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Author Topic:   Senator Al Franken?
Minnemooseus
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Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 1 of 300 (197182)
04-06-2005 4:29 AM


At message 35 of the "O'Reilly evidence" topic"
schrafinator writes:
Al Franken is a comedian, yes.
But he's also very, very smart.
He is also very bright and well-educated. He's a Harvard graduate and a former Fellow with Harvard's Kennedy School of Government at the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics, and Public Policy.
He's one of our country's best political satirists, right up there with Molly Ivins if you ask me.
2 1/2 years ago, a plane crash killed Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone, about 2 weeks before the election. Former Senator and Vice President Walter Mondale became the fill in Democratic candidate, vs. Republican Norm Coleman. Norm Coleman won.
After that election, Minnesota native Al Franken made the statement that he might be interested in returning to Minnesota, and running against Norm Coleman in 2008.
Now the other Minnesota Senator, Mark Dayton, has announced that he will not run for reelection in 2006. I just heard from Al Franken, via a repeat of the Conan O'Brian late night TV show, that he is now looking to be moving back to Minnesota. I, of course, make the connection that he is lining himself up to run for the Senate in 2006.
I would love there to be a Senator Al Franken.
Moose
Paul Wellstone topics:
Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone dies in plane crash
Was senator Paul Wellstone murdered?
{Edited to fix the bottom 2 links. Also edited out the record of Admin having corrected my misspellings of Al Franken's name (D'oh) - Moose}
This message has been edited by minnemooseus, 04-06-2005 04:33 AM

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Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 3 of 300 (197194)
04-06-2005 5:07 AM
Reply to: Message 2 by DBlevins
04-06-2005 4:50 AM


Re: Minnesota's Jeese Ventura
Minnesota used to be pretty liberal/Democratic. But Minnesotans, as I see it, have also now fallen under the spell of the neo-con mentality. Run the phrase "tax cut" past a voter, and the become akin to Pavlov's dog.
I'm pretty hazy on Jesse Ventura, as I was a Nevada resident for most of his term in office. My vague recollection was that he ended up being rather reactionary.
What might have gotten Jesse elected, is that Minnesota has instant voter registration. You can show up at the polls, register, and vote.
Minnesota did carry Kerry in the past Presidential election, but it was a lot closer than I liked. Even here it was pretty much a urbun/rural split.
Moose
Added by edit: Jesse Ventura ran as an Independent. He was in that party of Ross Perot, I believe. Jesse had previously been the mayor of a Minneapolis suburb. As I recall, now Senator Norm Coleman and then mayor of St. Paul, was the Republican candidate.
This message has been edited by minnemooseus, 04-06-2005 04:19 AM

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Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 8 of 300 (197290)
04-06-2005 3:47 PM


Topic drift
I've contributed to it myself.
That said, please focus on what are Al Frankens qualifications, to be a U.S. Senator.
The other stuff needs to go elsewhere.
Moose

Replies to this message:
 Message 9 by Alexander, posted 04-06-2005 5:26 PM Minnemooseus has replied

  
Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 13 of 300 (197323)
04-06-2005 6:44 PM
Reply to: Message 9 by Alexander
04-06-2005 5:26 PM


The way to counter this isn't by electing left-leaning loud mouths. Democrats need real candiates with charisma and the balls to take a stand other than a tepid endorsement of 'Republican lite'.
But I think a left-leaning loud mouth is exactly what we need to confront the neo-cons.
Jim Hightower has also been promoted as a possible candidate. But he thinks he can do more good doing what he is outside of government. The question is, is it the same situation for Al Franken?
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your perspective, compromising your ideals is probably usually required to have any affect.
I'll also direct the thinking back to the Is the Present Government Hurting U.S. Democracy with Fake News? topic. I think the greatest failing of the U.S. government system is that of the "fourth branch", the news and information media.
Moose

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Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 15 of 300 (197329)
04-06-2005 7:04 PM
Reply to: Message 12 by Asgara
04-06-2005 6:26 PM


Feingold et all (Topic drift again?)
I'm from the state that has the best it can be, Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold.
Certainly, Russ Feingold is one of the best of the rather thin pickings of the "real progressives". I think that Dennis Kucinich is another. But look at the (lack of) attention that the mainstream media gave to his presidential candidacy. I have been told, Dennis actually had significant support from some "real conservatives". And I can respect a "real conservative". Someday I'll get my "Real Conservatives" topic launched.
I think that Howard Dean is a good thing, as the designated leader of the Democratic party.
But all this is something for another topic, or is it?
Moose

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Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 16 of 300 (333762)
07-20-2006 2:47 PM


Al Franken and Ann Coulter - A link to an encounter
There is discussion of both Al and Ann at the currently active Ann Coulter topic. Schrafinator has posted the most recent message there, which supplies a link to the Al Franken site (http://www.al-franken.com/).
That in turn leads to another site, which contains Al's An Evening with Ann Coulter: Opening Statement.
Moose

Professor, geology, Whatsamatta U
Evolution - Changes in the environment, caused by the interactions of the components of the environment.
"Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and will piss on your computer." - Bruce Graham
"The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness." - John Kenneth Galbraith
"I know a little about a lot of things, and a lot about a few things, but I'm highly ignorant about everything." - Moose

  
Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 17 of 300 (385258)
02-14-2007 8:02 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Minnemooseus
04-06-2005 4:29 AM


He's doing it!
About 2 years ago Minnemooses writes:
2 1/2 years ago, a plane crash killed Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone, about 2 weeks before the election. Former Senator and Vice President Walter Mondale became the fill in Democratic candidate, vs. Republican Norm Coleman. Norm Coleman won.
After that election, Minnesota native Al Franken made the statement that he might be interested in returning to Minnesota, and running against Norm Coleman in 2008.
Al Franken enters Minnesota Senate race
MINNEAPOLIS - Al Franken announced Wednesday that he will run for the Senate in 2008, making it clear that the comedian and author of "Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot" wants to be taken seriously as a political figure.
More there, including links to video clips.
Moose

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Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 18 of 300 (478719)
08-19-2008 11:38 PM


Joel Stein on the state of the Franken campaign
The current Time Magazine has an interesting article on how Al Franken's campaign is going.
Page not found | TIME
The printer (and reader?} friendly version is at Page not found | TIME
Moose

Professor, geology, Whatsamatta U
Evolution - Changes in the environment, caused by the interactions of the components of the environment.
"Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and will piss on your computer." - Bruce Graham
"The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness." - John Kenneth Galbraith
"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron." - H.L. Mencken (1880-1956)
"Nixon was a professional politician, and I despised everything he stood for ” but if he were running for president this year against the evil Bush-Cheney gang, I would happily vote for him." - Hunter S. Thompson
"I know a little about a lot of things, and a lot about a few things, but I'm highly ignorant about everything." - Moose

  
Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 20 of 300 (488338)
11-10-2008 2:49 AM


(As I understand it) It looks like we'll know the final results in December
quote:
Republican Sen. Norm Coleman's lead over Democrat Al Franken stood at 236 votes Thursday night.
With nearly 2.9 million ballots cast, the difference between the top two candidates is about one one-hundredth of a percentage point.
Source
It's now early Monday morning, so the above story was about 3 days ago.
The most up to date info
quote:
Independence 			DEAN BARKLEY 	437385	15.16
Republican 			NORM COLEMAN 	1211556	41.99
Democratic-Farmer-Labor 	AL FRANKEN 	1211335	41.98

As I look at this, the Coleman lead is 221 votes.
They've been checking all the bookkeeping. This will be followed by a full blown recount.
Moose
Edited by Minnemooseus, : Add Dean Barkley numbers and tweak table format.

Professor, geology, Whatsamatta U
Evolution - Changes in the environment, caused by the interactions of the components of the environment.
"Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and will piss on your computer." - Bruce Graham
"The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness." - John Kenneth Galbraith
"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron." - H.L. Mencken (1880-1956)
"Nixon was a professional politician, and I despised everything he stood for ” but if he were running for president this year against the evil Bush-Cheney gang, I would happily vote for him." - Hunter S. Thompson
"I know a little about a lot of things, and a lot about a few things, but I'm highly ignorant about everything." - Moose

Replies to this message:
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Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 21 of 300 (488342)
11-10-2008 4:05 AM
Reply to: Message 20 by Minnemooseus
11-10-2008 2:49 AM


The Dean Barkley factor
quote:
Independence DEAN BARKLEY 437385 15.16
Republican NORM COLEMAN 1211556 41.99
Democratic-Farmer-Labor AL FRANKEN 1211335 41.98

My understanding is that Dean Barkley was drawing votes about equally from both Republicans and Democrats. His positions were very good - He was a very attractive candidate.
I suspect that without the voter attitude that "a vote for Barkley is a vote for the candidate you don't want", his totals could have been much higher. Had Minnesota had a instant runoff system in place, I could envision the vote having been split into about equal thirds, with any of the three coming in in third place.
Added by edit:
If Barkley had managed to come in at least 2nd place, the runoff would be Barkley vs. Coleman or Barkley vs. Franken. I see Barkley taking the bulk of the 2nd choice votes of the eliminated candidate, and winning the election.
Moose
Edited by Minnemooseus, : See above.

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Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 22 of 300 (488699)
11-15-2008 1:13 AM
Reply to: Message 20 by Minnemooseus
11-10-2008 2:49 AM


Re: (As I understand it) It looks like we'll know the final results in December
The previous tally as of Nov. 11:
quote:
Independence DEAN BARKLEY 437385 15.16
Republican NORM COLEMAN 1211556 41.99
Democratic-Farmer-Labor AL FRANKEN 1211335 41.98

The current tally (Nov. 14), after the checking of the bookkeeping:
quote:
Independence DEAN BARKLEY 437389 15.16
Republican NORM COLEMAN 211565 41.99
Democratic-Farmer-Labor AL FRANKEN 1211359 41.98

So, Dean Barkley gained 4 votes, Norm Coleman gained 9 votes, and Al Franken gained 24 votes. I believe it's now time for the ballot by ballot recount. Minnesota has a paper ballot for all the votes done.
An article from an apparent right-wing source, dated Nov. 12th: Mischief in Minnesota?
quote:
Up in Two Harbors, another liberal outpost, Mr. Franken picked up an additional 246 votes. In Partridge Township, he racked up another 100. Election officials in both places claim they initially miscommunicated the numbers. Odd, because in the Two Harbors precinct, none of the other contests recorded any changes in their vote totals.
Also much more to read there.
I'm living and voting in a precinct about 5 miles from Two Harbors, and I was an election judge for 3 hours in a nearby township (NOT Partridge).
I subscribe to the local weekly newspaper, based out of Two Harbors. Alas, my copy is currently waiting in my post office box. I'll have to see if they have a story on the above question.
Moose

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Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 24 of 300 (488878)
11-18-2008 11:18 PM
Reply to: Message 22 by Minnemooseus
11-15-2008 1:13 AM


OK, the story where those extra votes came from
quote:
Up in Two Harbors, another liberal outpost, Mr. Franken picked up an additional 246 votes. In Partridge Township, he racked up another 100. Election officials in both places claim they initially miscommunicated the numbers. Odd, because in the Two Harbors precinct, none of the other contests recorded any changes in their vote totals.
Partridge Township in not in the Two Harbors area - I have no further information there.
The story in Two Harbors, per the local newspaper:
quote:
(Lake County) Auditor Steve McMahon explained that on election night, a typo was made when staff in his office entered totals for the Minnesota Secretary of States website.
The last digit of Franken's vote total was dropped, temporarily leving his tally for Ward 1 at 27 instead of 273. When the auditor's staff reviewed the paperwork the next morning, the mistake was caught and corrected.
They go on to say that the corrected values were in line with the nature of the vote elsewhere in Lake County.
Anyhow, 27 votes + 246 votes = 273 votes for Franken in that voting precinct.
The Nov. 14th totals:
quote:
Independence DEAN BARKLEY 437389 15.16
Republican NORM COLEMAN 211565 41.99
Democratic-Farmer-Labor AL FRANKEN 1211359 41.98

The current vote totals:
quote:
Independence DEAN BARKLEY 437404 15.16
Republican NORM COLEMAN 1211590	41.99
Democratic-Farmer-Labor AL FRANKEN 1211375 41.98

So Barkley gained another 15 votes, Coleman gained 25 votes, and Franken gained 16 votes.
I believe those totals are still just bookkeeping checks and corrections. The manual recount is still to come.
In Minnesota, the ballot was a "fill in the ovals next to the name" thing. Many (most?) precincts had machines to read the ballots and total the votes. Now they can check on the machines, including where the voter intent was clear (such as circling the name) but unreadable by the machine. Anyway, a paper trail.
Moose

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Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 25 of 300 (489041)
11-22-2008 5:40 AM


News etc. on the recount
The Recount Referee
Former Senator weighs in on recount
5 Eyewitness News Truth Test
Media Matters: The media's Minnesota debacle
Anyone who wants to look at the details of the election vote totals etc can go to Home - Election Results
which in turn leads to Home - Election Results, which is the senate recount stuff.
Moose

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Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 26 of 300 (489151)
11-23-2008 11:32 PM
Reply to: Message 25 by Minnemooseus
11-22-2008 5:40 AM


Re: News etc. on the recount
Home - Election Results
Latest totals:
quote:
Precincts recounted: 73.24% (3025 of 4130)

Totals:

Nov. 4 Ballots Cast for Norm Coleman	809454
Nov. 4 Ballots Cast for Al Franken	784022

Recounted data:

RECOUNT Number of Ballots for Coleman (as recounted)	  808785	42.22 %
RECOUNT Number of Ballots for Franken (as recounted)	  783401	40.90 %
RECOUNT Number of All Other Ballots (as recounted)	  321425	16.78 %
RECOUNT COLEMAN and Other Ballots Challenged By FRANKEN	     945         0.05 %
RECOUNT FRANKEN and Other Ballots Challenged By COLEMAN	     948         0.05 %

Percentage of Ballots Recounted = 65.65 %

Coleman 808785 + 945 = 809730
Franken 783401 + 948 = 784349
Apparently the top totals were the original election count and the bottom total are the current recount count, for those 3025 of 4130 precincts recounted. Assuming the challenged ballots don't get rejected:
Coleman 809730 - 809454 = 276 votes gained so far in the recount.
Franken 784349 - 784022 = 327 votes gained so far in the recount.
But one-third of the ballots are not yet recounted. Seemingly they are the larger (urban?) precincts which are more heavily Franken. Things would seem to be looking up for Al. Remember, the pre-recount totals were Coleman 41.99% and Franken 41.98%.
Moose

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Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 27 of 300 (489289)
11-25-2008 9:59 PM
Reply to: Message 26 by Minnemooseus
11-23-2008 11:32 PM


The current score
Home - Election Results
quote:
Precincts Recounted: 85.93% (3549 of 4130) 	 Last update was: 11/25/2008 8:00:03 PM

Statewide Recount Results for US Senate
 	                                Totals
Nov. 4 Ballots Cast for Norm Coleman	980121
Nov. 4 Ballots Cast for Al Franken	977580

Recounted Data	Totals	Percent
RECOUNT Number of Ballots for Coleman (as recounted)	978751	41.58
RECOUNT Number of Ballots for Franken (as recounted)	976187	41.47
RECOUNT Number of All Other Ballots (as recounted)	395548	16.80
RECOUNT COLEMAN and Other Ballots Challenged By FRANKEN	  1758	 0.07
RECOUNT FRANKEN and Other Ballots Challenged By COLEMAN	  1836	 0.08

Percentage of Ballots Recounted = 80.62 %

Things have tightened up.
Moose

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