judgement out of patriotism. You will campaign against him no matter what so why not just admit it. The ball is not in his court, he’s waiting to receive your serve and as long as you keep banging it into the net, you’ll keep losing. Its always one step forward and two steps back with you.
OK - we’re on page 2 of the RW manual:
Pretend that they are going to give Franken “benefit of the doubt.”
If he has an epiphany & becomes a right winger overnight, they will be happy.
If not - well, they WARNED him.
You lost. Don’t be anal.
You got him for 5+ years, so get over it.
Unlike Amy Klobuchar or Tim Walz, who rose from nose-to-the-grindstone jobs to serve their neighbors in our Congress, the only basis I have to judge Al Franken on is his media career. That media career, to me, suggests that he enters the Senate with a deep bias for supporting his party and an equally deep bias against the other guy. That kind of crap isn’t productive.
The public servants I admire most are the ones who aren’t a reliable party vote. That goes either way. I loved Jim Ramstad. I’m a huge fan of Evan Bayh, Arlen Spector, and Joe Lieberman. I like Collin Peterson.
Al Franken is a gimme vote for Obama. Al Franken will earn my respect if she shows independence on issues, or if he shows a moderate streak. Asking me to vote for him after 5 years of being an uber liberal would be like me asking you to support John Kline because he sticks to his fiscal conservative roots.
If Franken turns out to be an independently-minded Senator, and runs agains a Bachmann-esque right winger in 2014, there would actually be a VERY good chance i’d support franken in that contest.
Ball is in his court.
I know this is late in coming. Hadn't had the moment to get to this point.
THANK GOD ALMIGHTY that Norm is gone!!!!! Couldn't stand that puke breath. Norm is now, "Of no political Value" !!!!
Perhaps God cares about the least among us.
Asked that dope for some help on an immigration problem and was told that my girlfriend was of no politcal value. I worked hard to get him unelected. I wanted either Al Franken but more for Dean Barkley. I will help Norm. I am going to push for a new Nobel prize. One for the most idiotic remarks that can be made to a voter.