Coleman should drop appeal
We endorsed Norm Coleman in the U.S. Senate race last year and that is an endorsement we stand by. However, we can't endorse Coleman's planned appeal to the Minnesota State Supreme Court for another ruling on the election results.
Coleman needs to respect the recent ruling by a three-judge panel which reviewed the challenges in his lawsuit and said Franken received more votes.
Coleman really doesn't need the ruling from the Minnesota Supreme Court to learn he didn't win the election. The recount and the subsequent ruling by the three-judge panel has shown that.
We also believe the Minnesota Supreme Court will make the same ruling as the three-judge panel.
This was a difficult and close election. We understand Coleman's concern on the recount and his desire to file a lawsuit for a panel review and ruling, but the most important issue here is that, Republican or Democrat, Minnesota needs its second senator in place in Washington, D.C.
Coleman needs to allow Al Franken to be seated as a Minnesota U.S. senator.
And when Franken is in that role, he must remember how close this election was, 312 votes, and know that he has a responsibility, not only to the small majority that elected him, but to all Minnesotans who voted in that election.
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ruralroute
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05-01-09 9:36 AM
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First, I am not a Republican -- not at all -- but Minnesotans should be scared to death that Franken is in office. He will be controlled by the hard-left that includes ALCU, Moveon****, the Daily Kos, George Soros -- people who want the govt. in all phases of daily life. He also will have a ready-made mouthpiece available in MSNBC (which is worse than Fox News in its bias -- but the channel's ratings barely are a blip on the radar.) And that's not to mention the arrogant, out-of-touchs Hollywood celebs who are so far off the map that he's buddies with. Coleman was very flawed...but Franken will be worse. Watch the Dems try to turn us into western Europe!
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rangeral
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04-27-09 5:20 PM
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Let's have a special election, with much more care taken to count and review the votes. This election was a mess and there are more than 300 or 400 net votes messed up in this election. I also realize that having the right to vote does not mean that you know how to vote - or in some cases, know how to count the votes.
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hartman75
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04-23-09 5:30 PM
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Thank you Edmund, I stand corrected. While I strive to use the proper terminology for the sake of both clarity and accuracy I do think in this particular case the Independents Opinion as presented does use the term "majority", albeit incorrectly, as a synonym for "plurality" essentially meaning that Franken received more votes than Coleman. That being the case I do agree with your "misleading" assertion but also think your mincing words. Relax Edmund, Hussein is only a name much like, um, Edmund.
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momtotwo
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04-23-09 4:49 PM
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I actually giggled a little there - I'm not that worried - the pundants you listen to edmund have told me that Obama's inaguration has signaled the end of times : ) - we'll all be dead by then anyway....and yes I mean that sarcastically.
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EdmundFitzgerald
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04-23-09 4:47 PM
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YOU’D better run for cover, momtotwo. When your Two grow up and find out how much they owe to pay off The One’s debt, they’re going to be severely irate.
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momtotwo
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04-23-09 4:37 PM
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Better run for cover Edmund - the sky is falling!
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EdmundFitzgerald
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04-23-09 3:54 PM
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The One’s name is Barack Hussein Obama. That surely is an interesting name for someone who claims he was born in Hawaii.
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EdmundFitzgerald
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04-23-09 3:48 PM
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The correct term for the amount of votes Franken received is a PLURALITY, which is, according to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary: “a number of votes cast for a candidate in a contest of more than two candidates that is greater than the number cast for any other candidate but not more than half the total votes cast”. You’re welcome for my helping to educate you, hartman.
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hartman75
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04-23-09 2:47 PM
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The process has run its course, rangeral. Recounts of all voting precincts were done so the only issue the 3-Judge panel had to resolve was what irregularities would disqualify the absentee ballots. Coleman, when he was ahead, wanted as few ballots contested as possible. Once Franken gained the lead, Coleman wanted ALL the ballots contested. Coleman needs to do what Al Gore did in 2000, put his own political ambitions aside and do what’s best for his constituents. There is no shame in defeat, the people have spoken. Edmund, if Franken did not receive “a small majority” then explain how Franken could be declared the winner if he did not receive MORE votes than Coleman. More equates to majority in this case. (Not so misleading now, is it.) By the way, I know you’re a huge fan of our President but his name is Barack Obama, not “The One”. He has never professed to be the “Messiah” but only promised to do his best to help ALL Americans prosper. Have some faith.
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EdmundFitzgerald
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04-23-09 10:40 AM
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“…the small majority that elected him…” – This is very misleading. Franken did NOT receive a majority of the vote. According to the State Canvassing Board, Franken and Coleman each received 41.5% of the votes cast. Independence Party candidate Dean Barkley received 15%.
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EdmundFitzgerald
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04-23-09 10:09 AM
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Prevent The One from getting another vote in the Senate for as long as possible. All effort spent slowing The One’s agenda to forever mire us in debt is worthwhile.
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rona45
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04-23-09 7:49 AM
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I would like to see the source of information that shows there was more votes for Franken then registered voters the second time around in some areas. If true that in itself sound fishy and deserves a closer look. Sounds like Texans voting for LBJ where they rose from the dead to vote once more.
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rangeral
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04-22-09 4:14 PM
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mom22 - I read the ruling in its entirety. Still believe there were too many irregularities in the count and different jurisdictions treated votes differently. I would like to see election officials come up with a plan to address these problems. No matter who finally wins this, too many problems with the election for the great state we purport ourselves to be. This isn't covered in today's Opinion.
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momtotwo
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04-22-09 3:25 PM
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As the 3 judge panel stated in their ruling - voting is a right - absentee voting is a priveledge. You must submit your ballot in the manner required by law. In any case - Coleman is arguing that thousands are being disenfranchised by this ruling. What about the hundereds of thousands in the state without representation due to this ruling. Al - the 3 judge panel addressed the "irregularities" in their ruling. Have you read the ruling or just relied on the pundants interpretation of the ruling?
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J26258
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04-22-09 12:25 PM
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If Coleman's appeal is successful on an equal protection argument, then the State Supreme Court will be forced to set a statewide uniform standard regarding rejected and absente ballots. If that is the case, election officials will be required to go back and review each and every single rejected ballot for each and every office across the state to insure that the court's standard is retroactively met. I can't see them taking that broad of an action, so Coleman is likely SOL there. He could appeal to the Federal Courts, but historically they have shown great deference to the States in this area. So, it doesn't look good for him. If he wants to try for a different office in the future, he'd be wise to give it up and save what little political capital he has left...
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rangeral
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04-22-09 9:13 AM
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Two reasons for continuing the case - MN law allows for these appeals - and there are too many voting irregularities in vote "counting: within certain parts of the state. The three judge panel only dealt with a small portion of a class of voters - absentee ballots. I would also like to hear more about some areas where there were more votes for Franken than registered voters. After the initial vote was counted, Coleman was ahead. Now Franken is ahead. The vote differences are neglible so let the process run its course. And those voting areas with irregulatities should straighten out their problems so we don't have questions in future votes. And no one can deny that something smells in some of the voting districts.
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